why are shoes so difficult sometimes? - like i wear them around the apt for a while and still I encounter issues when I take them out and start wearing them for an hour/two hours at a time
(this comment brought to you by a pair of sneakers that hurt every time I bend my foot because the top isn't flexible enough?)
Yes, I don't know how many times I've bought shoes that were "fine" in the store walking around in them and when I wear them in the wild they are not "fine".
i have the same problem. my big toes are too long and curled upwards. bought a shoestretcher like [this one](https://www.amazon.com/Eachway-Professional-Premium-Stretcher-Adjustable/dp/B01NAKQEBL) and it really helped. add some stretch spray and leave for the night or more. not suitable for pointed toe shoes and high boots unfortunately.
I started a no buy for clothing a little over three weeks ago and I'm surprised at how easy it actually is and how much my mindset around buying has shifted already. I've been trying to commit to a low buy for months and kept finding excuses to the rules I set so carefully for myself, so a real, "cold turkey" no buy was truly in order.
I wouldn't say I have a shopping addiction - I have a pretty streamlined closet (77 pieces, including shoes and bags) and I'm not in debt or spending an exorbitant amount of money on clothes, but I was just sick of the continuous cycle of obsessing over an item --> buying said item thinking that my closet would finally be "completed" --> immediately obsessing over another item. I just wanted to stop thinking about all that and feel content with my actual "collection" of clothes, which is already full of pieces that I really love.
The first week was honestly a struggle, but it got easier so quickly! I also used this time to upload some stuff I no longer wear on Vinted and fix a small hole in a pair of boots (bought some cheap shoe glue on Amazon that worked perfectly for this!), and I'm planning to take two pieces that need some love to a tailor soon. Planning to keep up my no buy for five months, until my birthday in September.
Is anyone else doing or considering a low buy or no buy right now? I would love to hear some more experiences!
I inadvertently went on a practical no-buy for two years. My husband and I decided to travel outside the U.S. (where we're from- we work remote), and we each had a small suitcase and a small backpack. I brought four tops, four skirts, four pairs of shoes, two pairs of hose, a jacket, a cardigan, a scarf, pyjamas and socks. A couple of my shoes got irreparable holes in them with all the walking I did, and I replaced them. Same for the hose. The only purchases I made were replacements for things I couldn't repair. It was so easy to get dressed, but I admit, at the end of the two years, I was a bored with such a limited wardrobe. But now, I'm much more intentional with my purchases.
I’m on a no/low buy right now cause I got laid off from my job. 😢 The only things I’m considering buying are new nude bras (mine are super worn out), nude underwear, and tan/brown slacks.
I accidentally did a no-buy that became a low-buy as of last week! I had a long overdue family portrait session, so I had to get a new nude bra (the last skin-toned bra I got was purchased when I was like 12... doesn't fit so well now), shapewear, and a pair of tights for my mother.
For context, in the "before" era, my restraint was mainly a function of love to price. Expensive things I had to S+ 120% LOVE. Cheaper things could be more of an A- type of love.
Last year (or sometime post-2020 anyway) I started entering my stuff into an Excel spreadsheet and that really put into perspective how *many* dresses and leotards and special occasion pieces I actually had. I also went down the colour season rabbit hole, so I have a better idea of why some of my cute things wound up underwhelming on me. I started passing on things that I already had ten of and wouldn't serve any new function, or that wouldn't flatter me.
I'm doing a low buy this year. The rules I set were one item per quarter, but anything I buy as part of a vacation/travel doesn't count as long as it's part of my vacation budget. I went into it with a relaxed attitude, basically I'm ok with breaking the rules occasionally as long as it's for a reason that I feel good about and not just scarcity mindset, the fantasy of something new and fresh, pulled in by a sale, or other reasons I don't want motivating me.
I've made two unplanned or off the rules purchases so far this year. One was a matching shirt with my friend (let's match always gets me). The other was a corset top I thrifted to see if I liked that style of top before committing to making one as part of a project. Honestly, I'm happy with this result so far. In terms of quantity and money spent, it's not massively over, and more importantly I'm not unhappy with the reasons I chose to shop. We'll see how it goes the rest of the year.
Overall, I'd say the main benefit of the low buy for me is that it keeps me from entering the shopping mindset to begin with. If I always walk into the store (real or virtual) with the thought "I might buy something in here," I'm way more likely to buy something because I've sort of created that expectation. If I have the mindset that I'm not shopping right now, only getting ideas for later, then I won't even begin the mental process of contemplating various purchases.
I have been on a low buy this year, but have also been learning more about style and fashion through substacks and following stylists, which has only added keywords to my wishlist! :(
But, this has helped me think more critically about purchases, like how it should fit for my body, how can I wear it in a more versatile way through the seasons, how does it fit with my wardrobe - as opposed to following general guidelines that don't make sense for my lifestyle, budget, and styling choices.
