Package: Rescue Me
Date: April 1st, 2024
Seasonal Focus: All/transitional
Challenges:
1)You hold on to items for quite some time which can be good...and bad. Styles change, especially in pant legs and rises, so holding on to older trousers can keep you from pulling together an on-trend look. However, classically styled trousers can be timeless when paired with equally timeless shoe options like classic pumps, loafers and flats. The key is the correct leg length in comparison to the shoe choice. The trouser should hit the top of your foot right in the middle, at the instep, creating an ever so slight crease OR be slim lined and ankle length, showing the ankle bone and a sliver of skin between the hem and your shoe. If they hit right at the place your ankle bends, it can look a little awkward and date the look or worse, age you! No one wants that, LOL! Check out this post for more details: https://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/pant-length-tips-hemming-trousers/#:~:text=I%20recommend%20having%20the%20hem,%E2%80%9Chighwaters%E2%80%9D%20when%20too%20short.
2) Your desire for everything to "match" is holding you back. Current trends have people wearing complementary colors, called color blocking, and that concept can carry over to prints as well as seen in a few outfits I made where the pattern in the top does not have the color of the sweater or jacket at all. The tones on these outfits are visually appealing all the same. You can accomplish this by:
-Choose colors in tones that are ALL warm or ALL cool in one outfit-say jade green with jeweled plum, cream with brown or olive green, or two shades of cool-toned pink in one look.
-Choose colors that are opposite on the color wheel, like blue and orange.
-Allow the shoes to do the talking by themselves, if they are a statement. For example, an animal print shoe is the star of the outfit, so make the rest of the outfit more neutral. If you do two animal prints, the eye doesn't know where to focus, and the look becomes busy and less chic. Any time your shoe is a statement, make the outfit more understated. If the outfit is the star, say you have on a dynamite printed top or an amazing pop color blazer, make your shoe neutral. Pick one statement item per outfit-this includes your shoes. Exception to this is your jewelry can still be amazing even if your shoes are too.
-Shoes do not need to match exactly, the tones just need to blend. Taupe/cream/tan/sand/bone are all neutrals, but the tones of the outfits dictate which one to wear. Since you have all tones in your clothing currently, you need many neutral tones as options. I believe once you lean more into neutrals in your shoes versus colors, prints, etc, you will find you need much less in both shoes and clothing AND can get dressed SOOOO much easier.
There were many cabi things that you weren't sure what to do with. To prevent this in the future, here are some shopping tips:
1) Immediately play with what you buy. Make outfits, on your body, WITH SHOES. The shoe part if very important as if you don't have the right shoes, you won't wear it (unless you want to buy new shoes too!)
2) If you don't wear something new within 2-3 weeks, and it is the right weather to wear it, something isn't right. Return it.
3) It's ok to get something that doesn't work with anything you already own BUT, purchase coordinating pieces at the same time.
4) If you own something similar ask yourself...would I choose this over what is already in my closet? If yes, get rid of the item already at home. You will pick the new item every time, so why keep the old in your closet? Or, don't buy the new item in the first place.
5) Make a list each time you turn your closet over seasonally. What do you need? Knowing what you are looking for curtails impulse purchasing.
6) A pricey t shirt that you will wear all the time is not pricey-it's smart "price per wear" purchasing. Price is irrelevant (as long as you can afford it) if it fits you well and you would wear it in everyday life a lot! Example: We often spend good money on a dress we wear 1-3 time without a thought about it. Put the same good money in your core wardrobe pieces, even if they are simple or basic-you will wear them a ton more!
7) Consider garment care instructions. Will they hinder you from wearing it?
8) Consider the "fussiness" of an outfit or item. Does it require retucking or constant rearranging throughout the day? If yes, are you ok with that or will this keep you from putting it on regularly?
You have so many choices...but yet you still have some holes in you wardrobe that would help it "come together" easier. They are:
1) Black travel pant, full length
2) Neutral taupe bootie, flat, mule and sandal. You have options gray, carmel, and cream, but really only the lug sole Sorel bootie in a taupe. Taupe or "greige" (beige gray) is the easiest to wear with both warm and cool tones.
3) White, Off White and light cream Layering pieces, not plain t-shirts. Think in terms of "If I took off my jackets, would I still feel stylish?" Also, off white/cream is WARM, white is COOL. You need both since you have both tones in your current wardrobe.
4) New burgundy pant. Although not in the Autumn palette, it goes with so many autumn colors.
5) Full length skinny jeans and slim legged trousers, to wear with long sweaters...which is a FABULOUS style on you given your height. Many gals can't wear this look at all.
6) New jean jackets, one dark, one light (the light one is to wear with cooler tones, but the dark one will be better with Autumn colors). A well fitting jean jacket can make a classic trouser look contemporary, chic, and "smart casual."
7) Warm light mustard/yellow colored short sleeve shirt for under the cabi shacket you just bought on the sale rack.
8) Short sleeve tops in warm colors to pair with some of the warm colors sweaters and jackets that you have. You currently have primarily cool short sleeve options, if I remember correctly.
