I’ve been unhappy with my closet this year, annoyed with everyone looking the same and just overall, over fashion. I love to look to other bloggers and just people on the streets for inspiration but with the hustle and bustle of life that’s become a challenge. For a lifestyle blogger and fashion lover this is quite the debacle. Lacking motivation in this area really affects everyone of my endeavors. To you this may sound dramatic but if you’ve ever read this blog, you know I believe looking good makes you feel good and feeling good improves every other area of your life. For a while I haven’t felt my best because I haven’t dressed my best. I love looking chic, hence the name Chic In Chocolate, so I knew I had to make a change.
I began the process looking for wardrobe inspiration on Pinterest. My research led me to a capsule wardrobe. It’s a beautiful minimalist lifestyle. After further research it became clear this wasn’t for me. I like lots of color and having fewer options has never been my problem. I’ve always had a highly edited closet. I live in color, my Instagram feed is bold, my personality is unapologetic and my wardrobe needs to match the life I have, the life I’m moving towards and the woman I’m becoming.
So I decided to get rid of 70% of my wardrobe. Ridiculous? No. It’s ridiculous to have 15 pairs of shoes that you never wear because they’re not comfortable. Sold some items on Poshmark and donated bags filled with clothes, shoes and purses. Walked into Aritzia and found what my wardrobe was lacking; quality. Fast fashion is great but if the quality, fit, ability to get multiple wears out of it isn’t an option why waste the money? If you buy 3 sweaters for $20 each and they last a season, why not pay $100 for one sweater that can last multiple seasons? That sounds expensive but in the long run you’re getting more for your money.
I decided to wait until Black Friday. In preparation I made a list of items my wardrobe needed. The list included 3 pair of blue jeans, 1 pair of black jeans, 2 or 3 new long skirts, 4 sweaters, 2 white t-shirts, 1 pair of riding black boots and 1 pair of flat brown boots. For the first time ever in my life I spent over $300 for shoes (& they were on sale!). I didn’t get everything on my list but it’s a work in progress. I am excited to say that my redefined style has focused on placing quality into my closet. My style is less, “I can make this work” and more “Does this work for my lifestyle? Is this a quality piece that I can wear for a while?”… & the journey has only just begun.
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