Almost Summer Wardrobe Time

It is going to warm up here by the end of the week although we have plenty of cooler days left. Summer doesn't really get started here until late June/early July and lasts pretty late into September or even early October. Layers are still needed all summer but the warmth will get here especially when we spend time further inland.

My friend Liz may already have had 100 degree says in the SE but I'm looking out the window at another June Gloom morning, a predicted high of 69, and running the heat to stay comfy indoors this morning, I'm going to chat about my Summer Wardrobe anyway!

I think I have the clothes to get me through the summer weather already sorted out. Why? I'm getting better at following a process to create a "right for me" capsule wardrobe for the seasons and thus shopping better.

What is that process? My friend Liz Klebba in her Closet Play Image blog lays it out beautifully for  her own summer capsule planning. Here is my version!

What kind of look do I want? How do I want to feel?

Thanks to Imogen Lamport's 7 Steps to Style Program and great blog I am pretty clear about the look I want - I call it Boss Lady, Retired as a shorthand and it is bold, vibrant and modern. Sort of a Relaxed Modern Chic for a height challenged retiree! It is good to have aspirations LOL.

I want to feel like I do when I am having lots of laughs playing croquet with my cousins at their annual July picnic, having dinner with friends outside, or walking by the ocean on a hot summer day. The clothes that fit this feeling, my body and lifestyle are:

- Slightly fitted outfits in comfy fabrics

- Pretty and comfy flats and sandals plus a pair of white tennis shoes

- Dusters, light cardigans, loose pullovers, scarves and zip jackets for layering

- Clothes that work well for being active, walking by the ocean or dining outside

- Pockets, cross body purses and a great summer tote

- Fun earrings, necklaces and bracelets 

Using pictures for inspiration helps to set a mood and helps me with slogging through shopping successfully! Don't get hung up on trying to recreate exact outfits as that can be very frustrating and they may not suit you at all. Colors, silhouettes, mood, accessory use - all are helpful though.

Then it helps to have a color palette that your are working towards. I've picked 4 colors and 4 neutrals from my my own palette for this Summer to use the clothes I have and to carefully add some new items to make this capsule (hopefully) work well for weather, lifestyle and appearance.

What do I already have?  How much do I need? What level of refinement will be best?

In checking what I had from last Summer and will carry over from this Spring's wardrobe, I found that 2 of my 3 summer dresses were past their use date and no longer fit well. I also had to let some sandals go due to foot problems and wanted to add a lightweight cross body purse that would work with everything. Dark navy crops and shorts also got released as they were worn out and too dark.

I know that in Summer my Project 333 capsule needs to take into account more frequent laundering needs. By the way, I don't include hats, sunglasses, belts, jewelry, exercise wear or sleep wear in that count.

I have also pretty much settled into our S. Cal retiree lifestyle and don't need to buy clothes that are dressy as long as I can dress up what I have on the rare occasion that is needed. My life is a mix of smart casual outings, casual activities and dog walking/staying home very casual days.

What do I need? How much do I need?

I've already done this work for this Summer and ended up buying 2 new dresses making sure they would work with the duster from last summer. To there are 2 of my summer colors.

I also bought 2 pairs of sandals (one of which I have on in the photos) and a cross body purse. I'm still thinking about a tote purchase, but will most likely use one I already have as I'm really ready for a clothes shopping hiatus. The exception I may have to make is to buy some exercise clothes for hot weather and to replace items that are wearing out.

I'm ready for Summer weather to get here and to just be able to reach into my closet for an outfit I like to wear and then forget about it the rest of the time! My focus then can be on adding more activities of interest to my days instead of on shopping or spending time figuring out what to wear.

Has summer weather already arrived where you are or are you waiting for it to make an appearance?

Do you go through a process before shopping for the season?

Clothing!

Well, we know its not optional in most situations and ever for many of us but I do wonder why so much advertising, media time and my own thought process gets devoted to it? And I know for sure its not just a woman thing although perhaps more of us think about it and our appearance then do men. There are men who do though and I truly think that wanting to be perceived positively on first glance is not a gender thing although the willingness to spend time on it may be primarily a one gender thing due to all of the societal and parental conditioning women face from toddler hood forward to look "nice". Not going to spend time searching for data to support this opinion so take it for what it is - my opinion right now.

