James Perse ruched dress | a couple years old
MM6 perforated fabric tote | purchased with credits from Forzieri
Rachel Comey moon wedges
Well. I have nothing really to say about this outfit. I was going to say that I wore it yesterday with my Birkenstock sandals during the day and then when I met my husband for dinner changed into my Rachel Comey wedges (link goes to the wood sole). Which I can still say, because I did. But it doesn’t seem very important anymore LOL. It’s certainly not groundbreaking. That’s what most people do, isn’t it; go from “day” to “dinner” just by changing shoes? The thing is, I don’t do that. I usually just wear what I’m wearing. Ok, so it IS groundbreaking!! 🙂 Or a step in the right direction??
BUT. Did you see you that Shopbop is offering an extra 25% off sale items starting today? So OF COURSE I ordered the black version of the Acne Studios dress I have in blue, because I’ve always said that if it was black, I’d wear it more. I used my credit and bought it. But I have a sneaking suspicion I bought it because it’s on sale, not because I really love it. I do like that dress, but I never really thought it was THAT flattering on me. But maybe I just couldn’t get past the blue?
I’m feeling quite anxious about it, honestly, because I’ve done a bit more buying/purging than I care to admit lately. I’m out of balance. Completely, literally, scattered lately and have fallen back into old habits. Time to read back through The Minimal Closet posts and take a bit of my own advice, eh??
How’s your Tuesday? Find anything good with the Shopbop code??
I’ve been trying to focus on, “what’s another healthy activity I could do instead of looking at something to buy?” Like texting a friend to talk, or going on a walk, or planning a meal. Basically, trying to come up with hobbies besides shopping.
I’ve also MAJORLY pared down my wardrobe and am feeling a little anxious that I don’t have “enough” clothes. But I keep thinking about “how many items do I actually have time to wear in a week” and then calm down. It’s also helped me avoid some purchases because I think about “what else would I need to stop wearing if I add this to my wardrobe?”
Tee hee .. me too ! Or I’m at least trying to have a set time on line (like, in the morning when I’m having my coffee and after lunch etc) – then get out of the house etc.
Monica.
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For the first time in like 5 years I haven’t been tempted by a season’s end sale. I did cave and bought the Hope Louise sweater that I’ve been eyeing for awhile because it was on sale. I actually have a sweater that is almost just like it and the quality is in fact better than the Hope one. But the thing is, the one I own is just too heavy and I’ve had it for 3 years and worn it maybe 3 times. It’s also is a bit more structured on the shoulders and upper arms and I’m a slouchy sweater person. So even though the Hope one is of worse quality, I just know I will wear it more. So sometimes it’s OK to buy something that you already own that makes just enough difference for you to wear it more than the original one.
Yep, I’m right there with you. Maybe we can blame the unusual weather we’ve been having in our area??? My stress level has been really high lately (mother diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, daughter had first child) so suddenly I’ve been thrust into a new life stage I’m not sure I was ready for just yet. I keep feeling like being a grandmother requires different clothes, like maybe my own clothes aren’t practical (or frumpy?) enough.. Granted, I do need a few wash and wear things, rather than the tailored, dry-clean blazers I usually wear, but a thorough search of all my workout wear and “at home” clothing would have yielded plenty of suitable options. Instead, I have been buying and returning things at an alarming rate, and even bought a bunch of stuff at a consignment shop that is non-returnable, under the pretense that I needed some more feminine tops to wear on dates. (I’m not dating anyone at the present time, but there for a few days it looked like I might be, and that’s all the incentive I needed to go shopping!) There is some sort of hole in me that needs filling, and deep down I know it’s not really in my closet. Posts like yours make me more mindful of this behavior, so thanks for sharing your story so openly.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who believes in “Holy Grail” items, but am I the only one who never finds them quite satisfactory once I get them home? I just bought the same pair of sandals in black and tan because I was convinced they were just what I’d been seeking for several years; only time will tell if they actually are the HG of summer sandals, but having them is not nearly as interesting as having the quest for them, if that makes any sense. I’m already thinking the heel may be a little high, or the tan may be a little darker than I wanted. In reality, they are everything I said I needed in a heeled summer sandal for work, and since they were half price I could get both colors. Debbie Roes of Recovering Shopaholic has written a lot about buying multiples, and I tend to buy multiples when I think I’ve found an HG item. Every time I think I’ve got the whole shopping thing under control, I find I’m wrong. Good to know I’m not the only one!
oh my gosh. i would love to blame the weather 🙂 and hormones! But i know exactly what’s going on; it’s summer, which for me, brings with it a whole host of issues: my step-son here with us, “business” slowing down, family visits, HEAT…so much stress. so i go on a quest for perfection, in an area of my life (my closet) that i think i maintain some control over, and go CRAZY. and of course, never achieve said perfection, and stress myself out even more trying to get there. at least at this point in my life i can recognize what i’m doing and try to remedy it before too much damage is done, if any.
