Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Style Post Wednesday: What's Material to you?

"I am glad of all details, whether they seem to you to be relevant or not."
Sherlock Holmes, who certainly knew how to dress...


So I am cleaning out the clothes I own for Spring and Summer.  This is a tedious exercise for many reasons, the most relavent for the purposes of this post being:

1) some of my clothes from last summer are still too tight.
2) they were too tight last summer, too
3) As I change my direction, and even though I do plan to do some work again where I might need to dress up, I really do not need a ton of office clothes.

I am placing the items that I still like and which I am THISCLOSE to fitting into (with Spanx, godspeed and daily walks) aside for another day. 

I realized I had too many pencil skirts (Rynetta - avert your eyes from the next line!) - I did not need this many pencil skirts!

So I went through them all, gave away some and diverted some to consignment.  Really, I want to move into dresses this summer and comfy things.  Pencil skirts are lovely for office settings and the odd event, but for this new life, well, they were superfluous.

When I got through the first cull I realized something that you likely already know, but which I was not so self-aware to realize: I like things with texture.  Only 3 plain cotton pencil skirts made the cut.

Here are some things that got to stay:

A red eyelet skirt


A black cotton skirt with raised embroidery and the nubby tweed below it:



A black max studio skirt that I bought in Florida in 2007 and which will always be in style and the skirt that I will always go to:


I saw that I also tend to be attracted to the same things on top.

The little daisy jacket to pair with jeans (ah the rescue of 2012):



A little textured moto-style cardigan:


 Fancy pants, so long as there is texture to them:







these are really dark navy - did I tell you I am finally reading my camera instruction booklet?
My materials of choice are cottons, linens, nubby silk.  I realize that I don't like polyester in part because it doesn't breathe, but in the main because it is so darn slippery!  I like patterns, but mostly for my home goods, and am always drawn to eyelet and little extra trims and details that make the item "special" to me. 

My perfect summer uniform (when not in the garden!) would be little cotton dresses and espadrilles or sandals.

Like perhaps this one that I picked up today at Joe Fresh for $20 (well this wouldn't be my dream one, but it is pretty cute on - the orange is a coral-y orange):



paired with these little espadrilles from Normandy, bought 5 years ago:




Come on Summer!

But alas, I have been watching too much Game of Thrones, because:


and coming and coming or maybe it just never ends...

Because lord almighty, I got up this morning and it was snowing!!!  I expected to see Ned Stark's head on the fence in the backyard.

But I will not be thwarted by the weather.  So I wore white jeans today to run errands.  You could ask yourself, what fool wears white jeans on a messy day in April?

This one:



And another optimistic picture with the little orange purse I bought to cheer myself up till I could use the white one (though god knows if I am stupid enough to wear white pants, why not use the white purse?)



Oh I was cute, but I came home two hours later with my tail between my legs, white jeans all dirty.  So I wore my longjohns all afternoon while I washed them... sigh...

SO how about you: what little details make your heart sing?  What do you find yourself reaching for over and over again in the stores?

Happy Wednesday - pray for sun and stay safe out there!



47 comments:

  1. WMM- You have such a great selection of beautiful items. Don't be too hasty purging, however, because WMM 2.0 might need different things than you are anticipating today. We are in the midst of a strangely warm spell, inspiring enough that I painted my toenails a spring color, even though I know they won't see the light of day for some time. So- I fully appreciate your white jeans- although, mercifully we don't have snow. And, I really like your Joe Fresh dres!

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    1. Thanks Knityarns! Worry pas, I still have about 12 or 13 prong summer skirts, but didn't need 25, that's for darn sure?

      Yay for painted toes! On my to do list for today!

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    2. Mine are Opi "Italian Love Affair", a pale pearly pink.

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  2. You totally rock those white jeans with the coat, Wendy! I am very much in favour of white in winter and black in summer... I'm odd like that.
    I think your keep pile is looking good, but agree with Knit Yarns above that you shouldn't be too hasty in your cull.
    I'm very attracted to bright colour and prints at the moment. For me, it's a backlash to growing up in London and wearing black and shades of grey and dingy blue for decades! I've been living in Aus for 14 years now, and have finally started wearing colour!

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    1. Oh trust me - there is sadly Way more where this came from! I love colour too, though now Andvthen I take a break. Wait till you see old orange pants!

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  3. I love that kind of clear out, I've been ruthless with my too tight clothes too, my weight is never stable, I go up and down a lot so it was just making my life so uncomfortable.

