FASHION RESOLUTIONS 2014 and the shape of things to come...

[Jesssh]

Update. Here were my 2014 resolutions:

1. Get to know Nordstrom Rack. Maybe the Saks and Neimens outlets too.

Haven't been there yet and they closed the local Saks outlet.

2. Continue to not buy unless an item is the perfect thing on my wish list, or I have gone home and thought about the item for at least a week.

I had a little Gap shopping spree. Otherwise I stuck to my wish list.

3. Avoid buying clothing online. It rarely works out.

My Gap shopping spree was online. I loved and kept all 5 items I ordered! Maybe I should modify this resolution.

4. Continue to be inspired by my favorite fashion blogs.

Done daily.

5. Continue to look at clothes and accessories online to see what is available and trending. This is for education and to add to the wish list.

Done whenever I'm bored. I haven't added much to the wish list, though.

6. Continue to enjoy browsing at malls and not buying unplanned items.

I go about once a month. I'm not into it as much this year since my wardrobe is well stocked now.

7. Get to know stores that I don't normally go into. And try more pants on.

I haven't done this. I don't want to buy more pants now since I am losing weight.

8. Remember to buy clothes that fit in with what other women in my community wear, to not stand out too much.

This is a problem! Sometimes my outfit combos are too matchy or too showy/cute and I have to tone them down and deliberately mismatch items or replace a fun accessory with something boring.

9. Continue to lose weight and do squats.

This is happening!

10. Organize my wardrobe on the computer, combine items into outfits, take mod pics.

This is where I am focusing most of my free time. It's fun to shop in your closet when you love almost everything!

Another thing that I am doing is trying to apply full makeup every time I go out, except when I go to the gym or on dog walks. People treat me differently when I wear makeup.

 

[eggtartapproved]

Finally felt in the mood to do some shopping and focused on rebuilding a casual wardrobe. I went to my local winners and found 4 items to add and discovered 2 new-to-me designers that are made in the US - Olivia moon and pleione. I got 2 knit pieces that are super sper soft and a step away from my usual basic hoodies and tshirts. One is a gray short sleeved knit top that looks like a tshirt but the material makes it a bit more mature. The other is a tan 3/4 sleeve knit that even has a draw string neck like a hoodie (but without the hood) that is soooo comfortable. Third is a navy tshirt with great cutout detailing s long the neckline and the last one is a sleeveless faux wrap shirt. Love all my pieces and expect to wear them for a long time

 

[ladysarah]

Not doing too badly either... Absolutely love the ease of a small, low maintenance wardrobe and I ve focused my buying to 3-4 brands/designers that love my body type, have cruelty free policies and use silk, cotton, cashmere etc...

 

[Myrkur]

Not doing too badly either... Absolutely love the ease of a small, low maintenance wardrobe and I ve focused my buying to 3-4 brands/designers that love my body type, have cruelty free policies and use silk, cotton, cashmere etc...

Sarah, could you tell me your 4 brands you like to wear?

 

[beggarbaby]

My next goal is to get some boat neck 3/4 sleeve tops and dresses for fall. I realized almost everything I have is scoop neck or sleeveless and more fitted, so I want to get some stuff that is more casual and low key.

 

[Divealicious]

Happy new half year! We're officially half way 2014 and I was wondering how you all are doing with your resolutions.

As for my own resolutions...

1. I need to stop buying stuff I don't need. Hope to achieve this by keeping an actual list somewhere, with items I need and only allow myself to buy things on that list.

I feel good about myself that I was able to pass up on a gorgeous bag I spotted this morning in the clearance sale. It was a great deal, but I reminded myself that there is no black bag on my list. I did pick up a dress that I put on my list if it would pop up for 70% off. Yay me

2. I need to shrink my wardrobe, so the rule will be: for every new item in, one needs to go and cleaning out things that I haven't worn for a year, unless it has emotional or future vintage value .

I got rid of most of my stuff but I still have one laundry basked where I collected some things that need sorting out. Almost done.

3. Think in cost-per-wear when buying something new. Expensive yet peftectly fitting jacket? I will wear it lots of times, so buy and feel good. No more dressing for that imaginary lifestyle!

I returned a dress that was obviously for my imaginary lifestyle and instead added some nice silk blouses in multiple colors to my wardrobe. I also invested in a Burberry trench that has been on my list for a while. A classic that I hope to wear for many years to come.

4. Perfect jeans only! For me that is either Levi's curve ID jeans or Paige jeans.
!

Still on a lucky streak for finding perfect fitting jeans. Added a white pair for summer

5. Use wardrobe and style apps on the ipad more often for inspiration and creating new looks with things I already have.

This resolution needs work. Cataloging my wardrobe takes a lot of time! I have added all the things I have recently bought, but I haven't added things that were already in my wardrobe. Need to find a way to make this more fun or reward myself with something....

