As I mentioned earlier, I got rid of a bunch of clothing early this summer (“What not to wear” style). It was rough, but a very, very good idea. Having a friend there who is invested in having you look cute is a must. They are better at telling you (even if it’s brutal) that you shouldn’t be wearing something anymore. If you get sentimental, take a picture. I also wimped out on most of my costumey clothes, but they are currently happy in the back of my brother’s closet, and it’s not like I’m wearing that awesome mermaid costume from high school every day…My wardrobe is now gleaned down, although there are some things I still really need (brown pants, blazers, jeans, button-down shirts, black pumps, and wedge boots for the wintertime)
-nylons/tights (I get cold easily. The cheapest place to buy these is at thrift stores; there are usually a bunch for sale for $1-$2 and they are brand new and unopened)
-long underwear (Again, I get cold easily)
-sweaters (during the winter sales, try and find some cashmere. It is worth it)
-long sleeve tshirts
-tshirts (both plain colors and non-logo decoration; see shirt.woot, American Apparel, H&M, and threadless.com for examples)
-both casual and dressy tops (you should have at least one cheap top you can wear to a bar and feel cute but not have a heart attack if beer is spilled on it)
-dresses (I’m an addict; I really enjoy wearing dresses in the summer, so I shop the sales right about now and find them for about $15; there are so many styles available, so pick one (or in my case, seven) that fit your body type and your coloring; cotton jersey is my favorite since it breathes so well; make sure to have at least one that is of a modest enough cut to wear to a wedding in a church, and that one is fancy enough to wear to the opera)
-scarves (utilitarian, fancy (for the opera), and jersey – one of the easiest ways to keep your neck warm is by going to the fabric store, getting 2.5 yards of cotton jersey, and cutting it with a scissors widthwise; you can usually get 3-4 scarves that you can give for gifts…I now have jersey scarves in light blue, sage, black, maroon, salmon, and lavender)
-skirts (try to have skirts in the basic neutrals: blue, black, gray, brown; plus a few fun patterned or bright skirts)
-black (as a musician, I own a lot of black because you never know when there will be a gig)
-underthings (keep in mind that this is usually the limiting factor when doing laundry, so you can always pull the quintessential guy thing and just buy more instead of doing laundry)
-blazers (something I always keep an eye out. Cuts always change, and this is one area where you have to really stick with what fits you, not with what is “fashionable.” Try consignment shops if you need a blazer and the current season is just not working for you)
-pants/jeans (I’m bad at this one. Have a pair of jeans that go with flats, and one with heels. If frustrated, keep trying. And trying.)
-suit (gotta have it. Try and have a couple of tailored shirts as well)
-pajamas (summer and winter)
-swimsuit (or two or three)
-raincoat
-winter coat
-dressy black or brown wool coat
-casual flats, sandals, flip flops
-black and brown pumps
-boots (if you have to walk to school or work, skinny heels on boots are truly an asinine idea)
-sneakers (for working out)
-work out clothing
-clothing storage bags (like dry cleaning bags, but more permanent, with zippers and a porous side so air can circulate)
4 comments:
Bridget, I love your lists! Megan S and I are moving into our apartment this weekend, and I'm impressed with how organized you are! (It saves me some of the work. :-P )
I'm sorry that day was so brutal. I promise that one day you can take revenge and go through my closet. But first I have to accumulate enough clothes. Right now I actually don't have that much and I wear it all.
Alyssa, I'm so glad it is of some help to you :) Best of luck moving: I hope everything goes smoothly!
Your organizational skills are so impressive! I wish that someone had done this for me before I went to grad school. Do you have to teach? I don't remember. If so, blazers are your best friend. I still use that to dress up khakis & a teeshirt so that I can still feel like my sloppy researcher self while looking like a more put together prof. I find most of mine at Banana Republic because those tend to be quite female body friendly, not as trendy and when they go on sale, they're a steal. I just got one that was $175 for like $40 and I will be able to wear it for 10 years at least.
And as a side note, that word verification thing before you can post and I do not get along. Apparently, I cannot tell the letters apart the way I should. Perhaps an optometrist visit is in order.
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