    I don't mind poly or acrylic, I'll take anything soft that moves with me, fleece is one of my favourite fabrics!

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    1. Oh I like fleece, but couldn't mention it because I was talking spring summer and I was afraid winter would overhear and supply fleece-wearing opportunities!

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  4. I am very much a jeans and t shirt gal. Solid on the top, solid on the bottom. Therefor, like you, I go for texture not pattern. I am still trying to find casual day dresses. Not much luck. Fabrics aren't an issue as long as it's comfortable. Cotton shrinks, linen wrinkles, and silk stains.

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    1. BB, I bought home a floral tee from joe fresh that will be going back - I forgot I can't wear big prints!

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  5. It is good to clear out the closet and since you are not in the corporate world anymore,this will be a great start into your "new" life.

    I guess my style changed over the last years.I always went for the safe and boring colors like black,taupe and grey and now i have caught the pattern bug.
    Love the citrus print,love stripes and cheeky hearts on sweaters.They make me happy.
    I have also found a new love,navy.Cant have enough of it.
    I dont have a lot of texture in my clothes,but i would love to try some eyelet or tweed.

    My hawaian tank will probably be delivered tomorrow,so more prints:)

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    1. Well I am THISCLOSE to ordering the new J Crew barbados dress to try - it is the perfect kind of summer dress to me!!! Oh dear - I hate to pay full price, but I am sure it will sell out quickly!

      I like prints as well - they cheer up a wardrobe!!

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  6. In the past 3 years, I have been getting better in sticking to my 3 Fs: Fit, Fabric (no synthetics) and Forever (maybe not forever but lasting beyond current trends). This has saved me a lot of money and closet space. Good luck to the closet purge, I love the pieces you have chosen to keep.

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    1. thanks Marie! I am trying to follow those 3 as well and sometimes it is hard but always worth it to try!!!

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  7. I wish I could have a change of life to motivate me to get rid of my pencil skirts, especially the winter ones. I hope you didn't give away the porcelain paisley one, it looked great on you and it is more playful than other ones.
    I did a little purge and noticed that the things that stay are more tops then bottoms, changes of size are more hard on the bottoms than on the tops, which probably means that it is wiser to invest on jackets/tops than in pants/skirts.
    I love Joe Fresh, it is changing my way of shopping. I just bought a layering silk cami for $29, you can't beat that.

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    1. I wore white jeans too yesterday but it was in the 80s ;-).

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    2. I Ema - I would never give that skirt away- I love it more than is decent and think it will look nice with the blue blouse and sweater I picked up last week! I wish I had access to the big Joe Fresh store! I may go back for the navy/green version of the dress I bought yesterday now that I know it fits (I was too lazy to try it on at the grocery store) - for $20 they are simple solutions with a sweater and the polka dot and white eyelet versions I bought last summer were my favourite things I wore in Paris. As for it being in the 80s in NYC - I can't even begin to tell you the psychic pain that causes me!!!!

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  8. It sounds like you having some fun with the closet purge and you have a lot of great pieces that will work with your new stage in life. I am thinking of culling my pencil skirts as well - I have stopped working in an office and now they are just sitting there, I rarely ever reach for them.

    Love the white jeans and orange purse combination!

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    1. Thanks Louise - I thought of you this morning when I got dressed - I am wearing a white blouse tied at waist, my black pants and little white sneakers, which I know you love! I may even take a picture! I am feeling very Audrey, which is nice because it looks very gloomy out there today!

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  9. You are either barking mad or the ultimate optimist to wear white jeans in this weather. We are stuck on the other side of the front keeping all the nice weather Boston and south. Snow Friday too, I think. Paint those nails.

    I brought 10 things and some shoes and purses to a local consignment shop that will return the items to me in 2 months if not sold ( donate 'em, I said). Two bags to the Goodwill.

    Easy dresses are hard, to find that is. I did get a J McLaughlin Banyan capsleeve dress in white with a blue block print in FL that is long enough and natural feeling ( is viscose and spandex).

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    1. Hi Lane - barking mad! But it all came out in the wash! They are hanging now, waiting for the mess to be done! At least today is warmer and the dog and I will get out for our constitutional!

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  10. Enough winter already! We had another blast of snow and cold this week. Relaxing by the fire is wonderful in December but becomes utilitarian by April.

    I noticed that you like texture and patterns and you've kept some pretty ones. I do love texture but patterns are a challenge for me so they are very limited in my wardrobe. I am always reaching for purples, pinks and blues, cupro linings and quality fabrics like wool, silk, cotton and linen. I get pretty excited over the details, which I'm sure is no surprise to anyone who has seen even one of my reviews.

