Pix-Elated

A week of outfits in which I get to wear some new (and older!) NAS purchases and also play with the trends. 

In #1 I'm ticking off tartans and lengthening the rise (though these culottes are not super high rise, they are "higher.")

#2/3 shows the new Kut Donna tartan skinnies -- so comfy, even if I'm "off" most skinnies! Ticking off tartans, lengthening the rise, releasing red! 

#4 animal print accessory and maximal my way with the pattern mix. Super casual at home day. 

#5 lengthen the rise, add structure (the gilet).

#6/7 nod to western wear, tick off tartan, add structure. 

#8 enjoy animal print, release red. 

#9-11 maximal my way (pattern mix), wear flats and low heels (actually, all of these are low heels but these are flats). 

#12 an unexpected animal print (whimsical), wear midis, release red. 

Other trends I will/ can embrace: play with puffers, flirt with florals, add a wild card. I'm unlikely to wear much in the way of earth tones but if I could find the right cognac shoe or bag, I'd go for it. Long blazers are difficult for me with my body type but I do love them so if the right one (with enough waist definition/ structure) were to jump into my lap, I'd give it a whirl. I may consider full length boot cuts but I'm not in a rush for those. They're too infrequent a wear to sink a lot of money into. I love 60s, 70s, and some 80s style so always look for items that echo those eras and could even go vintage on a few things. 

Thanks for looking! 

In the never say never category:

Less than a week ago, I responded to Angie's western trend blog post with a "not really for me" type of comment. 

Two days later, I found myself purchasing a western-style belt. ;)

True, belts have been on my HEWI list for over a year. Most of my old belts don't fit with higher waist trousers and jeans and since belts are an important accessory group for me, I need to replenish my belt capsule. Still, I suspect Angie is a master of subliminal suggestion. 

Having purchased the belt (at The Bay -- links are not working for me well -- sorry!) I walked into Nordstrom's. (Side note: what a thrill to be able to walk into actual stores whenever I feel like it!! Hurray for my new, more urban life!) 

Ten steps in and I came face to face with the mildly Western-influenced Blondo Elvina. (Looks less Western in the photo -- toe is pointy western shape IRL.) 

Now, I wasn't exactly in need of a black bootie. True, I just retired my beloved Stuart Weitzman chelsea boots. But I do own tall black waterproof boots. Also, I now have several pairs of waterproof blue booties, which I adore. 

Add to that, Blondo boots often don't fit me terribly well. But something was calling me to try these. They are very lightweight and flexible with skid proof rubberized soles. They have a mid-height shaft, whereas most of my current booties are sock style with quite a high shaft. And that toe...

You know the rest. Such a great fit. So practical for my wet climate and lifestyle. Reviewers say they run small. My best size is EU 37; I took these in a 7 vs. a 6.5 but I do that for Aquatalia boots also. I'd say they'd be too narrow for a wider foot/ ankle. Best on a regular volume or slightly narrow foot. Some reviewers said the ankle is too tight. On me, there's a bit of an ankle gap, but the shape of the boot makes it unnoticeable/ not bothersome. 

Next I headed over to handbags. What I really wanted was a structured handbag. Subject for another post. Suffice it to say I have been looking, looking, looking to no avail for one that combines the features I want. Meanwhile, here sat this Minkoff backpack in putty. I adore my Minkoff hobo but often feel the yen for a lighter coloured bag. And I love carrying backpacks. It was half price. Out came the credit card again. 

Saturday's lunch with Mr. Suz outfit combines a few trends: 

Nod to the Western with belt, and booties. 
Tartan jacket (BR, last year)
Maximalism my way (fringe, texture, pattern)

Many of you may recall that I ordered a lot of Boden dresses this summer and then sent half of them back. By the time I got around to making the return it was early July. I expected several weeks for delivery and processing -- possibly up to 2 months. But when I checked my Visa bill this month and realized I still hadn't received credit for those items I got a bit concerned. Canada Post had told me I did not need tracking because air to UK is so very reliable, and I'd taken them at their word because we pay for returns from Canada, and it would have cost me about $50 more to send with tracking. But that meant I had no record. 

I wrote to Boden on Friday with my order numbers and the items -- and woke up this morning to find my account has been fully credited. They didn't explain what the mix-up was, but dealt with it instantly and efficiently. 

I will definitely be shopping with them some more. In Canada, we don't have the convenience and ease of free returns, so it feels a bit risky. But we do get extremely fast delivery from the UK (a matter of days, seriously!), and all duty, taxes etc. are rolled into the price in CAD so that there are no surprises in the purchase. 