 

[Jesssh]

Update. Here were my 2014 resolutions:

1. Get to know Nordstrom Rack. Maybe the Saks and Neimens outlets too.

I'm not real interested in this one anymore. Too much work. Not fun for me. And my wardrobe is pretty full now, so I am looking just for fun.

2. Continue to not buy unless an item is the perfect thing on my wish list, or I have gone home and thought about the item for at least a week.

Except for the Gap and AT shopping sprees earlier this year, I've done OK. Ironically some things that have been on my wish list for years have recently gone on sale.

3. Avoid buying clothing online. It rarely works out.

I actually have had luck ordering some things online when I am pretty sure I will like the fit and fabric. Otherwise it's a disappointment.

4. Continue to be inspired by my favorite fashion blogs.

I still enjoy this, and have enough in my wardrobe to mimic the blog outfits I like.

5. Continue to look at clothes and accessories online to see what is available and trending. This is for education and to add to the wish list.

Wish list items come and go. Looking is still fun, then I realize I have something similar and can put a new look together.

6. Continue to enjoy browsing at malls and not buying unplanned items.

I still enjoy the malls, but rarely buy.

7. Get to know stores that I don't normally go into. And try more pants on.

Still haven't done this much. I have my favorite stores.

8. Remember to buy clothes that fit in with what other women in my community wear, to not stand out too much.

I think I might step up the sophistication factor occasionally.

9. Continue to lose weight and do squats.

Uh oh, I got into fancy beverages and treats at the beginning of the summer. Have to cut back.

10. Organize my wardrobe on the computer, combine items into outfits, take mod pics.

Still love working on this. Except for the mod pics.

I bought a flipfold and that was addicting too! I refolded all the clothes in 1-1/2 cabinets yesterday. Couldn't stop!

I don't know how much more I'll buy this year. I think I'm about done for a while. If I find the perfect nude sandal or black crossbody or wide black leather belt, I'll probably grab it.

 

[thbettina6]

Here's what I wrote in January:

Things I'd like to improve in 2014:

I want to accessorize more.
I'll admit I'm not paying as much attention to this as I intended. I've been busy replenishing some basic wardrobe pieces, and I've neglected to do the same with my jewelry collection.

I want to update my look. (I've already started doing this.)
See above about replenishing basics. I'm in the process of replacing jeans and shoes especially. But I've opted not to give up my fitted tops for the new slouchy look. (On me, it just looks sloppy.)

Resolutions (I don't have 5, just 3 is plenty for me! ) :

Stay within my budget.
I've done pretty well with this. I got a debit card which is reserved for online purchases only (which is how I buy most of my clothing) and that has helped to prevent mindless spending. I still need to work on setting limits for in-person shopping.

If it’s available locally, buy it locally.
Actually, I'm throwing out this resolution. I've actually been shopping smarter when I shop online. I've learned that I need to stick with a few favorite brands, and I need to stay away from Ebay. Ebay is tempting but I'm almost always disappointed with the merchandise.

Take care of everyday wardrobe needs before splurging on luxury products.
Well, yes and no. I do find that I'm happier with my purchases when they actually fill wardrobe gaps and make it easier to dress in the morning. But I have been allowing myself the occasional luxury splurge-- generally a small thing, like a scarf or cosmetics. I think the luxury items help to keep me from getting totally bored, and they add variety to my wardrobe.

Overall, I think I'm making good progress and developing a healthier attitude about shopping and dressing. I'm still working on the budget thing. I just need to pay more attention and remember that most things can wait. Even if the sale prices are ending and I might have to pay retail later.

 

[jetstream7]

1) Continue to spend less money on fashion purchases (Not including fine jewelry).
I used gift cards to my advantage to score some basic tanks and a LeSportsac tote for cheap as chips. I received a new wallet for my work anniversary. From April to July, only 2 items were over $100: a Black Fleece shirt dress and a "wholly grail" piece found on ebay ; everything else was under $32. The July sales are so tempting, but I can’t have it all. Also, I’m ready to make another fine jewelry purchase yet I can’t seem to stop buying junk jewelry.


2) Improve Care & Maintenance
I have shoes that need heel repairs. New pants that I deem worthy of alterations. Minor non-urgent clothing fixes I have yet to complete. A watch bezel to replace. I dared to wash my Chanel jacket, but this is the last time, as it’s affecting the lining. Also I may look into restoring one of my precious baby bags…:/ On the upside, the delicate wool cycle is more time and water efficient than individually hand washing my sweaters. Plus, I found better guards to save my Rick Owens hoodie from constant laundering.


