Friday, October 24, 2014

Starting Over

Someone asked me a great question this week. "If you were buying a whole new wardrobe, what would you start with?"


When starting a capsule wardrobe, the points you need to consider include lifestyle, personal style, and colors that work for you. If you never attend a formal event or work exclusively from home, you might not need many dressy pieces in your wardrobe capsule.


The black, white, and red combination works well for me, but black is too harsh for many people. Brown, cream, and rust, or perhaps navy, ivory, and plum, might be better groups of colors for you.

A nice pair of slacks in a dark color would be one of the first things to buy. Next would be a good quality fitted jacket that you can wear with everything (remember not too boxy). A great jacket can make even a nice pair of jeans look appropriate for many events. Jeans are considered neutral but not too faded out works best for most of us.

Scoop neck long sleeve tees and tanks in your color grouping allow you to change your look. I chose scoop neck over V neck or turtleneck because they are more flattering to most face shapes. If you wear a jacket with a V neck top, it sometimes gives you two of the same V shapes. Contrasting shapes are more pleasing to the eye. If you add a necklace, remember this tip. Three necklines of the same form can look cluttered.




If you have been following me for a while, you know that I did indeed have to buy a whole new wardrobe in 2011. Not even my shoes fit after I lost 45 pounds. I wish I had known how to use this formula then. It would have saved me a lot of buying mistakes.


A straight black pencil skirt to wear with opaque tights and boots might also be a good look for you. The long cardigan would look great with jeans too. The purpose of choosing a capsule of three colors and essential pieces is that almost all the pieces can be mixed and matched to create many different looks without having to spend a lot of money.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Would love to see some fashion options with knee-length skirt and tall boots. Do you ever assemble outfits like that, Susan?

Susan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
An imperfect Southerner said...

I'm saving this one! I'm starting a new job at our local Chamber of Commerce, and I'll be at lots of events representing Jackson County, I want to look classy, and this is a perfect primer for that! :) Thank you!

free2b said...

Thank you for your ever reliable advice. As a newly single "senior" you are my go to girl for fashion tips! My first addition to my new wardrobe was a modern statement bag. My old purse was frumpy and tired looking. I bought one in bright orange and it not only makes me happy, but it goes with many solid colors in my wardrobe.

susan said...

about 3 years ago i also lost 50 lbs. wish i'd had your advice to help me then. i pretty much went mad with joy at being able to buy pretty clothes in normal sizes and bought without a plan. it surely was fun, tho. wish i had your well-proportioned figure! i'm a little pear-shaped.

Teri said...

Thank you for your tips. You always look so lovely.

Donna said...

Wonderful advice! I am slowly building a better wardrobe thanks to your posts.

Savoring Sixty said...

I just discovered your blog and I am enjoying it very much! You have inspired me to make changes in my wardrobe and my weight. Your photos and advice will be great as I begin this journey. I start tomorrow!