    I have a lot of pencil skirts but I'm still working in the office. For home I tend to go with those stretchy polo or jersey dresses. Well I will, if it ever warms up around here!

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    1. I am going to look for a nice polo dress for summer. One of our local shops carries Lacoste, not sure if they carry their dresses. I like the Lands End version, but worry that they may turn out matronly if one isn;t a size 0!

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  11. I have been sorting my clothes over and over for the past two years, trying to build a versatile closet. As mentioned on Dani's blog, I have been working recently on a 150 project to try to reach a decent closet that will be easy for any seasons... You have beautiful clothes... I think I have not completely found my style yet but I am close to. What make my heart sing is noble fabrics, beautiful cuts and style, items that will last... I like true fabrics, such as tweed, wool, cashmere, linen, silk, cotton... I now really try to avoid synthetic and... heels!!! There is no way I feel comfortable in them so I am ruthless with those now...

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    1. Steph - you and I are alike - I am just about done with heels! I love the term "noble fabrics" - it is so poetic!!!

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    2. I'm with Steph on the noble fabrics, and love that term, that's a keeper Steph. I've been keeping the 150 in mind, it helps to really organize and take things out to give away to someone who might like it better (and wear it). I have almost no pencil skirts left, the one making it into my spring/summer rotation is the navy linen Chanel skirt with the silk lining I found on ebay.
      As far as white jeans, I love the look but jeans are hard for me at the best of times. But considering how much I love my Goldsign jeans maybe I should get a white pair?
      I had a pair of white jeans when I was 19, I wore them with a black ballet leotard, long-sleeved and scoop neck, and a giant gem encrusted cross around my neck a la Madonna. It's true! I wore that outfit out to the dance clubs and to parties for a solid year.
      I think white jeans are you! Get a second pair so you can switch them out when they get dirty!

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    3. Dani - I can so see you rocking out! I was a bit of a granola - vintage sweaters and jeans weighed about 90 lbs!

      I think you should get the gold signs and I think I will get the second pair of whites - will start the hunt! After seeing A Well Styled Life's post on white jeans today, I want to wear them with grey tomorrow as I am meeting a friend for lunch. No rain!

      I have to go visit Steph again and read all about this 150!

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    4. Good Morning Ladies!
      Thanks for your replies! I am now looking " a lot" for pencils skirts as they suit me bests... I have a pear shape... I own a white pair of jeans but I am unsure yet if they will survive the 150 project... I just bought an ivory linen trousers at Brora during their spring sales and I think this will be the trigger for my white jeans... I will keep you in the loop ladies!

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  12. Emmanuelle Alt, the editor of French Vogue, wears white jeans in Paris all winter long, so if she can - you should. I loved the way you styled them. I like the way texture looks, but I'm so into comfort, that it's not for me. Tee shirt material, French terry, cotton flannel, and denim (but only because I have to wear something on the bottom other than PJs. I always wear a cotton tee shirt even under a cashmere sweater. I've been like that since childhood - wore cotton undershirts even after I had my first starter bra! Never understood pencil skirts - so hard to walk in....

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    1. Kathy - I often wear a tee underneath for the same reason! My exture has to feel good - anything now that doesn't feel good is leaving me. It is so nice to dress so comfortably now - however much I wanted to at work, it is often difficult..

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  13. You're absolutely hilarious!!!! I read your post earlier this morning, and I had to chuckle to myself. I almost laughed out loud, but I remembered that my amazing husband was still sleeping!

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    1. I thought I might get struck by lightning when I wrote that!

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  14. I love textured fabrics-though prints, not so much. I find that I gravitate towards cotton pique, lace, velvet and brocade.
    White jeans in the winter is one of my favorite looks, and so what if you got dirty. You looked chic and the best thing about white jeans is that they can be bleached.

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    1. Brocade....

      I want to dress like Anne Boleyn but keep my head!

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  15. FABRICATED WMM, I am with Kathy and Julie S. I don't look anything like Emmanuele Alt or Ines d.l. F. but I wear white jeans with boots all winter long. I am sure it's not my tallest look, but with a black ribbed cotton polo (turtle) neck or a grey cashmere Tippi and my black JC pea coat I always get a ton of compliments. Sure, by time I get home they are often splatted up the back. But that happens to all pants/ cuffs when you aren't driving straight to a door here. And I just toss them in the wash with Oxyclean or borax for an instant, satisfying return to pristine. To me it's like the reverse version of the Audrey look. Plus, unlike me, you have legs so I think that white jeans are fab/ your friends.

