1 JAMES PERSE cashmere tee | on sale right now
2 EVERLANE Ryan tank (white)*
3 EVERLANE Cashmere sweater (moss)*
4 JAMES PERSE slub button front tee | black not available, link goes to white
5 JAMES PERSE relaxed v-neck tee | recent gift from JP – I’m pretty sure it’s the “memory” pigment
6 CASLON military jacket | no longer available – similar style
7 GOLDSIGN virtual high-rise jeans
8 EVERLANE chunky knit cardigan (black)* | men’s style
9 JAMES PERSE leggings
1 JEROME DREYFUSS Florent Backpack*
2 MARC JACOBS “midnight in paris” nail polish
3 3.1 PHILIP LIM large ryder satchel*
4 RAG & BONE aston Boots
5 VINCE perforated leather sneakers
6 VINCE blair haircalf sneakers | similar “Berlin” style by Vince
7 EVERLANE loafers | gift for review
Happy Monday!! We had a busy weekend, actually, and I wore a lot of different things, which is interesting to see now that I am trying to account for them in a more organized way (the pieces above include what I wore on Friday also – the outfit I featured on Friday, was what I wore on Thursday); I’m learning a lot.
Outfits
Friday: (wandering around Highland Park village) JP leggings, Everlane tank top, Everlane cashmere sweater, Vince perforated sneakers, 3.1 Phillip Lim bag (with my computer in it)
Saturday: (Fort Worth) Jeans, JP slub button front shirt, JP cashmere tee, Caslon jacket, Rag & Bone boots, Jerome Dreyfuss backpack (then for dinner with friends, I wore the jeans with tank top, Everlane cashmere sweater & Vince haricalf sneakers)
Sunday: (Breakfast & Costco with Leo) Jeans, JP v-neck tee, Everlane chunky knit cardigan, Everlane loafers, JD backpack
Some notes/thoughts
- After thinking a lot about duplicates and whether or not we actually wear the duplicates we buy after loving the original version, I decided I was going to try to wear my dupes more often, or at least try and recognize why I DON’T wear them as often as I thought I would. On Saturday, we went to Fort Worth to see a special exhibit at the Kimball art museum (beautiful collection, BTW) and I wore my Goldsign jeans, boots, and first, put on the white version of the JP slub button front tee above with the JP cashmere tee. But then, I remembered that I had the black version of the tee and put that on instead.
Honestly, I liked the outfit better with the white tee, but made myself wear the black one instead. I love the black version, but I like contrast in my outfits, and since most of my other pieces are always black, I reach for white more often as a layer. This I recognize now, and hopefully it will help me avoid buying black versions of white items I love…
- Same duplicate idea goes for the shoes – I got the Vince haircalf sneakers in 2013 and have worn the heck out of them, but wanted a lighter version, so I got the gray perforated ones late last year. Now, I wish I’d bought the black perforated leather instead of the gray, I would have just worn those instead of either the gray or black haircalf.
- I’m sort of interested in how many DIFFERENT pieces I wore in three days. I could, of course, because they’re here, but I certainly didn’t NEED to wear them all, which led me to think about how many things we have and what we really wear. I tried to MAKE myself wear some of these things, so I can see what I reach for and what I don’t, what I need and what I don’t, which is why I’m doing this exercise in the first place. Certainly, if I didn’t have the new JP v-neck tee, I probably would have worn an older one. And I already mentioned that I would have preferred to wear the white version of the JP button-front slub tee I changed it out for. So I can already see how being deliberate about what I choose to wear, and meticulously recording it will help me identify wants vs. needs, and recognize how I’ve been filling my closet with “wants” for so long…
I know some of you are meticulous about recording what you wear every day and making notes about what you love and don’t. How has that helped you build a more cohesive wardrobe? What have you learned from the exercise?
*I have purchased most Everlane items with credits I earned via my referral link or added to my account generously by Everlane. Both bags I purchased with credits I earn from Forzieri, an advertiser.
I adore that you’re doing this! The super meticulous part of me loves it 🙂 I love seeing all these laid out like this, and the pieces are all so beautiful! I use an app on my phone to keep track of what I wear, though I’m not exactly sure what “good” it does, but I do feel really proud of myself when I record everything! Actually, having to take photos of all my clothes as soon as I get them makes me more aware, I think, of what I’m buying.
