Fashion

[MacDuFF]

Hi fashion friends.

All of my stored cashmere and wool items (12) are back in my closet and ready to wear. I'm very happy I washed and/or de-pilled them before storage. I always get in a counting mood😬 when everything I own is in my closet.

Currently, I own about 122 clothing items. This number has been fairly consistent for several years...sometimes it's slightly higher, other times slightly lower. Almost everything is worn regularly in rotation. I have a few special occasion pieces.

Of the 122 pieces, I consistently have about 7-10 pieces that were purchased for fun...the whimsical, trendy, and/or unusual!! pieces that I'm drawn to periodically. I usually wear these pieces a few times, then they go on the hit list. When I buy the next piece whether a "love keeper" or a whimsical, trendy, unusual!! piece, something on the hit list gets donated...one in, one out.  Of course, periodically, pieces I love and wear get worn out or I get bored with it or whatever, and those go on the hit list, but it's rare.

MacMath😁: I could wear each of the 122 pieces 3 times in 365 days (122x3=366). Cut that number in half to accommodate all the factors MacMath doesn't take into consideration, i.e., I wear my favorite pieces more than 3 times per year, I have more summer items than winter and more tops than bottoms, some items I only wear occasionally, etc. So say 61 items can be worn 6 times a year. Then factor in that almost every piece I have can be styled in at least 2 or 3 different outfits and MacMath starts to really get fuzzy😆! The point is I have so many outfit options it's ridiculous.

As an aside, since I've been trying to deal with my footwear and handbag situation and since I'm in a counting mood, I have 44 pairs of shoes from flip flops to snow boots, and 19 handbags. Just curious, how many shoes and/or handbags do you own?

One of the pitfalls that I was afraid I'd fall into during the first year of purging and trying not to buy was trading one addiction, clothes shopping, for another, shoe or handbag shopping. Surprisingly, I didn't fall into that pit...YAY for me!  But, I really struggled with it.

My sister suggested I buy small, inexpensive items like socks or pens. I thought this was a pretty good idea. I decided on lipstick since, trust me, I had more than enough socks. I'd walk out of a store with the therapeutic rush coursing through my veins, a bag to prove the hunt was successful, and a new tube of lipstick. And I didn't spend a penny on clothes! This worked until it didn't, and I ended up with a drawer full of lipstick to rival my previously jam packed closet and sock collection. But, seriously, I'm at a point where I'm enjoying what I have, and I guess I can say I just want less.

Anyhoo, here are two recent thrifts and a couple of outfits I put together using them. A Talbot's cobalt (?) blue cotton quilted jacket with corduroy trim and an AYR lavender blue/white stripe tee lightweight enough to wear in summer (with no jacket) with white or any denim wash crops or in transition under the Talbot's jacket with or without a base layer.

I think the MacApp idea is going to work for me. It's nice to have several outfit ideas in one pic...will streamline my obsession...😧...errr...I mean my strategy for remembering how to wear what I have in multiple ways. Granted, it's not a problem to glance into my closet of only 122 items and put together an outfit, but I like to play around with new items.

#1  Late fall, possibly winter with base layers depending on temps



#2  Early fall with sneaks, possibly late fall with base layer and ankle boots (I know, it's weird 🙃)


MacApp...I won't be posting these pics often, but this is just another example of three outfit ideas in one pic


Close-up...AYR tee looks grey, but it's a lavender blue


Have a great week, ladies!

[rms1954]

You always look so elegant.

[Sooner]

@MacDuFF I love everything but the tall boots, and that's just not my thing!  

What an odd fall we have--from hot summer clothes to not really hot clothes, no real fall clothes needed yet.

 I have switched from shorts to capris, just so I could put the shorts up!  And the sleeveless tops went with them leaving my light weight short and 3/4 sleeved to wear with the capris and last week a pair of jeans!

Coats?  Not even a thought yet!  Twice a light jacket came out at night!  

[SportyShorty07]

You're a very hip, stylish and beautiful lady!  Keep up the fabulous fashion and great photos, MacDuFF! I really enjoy your posts 🤗💖

[spiderw]

I always enjoy the MacDuFF fashion post!  The quilted jacket is lovely but I  prefer the sneakers to the boots look.  But you always look stylish in whatever you wear.

I have too many pairs of shoes, a few that are like new!!!  I did get rid of many of my purses at one point and do not buy them any more.  I found out I usually ended up using only a few of them most of the time.  Impulsive buying was my downfall, now I am much more particular and selective when it comes to clothes and shoes.  

[fairydogmother]

@spiderw @how did you get a grip on the impulse spending especially with purses😄? That's my problem currently. Any tips for weaning or just cold turkey

[spiderw]

I basically realized I didn't even use all the purses, only a few.  They were wasting away in a bin so I decided to give them to nieces and to donate to a woman's shelter through a store in my area.  I guess I didn't care anymore, the thrill of buying was gone, LOL, and I was ready to get rid of things.  I do not have any regrets , this was awhile ago.  And to be honest I don't even remember what I had!!!!  That says something.  I think you arrive at the point of , it's time and you start to just move forward.  I did the same with my clothes.  

I hope whatever you choose to do you are happy with your decision, we all come to that time when we start to downsize and it does make you feel better.

[AngelPuppy1]

I love the blue jacket and the sneakers.  I am not much for the high boots though.  

[OKPrincess]

@MacDuFF 

You look great as usual. 

The shoes I mostly buy now are Skechers slip in and sandals. 

[LindaSal]

@MacDuFF I so appreciate your sense of humor.  Your threads are a lot of fun to read and I love the pictures you post. 

 I have probably twice the amount of clothing and twice the amount of shoes.  I think bags are probably around the same #...........I like to say I'm a work in progress.  I do purge and donate, but I still shop too much though I've been working on it quite awhile now