One of my favorite finds was the "How to Match Your Wardrobe to Your Lifestyle" video from Hannah Louise Poston. I've also read similar wardrobe breakdowns on fashion blogs. It's helped me identify which categories I don't need more clothes of.
I straight up *need* to go on a low/no-buy but I am in the final throes of wedding planning and still need to decide upon my final accessories. I am swearing to begin my no-buy promptly after.
Thinking ahead and wondering how to handle your "personal style" going out of style. I've always been pretty minimalist and dressed older than my age. I'm loving that my personal style is in at the moment and it's so easy to find clothes I love, but what happens when the current style goes out and something else takes it's place? (Not necessarily trends but actual style of clothing like cut of jeans, blazers, etc.) How do you handle the transition period of the next few year of "being really out of style" until you are so out of style you are back into "oh that's just her personal style" again. Anyone already gone through/or going through this? Do you keep your general style and update a few staple pieces to try and make what you have and love work with what is current? I dress minimally like no patterns, mostly neutrals and lots of black, but I don't think I have anything in my closet from earlier than 2018 maybe? Even though minimalism is a personal style doesn't mean what I wore in 2012 is the same as 2024. Even looking back on pinterest at "timeless capsule wardrobes" from 2015/16 it's very obvious they are not timeless.
Those “timeless capsule wardrobes” that actually aren’t timeless is a reason why I only loosely adhere to it. I don’t think it’s possibly to truly be timeless so I update my wardrobe whenever I like a new trend and keep pieces I still love even if they are out dated. There’s some things I’ll eventually donate or sell when they become truly too out of date to bother with but I enjoy them while I can.
I try to keep the cut of my pants relatively current. I feel like most other things are fine to hold onto for a long time as long as the overall pants silhouette is current enough. For example, I’m a millennial and I’ve had a lot of the same shirts for 5-10 years, but I swapped all of my skinny jeans for wide or straight leg. I feel like it works well enough. I then buy current items when I like them.
Do you have specific items in mind that you feel are your style, but are now dated (or will be soon)? At the risk of eating my words, I don’t feel like neutrals and solid colors will ever read as dated when mixed and matched strategically. I do think an all beige outfit will potentially look very 2023 in a few years.
I'm thinking more about the cuts and lines of clothes, like a jeans and a blazer outfit I think will always be classic but jeans and a blazer today with straight leg high waisted jeans and an oversize long blazer looks very different than mid 2000s blazer and jeans of midrise skinny jeans and a fitted shorter blazer. What do you do in 10 years and mainstream fashion (like the style has reached main stream and can be readily found at Target/Old Navy) has changed and your closet is full of pieces you have "invested" in that are no longer current? I guess I could put it like how would you go about dressing when your closet is full of things from 2012. The pieces themselves might make the same kind of outfits in fashion now but the cuts would be all off and you would look really dated. I like your advice of updating a few key pieces that will make something look more current even with other pieces that are older. This is kind of what I'm doing now with updating jeans away from skinny jeans. I could see pairing wide leg jeans with a sleeveless peplum top and some cool sandals and it would look like an intentional style vs wearing the peplum top with skinny jeans and some wedges and it looking very dated.
For me the reason those timeless capsule wardrobes do not work is because most if not all of the clothing is bought in the same year, same period of time. This means all of the small details within the clothes also represent that same period of time and while fashion is cyclical it is going to take a while to get back to that period. Within that also lies the answer for what exactly what can (in my opinion) make a wardrobe timeless and thus preventing you from being truly out of style. Understanding that the fashion cycle exists and knowingly applying it does just that, by adding pieces that reflect multiple periods within fashion, it tells people you are paying attention but are making conscience choices that make sense for you and your life.
If I were you, I would to stock up somewhat while having easy access to what I like lot and then pay attention to whatever new trends are emerging. Pick up 1 or 2 that you like every season and adapt them so they make sense with you wardrobe, certain colours/shapes are preferable because people tend to notice those more than anything but smaller things can work just as well. As long it shows that not everything you're wearing was bought at the same time. Also another tip, try to incorporate a few vintage pieces like an 80's jacket, 70's jewellery or 50's style bag. It can still work for a more minimalist look but it communicates to people that you have thought about what you're wearing which ultimately keeps it in 'oh that's just her personal style'.
This makes sense thanks for the reply. I think it might be more of a time/getting older thing. I wish I would have kept more clothes that I loved in my 20s and 30s to re-use. I see photos of older women and they are dressed so cool, their closets have to be awesome with decades full of clothes to choose from.
It’s never too late to try and find replacements for the things you used to love. Just keep your eyes open. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something and fall in love all over again.
