It’s that time again, where the constant trips to the thrifts have rendered me incapable of getting dressed. Every morning I stand in the door to the closet and feel like no one piece of clothing matches another, the drawers overflow & I don’t have the energy to dig through them, and it’s 7:30am anyway, who can think about anything but jeans & a jacket? Yawn! Where’s my coffee? Why can’t I just wear pajamas to work? How can I dress reasonably professionally without compromising my style identity? (This is important! I feel terrible in clothes that aren’t me!)
So my project is this: what IS my style? What do I feel the best in? What makes me comfortable? I love so many different styles that it’s easy to jump around, but this is out of hand!! As I get older I feel the need to have – if not a uniform, at least a consistent genre with which to check my thrifting addiction. (Does this go with the general theme of my wardrobe? How often will I wear it? Is it flattering? Comfortable? Why am I buying this?)
Just reviewing my wardrobe_remix shots makes me realize this could be a lot harder than it sounds! What resonates with me the most?
vienna 1924 + romania 1890 + bolinas 1968
diane diprima + paris 1953
ukraine 1850
lower east side urchin 1915
So, I put this equation to the Professor & he responded “so you want 30s Cossack, with a pinch of Bowery paper boy, Parisian beatnik beauty, European Gatsby party goer, Wallachian Dutchess, and a dash of James Deans’ girlfriend?”
Yes. That seems reasonable, no??
plus
plus
plus
equals
?????????????????????????
So how the heck am I going to combine all that? This may need more thinking! I’m afraid it may not be possible – even looking at this, I’m thinking ‘There’s too many characters missing!! How can I restrict!’
But regardless, I need to go through my closet with an iron fist!! Everything not within these realms, out! But don’t worry – all that great vintage I’ll convince myself to let go of will go up on Etsy or Market Publique, surely.
And the next step after that involves eating less cake, exercising, and getting in shape!
What’s your look inspiration? Do you think everyone should have a style?
I really enjoyed this post Tamera, this is something I constantly think about- I really think your “style” is what your body/sense looks best in and feels good in. Like, I would wear pants if I ever found a pair that fit properly!
I just got a skirt that’s very YOU! and fits in with this look, too. I actually think I want to bring more black back into my wardrobe – but then there’s that whole matching-blacks issue. Sigh! I just want to look a little more put-together than I normally do.
We should go shopping before you leave, even if we buy nothing. I secretly like wandering the new Bloomingdales, it reminds me of being a little girl in NYC with my Nana.
Hmmm, I have the same problem.Only yesterday I bought mauve shoes, just because I like them but I have virtually nothing to wear them with in my wardrobe! And it’s a big one!One would think I would have all the colours by now, but no mauve!I feel that falling in love with thing and buying without thinking is pretty incurable with me but I console myself on the thought that sometimes I buy things that put some unused things into use and create perfect harmony!
Some people may stick to one style but I don’t really think it’s necessary, I feel very different from time to time and have to have different styles to express it.Although it does cause the problems you suggested.All your outfits are to die for,but the second and fourth one looks more practical and comfortable, I don’t know if they are too casual for your job though!
I am going through this very subject. I’m moving towards a more corporate position, and trying to find suitable clothing that displays professionalism, yet represents me. As I’m maturing, I want things that are nicer and last longer – but I want less of them.
I love all of your looks! You’re such an inspiration. I think the first look is my favorite.
I think everyone has a personal style, but some find it easier not to embrace it. That’s where I’ve been, floating through the days and not taking notice. Ever since I moved to Chicago, I feel like I lost the art of hunting for really great pieces at the thrift. I’ve become apathetic, and buy things I like somewhat. I want a minimalist collection of things I LOVE. I don’t know if I could ever have anything minimalist, though, because I feel like there are so many different sides of me. It’s hard to find one central look/theme that embraces me. I’m all over the place. I’m trying to purge away nearly everything and start fresh.
that first outfit is so amazing. i think your concoction of styles sounds brilliant and inspired and very you.
i am lost fashion ennui because of my weight. first i’m tackling that, and then hopefully i can dress how i want/feel comfortable in my clothes.
maybe you should have only seventeen trunks full of amazing clothes that fit the mood and occasion and cull as necessary, so only seventeen trunks are ever in use. no more, no less.
Man oh man- this is a good one! It’s something I’ve been thinking about SO MUCH lately- with so many big changes afoot. I finally feel like I’m coming full circle, years after losing most of my wardrobe in the hurricane and wearing the weirdest, wrongest shit for so long. Ill-fitting castoffs. Not everything, but I was lost- so the things I bought were desperate on sale oddments. We do a clothing swap fairly frequently, and mostly I just get rid of bags and bags and take home maybe 3 things. I need to do something like this- sort it out. I like the always/never thing too- it’s interesting how few nevers I have. Hmm!
yes, you are a chameleon. i think that’s a fine thing to be.
all winter i wore dresses, tights, heels and now it’s sort of summer i have been wearing slim trousers on the ankle, silk tops tucked in and flats. as i get older, i want to have things in my wardrobe made of fancy fabrics that will last and last. i feel like i am constantly evolving and getting better at what suits me. i like that.
it’s good to review from time to time, keeps everything fresh.
