I don’t need anything for fall, but I could “use” a few things, and yes, I want a few things.
As of today, I have 173 items in my wardrobe (everything is listed here in my wardrobe spreadsheet ). I had 176 items in May of this year, so I’m doing very well keeping my wardrobe in stasis, which was my semi-goal this year. I have obviously added a lot of items recently, but I have also sold many other things I no longer wanted to hold on to and I feel very good about where things are.
Just to clarify, those 173 items include every.single.thing. in my wardrobe (not including underwear and sleepwear) like all the tanks and leggings I wear only for Pure Barre, things that are on their way out but still in my closet, things that I wear only at home like old t-shirts or leggings with holes in them, bags that are stored away, shoes that are stored away, etc. That’s literally everything.
So, on to my fall 2018 wardrobe planning. I use the term planning loosely, as usual; I’m not great at planning my wardrobe or purchases much in advance. And I’m tired of trying to fight that. I like to play around with my wardrobe and if I see something pop up that I hadn’t thought about, but that looks interesting, then I’ll try it. Why not? I like it this way, and it suits me fine. I am very intentional about what I buy and what I choose to keep.
But here are some things I’d like to add to my wardrobe:
Eileen Fisher Tussah Plaid pants – featured yesterday
purchased today with $30 coupon FALL2018 I think it was? and I had $30 left on a gift certificate.
Elizabeth Suzann clyde jacket – clay, size small
I know I want to try this and I do need a heavier layer I can wear OVER sweaters when it’s cold out. I am thinking I might be able to get away with this jacket over a warm sweater this winter?
Elizabeth Suzann silk andy trousers – black silk crepe, small (I’m going to order these AFTER I sell the mediums I bought)
Natural/Ivory bottoms: I’m really loving lighter colored heavier bottoms lately. Rachel Comey slim legion jeans? Rachel Comey Elkin pants? elizabeth suzann clyde culottes in natural canvas? I really liked my ES clyde culottes, they were just the wrong size on me so I sold them. I think about them often though, and I believe they’re worth re-purchasing.
Light colored sweater like the one above by Acne Studios. Garmentory (< that is my referral link – if you use it and sign up for an account you’ll get $20 off your first purchase and I will get a $20 account credit) is my favorite place to look for knitwear once it starts arriving. I really like knitwear by Acne Studios, Bare Knitwear, Lauren Manoogian (her AW18 pieces are very oversized though, which isn’t what I want right now), Han Starnes…I am generally trying to only add alpaca sweaters now, and cashmere or wool if it is secondhand.
High-top sneakers? I love the look of these Veja sneakers, but I could NEVER get a pair of that brand to fit me correctly, they always hurt my feet. But I’d love something to keep my ankles warmer. Or, I could just wear socks with my regular sneakers. What a thought LOL.
Ankle boots? I really like the lace-up hiking style boots that are having a moment now (I know…I know…) And these sort-of Chelsea boots by Stuart Weitzman? Meh. I don’t really like ankle boots, or boots at all on me. But sometimes they’re necessary. It would be nice if I could find a pair I like ON me. I’ve always hated ankle boots on me because of my thicker calves and short legs. And they’re so hard to style. Of course, I could try not GAF this winter.
What’s on your shopping list for fall? What do you need? what do you WANT??
We must be on a similar wavelength lol, I just ordered the Bhava Chelsea boots even though I usually find that style annoying and I’m mostly over it *shruggy emoji*. Do you remember the chunky Everlane cardigan from a while back? I wish someone would make a version of that in a high quality non animal fiber knit. I’m really not much into the babaa thing, may the wrath of the internets rain down upon me. I also love the shape of the new Ilana Kohn Gallo trouser but that’s not a practical item for me and I’m sure that waistband would be a big time regret. My winter options are pretty slim but I have ordered a replacement for my one pair of blue denim jeans so far, plus the boots. Trying not to go overboard.