It's October, and I'm in fall shopping mode! :) 

I'll report next week on some purchases. In the meantime, here's something I tried but didn't buy. What do we think of this faux fur cool toned leopard topper by Jones New York? Too over-the-top (ha ha) or just right? 

The price is reasonable, especially if I buy this weekend on sale. An item like this is not on my shopping list. But I couldn't resist trying it on. 

ETA, it may be *slightly* large but does not come in a smaller size. It's a duster shape and meant to be loose but the shoulder fit is just off my own shoulder. Sleeves surprisingly okay however. 

Because of my move at the end of August, I jumped on this challenge ahead of time. I wasn't going to report on this but in the comments I saw that many others are also moving and editing in preparation for that, so I'm putting down my own experience for possible reference. Please don't feel you need to read this long post if it's not your thing! ;) 

Unsolicited advice: If you're preparing to edit for a move, your first questions should concern space (for storage), climate, and lifestyle. Will you have less or more space to store your things? Is it the same climate or a new one? Is your lifestyle about to change significantly, e.g. retirement, new job, new baby?  It's difficult to do, but try to think in terms of future needs vs. what you've been wearing now -- at least if any of these factors are going to differ.

• In my case, I was going to have more storage space in the new house -- but difficulty transporting everything, since mine may be a temporary relocation and we had to take most everything in suitcases on a plane vs in a moving van/ trunks. 

• I moved to a more temperate, moderate, but much more rainy climate. 

• My lifestyle is going to be very similar. Work from home, teaching, presentations, a lot of walking. 

I left some items back in a "holding zone" at my old home -- my big parkas (these can be retrieved if necessary), some heavy winter boots, certain sweaters. I'm not counting those as edited out -- but they're not part of the active wardrobe, either. 

Here's a list of what I got rid of and why. I also put in brackets the approximate years/ seasons I've had and worn each item. (Finds for some below)

Worn out: 

• Cobalt shopper   (handbag)     (5)
• Silver gladiators.                       (3)
• Munro cranberry suede booties .  (5)
• Colourblock black/ navy peacoat (sob!!)   (6)
• Sweatshirt dress (sob!! -- loved this but kitty made a run in it!)  (1)
• Zara silk/cotton grey batwing sweater . (6)
• Red/ white BR poly top sleeveless .       (2)
• Theory cable crew wool sweater, from consignment . (6)
• Loft black knit peplum top  (6)

Poor fit:

• Black moto skinnies (gained a bit of weight)  (6)
• Silver Ecco summer sneakers (not enough support) . (5)
• black Halogen pencil skirt  (weight gain). (6)
• Leopard print jeans   (waist just never felt right even at a good size) (1)

Still in good shape & fits but retired due to style shifts:

• TR Cameron BF jeans  (low rise) .  (5)
• Black skinnies (low rise) . (5)
• Halogen kick crops black  (2) 
• Halogen kick crops red .    (1)
• Cognac saddle bag (don't like gold hardware)   (3)
• Blue camo BF shorts (low rise) . (4)
• Silk abstract pattern top  (3)

Items that just didn't work after putting them through their paces, e.g. they were experiments that in the end didn't feel like "me," they fit okay but never felt right, didn't work in my outfits, etc. 

• Floral kimono (not me) .   (2)
• Navy/ white gingham button front J. Crew (fabrication too soft) . (2)
• Everlane navy silk SS.   (2)
• Everlane blue shell.     (2)
• Everlane red shell .   (2)
• Navy merino t-neck, BR .  (1)
• Lilac merino t-neck     (1)
• Grey merino t-neck     (1)

Note: I do large seasonal edits in September and April, and this is my big September edit. But I tend to edit frequently, like Angie, and between that and in my September 2017 and Spring 2018 edits I had already culled about 60 pieces (for the same range of reasons.) 

Overall, I average about 40-60 "retired" items per year. Which is around 1/3 of the wardrobe. 

I guess you can look at this two ways. It's a lot of wardrobe churn...or not. Because most items I retire have 3-5 years of wear at minimum, which means that unless they're special occasion pieces they typically meet that arbitrary 30 wear threshold.

As you can see, I do make mistakes. Interestingly, my mistakes tend to be for "essentials" vs. statement items. Yes, I buy the odd statement that does not work out -- but more often I buy essentials (like turtlenecks) in the expectation I'll get a ton of wear from them, but for some reason they fail to work out as I had imagined or hoped, either due to quality, fit, or something else. 