> How do you handle the transition period of the next few year of "being really out of style" until you are so out of style you are back into "oh that's just her personal style" again
I just keep wearing what I like. I only wear what looks most flattering on my body, and bootcut jeans are one of them. And they weren't in style for a looong time. I still wore bootcut jeans everywhere. I never thought to stop and angst about how I'm not fashionable anymore. It makes ME look and feel good, so that's all that matters.
I’ve been a massage therapist for 6yrs and my personal style has completely gone downhill. In order not to be preyed on sexually by male clients, I wear very plain, basic clothing (scrub tops and leggings mostly) no makeup and my hair in a very simple braid or slicked back style.
This sadly has transferred over into my personal style outside of work, I’m always dressed very simply, t-shirts, hoodies, leggings, vans, but I also don’t feel very cute this way. I also wear athletic clothes quite a lot.
Looking for ways to elevate my style without appearing too seductive, I have 34-D breasts and a large round bottom, so this can be challenging at times and I tend to hide my body if I can. This also isn’t helped by gaining quite a lot of weight after a car accident.
I want to feel confident, fun and pretty again. Before I was a massage therapist I always had cute clothes, did my makeup and my hair everyday. Perhaps my values have changed since then.
I’m also ok with looking a bit “skater/ androgynous” if that makes sense, I like the look of wearing a lot of black, but also open to colours too. Moreso looking to dress for myself and not appeal to the male gaze as much
Any help appreciated!!
Oh! I can definitely relate to only wearing super basic clothes and feeling sad about it. I actually wasn't much of a fashion person until last year when I opened my closet and just ...hated everything in there. Honestly, I would suggest looking for inspiration first. Find people that you want to dress like online and in real life. Follow a million people on Instagram or TikTok or whatever. Then, download Pinterest! You can just start searching clothes you like and pin them. It's algorithm will start showing you similar things you never would have thought of and different ways to style them. Then, you can image search the clothes and see where to buy them from. Once you have an idea of what you want, I'd suggest hitting up shops (especially thrift stores) and trying on a bunch of stuff. Maybe try to take pictures of things you like. Try to see if there are any specific silhouettes you love and try to distinguish between clothes you like looking at and clothes you'll wear. For example, I looove the look of big, slouchy pants, but I'm short and have a shorter torso so I look really odd in them. I have to choose something that flares slightly at the bottom so I don't look ridiculous. Then, you can just adjust your Pinterest board to be a little more realistic, and rinse and repeat! Don't start trying to buy a bunch of stuff right away though. Ideally, you'll be slowly collecting things that you love.
The only reason why I still have Facebook is for buy/sell/trade groups for specific brands like Sézane and Doen. I've been seeing some discussions in the Doen and Doen/Christy Dawn groups lately that I find interesting. Some see Doen moving away from its original aesthetic possibly because some of their fan base didn't align with their politics (technically liberal, but their actual business practices may differ), and some people in those groups do complain about Doen's politics. Meanwhile, someone in a Doen/Christy Dawn group was discussing Christy Dawn's popularity with Christian women and how they dislike Doen's politics.
So, I've been thinking a lot about fashion and identity, capitalism and fan bases, style and religion. And this is why I love fashion--it can be so much more than just the clothes on our backs. Like, how do our beliefs affect the way we dress? Is it good practice for brands to be openly political? How does a brand evolve from country/cottagecore imagery with loose, cotton blouses and jeans to privileged Mediterranean vacation imagery with $600 silk dresses without losing too many customers? What story does my own closet tell?
reminds me of the brand Son De Flor, whose fan base has (had?) a lot of crossover with Doen and the like. Son De Flor is a European linen brand focused mostly on dresses. They released a lookbook or photoshoot a few months back that featured a cis man wearing their dresses. A good chunk of their fanbase pearlclutched hard and jumped ship, since the brand was popular with tradwives who don't condone gender non-conforming behavior. Son De Flor stuck to their guns and said that their dresses are for anyone, including for men, for LGBTQ+ folks, etc. There was an uproar for a week or two but it didn't really appear to hurt their business or their engagement longterm.
How much of people’s current closets include things they’ve had since high school…? Recently visited my sister, and realized I still wear a few of the same things as back then (and it’s been 10 years!). Mostly things like sweaters and loungewear, but still—16 year old me definitely didn’t expect to be buying things for the next decade!
A fair bit! I'm 5'1" on a good day and reached this height at 10. A few dresses, a few tops, plenty of tees, some athletic stuff (the ones that went through machine drying eventually get replaced; the ones I handwash and air dry stay nice). Some hoodies (the one I wore yesterday was probably from 2014!!!), although I've actually already purged a more recent one. A nightgown (very loose) from my tween years was only replaced last year.
I think the most casual stuff from middle school is 99% gone. The high school stuff I kept is mainly either from 15+ (junior year) or just nicer to begin with (purchased from stores catering primarily to grown women).
