January 29, 2023
A pretty normal winter week for us – it did finally snow!
I’ve noticed that if I keep track of what I wear, as I have been doing since the first of September, it becomes clear exactly what clothes are my favorites.
This, I suspect, means that I should be able to figure out what I have but don’t need, right?
love,
Janice
Black star earrings – Alinka; silver star earrings – Gorjana; gold and black cross earrings – Julie Vos; hoop earrings – Cartier; silver chain – Wayan Asmana; silver pendant – Daily Stoic; purple sweatshirt – Colorful Standard; white turtleneck – Lands’ End; chambray shirt – 4 Objects; Fair Isle sweater – Lands’ End; black turtleneck – Milan; black velvet pants – Lands’ End; tipped cardigan – Alex Mill; jeans – L.L.Bean; tweed pants – Alex Mill; black boots – Blondo; sneakers – Converse; moccasins – Minnetonka
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Yes I have an app and log everything that I wear each day. It’s really helped me to understand what I love to wear on repeat (and what I should give away)
Could you share what app you use, please? This sounds like such a good idea!
Since I retired I did the samething. No need for dressy office clothing and heels no more. Last I checked we had about 9 inches of snow in Kenosha WI. Keep warm and drive safe!
Glad you’ll have a bit of snow! So pretty. None here yet in N.VA.
I like your post. Would have loved to see the actual outfits….how many items you wore many times!
You were cozy!
I like the idea of this project. Perhaps I shall start this on 1 February. I am aware of how few clothes I’m wearing. Is this out of laziness? When I was working, I wore a different outfit every day, even if I wore the same top more than once, I would vary the bottoms, second layers and a accessories. Now that I don’t work, I can wear the same outfit two days in a row because I’m not seeing the same people.
Last night, I glammed up in evening wear to man the raffle stall at my local theatre. A burgundy velvet trouser suit with a dark pink lace top. Jewellery was a garnet and pearl bead necklace, a dark pink and white bead bracelet abd a red crystal ring. I had a burgundy and silver paisley shawl round my shoulders, as it can be cool in the foyer. Although I eventually caved in and put on my silver grey wool coat (first time on this winter). I received several compliments from staff and patrons alike. Making the effort is worthwhile! Perhaps I shall try harder. After all I have lots of clothes and accessories to choose from.
Sounds gorgeous, Beth T!
I am in the same situation
I definitely don’t utilize the wonderful clothes in my closet
Very rarely do I need to dress even dressy casual. I am in a quandary about reducing my items I have a lot invested in Eileen Fisher and other wonderful designers
What to do ???
Interesting, Beth t… when I was working, I had a “uniform”—black column and colorful something else. Now that I’m retired, I have time to think about what I’m wearing, and I’m having so much fun doing that. Problem is, I’m totally overwhelmed. And inexperienced. Hence, the joy in finding Janice and all the rest of you. So… in February, I’ll keep track. (Im still taken with the dusky green—just ordered the Fable scarf.)
I’ve been tracking what I wear through the Stylebook App for awhile now. It is certainly illuminating. Sweaters and plaid flannel shirts are in heavy rotation right now…..I got together yet two more bags for goodwill yesterday. Think I”m down to where I want to be and have a clear idea where I want to stay/go. Thank you Janice! Beth T – I do love your comments and your outfit sounds just lovely. I hardly have anything “dressy” any more. I do have a couple of dresses in a pinch and a pair of velvet Lands End (or LL Bean, don’t remember) pants I could pull out and pair with something….. Janice, I know this is more work for you, but I am really liking the WOW posts.