3) One in, one out for heels.
I added a pair of "wholly grail" heels, but I do plan to throw out a pair of boots. That said, this is still likely to be broken as I may succumb to a very alluring pair of low heels (the horror!)


4) Continue to shop for and maintain a wardrobe suitable for my real life.
I did pull some extraneous tops from my wardrobe and gave a necklace to a co-worker. I downgraded a pair of leggings to those rare occasions I’m inspired to do yoga. I was quick to return things that weren’t right or not needed. The July sales and ebay are so tempting, but I can’t have it all (at once)! I have to prioritize by what I really want/need and what I will get the most use out of.

Overall, I’m happy with my additions, except for 2 Kuwaiti scarves (basically a balaclava with a rectangular scarf attached to one side) that fell short of my expectations. Though this is likely more to do with the poor construction of the ones I purchased than the idea itself. This was an inexpensive purchase so no big deal.

5) Shop Like A Tourist (At Home)

From April-July, 5 out of 13 purchases were online, which means the majority of my purchases were in-store. I had luck at the outlets and found some good work basics: khaki pants that fit perfectly, long navy sweater, and versatile pearl necklace. I’m undecided whether my next major jewelry purchase will be made online or in-store...

 

[eggtartapproved]

one: Write a short review of your style and the progress you made in 2013. How did your style, lifestyle and aesthetic preferences evolve?

In 2013 I took a really good look at my lifestyle and wardrobe, taking into account that I spend 4 days a week in professional attire, my closet consisted of too many neutrals but I still could not pull an outfit together; outside of work, I dressed like a university student holed up in a library cramming for finals (not a pretty sight).

To start my cleanse, I purged everything that didn't fit, items that looked and fit only so-so, poor materials, things that were very worn or faded, and got rid of accessories I know I would never use (ie, fashion jewelry and trendy belts - not that I had that much to start with, but still, had to get rid of them).

For work, I determined that sheath dresses worked really well for my body-type and it's SO easy to just throw on one item, rather than having to think about a top and bottom. For winter and fall I purchased a few more and implemented colors. For spring and summer I purchased more colorful pencil skirts and sleeveless tops and explored patterns. Realized that as much as I loved a dress shirt, I could never find one that fit just right, so I've given up for now. Now that I've implemented color and patterns, getting dressed seems so much easier. Also got a few pairs of dress pants on sale that filled in some staple pieces that were missing.

For casual wear - I almost got rid of anything I couldn't pass off as business casual, save for a few hoodies, and pretty much left it at that. I didn't add more to my closet and am sticking to plain tshirts, jeans, and my patterned sleeveless tops for now until I can figure out exactly what i'm going for.

two: Write about one or two paragraphs about your style and wardrobe plans for 2014. Which aspects about your style and your wardrobe do you want to improve, why and how?

I'm pretty happy with my work wardrobe and am looking to decide on a few more items to let go, but that will be dependent on weight change in the new few months. For casual wear, I plan to continue to use what I have until it wears out and then I will begin to reinvest in that part of my lifestyle. I would like to continue to pare down my closet, especially my shoes, but my biggest goal is to make my accessories visible so I can try to implement them more into my outfits, and in turn, decide whether I should keep them or not.
three: Express your five most important goals in a short, motivating sentence each and then start sketching out how you want to achieve or implement them.

Sort of similar to #2 but I have started to track my clothing in addition to my bags, wallets, and shoes, and i'm hoping that will give me a better perspective on wear my money goes when it comes to my clothes and what items give me more value, whether cost per wear, or how it holds up.

Update - After my major purge last year, I began to slowly incorporate pieces into my work wardrobe that would help pull together what remaining items I had. I am still sticking to neutral colors throughout but giving more thought to details and which items should be certain colors amongst those I've chosen, and that has helped me TONS. I've magically in the last few weeks been able to actually pull together REAL outfits that look AWESOME (not just acceptable) with little effort, and at times, totally by accident. The purging and thoughtful purchasing has really helped. I even finally found a button up shirt style that works for me and have added a chambray, white with navy polka dots, peach gingham for spring, and a pink and gray checked shirt to the mix which work not only for work, but casual as well. I've been able to implement the same purchases into my remaining play wardrobe and that has massively improved, with no real effort. I still continue to purge in diff categories but most of it is under control and I'm wearing a lot more of my clothing, more often.