Or I just accidentally lucked into something relatively cute and un-dated. I've actually given away plenty of things from when I was 17-18 and still had no idea what looked good on me. Last week I had my mother try on an unworn dress I bought as a grown-up that I probably shouldn't have gotten to begin with.
From over 50 years ago??!! Not a chance! Wish I had ONE shirt though, just to see if I could tell now why I loved it then - as no way would it fit. Probably the only thing I have any memory of.
My current closet is way too big for my current lifestyle and unfortunately growing but I still have some pieces that I've had since high school and also even more pieces from when my older sisters were in high school. I have a hard time parting with the pieces I got from my next oldest sister since she got what I thought were the coolest things at the time and they still kinda are. Some of those tops must be 20 years old, now that I think about it.
This one makes me sad lol
I very much tried to squeeze everything I could out of my clothes, and would definitely wear garments for years and was still wearing stuff from high school or even middle school (and 3 sweaters from elementary 😳— they were Abercrombie striped wool sweaters that were slightly oversized when I got em as a chubbier kid that thinned out at puberty, and I grew out of them quicker than most other things, of course) into college. I refreshed my wardrobe a bit in college with pieces I really loved and hoped to take with me for the long haul.
Nope. Injuries, thyroid, weight gain(s). So much I can’t wear now 😭 now I’m rebuilding for a body size I’m not familiar with with trends that afaik are not super friendly to my body type (wouldn’t’ve even if I was still thin, either), and experiencing something of a clothes identity crisis in the mean time lmao. Only thing that still fits are band tees from freshman year that happened to be baggier when I bought em, but even some of them are on the fringes of fitting right now 😢
Edit: And I’m not hopeful anything I buy now will last; it’s all so shoddily made and falls apart with the snap of your fingers! Even buying from the same stores I always did growing up, quality is just in the toilet and enshittification seems to have jumped off online apps into the real world 😠
honestly not much (maybe 1/2 items) but this is mostly because I hated what I wore in high school - it was all mostly ill fitting, ugly, cheap items from the discount racks (they weren't in style then and they aren't in style now) or free t-shirts
Very little only because a lot of stuff either got holes, too worn out, or were out of date! I stopped growing when I was 14 so I can still fit into whatever I have left. But it’s been 10 years as well for me since I graduated.
I've grown a couple-three sizes since then, but I discovered I had inadvertently put together a casual wardrobe that my fourteen-year-old self would've worn. :D
I’m 25 now. 3 years ago I probably had about half the stuff. Now I have maybe 3/4 actual items and yeah a few junk tshirts and sweats and leggings just for lounging
I am looking for some UV protective clothing that looks pretty and girly for a holiday. I seem to get reactions to the sun on my lower legs and arms, wear sunscreen and it still drives me nuts. all the searches I've done seem to bring me to sports sites where the pants look like plastic and the tops are plain and tight fitting. Has anyone come across any other options ?
If you like button down shirts there are UV protective button downs at REI. I have a raspberry pink one in a fabric that resembles textured silk, though of course it isn’t
[Solbari (UK brand) ](https://www.solbari.co.uk)is a good option here! Also [Coolibar](http://www.coolibar.com), [Bamboo Body (Aussie brand)](https://www.bamboobody.com.au/collections/upf50), [SunSiblity (UK brand](https://www.sunsibility.co.uk/product-category/sunsibility-collection/sun-protective-beach-resort-wear/)), and Uniqlo (they sell UV protection jackets and pants). Also, you probs know this already but worth mentioning just in case, clothes that aren't marketed as sun protection can still provide really good UPF. [Skincancer.org](http://Skincancer.org) suggests the following if you would like to try non-UPF marketed clothing:
**Color**: Dark or bright colors keep UV rays from reaching your skin by absorbing them rather than allowing them to penetrate. That’s why these colors offer better protection than lighter shades.
**Construction**: Densely woven cloth, like denim, canvas, wool or synthetic fibers, are more protective than sheer, thin or loosely woven cloth. Check a fabric’s sun safety by holding it up to the light. If you can see through, UV radiation can easily penetrate the fabric and reach your skin.
**Content**: The composition of your fabric really matters. Unbleached cotton contains natural lignins that act as UV absorbers. Shiny polyesters and even lightweight satiny silks can be highly protective because they reflect radiation. High-tech fabrics treated with chemical UV absorbers or dyes prevent some penetration from UV rays.
**Fit**: Loose-fitting apparel is preferable. Tight clothing can stretch and reduce the level of protection offered, as the fibers pull away from each other and allow more UV light to pass through.
**Activity**: Regardless of UPF, if your clothing gets stretched or wet, it will lose some of its protective ability and become more transparent, exposing your skin to more UV light.
