But I am now catching up with something I planned to do last week: post pictures of my closets.
This is the closet I am using for my summer clothes. More than 20 pieces, yes, but bear with me. From left to right, we have:
- Linen blouses in peach, pink, avocado, lime, and turquoise (all the same exact style)
- Blue cotton blouses (two striped and one solid light blue)
- White cotton blouses and tunics (two blouses and about six tunics)
- Cotton jackets (in white and beige)
- Cardigans (in red and black)
- Linen jacket, black
- Dresses, one black and one black/white dots
- Linen pants (black, tobbaco, and black crop)
- Jeans (about 4 pair)
- Skirts (solid blue and rust, patterned lime, red, brown, lime/turquoise, and black/white)
This is my summer wardrobe from the beginning of May through the middle of September--which includes two full months of teaching. In the summer, usually I am also teaching one month and researching in Paris for another... so these carry me through. The versatility comes from the mixing of colors between blouses and skirts (and pants), putting the patterns on the bottom. It is a packable, wearable set of clothes, which solves for me one of the huge style issues I have struggled with for years: what to wear when the temperatures stay above 90 every day and look fresh, cool, and stylish.
Notice: no shorts, no bare arms, no strapless or sleeveless items. Easy to dress up with a cardigan or scarf, and jewelry, but works for meeting students, as well. Note too the space, the color sweep... this is a great, functional closet that makes me feel great. I also gave away a lot of things that weren't right in this mix... or that I never wore, or that didn't fit, or that were too worn.
The last two summers thanks to the return of "lady fashions" I have picked up two skirts each season. Last summer I bought the two solid color skirts -- steel blue and rust -- in Oxford on sale. This summer, again on sale, I bought the lime and brown patterned skirts from Coldwater Creek. All of them are cotton and can be thrown in the washing machine and yes, they need ironing but in the New Apartment, that isn't a problem with space... yay!
Rust, not red, and the spot is on my lens |
Badly needs ironing, but the trim is so cute! |
My favorite skirt this summer |
Bad closet, left side |
Bad closet, right side |
Come cooler months (late October, maybe), I'll switch out the summer wear to this closet and move the regular winter stuff into the big closet. I hope that will have the same results of clarifying and winnowing out the stuff I don't need. I actually keep both doors open so I cannot hide this stuff.
Which is the first step to admitting I need to fix it, right?
Modern classic in delicate colors!
ReplyDeleteAnd this lime skirt is just adorable.
You've inspired me, to get rid of my unworn summer clothes.For it was "designer stuff", I could sell the most of it. Next goal: fix my winter closet, summer season here is short.
That's a challenge without having a big budget any more.
But I love quality, so I buy less.