AG Stevie Sateen jeans | made in the US
EVERLANE u neck tee | made in the US
EVERLANE chunky knit cardigan | sold out
VINCE perforated sneakers | use code GRECHEN20 for 20% off, size down 1/2 size
PROENZA SCHOULER ps1 | purchased from Forzieri with credits from partnership
It’s no secret that I think WAY too much about my wardrobe, what I’m wearing, and what’s in my closet. I analyze, analyze again, and then once more, how any given item I’ll add will fit into my wardrobe, how many things I’ll wear it with, how often, what I’d have to get rid of if I bring something new in, and on, and on, and on…until the horse is dead, as it were.
I was doing this out loud with a friend recently, about this bag, and another potential purchase, interestingly enough, also in an olive color, and she basically told me (not exactly in these words) to shut it, I was thinking WAY too much about it. And I was. But I wanted to be absolutely sure I was making the right decision.
Once again, I’m striving for perfection. I think that anything I add to my wardrobe must be perfect, go with everything, last forever, etc., etc. Which is ridiculous, of course, because there’s no such thing as perfect. And why can’t I just have something I love, that brings me joy? (more on this in this week’s Minimal Closet post on Thursday!)
The moment I saw this bag on Forzieri, I wanted it. Even in this color. I’d wanted a PS1 for quite some time, and was excited that through my partnership with Forzieri, I’d now have a chance to get one (I exchange advertising with them for store credit).
Then I started to get anxious. Aside from black, white and gray, I do have quite a few ‘olive’ green, slightly olive/brown items in my wardrobe, and I was concerned that if I got this color, I’d have to switch out my bag for black if I was ever wearing a similar color in my wardrobe.
Yes, I’m weird like that. I don’t even like to wear my gray Vince sneakers if I’m wearing gray in my outfit (it was REALLY hard for me to wear this gray shirt and wear the Vince sneakers!). Black and black, I don’t have a problem with, obviously, but I don’t like to come off as matchy matchy in any way, so I let that consume me.
But I finally said to myself f*** it, I love the color, and I love the bag, and I’m going to get it. Now it’s here, and I love it, and I’m going to wear it – I’m even going to try and wear it with some items of similar color. Just to see what happens. If the world ends, I apologize 😉
Do you avoid wearing similar colors in outfits? or carrying bags or wearing shoes that “match” something in your outfit? Please tell me there’s someone else like me out there….
Hi Grechen, just a quick note on the Azalea discount – it doesn’t seem to be applicable to Vince products unfortunately.
Like you, I have no problem with black and black. It’s pretty basic and accepted.
Where other colors are concerned, though, I think more in terms of coordinating instead of matching. Let’s say green is the main color in my outfit. I would avoid carrying a green purse or wearing green shoes. But I might carry an orange purse, because I love green and orange together. If I wanted to enhance the green in the outfit, I might do it in a piece of jewelry. Or just let the outfit stand on its own.
I think you just have to go with what pleases your eye.
really? did they let you know that?
i’m sorry…i wasn’t informed.
thanks for letting me know though!
I saw that the total didn’t go down after I entered the promo code, and it said “You cannot use this voucher with these products.”
I can’t wait to have the time to analyze my closet and clothing.. lol. As mentioned, I’m leaving my job, but had to stick it out another month to help out the re-hire that will be taking my place ( it’s a good thing to do, never burn those bridges ).
I think this was a good purchase, you thought about the bag and it wasn’t an impulse buy so yeah for you ~ a perfect purchase 🙂 I love the bag in midnight blue ~ sure is purdy.
Monica.
Oh so jealous of that bag! I’ve been dying for a PS1 for years, but to say that would be a splurge is an understatement. The olive seems like a great color for you, since it’s really just one step above a neutral.
I’m totally lazy about switching bags even when I really should, but I do try not to be matchy matchy with my outfits. I always laugh at the perfectly curated outfit boards people post to Pinterest with matching jewelry, bags, shoes, etc. — who actually dresses like that?
okay…so sorry about that. I’ve asked them to clarify, and maybe make the code valid on vince just for you guys…will let you know what I hear back!!
the blue is really nice also, i would have thought about that one too if it hadn’t sold out. no chance of matching there!!
i don’t know…analyzing is fine, OVER-analyzing on the other hand…not good. not good at all…
yes, i was so excited to be able to get it at forzieri – it’s such a great practical bag, although the strap…i don’t get it. (i’ll do more of a review later) – but honestly, i don’t understand thin straps on medium/large sized bags, a thicker strap is always more comfortable and more sturdy. i’ll probably switch the strap out for my thicker Jas M.B. woven strap eventually.
i DO NOT like to match!! not even my jewelry. i think every piece i wear is a different metal!
I try to tell myself it needs to “go with” and not match (yes, I have Clinton Kelly’s voice in my head some days!) but still…….I will match. I do it. Not usually shoes & purse (because, face it, I almost always have black shoes on) but I don’t like to have warm & cool in the same outfit. I really hate mixing metals (even though my watch is silver & gold intentionally to go with either….) And I just can’t wear copper or rose gold, because – what will it match?
