Le Chateau top (c/o) (similar)
Zara jeans (similar)
Jonak flats (similar)
Celine bag
Celine sunglasses
Keltie Leanne Designs ring (c/o)
Keltie Leanne Designs earrings (c/o)
I have trouble distinguishing between things I will love forever and things I love for now. Particularly when it comes to clothing. This will probably come as a surprise to no one, but it’s been on my mind lately as we decorate our home. In 2013, mostly out of necessity, because we were broke and living in Paris, I changed my shopping habits completely. I got rid of anything in my closet I didn’t regularly wear. I did the Five Piece French Wardrobe Challenge. And I came out the other side of the experience feeling a lot more sane, my desire to impulse shop seriously diminished.
But – there is always a but, and in this case, it’s that I think I’ve gone too far. I have always tended towards the extreme, and my approach to shopping is no exception. At this point, I buy nothing if I can’t come up with three different ways to wear it while still in store. (This dress was the last time I made an exception – and that exception happened in December 2016.) These jeans, which are way outside my usual comfort zone, were not an exception; I had three different looks planned for them before I pulled the trigger at Zara. And yet, in the end, when our suitcases were overstuffed coming home, and I had difficult choices to make, they were one of the first things I let go.
Therein lies the problem – my deep distaste for clutter means I am too quick to get rid of anything that I don’t absolutely need. As a result, I resell or donate many of my “for now” purchases in less than six months. And I feel ridiculous doing it. So I do everything I can to only purchase forever pieces. But that means that I agonise over every single thing I buy, concerned that I choose anything I don’t absolutely love, I will wind up wanting to get rid of it within a year. Most recently, I have been to six different stores in a search for plain black or white placemats. I still, it should be clear, have not bought any.
I haven’t figured out how to find a happy medium between forever and for now pieces. My exacting standards (and unwillingness to compromise on what I want) can make me feel unreasonable, but on the opposite side of the same coin, discarding nearly new things makes me feel wasteful. So I want to hear from you – how do you strike a balance between investment pieces you’ll love forever and indulgences that you might only love for a little while?
Sometimes I feel it’s impossible to ever know what will be a forever piece until you’ve had it and allowed it to prove it’s worth. When you imagine those three ways to style in the store, do you then go home and immediately try them out? I recently bought a white bodysuit that I imagined I’d wear with every skirt in my closet, and yet every time I pair it with a skirt, I’m not sure I like how it looks and ultimately switch it for something else.
I feel like home decor is even harder. I agonize over throw pillows, and still worry I didn’t make the right choice, second guess my rug, wonder if I should have gotten the navy couch instead of the grey, regret my duvet, which I adored in the packaging, but felt overwhelmed by when it was on my bed… the list goes on, because it’s just too hard to know if you will love something until you’ve spent sometime with it. I feel like that is why we are so happy to embrace online reviews, we want to know about the potential pitfalls of something before we’ve taken the plunge ourselves.
http://www.iamchiconthecheap.com/
I still have not figured out how to strike that balance at all…and I’m pretty bad about buying things on impulse only to get rid of them within 6 months. To combat that I recently initiated a “5 wears minimum rule” both when I shop and when I think about pulling something from my closet. It makes me think twice about impulse buys and about getting rid of things!
Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines
The pics are awsome :-*
Melanie / http://www.goldzeitblog.de
Such an interesting topic Cee! When it comes to forever / for now pieces?! I tend to replace my most loved / worn clothing items with higher price points once they’ve proven their worth and I know I’ll love them forever! And speaking of home?! I’m so excited to see what you’ll come up with and, of course, I’m always happy to bounce ideas around. You know me, I’m home obsessed. Haha!! 😉 Happiest weekend friend! xo
http://www.girlandcloset.com
Such an interesting column. It’s like you were talking to me. So glad I’m not the only person with this conundrum. I too am a neat minimalist freak and therefore clear my closet out every 4 months and give away everything I have not worn, much to the delight of my coworkers who profit by this. I am grateful that I at least keep all my clothes black (aside from jeans) so I can easily mix and match. The saying that women only wear 5% of there wardrobe is so true. Why then is it so difficult to live by these rules? Because there is something so innately satisfying about shopping, finding that perfect piece and unwrapping it at home and modelling it. I guess if that’s my worst sin then I can gladly live with it.
I loved this post Cee! When I first started blogging, I had way too much stuff. Doubles of things etc. I’m at the last stage of pairing down the things in my closet. I did it by giving away, re-selling and throwing away. I’m a lot more cautious with the things I purchase. I plan on keeping a very limited wardrobe. As my taste changes, I will sell what I have and upgrade to something better. I want to keep my closet to a minimum.
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
Love so so much this outfit!! Specially the bag:)
Regards.
Yourwisedeal.com