 

[ladysarah]

Update - After my major purge last year, I began to slowly incorporate pieces into my work wardrobe that would help pull together what remaining items I had. I am still sticking to neutral colors throughout but giving more thought to details and which items should be certain colors amongst those I've chosen, and that has helped me TONS. I've magically in the last few weeks been able to actually pull together REAL outfits that look AWESOME (not just acceptable) with little effort, and at times, totally by accident. The purging and thoughtful purchasing has really helped. I even finally found a button up shirt style that works for me and have added a chambray, white with navy polka dots, peach gingham for spring, and a pink and gray checked shirt to the mix which work not only for work, but casual as well. I've been able to implement the same purchases into my remaining play wardrobe and that has massively improved, with no real effort. I still continue to purge in diff categories but most of it is under control and I'm wearing a lot more of my clothing, more often.

That' sounds pretty good. I am a little over budget, ( or I will be by the end of the year) and will report again. Very happy with my current edited wardrobe though. It works.

 

[jetstream7]

With 2014 behind us, how did we all do on our resolutions?


Here's my recap:


1)Continue to spend less money on fashion purchases (Not including fine jewelry).
If I don’t count my Cartier and Bulgari rings, I was well under the predetermined budget I set for myself. If I factor in the Cartier ring, I went a few hundred dollars over. Only 8 out of my 40 acquisitions were over $100, and these items were my Bulgari ring, 2 Baccarat rings, Black Fleece dress, YSL leopard wedges, Cartier ring, Rick Owens dress, and Zara blazer. The majority of my clothing were from accessible chains: Gap/Banana/Old Navy, Target, Zara, F21, etc.



2)Improve Care & Maintenance
I made some improvements here. I did take things to the cobbler, but some of their fixes like re-dyes and polishing didn’t last very long. I took
things to the tailor. I found a new and friendly dry cleaner, albeit not the most conveniently located. And will machine wash my wool sweaters
to save time, (my) energy, and water. But I have unusual luck of misplacing/losing/vanishing into thin air the mates to my socks, scarves, arm
warmers… There are still minor non-urgent alterations and cobbler fixes that I can look into when I feel like it.


3)One in, one out for heels.
I’m really proud of myself that I stuck to this! I did not succumb to the allure of ultimately useless heels. I added 2 new pairs of heels this year, my black velvet and leopard YSL/Tom Ford era wedges, and removed 2, pump in similar style to my YSL wedges and neglected & disintegrating pair of black boots.


4)Continue to shop for and maintain a wardrobe suitable for my real life.
I did pull things out of my wardrobe. I was quick to return things that didn’t fit me. I resisted some sale temptations for things that were less than what I wanted or would be extraneous to my needs. I handed off things to friends and co-workers that I no longer wanted/needed. I tried to give priority to pieces that were practical, washable, and versatile.


5)Shop Like A Tourist (At Home)
I shopped more in-store. I made 40 fashion purchases total, 26 of which were purchased in-store.

 

[thbettina6]

I'm glad you found this thread! I was trying to remember my resolutions.

From 2014:

I want to accessorize more.
I made a slight improvement. I added a new Etro scarf and have actually been wearing it and my other scarves this winter. I also added a new necklace that I wore in the summer. I could stand to add many more accessories.

I want to update my look.
Done, for the most part. I've replaced most of my basic wardrobe staples. The changes are subtle but I can definitely see the benefit of refreshing my look with new pieces. The overall look is more modern.

Stay within my budget.
I'll have to give myself an "F" on this. On the positive side, I learned that I need more flexibility (rather than strict monthly amounts), but I also need to reduce my overall spending. I'm trying out a slow-buy strategy for 2015.

If it’s available locally, buy it locally.
I threw out this resolution because I've found that I spend less and make better choices when I shop online. I'm glad that I learned this about myself.

Take care of everyday wardrobe needs before splurging on luxury products.
I did o.k. with this. I did purchase a few luxury items before I finished updating the basics; but I don't regret any of those purchases.

 

[Jesssh]

I did pretty well except for the mod shots. I rediscovered neimans last call (in person) and nordstrom rack (online) and finally had some success there. I'm getting better at picking out clothes and finding amazing markdowns on items on my wish list. The wish list is whittled down to mostly expensive items which are easy to resist. However I have become a scarf addict. I'm finding great scarves at $10-20 - mostly gap cozy scarves which I love and cashmere/silk and wool on hautelook (although those haven't arrived yet).

I love my wardrobe so much now!

There are not too many things left to buy in 2015. Black wedge sandals and a wide black leather belt (no elastic!), and I can always use another versatile but cute small black leather bag with silver hardware. I'll wait for something perfect and slightly awesome to come out.

Maybe a shearling coat in a few years.... Not 2015.

I'm having a blast putting outfits together on the ipad.