You were so brave to tackle the Stock Show traffic and crowds to go to the Kimball Saturday! Two friends and I really wanted to go, but talked ourselves out of it. It would have been cool to see you there, but I probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to say “Hi, aren’t you Grechen?” Just curious if you are frequently recognized when you’re out and about in the DFW area?
All the items you wore this weekend are “so Grechen!” You have done such a great job of focusing your style on what truly works for you, and the exercise you’re doing now will help make your wardrobe even better. I always get good ideas from your posts, even though our styles are very different. Can’t wait til I can look at what I wore for three days and say “Yep, that’s SO me!”
ha! the only reason we were so brave, is that we had no idea!! SO MUCH TRAFFIC!!! and the line to even get into the special exhibit i wanted to see was so long, we stood in it for a while and then left to just visit the main museum, which we’d never been to. it was very impressive though, and worth the trip anyway.
i hope you would say hello if you saw me!! i promise i won’t bite 🙂 i hardly ever get “recognized” really, except at pure barre, interestingly enough. i love it though, i get so excited to talk to people who read my blog, you guys are like friends. i probably talk too much though, so beware !!
I love that you’re doing this. I’m SO bad about taking outfit pics (I have two kids to get out the door to daycare, no one to take my picture and no great place to set up a tripod…), but maybe one of these days I’ll get my act together and start cataloguing the items, even if they’re not on me.
Also, great point about duplicates. I have the Everlane u-neck tee in black and white — I wear the black CONSTANTLY, but rarely even remember that I own the white.
And one last note — I am obsessed with MJ nail polish and need to add that one to my collection ASAP.
Actually, looking at your pictures today, one thought that came to mind is that your wardrobe looks very cohesive!
Today is my “laundry” day. (Actually, I should have done it yesterday, but I slacked due to the long weekend.) Anyway, as I was folding and putting away things, I was thinking that I like having multiples, but not necessarily in a variety of colors.
I noticed that while I do wear my multiples, I only really like certain colors (dark colors, in my case). And so I’m thinking that it would actually be o.k. to have 3-4 of the same black long-sleeved tee, because I love to use black tees as a base for layering.
I’m also at a point where I don’t mind repeating outfits frequently. As long as I look presentable and I feel like my outfit reflects my personal style, I’m fine.
And, of course, it did occur to me, since it was laundry day, that having everything in dark colors would probably shorten the time I spend on laundry. 🙂
um, i have a weakness for expensive nail polish. stopping NOW. i have enough to last a while, i just need to use them!! marc jacobs polish is so worth it though, i’ve found. it holds up well, and goes on really nicely…
you should do this too!! it would be so interesting i think – i just wish i had a “studio” or better lighting though, so the whites actually appear white, and the photos are a little more crisp. but you gotta work with what you’ve got… 🙂
If only I had married a professional photographer 😉
OMG! You know I’d recognize you, probably hug you, and then offer to take you to lunch….and SHOP!!! Haha 😉
I find that I’m really liking this, because it’s helping me with packing ideas for Chicago, forcing me to wear newer stuff, and it’s fun! The whole “kit and kaboodle,” as my mother would say.
Did I tell you that I saw a GAP attempt at your EVERLANE loafers?!? ( I think I did…never mind! 🙂 )
The last thing I bought was a deep teal colored cashmere blend oversized sweater at Gloria Jewel in Amagansett. It’s a lovely small boutique that also has stores in Bridgehampton and Westhampton Beach. They’ve got great sales (my sweater was only $54, down from $150!). It’s definitely going with me to Chicago, along with skinny jeans and black booties.
you did mention the gap dupes, but i haven’t seen them…i wonder what they’re like in person. i’ll try and find them –
that sounds like such a great color! january sales are the best, i think, i’m sort of stunned by the prices of a lot of things i see. too bad i don’t need anything 😉
you better!!!
such a good point about multiples – i have only bought the same exact color in something i loved once or twice, i usually buy a different “color”. but it actually makes more sense to buy the SAME color if that’s what you really end up wearing more often, and that way you’ll always have one clean 😉
Maybe that’s a GOOD thing? (P.S. My husband and I had “THE Budget conversation” last night. It needed to happen, plus, he no longer thinks I’m having an affair with the UPS man!) 😉