I’ve struggled with the same problem this year too! I looked at my closet a few months ago and saw two people: one that is artsty and has lots of modern/romantic pieces (knits, easy wear, etc.), and the girl that loves to wear styles from the 30s, 40s, and 50s (more shaped clothing, requires special lingerie occasionally). With the mountain of clothes I had unknowingly acquired for these two sides of my style, I felt like I was starting to suffocate! (Not to mention like you, dressing in the morning was a chore. Who wants to dig? Cue knit dresses and jeans…)
I’m still digging myself out, going through my wardrobe and weeding out things that don’t match my vision of myself right now. It’s so tough though because I’m inspired by a variety of looks (mostly 20th century, but the various decades are so distinct!), and love collecting vintage clothes. So wrangling it into a more cohesive whole has been gut wrenching sometimes. (I have a hard time parting with my clothes…) So I decided that I was going to map out my style personality: mid-century romantic (30s, 40s, and a smattering of 50s). That’s about as definite as I can get. lol! At least it’s kept me from buying stuff that is more modern and retro things that don’t fit that profile. (Though I get sorely tempted!)
But I don’t expect to stay this way forever… in fact I hope I *don’t*! My style has changed so much over the past 5 years and taken me in many different directions of self exploration. I wouldn’t want to stifle that! I’m eager to see where this new direction evolves in the future…
Anyway, enough of my rambling! lol. Good luck with cleaning out your closet–and I can’t wait to see how you work with that style-mantra! 😉
i actually don’t consider it a problem, per se. it’s one that i’ve had for most of my adult life and pretty surprisingly it hasn’t really confused my close friends’ perceptions of me at all. a lot of times they’ll see something bizarre and know that i’ll love it, but then again, i frequently go for pieces that they consider cardinal fashion sins. i commit any number of ‘don’ts’ on a daily basis and am quite happy that way, even if in snarkier moments i might giggle at seeing someone else in the same outfit (vintage slip and doc martens? err…). i was actually just talking with a. about how when i’d dress goth, i was never actually considered goth because i didn’t fit in with that group at school; i think i had and still have a much wider interpretation of the genre and i’ll never truly outgrow it. i just see it in different things.
so, that was long and a lot of me me me-babble, but no, i don’t think everyone needs a singular, signature look…having many eclectic styles is a look in and of itself! and you pull off everything with such aplomb that you mustn’t worry about it. i could stare at ‘lower east side urchin’ all day long, truly.
Awww… you’re so lovely, you can wear anything & make it shine. You’ve always had that about you & I was always mesmerized by that. I think you should just wear whatever you like. I think that’s very you. Keep them guessing…
eee, this comment is going to be longer than the post!
eithlinn: i think i will stick to looks 2 & 4 for the job, and the gyspy/flapper look for weekends! I think if it weren’t for work, I would just wear everything all mismatched! Curses!
michelle: one trunk, one large closet, several suitcases, one armoire, 2 dressers, and a huge garment rack. o dear.
angel: i forget how much you must have lost!! how heartbreaking. you have the best style, and never look weird or wrong!!!
nath: “slim trousers on the ankle, silk tops tucked in and flats” sounds like perfection, though i’m too curvy for tucking in shirts! eeek.
casey: but you have such a defined style! it is interesting to hear that you also deal with this! Maybe a literal inspiration board/collage of actual photos (not just web) tacked to the inside of my closet would help…
laura: yessss, i would be a gypsywitchbaby forever if it weren’t for this pesky grown-up job thing. unfortunately, that means feeling like i’m wearing uncomfortable drag 40 hours a week! it’s more about trying to work within that and not feel oppressed by my clothing – plus, being able to put together an outfit that makes me feel good at 7am when i’d rather be curled in a fetal position in the bathtub!!
johanna: awww. i always thought the same – you’ve always had great style! (i guess that whole “going to school for fashion design” thing helps!)
I think you look amazing!
I like all of them! I don’t think you have to sacrifice such a wealth of style influences to create one specific “style” for yourself. What you might want to consider is including some basic generics in there that you can rev up with other stylish pieces and accessorizing. Basic black works for everything – slacks, skirts (in whatever styles appeal but pencil skirt cuts can work as a great backdrop to build around), jackets (all sorts) camisoles, blouses etc. You can toss in more creative expression pieces as accents around the basic pieces. I almost always use black in this way b/c it really provides the best background contrast for whatever else you are going to put on around it. At least in my opinion. However, basics in other colors would also work, depending. I’m not a fan of white, nor am I a fan of beige as a backdrop but again, that’s me, and I’ve seen others use these colors as style backdrops and they have looked fantastic.
I’m sure you already know all this stuff I’m going on about but I wanted to chime in anyway. I do love all the pics you posted of yourself – I don’t think you should have to part with any of those “looks.” Maybe just streamline your style instead of sacrifice one aspect for another? Get the foundation pieces – and then go fantastic around that.
Elizabeth: I agree! Since I try to not buy new, those basics are sometimes harder to come by, and I wind up with piles of accent pieces with no base!! I’ll definitely need to need an eye out for some basics. Black, for sure!