I have a hard time planning for fall/winter because I hate both, and to even start thinking about what I might need/want for those seasons is so depressing. I feel like I have a sense of style in the summertime, and when I look at myself in the mirror, I see ‘me’, if that makes sense. In the winter, I feel like I dress not to be cold, and that’s pretty much it, so I feel like I somehow lose myself in those seasons. My favorite piece of winter clothing is my knee length coat which I very fondly refer to as wearing a duvet, so that’s the level of style I’m at for those seasons.
I know I need new warm shoes because I always have cold feet, so I’ve been looking at a pair of Allbirds wool runners in a fun color to cover that for fall. I live where we have legit cold winters including snow/ice, so they won’t be enough for that. If hibernating were a valid option, I’d be very happy to skip fall/winter clothes completely. Since I can’t, I’ll be looking for a couple of warm weight sweaters, a pair of warm and non-slippery boots, and if I can figure out how to wear Clyde Culotte’s cold weather style, I’ll be buying a pair of those in my correct size to replace the too long ones I sold.
The Clyde jacket is chic and the color, appealing….it’s almost like a sleeker, classier version of a barn jacket if worn as outerwear. My concerns would be 3/4 length sleeves and no front closure, which would not be weather-friendly in the winter. That being said, there’s no reason it would HAVE to work in the coldest weather if you have something else to wear.
I’ll be honest- If you can try on or borrow the Clyde jacket before you buy, do it. I’m 5’6″, size 12/14 and I bought a L. I’m an XL by anyone’s measurements. I’m very busty. It was just…enormous. I did the same as you and kept it WAY too long thinking there was something wrong with me because it looks good on everyone, right? It’s SO stiff and huge. Just…massive on my shoulders and frame. Might have been the least flattering thing I have ever purchased.
Truth, tho? The thing was AWESOME. I think sizing down (maybe two sizes, seriously) and getting it in linen might be the deal.
I was ENGULFED by it. So sad. I kept washing it- fabric softener maybe? to see if I could make it “flow” but uck. I need to remind myself that fat people in huge clothes are NOT COMFORTABLE nor flattering. I need tailored, fitted clothing.
So odd, it’s the only clothing brand I have ever purchased that I’m just…disappointed in myself when it looks bad on me.
I own two pairs of way old clyde pants- size 10! that are amazing. (fat with tiny hips…yay!nu…no) The pre-twill pair is canvas and they are awesome. The twill pair fine. Pilling is non-awesome. Two pairs of Tildas (size L) that are super problematic (I need to sell them- who can wear these? They look great til you..say, try to walk and the waist falls down immediately…) and a first gen wool Harper that is wildly unflattering but warm and has a big pocket so…it’s a work shirt now. I cut the “tail” off and sewed it up to the pocket. Less like wearing a giant bag. Sold 3 Harpers, a Georgia, an Astral top was so weird I just can’t, sold Cecilias… bought a size ten and the bagging in the hips was pretty intense for a woman of my size.
I feel like her clothes are made for small busted folks that…don’t move much. I wish her clothes looked good on me.
I devolved…sorry. It’s a very cool jacket…I hope you look great in it…just, SIZE DOOOOWWWN.
Hoo, I have feelings about ES, apparently!
lol you are always the contrarian aren’t you?? 😉
i am sooo over the babaa craze on instagram, BUT, i am intrigued by the cotton cardigan because it is SHORT. and cotton.
but i do love my everlane cardigan of which you speak. i keep it in my office during winter months to keep me warm…
and i’m having an ilana kohn moment, i love the gallo pant also, but i’m trying to get away from EVERYTHING i own being wide leg at this point.
love those bhava chelsea boots but they would come up too high on my legs i think 🙁
do you have other bhava shoes? how do you like them?
Oooh, that Acne sweater IS really good. I feel like lately I’ve seen more knits like that done in cotton (I’ve never had a cotton sweater that DIDN’T pill like crazy), and am tempted by it because it’s wool…
acne sweaters are really really good. i’ve had a couple and sold them because they were the wrong size and/or color, but i love how they fit and drape on the body, and they just seem to fit me well. i got sucked down the rabbit hole looking for them on the real real yesterday and i am now tempted by a few. ugh. 🙂
I FEEL THE SAME WAY SOMETIMES!!!!
omg, i’m glad you said that out loud – “it’s the only clothing brand I have ever purchased that I’m just…disappointed in myself when it looks bad on me” – i had sort of felt the same way. of course, i have felt the same way off and on over the years about a lot of brands/items of clothing, and still work really hard to overcome it.
again, i hate to call it “hype” necessarily, because ES brand loyalty has been hard won, and well-earned/deserved, but ES is not EVERYTHING. yes, when you find the right ES piece, in the right size, it can be magical, and what is also wonderful is that you are supporting a female entrepreneur and sustainable company.