Now that I have free time again (no job, no children to raise, no large yard to maintain lol) I feel like I have reverted back to my teen years in terms of my thinking about clothing and wardrobe issues. This time I am trying to have more fun with it though and treat it somewhat as a problem to be solved crossed with a "decorating" color challenge while still being environmentally and financially conscious. Whew!

I signed up for the Fashion Revolution "Who Made My Clothes? course by FutureLearn to remind myself about the issues with manufacturing, materials and consumption. Week 1 was interesting but not anything really new. I know myself well enough to realize that I'm not going to buy simply based on country of origin of materials and manufacturing, brand or other issues like those. I don't really buy that much and wear my clothing a long time so am not part of the fast fashion industry at least.

I went on a thrift shop scouting adventure in Ventura with 2 new friends and have 2 new shops to go to along with the consignment shop here in town. I also just learned of another one in Oxnard which I will check out. The benefits of thrift shopping for me is that I am not contributing to the churn and full price/sales price cycle of stores, I can try styles and colors with little investment, and if the garment has been washed I'm fairly certain it won't shrink.

I like the idea of upcycling and have taken on blouse I purchased from the consignment store and remade it into one I like wearing. I have discovered that I am not very interested in getting back into sewing what with the fitting and fabric issues but may take a sewing class at the Oxnard Adult School to learn more about working with knit fabrics so I can do alterations more easily.

Having just seen the lovely cocktail dress a friend in Ohio got from Rent the Runway (I have decided to use that service for a dress for my son's wedding in September. Interestingly they have you pick 2 sizes in the same dress and a 3rd back up dress to order. I'll also have something as back up from my own closet just in case. No more buy an expensive dress for a single occasion hopefully.

Project 333 still appeals to me in an expanded version that fits our long, similar weather situation as we really only have 2 seasons here with occasional forays into hotter or colder weather as we travel further inland or up to the Bay Area. I'm creating my June-October capsule by seeing what I wear rather than picking them out at the front end and then will try to decide about the items that are languishing unworn or rarely worn.

And last but not least, I am still actively involved in Imogen Lamport's 7 Steps to Style program through its active, international Facebook group which is full of lovely and supportive women. Groups have even met IRL in various parts of the globe including my having met some of the participants here in S. Cal. The value of her program for me started with knowing what colors now work to make me shine with my graying hair and softening skin but extend to fit, style, etc. It has turned into a fun hobby and I am much happy knowing I can pull together an outfit each day that is right for me and also spend my money on what suits me. The group give great inspiration and feedback too.

Not a hobby I thought I'd get into at 68!

Back to Project 333 - Fall in S. Cal edition

I've played with a capsule wardrobe before but with moving across country to spend my first Fall in 20 years in S. Cal and my first one is over 40 years in an almost coastal community I am really trying to figure out what to wear! So this year I am creating my Project 333  capsule wardrobe by seeing what I wear that works.

So far I have 13 items: 4 tops, 3 cardigans, 3 pairs of pants/jeans, 3 pairs of shoes. I'm not counting my only purse, scarves or jewelry this time around and of course not clothes that are worn only for exercising or sleeping nor undergarments.

The outfits I liked this week? Two included a new top the color of which I adore and my new gray slip on Skechers which are proving great for home but not for walks.

Building my Retirement Wardrobe - January 2017 update

I really have been limiting my shopping to my list because I don't need to add extra stuff in my life right before a move!

Any clothing purchases in the first 3 months of this year will be focused on making sure I had the right clothing for winter in Atlanta and to travel to S CA for a week and then babysit in N CA for 2 weeks at the beginning of March. Also on the look out for items for Spring and our move.

I bought a pink knit top and camisole when I stopped at my favorite charity thrift store to drop off some items. It was 50% off day - $4.82 spent and a different color top for me. I have enjoyed wearing it already.

My watch broke so I bought similar Timex at Target since this is a functional item for me not fashion. It sits next to my Medic Alert bracelet so they have similar bands. $24.83 spent.

I was such a big spender this past month.

Well actually I have spent a lot, but it has been on bathroom remodeling, materials to "stage" our large yard, Pilates sessions, and plane tickets to CA for our February-March trip. Fortunately Southwest airlines was having a sale so the flights for both of us cost less than boarding our dog for 10 days will cost!

