Simplicity

I'm slightly obsessed with the idea of a capsule wardrobe, clothes that all mix and match. A similar idea that appeals to me is a "French" wardrobe. The idea is that French women are so utterly chic they base their wardrobe on about 5 high quality basics. This might be a grey pencil skirt, black dress pants, a white button down, a cream turtleneck, a navy cardigan for example. Then each season they update with a few trendier items. I love this idea, both for the elegance of wearing classic pieces and the simplicity. I have such a tiny closet that a small, ultra functional wardrobe would suit me very well.

Taking it down a notch

I came to the realization recently that I'm giving up heels. I feel more like myself in flats and love the look. I might consider a 1" wedge or stacked heel, but probably nothing higher.

I used to dread putting heels on in the morning, not to mention trying to match up various heel heights to pant length. I'm fairly active during the day, so it's a relief to give my feet a break and be able to walk comfortably.

I wasn't a long-term or frequent heel wearer, but in the last few years I've been wearing them more trying to be stylish. Now I've realized that style is all about the individual and flats are more true to who I am.

Just hanging out...

Ok, so it took about a year but I've finally come to the conclusion that I can't wear skinny jeans or pants to work unless the top comes to mid-thigh. Even with dressy cigarette style pants I just feel strange with my bum hanging out! More accurately, I'm self-conscious about the thigh and crotch line! Sorry to be so crude, but there it is. So if in the morning if I'm delirious and try this manuever, please talk some sense into me. I spent all day tugging at my shirt trying to make it an inch longer!

Coming in under budget

In January I decided to put myself on a clothing budget. Now I know what you probably think, I needed to put myself on a budget to rein in my spending. Actually it's the opposite, I put myself on a budget so I would spend.

Looking back, I realized some of my challenge with fashion is that I don't like to shop. I was too cheap to invest in nice pieces and I'd wear my clothes until they were unwearable. My workhorse dress pants for example were close to 7 years old.

I felt guilty about spending on clothing, I didn't see it as a necessity. I worried about people in the world who didn't own a pair of shoes, much less mid-calf boots with a cute little heel. I started realizing I was being a little unreasonable with myself, so I did some research on setting an appropriate budget. Many financial advisers say 2-7% of your gross income is a reasonable amount for clothing. No wonder why $200-300 a year (including shoes, coats and gear) wasn't getting me far!

So I'm resolved to spend a little more. I actually look forward to shopping now and like to plan what I'll buy with my monthly budget. It must be my new interest in my fashion, because so far the $100 a month hasn't been hard to spend!

Seasonal colors

I recently explored the idea of determining my seasonal color palette. I'm sure most people have heard of this but if you haven't, this is based on the idea that we all fall under a seasonal color. Knowing our season helps us pick colors that are the most flattering with our skin tone, eye color and hair. I checked this out a few years ago and thought I was an autumn. I wasn't overly conscious of shopping for my season, but I did seem to be drawn to jewel tones and dark colors. I never felt right in what I chose and didn't have a clear sense of which colors were working for me.

As I've started to redevelop my style I looked more carefully at the seasonal color idea. I realized I'm probably not a strict autumn but a soft autumn. Soft autumn is more delicate and is overwhelmed by many of the colors I was choosing. That explained why a color I loved on the hanger just didn't do much for me in the mirror.

I can't tell you what a revelation it was to understand that I'm a soft autumn. A soft autumn hovers near the neutral line, so I can wear warm or cool shades. But the most important factor is the saturation of the color. Saturation is the level of color present, in other words fire engine red is highly satured while pale pink is less so (pink is just red mixed with white).

The best colors for me are moderately saturated, not pastel but not jewel tones either. And I look best in colors that aren't primaries- blue-green looks better than pure blue for example. And extremes of any kind- stark white or deep black don't work well next to my face.

Now that doesn't mean I'm throwing out anything that doesn't fit my color palette. I still wear a white shirt for example, but I soften it with a scarf in soft shades of brown. And I can still wear any color, but sometimes it's best to wear it in pants or skirts. As I work on building my wardrobe I now feel more empowered to go into my closet (or a store) and immediately understand what will probably work on me. It makes it easier to put things together and it's starting to get easier to get dressed in the morning.

Here are some of the colors I've decided work best on me:

Neutrals: Dark grey, brown, off-white and cream

Colors: Mid-tone blue-green, soft plum, rust, soft goldish-brown

Accents/accessories: Using complementary colors works well to create some interest and contrast. Complementary colors are those directly across the color wheel.
Mustard yellow (works nicely with blue-green, plum, goldish-brown), green, turquoise.

Almost all of these colors work together, which in theory should result in a wardrobe that can be easily mixed and matched.

Seasonal color palettes aren't hard and fast rules, but sometimes when you're fashion challenged and wandering around lost they can serve as a road sign.

Looking fab!

I haven't posted in a while, but I've been hard at work on developing my style. I recently found a website called You Look Fab. Angie and the forum members there have been a great help in giving me pointers and feedback.

I've come to realize that style is something you develop, it's rarely as effortless as it looks. Many of the fundamentals I learned in an introductory Design class carry over to fashion- color theory, symmetry, focal point, repetition. Art and Design is not easy and it gives me a new respect for people in creative fields. It doesn't have to be intimidating though, fashion works best for me when I keep it playful and creative.

I don't where my style's been all these years, it feel asleep sometimes in my late 20s. Let's face it, life can be mundane sometimes. It's easy to feel like we're in the movie Groundhog Day. Fashion is a simple way to bring a little creativity and artistry into our lives.

I bought a belt!

I'm the proud owner of a belt. It sounds like a simple thing, but I can't remember the last belt I bought. I have one standard black leather belt which I rarely wear. I wanted something a little more interesting which could liven up some of my outfits. I settled on a black/bright pink reversible belt with grommets. It's so cool! And the first day I wore it, I wore it pink over a dark olive green shirt. See? I'm getting a little braver... And I want another belt!