But…
you’re right – no one talks about the pieces that DON’T work for them, and why, they only sing the praises of ALL of the ES ALL the time. and by “no one” i guess i mean the instagram darlings and bloggers who wear ES. of which i am one, i suppose. i feel like i am pretty honest about my feelings about the fit, etc., of some pieces, but maybe not as much as i could be, you know? and that is not because ES gives me generous gifts periodically, it is because i DEEPLY TRULY want to love each piece i get and am clouded by that from the outset. i also think i SHOULD love each piece, no matter how it looks on me, or fits, so that i feel BAD when i don’t. WHY?? WHY do I/we do that?
it is marketing i think. all marketing. it is so pervasive, and feels so natural that we don’t notice how bad it makes us feel.
ugh.
but thank you for your input on the jacket sizing, i think i’ll order it in the XS 🙂 – i do want to try it, even though it might not work for me…
i highly highly highly recommend the allbirds wool shoes, both the runners and the loungers, i cannot manage without them in cold weather! of course, you’re right, they won’t be sufficient for VERY cold weather though…i do not envy you that. i’m grateful for our mostly “warmer” winters here in texas, although they’re colder than i’d prefer LOL
I have the Bhava cork pool slide and I absolutely love it- I think it’s a great non leather sub for that Beatrice Valenzuela slide all the blog darlings were wearing. I have the black suede looking slide as well but it’s a little narrower so I don’t wear it quite as much. They make beautiful shoes and I love that it’s an independently run, female owned business.
I’ve not seen that Babaa cardigan in person BUT. As a recreational knitter I would never MAKE something like that because cotton typically has like no stretch so a bulky loose knit like that over time would just get droopy and flabby and you’re not going to be able to reshape it, whereas an animal fiber is going to bounce back. Like I said I haven’t seen it, I’m sure it’s high quality and constructed to prevent some of that but the shape and open knit and fiber just doesn’t seem like it will hold to me. Plus I’m sorry that is an awkward shape on almost everybody, and offering one size is baffling.
Fall and Winter shopping is my FAVORITE! I like how another commenter said “when I look at myself in the mirror during summer I feel like I look like myself” — or something to that effect — that’s how I feel about fall and winter dressing… bring on the layers and muted earthtones!
I’m also on the hunt for similar items! I bought a pair of PF Flyer high tops last year in the wrong size, so I’ll probably go for some black converse hi-tops, and I’m thinking of getting a pair of Frye Chelsea boots in a chocolate brown — I know that there are perhaps more sustainable boot options out there (or at least more “in” ones like Sevilla Smith), but Frye boots always seem to be excellent quality and I have a pair of Sabrina 6G’s from 5+ years ago I bought used that I return to over and over, and they’re continuing to hold up… so they seem sustainable longevity-wise. Plus, I’m no stranger to scouring all the second-hand sites, where there are lots of good deals on Frye boots. I’m also actually VERY tempted by the Gucci loafers, even though I’ve probably missed the “trend” boat on those. They’d be a splurge, but such a sleek and classic style! We’ll see what happens.
My biggest conundrum for F/W this year is sweaters. I LOVE the Misha and Puff popcorn sweater and I like the look of the Babaa no18 pullovers, but the sizing seems off for someone other than size S, and I’m not sure how either style will work with my broad shoulders. I’m also not into bright colors and am patiently waiting until a good dark blue or green comes my way from either brand (if I pull the trigger at all). I love the oatmeal wool that Only Child has this year for their trench, am always intrigued by the Bare Knitwear Kimono, and I have been wanting either the boatneck sweater or a hat from Hendrik Lou for YEARS it seems… there are just SO many good options this year. and I have my fingers crossed that Han Starnes releases a collection this year… soooo I’ve got a long wishlist, but looking forward to seeing how it all pans out!