that’s all we can do, right? try to be more aware, and stop ourselves making even more mistakes? it sounds like you’re seeing that as well…we’ll get there!!
i do agree with you on HG items and the “thrill of the quest” to a certain extent. if i have been searching for something particular for a very long time, or there’s a specific item i obsess over for more than a year (in the mean time trying to find cheaper alternatives, or good substitutes), then i find that once i purchase the actual HG item, i’m good for a while. of course, i’ve also found that my tastes change every couple of years, as styles do as well, and what once was a HG item is no longer the ONLY thing i want to wear, if that makes sense. when i buy it, i truly believe that this particular item will be the one pair or one “whatever” that i will want to wear for a long time. even though i know that won’t be the case…
so most of the time my HG items turn out to be everything i thought they would, and i kick myself for not just getting it in the beginning and saving myself so much energy on trying to find an alternative!! but i do also ALWAYS miss the journey, the quest for the HG when it’s over. although there’s always something else not far behind to focus on LOL
you have a lot to deal with, go easy on yourself 🙂 and thank YOU for sharing your story with us…
yes, well, that would be easier if shopping wasn’t my JOB LOL – i don’t shop just to shop anymore, i’m always searching, looking, trying to seek out new things, designers to write about. and in the process, i find a lot of stuff i think i need!! 😉
perhaps if there was a way to segment “my life” more. i just don’t know how…
excellent questions!! i do something similar as well, and of course, sometimes the process works better than others !! 😉
i’m going through this now though, because i just bought my HG pair of sandals, so i want to get rid of a couple other pairs to make room for those. which i’m feeling very guilty/bad about as well. oy…
you are absolutely right wendy – truly wearing something is what’s really important, i think.
and love that sweater !!!! i wish i could do better buying off season, but i’m so bad at it. i can’t even THINK about buying a sweater when it’s 100 degrees outside…
Just want to say, i think that dress looks amazing on you!
thank you julia!! it’s one of my favorites 🙂
Oh, this post made me just want to give you a hug. You’re being really hard on yourself, don’t you think? 🙁
(Besides, you always have an out: return [if possible], eBay/consign, or donate to your favorite nonprofit — tax deduction!)
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aw…thank you 🙂
yes, it’s the thing i’m the best at…being hard on myself! sadly. i had a tough morning!! all better now, after some chocolate/peanut butter coconut milk ice cream.
and thanks to you i bought the josie maran coconut water eye shadow in pink and LOVE IT. who knew adding a little color to my lids could make such a difference LOL – i love it!!
and UGH. but i cannot leave a comment on your latest post cuz i can’t login to whatever, but where did you get samples of your may lindstrom stuff? i went by a store here who sells it but they couldn’t give me any samples…i’m dying for the blue cocoon, but the PRICE. of course, if it’s magical, i’ll buy it, but still…. anyway, please know that i’m waiting with bated breath for your reviews 😉
oh you look BEAUTIFUL grechen!!
thank you amanda!! *blushing*
Oh good! The Josie Maran is a nice product. Not sure why other manufacturers haven’t gotten on the liquid shadow bandwagon…. I love the stuff.
Re: May Lindstrom. I ordered a pack of 5 samples for $10 from http://www.ecodivabeauty.com. You have to be selective because I think they only allow one sample pack per customer — you can imagine the mayhem if they didn’t. Blue Cocoon was one I didn’t order; instead I got Youth Dew, Problem Solver, Good Stuff, Honey Mud, and Clean Dirt. They shipped them very quickly and the sample sizes are decent, although the oils are a little small in comparison to the others. I’ll have to write about them later once I’ve had a chance to go through them all.
Glad you’re feeling better, a little ice cream always helps.
Wow! I thought that HAD to be a new dress. You look fantastic…hair, glasses, shoes, bag, and that WOWZA dress that makes everything look just right. 🙂
Trying really hard not to shop. But still searching for the just right “crisis-cross sandals” in black or tan, with a teeny wedge or bit of heel to help my painful ankle. (Achilles tendinitis). And that perfect (oops, that word!) black avant-garde tee dress.
Really great (and honest) comment about the hole that needs filling, TAM. I can relate to your sentiments about the thrill of the chase.
How “avant garde” a dress do you want? The Eileen Fisher drapeneck short sleeve dress has a more architectural shape than I thought I’d like (square through the middle and tapered a little toward the knee) but it fits & feels just like a tee. And I think my ShopitTo Me email showed it was on sale for even less than I got it last month at the Nordstrom sale….
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/eileen-fisher-drape-front-shift-dress-regular-petite/3259691?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=2375500&fashionColor=Deep+Sky&resultback=800
Thx, Kelly! I’ll take a look, and I do know which one you mean. I love Grechen’s OAK dress, but I waited too long to make the purchase. UGH!