Special Collections
I’ve been thinking about my wardrobe lately – I spend way too much time thinking about my wardrobe, mostly at work while browsing websites – and just today I came up with an analogy that works for me when it comes to redeveloping it: The wardrobe is a library, and you’re the librarian.
I’ve lost a lot of weight recently on Weight Watchers – and I’ve still got a little less than 20 pounds to go – but last weekend I got to the point where the old stuff needed to go and new stuff needed to come in. So I made a spreadsheet, I labeled and categorized it, I tried everything on. I got rid of what didn’t fit and wasn’t worth altering (weeding!), I put aside clothes that still fit my style and just needed a few alterations (repair!), and I made a list of what I needed to make it complete (collection development!)
Then I went shopping at Woodbury Commons here in New York. I didn’t get everything on my list, and I got a few things that weren’t on my list (like a really cute burnt orange dress and a pair of Bally high heels that were on sale for a truly ridiculous amount), but nothing I got wouldn’t fit in with everything else. It all worked with my color story of mostly grays and blacks, magentas, purples, and teals with the occasional orange and green. It all fit in with my lifestyle – although I have to admit I need to practice walking in 4+ inch heels more before the Ballys get too many outings – and none of them were things I can see myself looking at in six months and weeding out.
And yes, I am a total nerd.
For fun, this is what I ended up getting:
- 1 white buttondown shirt, Thomas Pink, $59 (on the list)
- 1 black and ivory striped cowlneck top, Saks Off Fifth, $20 (on the list)
- 1 purple scoopneck cashmere sweater, Barney’s Co-op, $35 (on the list)
- 1 gray pencil skirt, Ann Taylor, $40 (on the list)
- 1 black tweed pencil skirt, Ann Taylor, $40 (on the list)
- 1 burnt orange jersey dress with bell sleeves, Max Studio, $58 (impulse)
- 1 pair black patent high heels with tortoiseshell heels, Bally, $75 (impulse)
I still need: flat shoes that work with my feet, a casual-fabric skirt like denim or corduroy, t-shirts (both embellished and plain, long-sleeve and short), and a suit in gray or navy. But what I won’t do is willynilly buy things because I desperately need x item, only to get rid of it a few months down the line because it only goes with one or two things.