(Some of) what I wore - March

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Here's a good mix of "trying" and "could not be arsed" outfits from March. There days when I roll out bed and just put on any random pair of jeans and a T-shirt, and assume it's all going to work because I've worn some combination of those things before. And then there are days where I make a bit of effort to mix and match things in new-ish combinations, like wearing my shirt dresses over my jeans. And on weekends I seek out dresses that seem a bit too "vacation" for the office.

I also made some effort to wear stuff I hadn't worn in a while, like a pale-green and white print blouse, which had gotten a bit neglected because it seemed like I was always wearing it the same way. It's had a pretty good run since I bought it in 2011, and wearing it reminded me of how much I liked it in the first place. Shall have to think of new ways of mixing and matching it.

The black knee-length skirt fell off the radar because my sister borrowed it for a while, and when she returned it I'd assumed it would be too tight after my recent weight gain, due to its slim shape. Surprisingly, it isn't tight at all (and this is not because I lost the weight), and so I've had a merry time wearing all my boxy, slightly cropped tops with it.

Keeping track of my outfits has made me realised how much clothing I own, and how little of it I get through in a month. I've noticed how I rarely have to repeat items and outfits (except jeans, bags and shoes). A frequent thought as I flip through my clothes every morning is, "Oh I should wear this today, I haven't worn this in a while." I started setting aside a "to wear" rack of things I've been neglecting but still like, and filled a rack in no time.

I bought some new trousers during the month, and am still keen on other items on my want list, but tracking my outfits like this is making me a little more circumspect about buying things. I keep coming across people using the StyleBook app, and I get the principle behind it but I'm not entirely convinced that it's worth paying for. A visual record of actual outfits is enough to get me thinking, plus I'm not especially driven by cost-per-wear data. I am keeping track of my shopping expenses, but Google Sheets does the trick just fine for me.

How do you feel when you look back at your OOTDs?

Comments

Archana said…
I have been making an effort with rotating the contents in my closet in a more efficient manner. Its helped. Else, I was wearing the same 6 garments all the time. With respect to having more than enough in the closet, I think some clothes are meant to be worn out in 5 years. Some in a decade. And some in 20 years. In that sense, I am glad to have those least worn pieces that wait their turn. I didn't want to get the stylebook app because data driven choices kill the romance of it all.
Jessica said…
I like the idea of that to-wear-rack. To be honest though, my closet is so small that I always have an overview of all of my clothes. It's nice to know that certain things don't get overlooked (which was very different in the past when I had a much larger number of clothes). I sometimes take a quick pic in a dressing room but I mostly wear the same things over and over so for me, I don't really see the point in doing regular OOTD's.
Shutterbug K said…
Echoing Pret's comment on increasingly casual wardrobe shift. I prefer sneakers over sandals--it's just more practical and stable for my feet.

When I look back at past OOTDs it helps me eliminate extra purchases. I am reminded of which shapes I prefer, which items I already own (I stopped buying button down shirts, I don't think I'll ever need anymore), and overall--for those clothes I still do wear--it makes me happy I found something I like so well to keep wearing for more than 4 years now (and counting.)

I think your Levi's tailoring really paid off for you, Lin! It is such a dependable bottom that I see you repeating in your outfits.
Lakshmi said…
I don't take a lot (or any) OOTD pictures. I used to do them a while ago to send to my sister. But now I can hardly be bothered. I don't own a lot of clothes ("lot" is relative, right?), so I do end up repeating clothes a fair bit. I rotate through 3-4 pairs of jeans, 1 grey cord, cotton leggings often. I have a set of shirts that get regular wear too. What I don't wear often? Skirts, dresses. I have a few nice ones, but I always feel like my legs aren't exfoliated enough. Sheesh! I am trying to rectify that this summer... Shave regularly, that is a summer resolution.

Also, your pictures remind me that I need to buy a belt.
lin said…
Archana: I'm hoping to find some time to reorganise my home a bit to make it easier for me to see my stuff without it being messy - my wardrobe being one of these areas. I'm pretty neat and I don't have a lot of things lying around but I think putting everything away too neatly can be a kind of drawback.

Jessica: The to-wear rack is very useful! It reduces the amount of time I spend getting dressed in the morning, which means more time for breakfast, and sleeping in longer. I find OOTDs fun to look back on, but I generally I don't remember to take them..

Pret a Porter P: I'm highly flattered by the Tilda S reference!

I think you dress pretty nice, still :) Hot weather is something I obsess about all the time, and probably the reason I'll never get all that dressy - it's just not physically possible.

Shutterbug K: I'm really attracted to sandals, but am wary that they may be bad for my feet! I no longer want to risk abusing them in any way, now that I'm getting older and more prone to strain.

I like looking back and seeing things that I'm still wearing as well - it feels nice to know that some things do stand the test of time, in terms of physical durability as well as aesthetics.

Lakshmi: I relate to the shaving and exfoliating bit so much - it's the reason I don't wear dresses as often as I'd like. But when the weather turns extra humid, dresses are the most comforting things to wear, and so I dutifully get my legs in order....

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