I have no idea what “the babaa thing” is….Where have I been!?!
https://babaa.es/
They make a women’s cardigan that has been all the rage among a certain blogger set, and is a very “Brooklyn mom” look. ;-). The one size think drives me nuts because really, that “one size” mainly fits women who wear sizes 2-6 the best.
I have tried the ES clyde jacket in linen and canvas and neither work. I am 5’7″ and plus size 18/20/. Plenty of room so size was not an issue, it was the combination of a short coat with shortened sleeves that made it look like I grew out of it. The proportions were just not right because it has so much bulk but ends and an unflattering length. I ended up buying the trench which is much much better. It looks great and I love it. I notice the same “shrunken” look of that jacket on other people who post it too.
Thanks, Jen! No wonder they’re not on my radar since I’m a size 14 non-Brooklyn mom! 😉
thank you for your feedback!! i hadn’t really thought much about the clyde trench because i don’t tend to wear longer jackets, but i see a lot of positive reviews on the site of people who are 5’3″, so maybe there’s hope??
even on one of the models it sort of looks like she’s wearing a little boy’s jacket that’s too long on her LOL!!
I sold both of mine and noticed that they were both resold again.
The marketing does pull you in and want you to fit the image created and when you don’t it feels not so great. I noticed that ES is taking an instagram break to re-evaluate the Instagram “thing”. I read every post and take in every detail but couldn’t help feeling a little down after reading the posts.
The plaid pants looked great on you and would pair nicely with a cream sweater 🙂 I have the ES Harper jacket in the clay color (cotton canvas) and absolutely adore the color. I haven’t worn it much yet as we were heading into to our hot & humid period when it arrived but hope to start wearing it in October. It is a bit more voluminous than the Clyde you have pictured so I got the smallest size.
I’m starting to use my Pinterest wishlist board as a planning tool. I’ve always had it but it was more pie in the sky and random likes. Now I’m trying to be more strategic about it and use the board to follow a budget. Put it on the board and when I have the budget I’ll refer to the board (still in progress). Regarding my fall/winter planning, I’m not into planning as much by season but I’m debating on buying a warmer shoe for PNW travel (like a sorel). What’s holding me back is most of my Seattle trip, that type of shoe is overkill but for the Washington Huskies game my feet are always freezing. So, I’d really be lugging a heavier shoe mainly for the game (although I could probably wear it on the colder/rainier days too – it just isn’t 100% necessary at other times). In terms of cost, I can fit into big kids sizes so it won’t be so bad and we do go every year.
oh! tell me more about the harper jacket! you got the osm? where does it hit you on your legs? i get so concerned about the length of long jackets. they have to be just right for me to be happy, like not below the knee..
what made you decide to get that one vs. the clyde?
HAVING WARM TOES is worth whatever you have to do. i am absolutely getting those hand/foot warmer things from REI to put in my shoes on the airplane for my next flight.
I have a Clyde jacket in linen and was looking at the Harper jacket in canvas, but thought I wouldn’t get enough wear out of it because I rarely need that weight of jacket in SF. I’m easily cold and there’s always a chance of fog to make it too cold for me to wear just canvas. But I realized that the Harper reminded me of the top layer of my 3-in-1 jacket and it made me think maybe I could wear the Harper over the puffer coat portion of that jacket. To test out this idea, I layered my linen Clyde over a short Nau puffer coat and thought it looked really cute despite the shorter sleeves. You may want to try that as a way to add style and a little extra warmth to a puffer coat and get more wear out of the Clyde. DIY 3-in-1 jacket.
Grechen, I tried on a Harper Jacket at an ES meetup at my house and I don’t think it will work on you. I’m about 5’8″ and a size 4 or 6. The OSM was super oversized on me and I think it would overwhelm a short person. I liked it and may get it in the future, but I’ve got about 5 inches on you. And I do sort of wish there was a smaller option than OSM, because I’d probably prefer it a little smaller.