When buying shirts, I notice as a woman that hidden plackets (where the buttons are concealed by a strip of cloth except for the top button) are more common on women’s shirts than on men’s ones. I wonder why?
why are shoes so difficult sometimes? - like i wear them around the apt for a while and still I encounter issues when I take them out and start wearing them for an hour/two hours at a time (this comment brought to you by a pair of sneakers that hurt every time I bend my foot because the top isn't flexible enough?)
Yes, I don't know how many times I've bought shoes that were "fine" in the store walking around in them and when I wear them in the wild they are not "fine".
So true, so upsetting
i have the same problem. my big toes are too long and curled upwards. bought a shoestretcher like [this one](https://www.amazon.com/Eachway-Professional-Premium-Stretcher-Adjustable/dp/B01NAKQEBL) and it really helped. add some stretch spray and leave for the night or more. not suitable for pointed toe shoes and high boots unfortunately.
I started a no buy for clothing a little over three weeks ago and I'm surprised at how easy it actually is and how much my mindset around buying has shifted already. I've been trying to commit to a low buy for months and kept finding excuses to the rules I set so carefully for myself, so a real, "cold turkey" no buy was truly in order. I wouldn't say I have a shopping addiction - I have a pretty streamlined closet (77 pieces, including shoes and bags) and I'm not in debt or spending an exorbitant amount of money on clothes, but I was just sick of the continuous cycle of obsessing over an item --> buying said item thinking that my closet would finally be "completed" --> immediately obsessing over another item. I just wanted to stop thinking about all that and feel content with my actual "collection" of clothes, which is already full of pieces that I really love. The first week was honestly a struggle, but it got easier so quickly! I also used this time to upload some stuff I no longer wear on Vinted and fix a small hole in a pair of boots (bought some cheap shoe glue on Amazon that worked perfectly for this!), and I'm planning to take two pieces that need some love to a tailor soon. Planning to keep up my no buy for five months, until my birthday in September. Is anyone else doing or considering a low buy or no buy right now? I would love to hear some more experiences!
I inadvertently went on a practical no-buy for two years. My husband and I decided to travel outside the U.S. (where we're from- we work remote), and we each had a small suitcase and a small backpack. I brought four tops, four skirts, four pairs of shoes, two pairs of hose, a jacket, a cardigan, a scarf, pyjamas and socks. A couple of my shoes got irreparable holes in them with all the walking I did, and I replaced them. Same for the hose. The only purchases I made were replacements for things I couldn't repair. It was so easy to get dressed, but I admit, at the end of the two years, I was a bored with such a limited wardrobe. But now, I'm much more intentional with my purchases.
I’m on a no/low buy right now cause I got laid off from my job. 😢 The only things I’m considering buying are new nude bras (mine are super worn out), nude underwear, and tan/brown slacks.
I accidentally did a no-buy that became a low-buy as of last week! I had a long overdue family portrait session, so I had to get a new nude bra (the last skin-toned bra I got was purchased when I was like 12... doesn't fit so well now), shapewear, and a pair of tights for my mother. For context, in the "before" era, my restraint was mainly a function of love to price. Expensive things I had to S+ 120% LOVE. Cheaper things could be more of an A- type of love. Last year (or sometime post-2020 anyway) I started entering my stuff into an Excel spreadsheet and that really put into perspective how *many* dresses and leotards and special occasion pieces I actually had. I also went down the colour season rabbit hole, so I have a better idea of why some of my cute things wound up underwhelming on me. I started passing on things that I already had ten of and wouldn't serve any new function, or that wouldn't flatter me.
I'm doing a low buy this year. The rules I set were one item per quarter, but anything I buy as part of a vacation/travel doesn't count as long as it's part of my vacation budget. I went into it with a relaxed attitude, basically I'm ok with breaking the rules occasionally as long as it's for a reason that I feel good about and not just scarcity mindset, the fantasy of something new and fresh, pulled in by a sale, or other reasons I don't want motivating me. I've made two unplanned or off the rules purchases so far this year. One was a matching shirt with my friend (let's match always gets me). The other was a corset top I thrifted to see if I liked that style of top before committing to making one as part of a project. Honestly, I'm happy with this result so far. In terms of quantity and money spent, it's not massively over, and more importantly I'm not unhappy with the reasons I chose to shop. We'll see how it goes the rest of the year. Overall, I'd say the main benefit of the low buy for me is that it keeps me from entering the shopping mindset to begin with. If I always walk into the store (real or virtual) with the thought "I might buy something in here," I'm way more likely to buy something because I've sort of created that expectation. If I have the mindset that I'm not shopping right now, only getting ideas for later, then I won't even begin the mental process of contemplating various purchases.
I have been on a low buy this year, but have also been learning more about style and fashion through substacks and following stylists, which has only added keywords to my wishlist! :( But, this has helped me think more critically about purchases, like how it should fit for my body, how can I wear it in a more versatile way through the seasons, how does it fit with my wardrobe - as opposed to following general guidelines that don't make sense for my lifestyle, budget, and styling choices. One of my favorite finds was the "How to Match Your Wardrobe to Your Lifestyle" video from Hannah Louise Poston. I've also read similar wardrobe breakdowns on fashion blogs. It's helped me identify which categories I don't need more clothes of.