What I donated were some more old black items and a scarf that I have struggled with as it has too many colors and the print is too large and angular for me

Building my Retirement Wardrobe - December 2016 update

I added quite a few items to my wardrobe in December due to gifts and to hitting the consignment store bonanza on Boxing Day.

First the gifts. A friend gave me quite a number of pairs of vintage clip on earrings that had been her Mom's. Nicely adds to my collection.

My younger son and DIL gave me a "Generations" necklace to commemorate becoming a Grandma. Lovely.

So then there are the items I bought. 

Jeans and light weight pants.

 

A cashmere sweater and linen top.

 A purse to replace a worn out one and a scarf to help my black wool coat work better for me.

 I'm quite happy and all were on my list. Bought for only $90.

A number of worn out items went into the trash, some others into the donation bag. Progress.

10 Item Wardrobe Challenges - #1

I decided to challenge myself to live with 10 items of clothing (plus shoes & accessories) for 2 weeks. This was for daytime wear not including exercise or yard work. I selected 2 pairs of jeans and one pair of slacks, 2 cardigans, and 5 tops. Shoes, camisoles/tanks, coats, hats, gloves, scarves & jewelry were not counted.

I came up with over 14 different outfits some of which were worn previously, some new and some I would not put in rotation. It did push me to get out of jeans occasionally and try different combos.  I also used 3 pairs of shoes, 2 tanks as under layers, 2 coats, 2 hats, 2 pairs of gloves, 3 scarves, and 8 pieces of jewelry for a total of 32 items.  There were a few yard work, house cleaning days where I wore those kind of clothes but other than that I was comfortable being at home, running errands, going to a party and going out to dinner and coffee. This gives me one nice vacation wardrobe guide for certain weather conditions.

Could you live comfortably with this few clothing items for a season? I liked finding new outfits and am going to start working on 10 Item Wardrobe #2.

Building my Retirement Wardrobe - November 2016 update

I am ready to stop experimenting with purchases and buy carefully to have a wardrobe that works for all my lifestyle situations. I am carefully examining what I own and doing a ruthless wardrobe purge too. Out with anything that doesn't fit my current body or my Colorful Casual Chic style.

Mid November I made this shift and am swearing off random shopping. I took Mette's 5 Year Shopping Calendar  and am modifying it as I go with what I am actually buying.

The additions since this change in my approach are knit gloves, a knit hat, a "coatagin" in hunter green, navy nubuck everyday shoes (Clarks). Total spent: $142. I'm happy with these purchases and have already been wearing all but the hat as it isn't yet hat weather here.

I've come up with 2 outfits with the cozy cardigan so far in this betwixt and between fall weather. As the weather cools I'll have to take some time to play with finding more outfits and more variation in necklaces.

Before I adopted the shopping calendar approach I bought 4 items in November 3 of which were thrifted and the other a vintage bracelet from Etsy. Two thrifted items have already left my wardrobe and one hasn't been used yet and may not be. Bad choices or impulse purchases? Both I'd say, but $29 definitely wasted and possibly $6 more.

What stayed for sure is this gray vest which was $14 at a consignment store. Although a lighter color would be better, I like the shape and it replaces an old black vest that saw lots of wear but is now just used for yard work.

What else left my closet? Gray jeans that no longer fit. Gray corduroy pants that never fit well, an old black cardigan and last year's navy loafers that were replaced this month.

What is on the potential purchase list for December? An everyday purse (replacement), camisole/underlayer for warmth, and a bra. In reality with workers in the house for the next 3 to 4 weeks I may not get to go shopping at all but that is what I would like to find.

I did decide to start with Mette's own shopping calendar and modify it as I gained information about my own clothing needs and the longevity of items. So far from three years of November purchases I have concluded that light weight gloves last 2 years, everyday navy loafers only 1 year, jeans are good for 2 or 3 years, some sweaters for 3 years, knit tops for 2 or 3 years, and hats last a long time. Generally I don't plan to shop often enough for shoes and, since my feet are hard to fit and hurt easily, I really need to plan these purchases regularly.

In looking at last year's November purchases, the navy loafers were worn out after one year since I wear them with jeans most days. The other 2 pairs of shoes I bought are worn less and have 1 or 2 more years to go. The gray headband and blue print leggings for Pilates are going strong and working well. A long sleeve t-shirt that was thrifted has developed a hole and is not going to last past this year.

