Pix-Elated

Hi, all. I need some help with making a decision.

Mr. Suz is celebrating a significant birthday this year and we are going on our first longer trip since 2019! We will be travelling to London (UK) for 10 days mid-to-end of May. I'm starting to put together a capsule of items I might (might!) bring, incomplete of course and in flux at this point. I will be watching weather and thinking about our specific activities and adding/ subtracting items as seems fit. So far, plans include museums, theatre, lots and lots and lots of walking, and of course lots of eating! We may or may not take a day trip or two. 

This trip being to the UK, I think a trench coat is in order. I own 3 trenches. One, a short Theory in black (gift of a lovely fabber many years ago!) is not in consideration. My other two trenches are a very old black London Fog (one of my first YLF purchases) and a newer cobalt trench from Hobbs. 

Both are very classic. They are approximately the same just-below-knee length on me. The Hobbs is more fitted under the arm than the London Fog. It is also a more substantial fabric. The London Fog is roomier in the skirt portion also, with a slightly wider vent in the back. Both are water resistant, not waterproof. 

I am showing them both layered over the thickest sweater I would probably bring (which is itself layered over a shirt). I also tried the Hobbs over a tweed jacket, and it works, but isn't ideally comfortable. 

My first question is, which one of these do you think I would do best to bring? 

My second question is: should I consider the purchase of a more current type of trench to bring instead, i.e. a slightly oversized one that would layer more easily? I think at my size/ height  I need to be careful with oversized coats, but I would love some extra dramatic length, and I have long wanted a lighter coloured trench coat. I have been looking for less expensive versions -- one very well reviewed at Oak & Fort (but it is polyester, hmmm), and one from Mango. I might be able to wear the stone colours (rather than yellow beige). 

I would also consider a new navy trench if I found the right one.  My hesitation is that although trench coats are a slam dunk for my style and I adore them, I tend not to wear them much! This is due to my suburban lifestyle. When I lived in a more urban setting, I wore them all the time. Having said that, I would happily donate the black trench in favour of a new navy or lighter coloured one. It is very old but still looks pristine and it has served me well. It would serve another person who wears black better for many years more. 

I'm showing in #1 just the sweaater/ pants and then some jackets I also tried to layer. 

#4-10 show the blue layered with various items, but mostly the thick sweater. 

#11-14 show the black London Fog. 

I would love to hear any thoughts you might have. And if anyone has seen a fantastic slightly oversized trench in a lighter cool tone or navy, let me know! 

Ah, wait, final option would be a more casual type of coat to replace/ upgrade my beloved J. Crew long utility coat which I adore but which is really showing its age. 

Mine is nothing like the examples, and much less unexpected, but I still think it's a cute colour combo. :) 

Out for pub lunch with girlfriends and it is sunny and chilly so wore my red velvet pants, a mauve shirt, blue and white tee layered over, a colourful scarf including red and purple and lilac, and my lilac coat and red bag. Waving at Sal, because hey -- I got to make a bag part of my outfit for all of 10 minutes, walking through the parking lot and into the restaurant before sitting down (and hitching it to my chair.) 

Ta-Da! I did it! A month of no outfit repeats, following on SarahDB's challenge. My additional wrinkle was to wear something new and something older every day. By "new" I meant -- mostly new in 2023 or late 2022. By "old" I meant anything older. And for one week, I also tried to keep my palette to blues. Many of you generously commented on those Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, so I won't go into any more detail than that!

Here are my last 3 days with some reflections to follow. 

Monday: 1-2. I thought I would wear my red pants but it was way too warm for velvet. Got my colour in up top instead. Max wanted to get into the act and photo 2 shows the pattern of the top more clearly. This is a sentimental thing -- a gift of mine to my mother that I took from her closet after she died. 

Tuesday: 3.  Keeping it real. This was a gear day. What can I say. Morning hike and lots of work around the house afterwards. But bonus shots of where I hiked. 

Wednesday. 8 Winter white out. 

Some thoughts

My wardrobe is plenty large enough. I had no trouble coming up with outfits I wanted to wear that were not repeats. I thought I might feel some pressure (because in a typical month, I actually would repeat outfits.) But no. It wasn't a strain at all. On the other hand, there wasn't much I thought I could do without. 

I rarely wore a button front shirt and I wore all my knits, many on repeat. It's January, folks! Around this time of year I always catch myself giving my button-fronts the side-eye and wondering why I even own them. Then, the temperature changes and I remember, so best not to edit too vigorously there. 

I wore all my bottoms except my silver jeans. I did not wear my skirts. No occasion to, really, in a mostly work-from-home month with only one real evening engagement on a day when I had to go there straight from a class. On the bus. So. 

I did not wear much jewellery at all and did not miss it. Unlike SarahDB, I don't seem to want it for at home days, beyond my watch and small stud earrings. 

I did crave more colour. Although I love my blues and my greys/ whites, my closet is still predominantly neutral and in winter, especially, I long for something bright. I would like more patterned knits, maybe, and maybe another pair of bright pants. I do wear scarves a lot in deep winter, but I sometimes tire of them. 

All in all, I'm feeling very comfortable with the closet I have and am enjoying all my fab clothes! I didn't track wears (though I didn't repeat outfits, I did repeat items -- a lot!). But I end the month feeling like I still enjoy everything I did wear and don't need to edit it out. 

Thanks for reading and any thoughts of your own!