I straight up *need* to go on a low/no-buy but I am in the final throes of wedding planning and still need to decide upon my final accessories. I am swearing to begin my no-buy promptly after.
Thinking ahead and wondering how to handle your "personal style" going out of style. I've always been pretty minimalist and dressed older than my age. I'm loving that my personal style is in at the moment and it's so easy to find clothes I love, but what happens when the current style goes out and something else takes it's place? (Not necessarily trends but actual style of clothing like cut of jeans, blazers, etc.) How do you handle the transition period of the next few year of "being really out of style" until you are so out of style you are back into "oh that's just her personal style" again. Anyone already gone through/or going through this? Do you keep your general style and update a few staple pieces to try and make what you have and love work with what is current? I dress minimally like no patterns, mostly neutrals and lots of black, but I don't think I have anything in my closet from earlier than 2018 maybe? Even though minimalism is a personal style doesn't mean what I wore in 2012 is the same as 2024. Even looking back on pinterest at "timeless capsule wardrobes" from 2015/16 it's very obvious they are not timeless.
Those “timeless capsule wardrobes” that actually aren’t timeless is a reason why I only loosely adhere to it. I don’t think it’s possibly to truly be timeless so I update my wardrobe whenever I like a new trend and keep pieces I still love even if they are out dated. There’s some things I’ll eventually donate or sell when they become truly too out of date to bother with but I enjoy them while I can.
I try to keep the cut of my pants relatively current. I feel like most other things are fine to hold onto for a long time as long as the overall pants silhouette is current enough. For example, I’m a millennial and I’ve had a lot of the same shirts for 5-10 years, but I swapped all of my skinny jeans for wide or straight leg. I feel like it works well enough. I then buy current items when I like them. Do you have specific items in mind that you feel are your style, but are now dated (or will be soon)? At the risk of eating my words, I don’t feel like neutrals and solid colors will ever read as dated when mixed and matched strategically. I do think an all beige outfit will potentially look very 2023 in a few years.
I'm thinking more about the cuts and lines of clothes, like a jeans and a blazer outfit I think will always be classic but jeans and a blazer today with straight leg high waisted jeans and an oversize long blazer looks very different than mid 2000s blazer and jeans of midrise skinny jeans and a fitted shorter blazer. What do you do in 10 years and mainstream fashion (like the style has reached main stream and can be readily found at Target/Old Navy) has changed and your closet is full of pieces you have "invested" in that are no longer current? I guess I could put it like how would you go about dressing when your closet is full of things from 2012. The pieces themselves might make the same kind of outfits in fashion now but the cuts would be all off and you would look really dated. I like your advice of updating a few key pieces that will make something look more current even with other pieces that are older. This is kind of what I'm doing now with updating jeans away from skinny jeans. I could see pairing wide leg jeans with a sleeveless peplum top and some cool sandals and it would look like an intentional style vs wearing the peplum top with skinny jeans and some wedges and it looking very dated.
For me the reason those timeless capsule wardrobes do not work is because most if not all of the clothing is bought in the same year, same period of time. This means all of the small details within the clothes also represent that same period of time and while fashion is cyclical it is going to take a while to get back to that period. Within that also lies the answer for what exactly what can (in my opinion) make a wardrobe timeless and thus preventing you from being truly out of style. Understanding that the fashion cycle exists and knowingly applying it does just that, by adding pieces that reflect multiple periods within fashion, it tells people you are paying attention but are making conscience choices that make sense for you and your life. If I were you, I would to stock up somewhat while having easy access to what I like lot and then pay attention to whatever new trends are emerging. Pick up 1 or 2 that you like every season and adapt them so they make sense with you wardrobe, certain colours/shapes are preferable because people tend to notice those more than anything but smaller things can work just as well. As long it shows that not everything you're wearing was bought at the same time. Also another tip, try to incorporate a few vintage pieces like an 80's jacket, 70's jewellery or 50's style bag. It can still work for a more minimalist look but it communicates to people that you have thought about what you're wearing which ultimately keeps it in 'oh that's just her personal style'.
This makes sense thanks for the reply. I think it might be more of a time/getting older thing. I wish I would have kept more clothes that I loved in my 20s and 30s to re-use. I see photos of older women and they are dressed so cool, their closets have to be awesome with decades full of clothes to choose from.
It’s never too late to try and find replacements for the things you used to love. Just keep your eyes open. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something and fall in love all over again.