It’s like packing for a week-long trip, without the packing. This is a shift toward clarity, not a radical change. I love this idea, because I already sort of do it. During the course of a week, I probably wear 3 different pairs of pants/jeans, 2 or 3 sweaters/jackets, and several tops. Whatever I wear first tends to naturally overlap and lead to the other items. I don’t wash everything every time I wear it, but I don’t want to put it back in the closet, so I hang it on the back of the door or put it on a certain shelf, and keep making outfits by adding or deleting an item. plus the weeks sort of automatically look different from each other based on what I start with. Thanks to you, I have a more coherent wardrobe than I used to, but not everything goes with everything, but this way I end up enjoying all my clothes. Oh, yeah, and as you say, sometimes I identify things I want to pass along. Regarding that, I’ve never succeeded with culling items based solely on how often I wear them. It’s always about whether I still enjoy them when I do wear them.
Thanks for all you do for us with your blog, Janice. I’m loving the WOW posts too :)
You make a point that I believe someone else made a while ago. I don’t always wash an item after only one wearing, nor do I want to return it to a drawer or rack of unworn clothes. So where do these worn but still wearable items live while they wait to be worn again, so to speak? (Talk about first world problems. LOL.)
For those of us with limited space the struggle is real. Mine currently live in a pile on whatever horizontal space is least crowded. Not an ideal solution. Any suggestions from you clever ladies?
I have a short shelf from ikea with a bit of a lip that holds a large picture frame on a small wall in the bedroom. It’s called a picture rail. It has heavy duty wall bolts so it takes some weight.
It’s perfect to hang clothes overnight on hangers to air out and let the creases fall away. Or rotate in and out although I wear my outfits several days in a row. (I wear an apron to cook and clean)
Nightclothes live on a couple of sturdy hooks behind the bedroom door but that’s another solution.
I keep them out of my closet and drawers as I want those areas for clean clothes.
I hang things I have worn once or twice inside out – I might not wear that item again for a week out two – hard to remember what has been worn – often a garment is only worn for a couple of hours so not soiled
For anything that hangs, I place the hanger backwards on the rod after wearing. For garments that are folded, I fold them inside out after being worn. Kind of weird, but it works!
I definitely wear things at least twice so mine either hang on my steamer or on a hanger in front of other items.(sideways if that makes sense). That way I see them and keep them in rotation until they get laundered. Of course in the heat of the summer most go straight into laundry basket.
Janice, you have the best blog and the best followers! I knew there would be some good answers to my question about storing clothes that have been worn but are not ready for the laundry. Thanks ladies.
I have a round wooden coat rack like the ones in Viennese coffee houses with four large hooks, that can hold up to six hangers. Nice looking furniture. South for trousers, East for tops, North for second layers, West for workout and lounging. Every Item is worn about once a week for about six weeks. Works great. Kind regards from Germany, Annette
I noticed that you seem to prefer your 4objects and Alex Mills items. I wonder whether it’s because Alex Mills is relatively new brand in your closet. Interestingly you haven’t reached for your LLBean sweaters nor your button down shirts as much. Fine-tuning my preferences has helped keep my fascination with my existing closet and me less prone to seek to add to it though I am curious about Alex Mill. Gotta put together a spring wishlist first. Can’t wait to see you go through your challenges.
For quite a while I used my iPhone to take a snapshot of my tops and pants when I hung them to dry after a delicate dark or light wash.
It was easy to spot the items on heavy repeat and others that never got worn.
At the end of each season (I’m a project333 fan) I evaluate everything- the pullovers and cardigans that weren’t going through the laundry for example and spot what I wore lots, what wore out/shrank/stained beyond hope and what I liked in theory but never reached for.
That was how I realized I no longer enjoyed wearing red. I included it, remembering I loved it, but didn’t make the connection to why I never actually wore it even in a small seasonal capsule.
I fell out of love with red a couple of years ago – I wonder if it’s because it seems overwhelming on me as I’m (ahem) maturing…
xoxo,
Janice
I figure for me anyway as the fatigue got worse I no longer had the energy within me to wear red. I still love it, on others or in small bits of decor but it’s exhausting to wear. It’s hard to explain. And as you allude to- my skin & hair changes seem to work better with softer colours and when I put them on I don’t feel like they drain energy- they are restful, easygoing and comfortable to wear. Aging is full of surprises.