Additions from Country Road

Country Road spend 'n' save time and I had two vouchers to take advantage of (mine and my partner's).

Images source: Country Road

I bought:
  • silk 'Boxy Shirt' in milk white;
  • '3/4 Sleeve Stripe Knit' in stone and navy;
  • 'Stretch Pant' in toast and black;
  • 'Vintage Wash Jean'; and
  • 'Rachel Mid Heel' in black.
I am very proud of myself that for once I was not sucked in by their very on trend pieces.  I really liked the 3.1 Phillip Lim knock-off 'Mia Lock Handbag' in the ultra bright 'tangine' colour, but I stepped away. I do not need the red bag, but I do need basics.

The blouse, black pants and shoes have already been worn to work (on Friday) and all day I marvelled at how great it is to have basics to simply throw on in the morning. 

Worthless possessions

The things in your life that you do not need (use) are worthless.  Make this your mantra.

These items are WORTHLESS no matter how much money you spent on them... until of course you manage to sell them on eBay!

I ask you - what would you rather... racks of clothing that you do not wear? Or a few dollars to buy something that you NEED in your life?

Granted, eBay is not like is used to be.  I was disheartened to see a Country Road knit sell for a $1... but a $1 here and $20 there and before you know it you have some serious spending money to play with. I was shocked to see that my eBay grand total for the last 60 days came close to $1,500.00!

I've got so much more to sell, and I must say that seeing the total tally has really encouraged me to get on with an otherwise arduous task.

ACNE Pistols here I come!

Binge Shopping & Shopping Bulimia

Do you suffer or have you ever suffered from either of these ailments?

Binge shopping is a type of dysfunctional shopping characterised by recurrent episodes of unrestrained shopping.  During such binges, a person buys excessive amounts of "stuff" that they do not need.  Most people who partake in shopping binges try to hide this behaviour from others.  For example, a person might leave shopping bags in the boot of the car, only to bring them inside when those who they live with are asleep or not around.  Another way of hiding their affliction is to lie about it... "What? This old thing!?"

Binge shoppers often feel ashamed about buying too much or depressed about their shopaholism.  To counteract these feelings of doom and gloom, some adopt compensatory behaviour such as shopping bulimia.  This is when the sufferer comes to the inevitable realisation that they have purchased too much or they do not need said items.  Said items are purged (returned to the store).

At times this behaviour is not immediate.  A morbidly obese wardrobe results, which can only be cured by grueling marathon eBay sessions..........................................

I thought I had gotten over my bs/sb, but in the past month I confess that I have momentarily relapsed.  This behaviour needs to stop! 

I have already "purged" a pair of Stewart Weitzman boots.  I have done the same to a pair of Tony Biano ankle boots that I bought cheap.  Although great bargains, both were just lying about languishing in their shopping bags. Neither was perfect or what I'm really looking for.

My Ideal Wardrobe: Finding the time to cull

Since making the decision to do something about my jam packed wardrobe, I must admit that I have been very distracted by it and longing to fix it. Finding the time to do so however is problematic.  If I'm not at work, I'm out somewhere.

Unluckily for me I've had a very average week health wise. I've now developed a horrendous cough, so cancelled all social arrangements.  This of course means free time to cull!

All day today has been spent ironing and photographing.  Sadly though I haven't even opened my wardrobe yet!  I'm only just now getting around to sorting out the items I culled a couple of months ago!

This evening will be spent listing a pile of items on eBay and later on I will peer into that wardrobe of mine to see what is lurking in the shadows - stuff I've forgotten about I'm sure!  Like for example today I uncovered my "to fix/mend box" in the spare room.  Inside was a pair of brand new with tags CUE pants (that I bought at the full price it seems... I guess I really wanted them?).  I'll be damned if I can remember buying these pants... I honestly can't.

Part of my motivation to spend all weekend culling and listing, is my trip to Melbourne next week.  I plan to buy a few things.  I'm mindful though of buying more things I do not need.  To prevent this from happening, tomorrow I plan compile a list of the contents of my wardrobe and the missing pieces.  It's actually never felt this good to be housebound and sick :)

My Ideal Wardrobe: Recognising that I have a problem

In reading the Vogue Forums, I came across the recommendation to read the blog Dead Fleurette.  After reading this blog, I am more inspired than ever to build up this "capsule" wardrobe of mine! (My "ideal" wardrobe.)

This post especially hit home and made me realise that I have lost sight of what I set out to achieve.  I thought to help me cement why I've got problems, I would answer the questions asked by Fleurette in that post for myself. 

1. Do you cluelessly rummage though the closet in order to find something adequate to wear every single morning?
Yes! Actually if I don't rummage through my wardrobe the night before to plan my outfit for the next day, there is a chance that I might not make it to work on time!  Some nights if I happen not to lay the next day's outfit out, I lay awake anxiously thinking whether I'll be able to find something to wear the next day. 

2. Do you only wear the fresh and clean clothes directly from the dryer? 
Sort of.  If I happen not to do the laundry one weekend, it's not like I'll have a shortage of clothes to wear in the coming week... but I do find that week-in and week-out, I'm washing the same things over and over.  This question has made me realise that although I have a lot of clothes and shoes, most don't get worn on a regular basis.  Further it is clear that the clothes that get washed over and over are the items that I must love or at least are the clothes that suit me. 

3. Do you constantly purchase new clothes because you feel like you don't have anything to wear, even though your closet is jam-packed with superfluous items?
I think the first part of this question about constantly purchasing items is true for the old me.  I used to work in fashion retail and each week my whole pay would go back to my employer! Although I don't constantly purchase clothes anymore - in fact it is only in the past two months that I started shopping again.  To answer the question though, yes - my closet is jam-packed with superfluous items and this is why I have decided to do something about it.  I'm hoping that the shopping I do from now on will be for the things I need and for things which fit in with the rest of my wardrobe and my life. 

4. Do you wear the same items over and over again despite the fact that your closet does not lack other clothes?
Yes. I am constantly wearing the same thing over and over.  I must remember when shopping for clothes, the things I enjoy wearing.  Too often I buy things without thinking it through.  Or take risks with colours even though it is clear to all who know me that I like neutrals - black especially, followed by grey.  Why on earth then did I recently buy a khaki green work dress over the grey one?  I have since worn the khaki dress once. Although I like the colour, I have problems styling it.  Why I bought the dress in this colour, is a mystery to me. 

5. Do you find yourself surrounded by clothes and clothing stores all the time?  
Yes - every lunch break when I go for my "walk".

6. Would you like to trade all your bad quality clothes and the numerous shopping trips with the designer bag of your dream?
I wouldn't necessarily trade everything for a designer bag (been there done, done that), but I would trade everything for quality items that work together, that I enjoy wearing, that make me look good and feel good.

As I said in my first post - this blog is about helping me find my style mojo again... in answering these questions I've figured out how I lost it in the first place!