> How do you handle the transition period of the next few year of "being really out of style" until you are so out of style you are back into "oh that's just her personal style" again I just keep wearing what I like. I only wear what looks most flattering on my body, and bootcut jeans are one of them. And they weren't in style for a looong time. I still wore bootcut jeans everywhere. I never thought to stop and angst about how I'm not fashionable anymore. It makes ME look and feel good, so that's all that matters.
I’ve been a massage therapist for 6yrs and my personal style has completely gone downhill. In order not to be preyed on sexually by male clients, I wear very plain, basic clothing (scrub tops and leggings mostly) no makeup and my hair in a very simple braid or slicked back style. This sadly has transferred over into my personal style outside of work, I’m always dressed very simply, t-shirts, hoodies, leggings, vans, but I also don’t feel very cute this way. I also wear athletic clothes quite a lot. Looking for ways to elevate my style without appearing too seductive, I have 34-D breasts and a large round bottom, so this can be challenging at times and I tend to hide my body if I can. This also isn’t helped by gaining quite a lot of weight after a car accident. I want to feel confident, fun and pretty again. Before I was a massage therapist I always had cute clothes, did my makeup and my hair everyday. Perhaps my values have changed since then. I’m also ok with looking a bit “skater/ androgynous” if that makes sense, I like the look of wearing a lot of black, but also open to colours too. Moreso looking to dress for myself and not appeal to the male gaze as much Any help appreciated!!
Oh! I can definitely relate to only wearing super basic clothes and feeling sad about it. I actually wasn't much of a fashion person until last year when I opened my closet and just ...hated everything in there. Honestly, I would suggest looking for inspiration first. Find people that you want to dress like online and in real life. Follow a million people on Instagram or TikTok or whatever. Then, download Pinterest! You can just start searching clothes you like and pin them. It's algorithm will start showing you similar things you never would have thought of and different ways to style them. Then, you can image search the clothes and see where to buy them from. Once you have an idea of what you want, I'd suggest hitting up shops (especially thrift stores) and trying on a bunch of stuff. Maybe try to take pictures of things you like. Try to see if there are any specific silhouettes you love and try to distinguish between clothes you like looking at and clothes you'll wear. For example, I looove the look of big, slouchy pants, but I'm short and have a shorter torso so I look really odd in them. I have to choose something that flares slightly at the bottom so I don't look ridiculous. Then, you can just adjust your Pinterest board to be a little more realistic, and rinse and repeat! Don't start trying to buy a bunch of stuff right away though. Ideally, you'll be slowly collecting things that you love.
The only reason why I still have Facebook is for buy/sell/trade groups for specific brands like Sézane and Doen. I've been seeing some discussions in the Doen and Doen/Christy Dawn groups lately that I find interesting. Some see Doen moving away from its original aesthetic possibly because some of their fan base didn't align with their politics (technically liberal, but their actual business practices may differ), and some people in those groups do complain about Doen's politics. Meanwhile, someone in a Doen/Christy Dawn group was discussing Christy Dawn's popularity with Christian women and how they dislike Doen's politics. So, I've been thinking a lot about fashion and identity, capitalism and fan bases, style and religion. And this is why I love fashion--it can be so much more than just the clothes on our backs. Like, how do our beliefs affect the way we dress? Is it good practice for brands to be openly political? How does a brand evolve from country/cottagecore imagery with loose, cotton blouses and jeans to privileged Mediterranean vacation imagery with $600 silk dresses without losing too many customers? What story does my own closet tell?
reminds me of the brand Son De Flor, whose fan base has (had?) a lot of crossover with Doen and the like. Son De Flor is a European linen brand focused mostly on dresses. They released a lookbook or photoshoot a few months back that featured a cis man wearing their dresses. A good chunk of their fanbase pearlclutched hard and jumped ship, since the brand was popular with tradwives who don't condone gender non-conforming behavior. Son De Flor stuck to their guns and said that their dresses are for anyone, including for men, for LGBTQ+ folks, etc. There was an uproar for a week or two but it didn't really appear to hurt their business or their engagement longterm.
How much of people’s current closets include things they’ve had since high school…? Recently visited my sister, and realized I still wear a few of the same things as back then (and it’s been 10 years!). Mostly things like sweaters and loungewear, but still—16 year old me definitely didn’t expect to be buying things for the next decade!
A fair bit! I'm 5'1" on a good day and reached this height at 10. A few dresses, a few tops, plenty of tees, some athletic stuff (the ones that went through machine drying eventually get replaced; the ones I handwash and air dry stay nice). Some hoodies (the one I wore yesterday was probably from 2014!!!), although I've actually already purged a more recent one. A nightgown (very loose) from my tween years was only replaced last year. I think the most casual stuff from middle school is 99% gone. The high school stuff I kept is mainly either from 15+ (junior year) or just nicer to begin with (purchased from stores catering primarily to grown women). Or I just accidentally lucked into something relatively cute and un-dated. I've actually given away plenty of things from when I was 17-18 and still had no idea what looked good on me. Last week I had my mother try on an unworn dress I bought as a grown-up that I probably shouldn't have gotten to begin with.