I have never regretted letting go of something. Oh -- wait -- I had a vintage pair of high waisted raw silk gaucho pants that I wish I could have kept -- but they were worn out anyway. So...

ETA: After examining for wear and fit, my main question is: does this item make me happy? Does it help me make good outfits or do I always feel "off" in it. If I tend to feel "off" in something, I'm pretty ruthless, however much it cost me. It's a sunk cost anyway, just sitting in the closet. Out, out, out with it, I say!! 

Here are pics of my new closet. We have a massive amount of storage space here but it is oddly laid out. No drawers, so I bought some baskets/ boxes and am making do. I find in my new climate I still put a few things away seasonally (the last photo here -- I've boxed very lightweight items and put them in the guest room). But much more of my clothing is potentially usable across seasons. 

1-2. Shirts/ blouses.

3. Shoes/ booties/ sandals (I have some boots and my coats in the hall closet downstairs). 

4. Skirts and trousers.

5. Jackets (and in-use bags -- new item there!)

6. Dresses & long toppers (in another part of closet where Mr. Suz keeps his stuff, but it's the only full length area and I need room for midis. 

7. Undies and socks in baskets. 

8. Scarves, gym stuff, etc. 

9. Sweaters, jeans, etc. 

Phew! That's a long recap. If anyone has questions, let me know!

ETA: I should have tagged this under Monday's blog post. Not sure how to do that post facto. Sorry!

What are some of my most loved items? Rag & Bone gilet and dressy booties. What are some of my least worn items? You guessed it.

Pleading guilty here to buying a few things for my fantasy life. Or rather, my fantasy climate. But this year, I'm living in that climate. Time to give the orphans some love! 

A few days ago, Angie gently reminded me that this is gilet season in the PNW. Today, I had a lunch date with a friend and shopping, and so I finally had a chance to wear the precious. It was perfect in every way. I've had this gilet now for 3 fall seasons and until today have only worn it a total of about 6 times. The joy per wear was very, very high and each time I wore it, it was the perfect item to be able to put on -- but the cost per wear was astronomical and I did feel some guilt about that! Never mind. It's going to get a ton of wear in my new climate. It's actually surprisingly practical! I layered it over a merino sweater which in turn was layered over a cami. I could also layer over a denim jacket or leather jacket for additional insulation. 

I also broke out the new NAS Aquatalia booties for the first time, and my new NAS scarf (which I've already worn several times). The booties are superb. Super comfortable. But they did dye my leg blue! (I was wearing sockettes, not hose.) 

Bag is from NAS several years ago -- still going strong. 

I made some purchases today that I'll share later this weekend in another thread. Happy Thanksgiving to Canadian Fabbers! 

I didn't take photos often but I did keep track of what I was wearing. It was an unusual month because I moved and have been setting up house. 

Some of my wardrobe remains in Ontario. I left items that I felt I'd be unlikely to wear due to different weather conditions. My current numbers (excluding gear and sleepwear and undies) are around 133. 

Here's what I wore: 

• 4 of 7 bags  (just over half)
• 5 of 23 footwear. (I didn't have most shoes until mid-month and then the weather changed.) 
• 2 of 9 coats  
• 3 of 10 dresses  (stopped wearing summer dresses and had no occasion for truly dressy items)
• 2 of 6 skirts  (stopped wearing skirts due to weather shifts)
• 0 of 7 pants. (these are mostly late fall/ winter items or high summer linen)
• 8 of 9 jeans (it's jean season!) 
• 0 of 3 shorts (too cool)
• 6 of 11 toppers  (beginning of topper season)
• 4 of 4 cardigans (easy to wear and carry)
• 7 of 17 shirts/ blouses 
• 5 of 12 sleeveless tops
• 8 of 18 knitwear (some knits still too warm/ bulky)
• 7 of 9 scarves (good transitional items)

61 items  -- or close to half the working wardrobe! 

My most repeated items at more than 10 wears were my silver sneakers and 2 of my bags. All jeans except one got at least 5 wears. My most worn topper was my grey cardigan (about 10 wears) and my plaid jacket (5 wears). My utility coat got a lot of wear also. 

I'm surprised that I wore so many items but perhaps I shouldn't be since it's a transitional season. It's clear that I wear different clothes in my new climate -- long sleeved shirts get much more play than they ever do at home. I repeated each one I wore multiple times. Jeans remain a true staple.