So I have my own set of issues 🙂
I love that olive bag. The concept of “It” bags (or, just super expensive bags in general) is something I couldn’t ever really understand, but if I were to lust over an It bag – that would be the one 🙂
in contrast, I am aaaallllllllll about the perfect tiny matching details. Like my earphones match my iPhone cast and the trim on my bag lol.
I love color and have a fairly eclectic wardrobe that I’m now trying to tame. But I have a dear friend who is very OCD and she sounds very much like what you’re describing here. She wears classic shapes and basics in black, white, grey and navy and really struggles with everything having to be just so. It keeps her from bringing too much home but it sends her on return trips way more than not and takes so of the fun out!
That said, she says I’ve taught her how to have fun with her wardrobe and she’s added some neat pieces with pops of color. And more focus on sourcing and origin.
In turn, she’s taught me to put a more thought into my purchases where functionality with attention to which fabrics are best. I always prefer natural fabrics but never paid attention to what fabrics were prone to pile and such.
Still, she told me about a blue Eileen Fisher dress she purchased months ago and can’t figure out how to style. When she sent me the link I realized that it is the same shape as a black tunic she wears often only this is a longer dress version. I was so confused because to me a tee shirt dress like this is an easy go-to piece that doesn’t require much thought…especially if most of your wardrobe is neutral. I told her to throw it on with tights, boots and a scarf. But she began analyzing the style and color of boot saying it was too casual and what color scarf would go and if the scarf had to have some blue or some color of her shoe.
I told her she can dress it up or down as desired but to just the wear it! I reminded her of a plaid neutral scarf and a leopard that she has. She came over wearing the teal dress, grey leopard scarf and moto boots looking adorable! I’m still confused. lol
We each have our areas of strength.
If we don’t put some forethought into our choices we’d be shopping with blind abandon with closets full of crap again and no thought of our carbon footprint or our budget.
Thank goodness we can learn from one another! So thanks for blogging, bringing awareness and balance to our varied sartorial choices. Analyze but not to a fault.
As for an olive bag?!? Wish I had thought of it first!
Cheers!
it should work now, it was a mistake!
see, i’m not usually into “it” bags either, unless i happen to really really really like them, and i usually do like most of them, but wouldn’t carry them while they’re “it”…but i think this one has proven its longevity. it’s just a really practical, utilitarian bag IMO. i don’t think it’s an “it” bag anymore…just a really great bag 🙂
yeah, i recall clinton and stacy saying that a few times LOL
haha! i think that’s awesome…
i did used to pay attention to those types of details: never mixed metals, and made sure all my leathers were matching (even trim), etc., etc., i’m not sure what happened!!
our conversation the other night was actually a big inspiration for this – and my post on thursday – you and another friend mentioning this, my over-analyzing and lack of “fun” in my fashion within a couple days of each other. a sign, if there ever was one 🙂
and again, it sounds like your friend and i are long lost twins…i’d do the same exact thing with a blue dress. i’d have no idea what to do with it, although, as you said, it can simply take the place of a black dress. done, and done. somehow my brain doesn’t process “colors” anymore – at least not in the way others’ do!!
I can definitely relate to over analyzing one’s wardrobe. I have a notebook where I inventory my entire wardrobe and half of the book’s pages have been torn out because I keep on purging and getting new things. I’m also a bit too obsessed about finding the perfect ‘thing’ that goes with everything so I can have a very small wardrobe. Basically I have to stop buying for a period of time, since I obsess about my wardrobe so much that I often times then not, end up buying the wrong thing. Over the past few weeks of buying sales items, I’ve returned majority of my purchases because they are not perfect like I thought they would be. I’m waiting for a pair of Golden Goose distressed high top sneakers to arrive and if they fit well, it will have to be the last thing I purchase for the season. No more shopping until the spring for a few summer things and that’s it for 2015. Because this obsession is getting out of hand!
Hmm…I’m thinking that choosing what to wear may be the ONLY area of my life that I don’t over-analyze! (How the hell did that happen?!?) I guess you’ve taught me to think in terms of neutrals, basics, and making sure pieces go with other pieces. So maybe that means I wear “Adult Garanimals”?
For instance, when I want to look taller and thinner, it’s monochrome all the way (except maybe black sneakers or booties). But the key is: they don’t have to be identical greys, for example, because the eye adjusts accordingly. (A good friend taught me that about decorating.) yesterday was grey jeans, white ribbed tank under grey shirt with grey leopard coat, black messenger bag, and black booties. But, for sure, if I owned a PS1, I’d have worn it instead of my black bag!
Just a suggestion, try different accessories with your outfits and photograph them to see what they look like. Maybe it will surprise you!
see, i’m at the point with my wardrobe that i really don’t HAVE to think too much about what i put together, because i’ve curated it in such a way that everything goes together…in reality, whether or not i THINK it does is another story…
your outfit sounds amazing!!
Haha! Thx 🙂