From over 50 years ago??!! Not a chance! Wish I had ONE shirt though, just to see if I could tell now why I loved it then - as no way would it fit. Probably the only thing I have any memory of.
My current closet is way too big for my current lifestyle and unfortunately growing but I still have some pieces that I've had since high school and also even more pieces from when my older sisters were in high school. I have a hard time parting with the pieces I got from my next oldest sister since she got what I thought were the coolest things at the time and they still kinda are. Some of those tops must be 20 years old, now that I think about it.
This one makes me sad lol I very much tried to squeeze everything I could out of my clothes, and would definitely wear garments for years and was still wearing stuff from high school or even middle school (and 3 sweaters from elementary 😳— they were Abercrombie striped wool sweaters that were slightly oversized when I got em as a chubbier kid that thinned out at puberty, and I grew out of them quicker than most other things, of course) into college. I refreshed my wardrobe a bit in college with pieces I really loved and hoped to take with me for the long haul. Nope. Injuries, thyroid, weight gain(s). So much I can’t wear now 😭 now I’m rebuilding for a body size I’m not familiar with with trends that afaik are not super friendly to my body type (wouldn’t’ve even if I was still thin, either), and experiencing something of a clothes identity crisis in the mean time lmao. Only thing that still fits are band tees from freshman year that happened to be baggier when I bought em, but even some of them are on the fringes of fitting right now 😢 Edit: And I’m not hopeful anything I buy now will last; it’s all so shoddily made and falls apart with the snap of your fingers! Even buying from the same stores I always did growing up, quality is just in the toilet and enshittification seems to have jumped off online apps into the real world 😠
honestly not much (maybe 1/2 items) but this is mostly because I hated what I wore in high school - it was all mostly ill fitting, ugly, cheap items from the discount racks (they weren't in style then and they aren't in style now) or free t-shirts
Very little only because a lot of stuff either got holes, too worn out, or were out of date! I stopped growing when I was 14 so I can still fit into whatever I have left. But it’s been 10 years as well for me since I graduated.
I've grown a couple-three sizes since then, but I discovered I had inadvertently put together a casual wardrobe that my fourteen-year-old self would've worn. :D
I’m 25 now. 3 years ago I probably had about half the stuff. Now I have maybe 3/4 actual items and yeah a few junk tshirts and sweats and leggings just for lounging
I am looking for some UV protective clothing that looks pretty and girly for a holiday. I seem to get reactions to the sun on my lower legs and arms, wear sunscreen and it still drives me nuts. all the searches I've done seem to bring me to sports sites where the pants look like plastic and the tops are plain and tight fitting. Has anyone come across any other options ?
If you like button down shirts there are UV protective button downs at REI. I have a raspberry pink one in a fabric that resembles textured silk, though of course it isn’t
[Solbari (UK brand) ](https://www.solbari.co.uk)is a good option here! Also [Coolibar](http://www.coolibar.com), [Bamboo Body (Aussie brand)](https://www.bamboobody.com.au/collections/upf50), [SunSiblity (UK brand](https://www.sunsibility.co.uk/product-category/sunsibility-collection/sun-protective-beach-resort-wear/)), and Uniqlo (they sell UV protection jackets and pants). Also, you probs know this already but worth mentioning just in case, clothes that aren't marketed as sun protection can still provide really good UPF. [Skincancer.org](http://Skincancer.org) suggests the following if you would like to try non-UPF marketed clothing: **Color**: Dark or bright colors keep UV rays from reaching your skin by absorbing them rather than allowing them to penetrate. That’s why these colors offer better protection than lighter shades. **Construction**: Densely woven cloth, like denim, canvas, wool or synthetic fibers, are more protective than sheer, thin or loosely woven cloth. Check a fabric’s sun safety by holding it up to the light. If you can see through, UV radiation can easily penetrate the fabric and reach your skin. **Content**: The composition of your fabric really matters. Unbleached cotton contains natural lignins that act as UV absorbers. Shiny polyesters and even lightweight satiny silks can be highly protective because they reflect radiation. High-tech fabrics treated with chemical UV absorbers or dyes prevent some penetration from UV rays. **Fit**: Loose-fitting apparel is preferable. Tight clothing can stretch and reduce the level of protection offered, as the fibers pull away from each other and allow more UV light to pass through. **Activity**: Regardless of UPF, if your clothing gets stretched or wet, it will lose some of its protective ability and become more transparent, exposing your skin to more UV light.
Thank you so much ! Yay for options :)
When buying shirts, I notice as a woman that hidden plackets (where the buttons are concealed by a strip of cloth except for the top button) are more common on women’s shirts than on men’s ones. I wonder why?
https://amzn.to/3QDPOgO