2015 Style Resolutions

I can't believe it's 2015 already! 2014 went by in a flash. I recently saw a post on the Free People blog of their stylist's Style Resolutions for 2015 and thought I would write one of my own. I made a lot of headway in 2014 and I am super proud of my progress- but there is still a long way to go!

Things I am Proud of from 2014:

• I donated, sold & tossed lots of clothing that didn't fit with my current style
• During my shopping trips I became much more mindful and focused on what garments would work with my wardrobe, and which would not. This helped me not bring home many garments that would have ended up being donated in the future.
• My style became very clearly defined

Style Resolutions for 2015:

stop procrastinating on those unworn garments!I resolve to take these pieces out of my wardrobe and attempt to mix them into at least 2-3 different outfits. If I can't do it, or I just don't like the item anymore, then it's gone!

remix my current wardrobe instead of purchasing new items to quell boredomIt's pretty normal for people to get bored with their clothing; and I remember well a few years ago how I would play around with my wardrobe, coming up with new outfits. This was especially handy since I didn't have as much money back then to purchase new items. And since this year I will be moving out on my own, downgrading the amount of new purchases I make will be very important!

to only buy/keep pieces that I really love-buy less, but better!
This one is one of the toughest resolutions to keep! Sometimes it's too easy to purchase something on impulse, just because it seems fun. I want my closet to be comprised of pieces I really love!

explore more second hand stores
Thrift shopping used to be a VERY regular occurrence for me

try out a few new hairstyles- fishtail braids & up-dos
I finally have the long hair I've been pining after for years- it's time to have fun with it and try some new things!

What's goin' on?

Well, the beginning of November came and went and I didn't do my usual posts on what I bought or my outfits of the month. I actually completely forgot, as I was so busy with my new job (yay!) that it slipped my mind. I've also been thinking a lot about it and I'm not sure that I'm going to continue with the blog the way it is going right now. I feel like there is something different I can do to make it truly worthwhile for me, where now it just feels like going through the motions.

I've still been culling my wardrobe regularly and plan to do a count sometime before years end, hopefully.

I've been thinking about what I want this blog to be in the next year, and there are a few things I want to focus on:

1. Doing less online shopping and taking a few 'shopping field trips' throughout the year where I focus on fabric & quality garments
2. Developing my sense of style
3. Continuing to minimize my wardrobe

I'm looking forward to what the future will bring!

Halfway Point

It has been 6 months since I began my journey of moving away from fast fashion, curating my closet and enjoying the clothing that I have, so I thought it would be a good time to post a bit of a reflection on how it's gone so far.

I feel like I've finally hit on a bit of a turning point; the past few months I have been saying NO to clothes and I haven't been impulse shopping like I used to. When I've gone into H&M I've picked things up and put them away after really considering them- I think about how I'm going to feel adding them into my already full closet, and it doesn't make me feel good. I have been passing over garments that were almost what I wanted, but not quite. Old me would have bought them anyway and then bought the actual perfect item later on, had it come up. I feel that I must have a fear of missing out in terms of clothing- I'm afraid of letting that just okay item get away in case I never find the really amazing piece that I want. And I'm becoming okay with that- if it isn't perfect, why add it to my wardrobe?

When I look at my clothes I'm slowly seeing a cohesive LOOK emerge; I'm itching to go through and get rid of pieces that don't fit the image I want to project. In keeping with this I plan to go through my wardrobe and pull out the things that don't fit with 'THAT GIRL' I want to be- I'm considering doing the 333 challenge, but for now I just want to really focus on those pieces of clothing that scream "ME", and see where that takes me. Basically I will be re-doing Step 2 of A Pair and a Spare's post "Wardrobe Rehab"; 'Define Your Style' which I did in an earlier post about, using photos from Pinterest as examples.

I also plan on going through all of my purchases for the first half of the year (as a few other bloggers have done) and rating them based on how many wears they have gotten and if they were a good purchase. I haven't kept track of specific wears, but I have a general idea about how much I've worn something and how into it I've been.

I am excited to see how the rest of the year goes!

That special something

http://goodwillrocksmysocks.tumblr.com/

Since the beginning of the year when I started to put more thought into my wardrobe and how and where I buy clothes, I've started thinking more about having special, unique items in my wardrobe. Once you get away from the high of impulse-shopping you start to see how wonderful it is to have a one-in-a-million garment or piece of jewelery you can hold on to for longer than a few months.

I used to love thrift shopping, going on a hunt for a gloriously amazing dress or skirt or boots that was worn in juuust right and didn't look a thing like any of the outfits I saw people wearing on a daily basis. I have made some amazing finds in thrift stores; from a oversize leopard print blazer to a beautiful printed floral & clocks sundress and much more. I still love thrift shopping, but somehow online shopping and fast-fashion has taken over my life over the past few years. Now, I'm definitely not a person who would only dress in clothing from thrift stores- but I think the best fashion comes when you mix it up, wearing new and old, stuff from the mall and Value Village and Ebay, wearing a garment or two that has a story behind it.

http://theclothes.blogspot.ca

There's something kind of depressing about looking through your wardrobe and only seeing polyester-elastane duds that are so spot-on trendy. Give me some weird clothing, something you can't find in the stores right now, a vintage statement ring, a woven leather belt... let's tell a story with our clothes.

blog.freepeople.com