Wardrobe value, Part Two: The Three Questions
What am I thinking when I try something on? I ask myself Three Questions:
Question #1: The Fundamental
"What am I doing when I'm wearing this?
I imagine real-life scenarios, and they'd better flow freely.
Useful corollaries: Do I have at least three things that go with it? Will I need to buy new shoes? Is it a duplicate?
The reversable sari-silk stole at left made the cut; it goes with everything from jeans to a dress and rolls up to nothing in a bag. It's from a private sale held by Toronto's Kalabandar.
Question #2: Mood
"How do I feel in this?"
The answer will fall into to one of three categories:
A. Positive
Responses like confident, clever, capable, energetic, attractive, happy, "absolutely right", distinctive, quirky, wild, elegant, pretty, graceful, or a simile that reflects qualities you admire ("I feel like Audrey Hepburn") indicate a contender.
Two 2012 purchases, a v-neck sweater (Brora) and narrow, stretchy kick-pleated skirt (Lunn), felt absolutely right for me.
B. Coherent
The answer reflects the desire to transmit a consistent image that meets my or others' expectations.
Those responses include appropriate, professional, like my employer/clients/students/family/ expect me to look– or a label: like a lawyer/sales manager/teacher/retiree.
Years ago, I actually bought business wear with the words offends no one in mind! While there's nothing wrong with looking the part, to be happy rather than merely satisfied, I ought to respond with one or more words from the Positive list, too.
I'll reject anything that elicits tired, like my 24-year-old niece, or hot as Dita... but this is supposed to be for work.
C. Safe:
Okay.
If I answer okay, or another lifeless word like good or nice, I'm going to waste money, because I got something forgettable. My Texan nephew once saw me unpack a skirt like this and try it on; he said, "No. Just...no. It's dead from the ass, both ways."
Question #3: Fit
Does it fit?
Presumably, if you feel terrific in it, it fits. Still, I've had label lust and/or size vanity: Look, I can get into an 8! Who cares about that little gap at the chest, I'll just get a better bra.
If it needs more than a straightforward alteration, leave it. Forget "five or ten pounds from now".
Corollaries: Don't welcome a new colour into your wardrobe unless you realized that pale blue is now beautiful with your newly-grey hair, before you went shopping. Close your ears to the saleswomen saying, "No, really, you can wear salmon", if you haven't even a scarf that shade.
Though I budget, I don't think "I'd never pay more than $x for a pair of pants", for example. The point is value, not price. However, some clothes are overpriced and I won't serve as a walking billboard for any designer.
Several friends with whom I shopped last year remarked that Question #1, which they heard me asking myself, helped them, too. There must be other great questions out there. I look forward to hearing those from you!
Question #1: The Fundamental"What am I doing when I'm wearing this?
I imagine real-life scenarios, and they'd better flow freely.
Useful corollaries: Do I have at least three things that go with it? Will I need to buy new shoes? Is it a duplicate?
The reversable sari-silk stole at left made the cut; it goes with everything from jeans to a dress and rolls up to nothing in a bag. It's from a private sale held by Toronto's Kalabandar.
Question #2: Mood
"How do I feel in this?"
The answer will fall into to one of three categories:
A. Positive
Responses like confident, clever, capable, energetic, attractive, happy, "absolutely right", distinctive, quirky, wild, elegant, pretty, graceful, or a simile that reflects qualities you admire ("I feel like Audrey Hepburn") indicate a contender.
B. Coherent
The answer reflects the desire to transmit a consistent image that meets my or others' expectations.
Those responses include appropriate, professional, like my employer/clients/students/family/ expect me to look– or a label: like a lawyer/sales manager/teacher/retiree.
Years ago, I actually bought business wear with the words offends no one in mind! While there's nothing wrong with looking the part, to be happy rather than merely satisfied, I ought to respond with one or more words from the Positive list, too.
I'll reject anything that elicits tired, like my 24-year-old niece, or hot as Dita... but this is supposed to be for work.
C. Safe:
Okay.
If I answer okay, or another lifeless word like good or nice, I'm going to waste money, because I got something forgettable. My Texan nephew once saw me unpack a skirt like this and try it on; he said, "No. Just...no. It's dead from the ass, both ways."
Question #3: Fit
Does it fit?
Presumably, if you feel terrific in it, it fits. Still, I've had label lust and/or size vanity: Look, I can get into an 8! Who cares about that little gap at the chest, I'll just get a better bra.
If it needs more than a straightforward alteration, leave it. Forget "five or ten pounds from now".
Corollaries: Don't welcome a new colour into your wardrobe unless you realized that pale blue is now beautiful with your newly-grey hair, before you went shopping. Close your ears to the saleswomen saying, "No, really, you can wear salmon", if you haven't even a scarf that shade.
Though I budget, I don't think "I'd never pay more than $x for a pair of pants", for example. The point is value, not price. However, some clothes are overpriced and I won't serve as a walking billboard for any designer.
Several friends with whom I shopped last year remarked that Question #1, which they heard me asking myself, helped them, too. There must be other great questions out there. I look forward to hearing those from you!
Comments
the first question: Where am I when I'm wearing this?" It worked so well. I didn't purchase the item and never, thought about it again.
Basics/replacement pieces are excluded from this 3 question test, right? For example basic tees, basic jeans. I often seem to be on a merry go round of replacing basics.
J
Pam: Your questions reveal *your* values- and might not be every woman's. Not all women would choose "creative" for example, but the basic premise, What do I want to communicate? is spot on.
Susan: January is the time to do it, a Happy New Year to your closets.
J.: The first two questions are largely settled if you're replacing a basic, but #3 still pertains. Our bodies shift even if we don't gain or lose weight.
I just grabbed a replacement pair of jeans without trying on. They were defective 'twisters' (mis-cut so they skewed) and it took me a half-day to return them!
In other words, is it comfortable enough -- and me enough -- that I can put it on, know it works, and forget it? Or am I fiddling with it all the time, or aware of it in an uncomfortable way. If that's the case, I've missed the mark.
Better late than never I suppose..
Your guidelines could be posted in every fitting room as a reminder! Thank you.
Similarly, we often have summers with not much more than 3 or 4 weeks of really hot weather, so anything bought for those conditions only should either be inexpensive OR be something I know I'll get many summers' wear out of.
That said, I generally do try to keep that William Morris edict in mind: "One should have in one's home only that which one knows to be useful or believes to be beautiful." (I think that's how it goes!) Good advice always.
C.
Love your scarf!
1. Could I sew this with better construction and fit?
2. Do I have time to sew this?
The answers generally lead to sewing skirts and dresses but buying pants and knitwear. Jackets vary.
I like your questions, and I will try to keep number two at the front of my mind when I shop. That's the one I skip too often.