In November 2014 I bought 3 sweaters that are still worn, a cardigan and 3 knit tops that are still worn.  This is the last year for about half of them. The gray knit gloves purchased are worn out. I also bought 3 pairs of jeans and all are doing fine.

How do you manage your clothing shopping to avoid churn and waste?

Rebuilding my Wardrobe: What do I really need for Fall/Winter?

I am ready to stop experimenting with purchases and buy carefully to have a wardrobe that works for all my lifestyle situations. I am carefully examining what I own and doing a ruthless wardrobe purge too. Out with anything that doesn't fit my current body or my Colorful Casual Chic style.

Mid November I made this shift and am swearing off random shopping. I took Mette's 5 Year Shopping Calendar  and am modifying it as I go with what I am actually buying. So the first step is to see what I am actually missing from my current wardrobe and/or what needs replacing. Then I can add in what I would like to add or replace.

Do any of you read The Vivienne Files? Janice has been doing a multi-part post on how to build a capsule wardrobe. I thought I'd give it a try with my current lifestyle in mind and with my planned 3 week trip to CA in late February & early March to celebrate my FIL's 90th, buy a house and take care of our new granddaughter for 2 weeks. Whew.

First step was to take what I have and follow Steps 1-5 of Janice's plan. Jewelry is not shown but I have been stocking up on it these last few months so have lots of choices and no needs. I'm not including sleepwear.

My closet is in much better shape for cool weather than for hot or transitional. Perhaps that reflects that summer clothing has to be washed more often so it wears out faster or that we have many more months hot/warm weather where I live now than we do of cool/cold weather.

I'm happy with the colors I have now although all the items don't fit as well as I would like and/or aren't the style I am aiming for, but mostly I have enough clothing. Just a few shopping priorities and a list of wants to replace some things. The photo colors aren't exact of course due to the vagaries of lighting and my phone camera.

To start, here is what I cobbled together for today. I am using my summer tanks as under layers until I can buy some.

Pants: Olive and greige slacks along with 4 pairs of jeans; charcoal, dark wash and 2 pairs mid wash. Boring but useful. I would like a pair of warm dressy slacks.

 

Note: I have 2 pairs of mid wash jeans but one photo.

Toppers: Some color here! 4 cardigans and a light jacket. I need warmer cardigans and/or jackets for everyday and for dressier occasions. I would like to get a warmer, stretch jacket to substitute for the light weight one.

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Tops: 13 of various weights and styles. I would like there to be more color. I have ordered 3 long sleeve t shirts (begonia, bright blue and hunter green - hoping they fit) and have a heavy burgundy tweed pullover an older medium weight pullover sweater which may be added/substituted. I need some camis/tanks to wear as an under layer to stay warm. A warm dressy top would be nice to have.

 

Scarves: 4 existing ones that will work. I've been buying accessories lately!

   
Shoes: 4 pairs of flats. I definitely need some warmer shoes that can be worn with socks. I have been ordering and sending shoes back with no luck so far.

Leisure Mini-Capsule: Sweatpants, yoga pants, walking shoes, fleece pullover, sweatshirt, vest, t-shirt. I may substitute/add a pair of hiking shoes, warm leggings and another long sleeve t shirt that I own and use mostly for Pilates.

   

 

Outerwear Mini-Capsule: Trench coat, fleece jacket, down jacket, gloves and hat. As the weather changes I will add a heavier coat from the 2 that I own. I'm going to wait on buying a new winter coat unless I just happen upon a perfect one this year.

Also Rans: I have 3 older 3/4 sleeve tops and a skirt for funerals or other sober occasions along with a pair of taupe wedges that could be used as well.

SHOPPING CALENDAR: This has been helpful in creating my shopping list.

Priorities: Warmer shoes that can be worn with socks and go with jeans; camis/tanks for under layers, gloves, knit hat, and winter pajamas.

Wants: Dress slacks & a warm dress top OR a warm dress & tights, dressy blazer/jacket, replace purse, replace winter robe, one warm everyday neutral cardigan, an everyday stretch jacket to substitute for lightweight one, wool coat to replace 2 winter coats.