    Noticed we are skirt twins (the green tweed, acquired last spring for a song, love that little button flap detail, but not worn much yet.) I am pretty summer simple - blazers (love me a good little jacket in cotton knit, madras...) and button downs, silk shells or tees with shape and a good neckline, crisp cotton trousers or a pencil skirt for more polish. Aside from the fabric content, hand feel and nap is a big one for me (some retailers must think I am petting the clothes) as well as well placed and aligned stripes and patterns. Linen is a skip for me, too wrinkly. Adore eyelet but don't own a lot. And the one synthetic I can't live without is the fleece/ casual jacket lining Patagonia and a couple of other outdoor companies make out of soda bottles - so soft and miraculously doesn't pill or pick up lint etc.

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    1. I have to go look up ms. Alt- wouldn't know her if I fell over her (perhaps I have?)

      I like nap, too and yes - in Canada, that fleece is a must!

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  16. Love love love that daisy jacket - so pretty! I like blazers without collars (I'm not sure what that neckline is called). I find them very flattering.

    Since my husband moved into my (oops, I mean our) condo almost two years ago, I've been purging through my clothes on a regular basis to make more room in our closets. I'd say that before the purges, half of the stuff in my closet didn't fit, had lived out its useful life, or just never got worn. I'm actually at the point where I need to add in some clothes to complete outfits, etc. For me, that means pieces for work that don't bring too much attention to themselves (i.e. skirts and pants I can wear often without people thinking, "Why is she wearing that skirt again?"). For evenings/weekends, it means cotton clothing in bright happy colors.

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    1. Merry Wife, only because my tailor has it posted on the wall and as a shorty I spend a lot of time there: a collarless jacket (round or v-neck) is called a cardigan jacket, even if it is not made of knit fabric. Unless it is winter and you are wearing a collarless jacket with sleeves the same length as a the hem, made of shearling, fur or a heavy knit. That's called a chubby - not very flattering and I am sure thought up by a bloke.

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    2. Merry wife, what fun to go shopping! I am trying to be good, and am money-wise, but still like to look!! GF - you are so perceptive, I think you were a detective in a past life? I don't think I am that observant at all!

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    3. Mystery solved - thank you, GetFresh!

      Wendy, I am also trying to be good. For the past several years, any extra money has gone to saving up for a down payment or for my wedding. (I was joking for a while that my living room was better dressed than I was.) Basics only last so long though - at some point, you do need to restock or risk being mistaken for a hobo. :)

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    4. Merry wife - weddings are a good reason to save! Do you have a date or is the deed all done?

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  17. In anticipation of our move I've packed away into big rubbermaid containers a good deal of clothing that is either too big or for winter. I am superstitiously fearful of purging too much as I have seen my weight fluctuate up and down 10 pounds too many times to count, and purged a variety of items that even now I think about reminiscently. Of course, I also love acquiring new things, so there is that. All that to say, I have found parking large portions of not-currently-in-use clothing into containers for the attic useful. If I take them back out 6-12 months from now and do not miss them, then I know it is time for them to go.

    The bit about expecting to see Ned Stark's head out on your fence was fantastic.

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    1. Michelle I think I shall follow suit! Good plan and then can revisit next spring!

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    2. Oh and I really was expecting to see old Ned!

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  18. Funny coincidence. I wore white jeans today also. It was warm and sunny (sorry) and they were perfect with a simple black T shirt and black flats. Simple strand of pearls and large black sunglasses. I felt like I was channeling Jackie O!!
    Your comment today...I was camping? Moi?? Not likely.
    Great job on the clean out!! I'm embracing more texture in my tops these days too. It helps UNDER emphasize the "texture" of my 56 year old face.
    Have a great day Wendy!

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    1. Okay that was a truly menopausal moment as I Know it is the blogger About Last weekend who is camping, not you - that is too funny - I can see you camping in the Grand Canyon like I can see me!

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    2. I can see me "camping" in a luxury Motorcoach with all the generators running. My days of sleeping on the ground in Algonquin Provincial Park ended 48 years ago...but they were fun at the time. My menopausal moments are frequent and hilarious too!
      Have a great day,
      Jennifer

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    3. At this point in my life, I consider a "Holiday Inn" roughing it...

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Kindness is a virtue...