Fashion

[MacDuFF]

Hello fashion friends.

We're still in early spring transition with dramatic temperature swings from one day to the next...60s to 80s. We thought the pollen was over a few weeks ago, so Handsome power washed the deck. Our deck table a day later...

It's finally going away, but it's been a long, miserable allergy season.🤧

Since the Great and Terrible Closet Purge of 2018, I've read dozens of "methods" from bloggers about shopping your closet. Alyssa Beltempo, a Canadian who calls herself a "slow fashion content creator and sustainable stylist" is the one that resonated most with me. She stopped blogging years ago, so I catch her on YouTube every Sunday (I don't do FakeBook, Insta, or X, where she also posts).

Her tagline is: Sustainable ("slow") fashion, helping people shop less and love what they have more. The three main ideas she encourages are shop your closet, creativity and common sense over consumption, and elements of style (hereafter "EOS").

"Shop your closet" and "be creative" don't need fashionista 'splaining. I got "shop your closet" right away.🤓 Creativity was more difficult for me; I seem to have very set ideas about what goes with what.

Before The Purge, I might have defined being creative as  shopping to find something new, different, and interesting to be creative with. Just mindless shopping, then going home and hopefully slapping something together that I could hopefully claim was creative.

Alyssa has a method she calls "elements of style." EOS include layering, proportion, texture, silhouette, high/low contrast colors, mixed media, cuffs, etc. Using Alyssa's method, I realized that, many times, I already had the same or similar style elements as in an inspo picture (or could tweak something), which helped me buy less stuff, and helped me develop more creative ideas from my closet (saving me a ton of money and aggravation).

I used to see an outfit I loved and my first inclination was to buy the exact pieces (or as close thereto as I could find/afford).  Alyssa's idea is to not copy an outfit, but instead identify the EOS and come up with a version of it from our closet. I think of it as a tool for creative thinking when playing in my closet.

For example: Your inspiration picture includes a wide-legged trouser, but you don't have a wide-legged trouser. You do have a pair of loose, slightly baggy jeans. Instead of thinking wide-legged trouser, think A-line silhouette (EOS). Your loose jeans have an A-line silhouette. It'll work.

A recent example from my closet...here's an inspo pic I had saved...



I don't have a brown animal print base layer or heels or a short sleeve black sweater ( @ROMARY ...a sweater topper vestie thingy! 🤣). So I decided to try to identify why I even kept the inspo pic using my take on Alyssa's EOS.

What I liked about the inspo: The unusual base layer (EOS = texture...or mixed media?; animal print); the shorter topper (achieved by half-tucking) over the wide jeans (EOS = silhouette); casual, but put together.

The creative thought process went something like this: I don't have an interesting base layer like that. I don't have a black topper. I don't own heels. But why does the base layer have to be the interesting piece? Who said the base layer had to be brown animal print? I have my Dad jeans, so all set there. This look works for transition (which I have trouble dressing for, especially spring because I'm not a fan of pastel Easter egg colors or of floral patterns...ask me if I give a rat's patootie what the fashion industry dictates). I could tie front a blouse instead of half tucking...I don't like heels with jeans, but I do have dressy sandals...

and a picture started to emerge. This is what I came up with...

Frame lace base layer (a purchase I regret since I don't get much use out of it for the price); Anne Klein II plaid linen blouse (vintage...it had shoulder pads to rival the women of Dallas soap opera fame😁); Levi's Dad jeans; Donald Pliner sandals, Prüne red leather crossbody. All thrifted.

Remove the base layer and switch to lighter wash semi-wide leg jeans and it's perfect for summer...

Here's another one. I love this because of the romantic blouse juxtaposed with the casual cropped jeans...kind of mixing styles.



I didn't have the exact pieces, but I had pretty darn close. This was truly a no-brainer...I saw my version of it immediately. I never thought to put these two pieces together. I have other pieces that I wear with this blouse and these jeans...outfits I'm kind of stuck on, blocking my creativity, so to speak.

Old thrifted unbranded romantic...well, I've always worn it as a summer jacket, but wearing it as a blouse here (over a linen base layer). AG Isabelle blue and white striped crop jeans with solid side stripe.  Converse Shoreline sneaks, but I have dressy sandals that will work, too.  Everything in this outfit was thrifted.

"Shopping less [should] not feel like a sacrifice, but rather a creative endeavour that anyone can do to see your wardrobe as abundant." ~Alyssa Beltempo

Don't forget to shop your closet and be creative. Until next time, Godspeed.❤️

[haddon9]

@MacDuFF I love that romantic white blouse!  It's beautiful and looks great on you!  I would love to have one myself!

[ROMARY]

 Love, love, love the inspo white eyelet blouse and your version, too.

Re: my 'vesties', I often wear one of my black tops over a leopard blouse. 

Everyone here have a comfortable and safe week ahead.  Pets and nice outdoor birds and animals, too.

[ROMARY]

p.s.  I have a black lace knit blouse that I bought years ago.  Wore it once, but now that I see it as a layering piece, I will layer it underneath various 'vestie' tops, etc.  Maybe even under a similar black top (as in your first photo).

Thanks for your great idea !

[Fifi1]

 Need to shop my closets more often! 
cute outfits and ideas! 
Happy week to all!

[just bee]

I think we all love that blouse! 

[AngelPuppy1]

Such great tips and advice!  I am guilty of not shopping my closet and wearing outfits the same way.  I have a lot of time but am always in a hurry!  

I love your outfits but I especially love the second one.  I am very partial to white tops and especially ones which have a bit of a romantic flair, without going over the top!  

[Shanus]

@MacDuFF   The eyelet blouse is gorgeous, very feminine. I watch Alyssa, too because i don't love spending money on a piece as an impulse buy and then it sits in my closet going with nothing.

I do keep a pinterest board of outfits I like and realize they're all so similar: relaxed, somewhat tailored and lots of jeans. 

[Terrywu]

Love the white blouse.  Able to wear so many different ways.

[Sooner]

I love both outfits and my favorite blue and white bag of course!    I always love your inspirations.  You wear the clothes, they don't wear you!  

I am not getting rid of another garment unless it is something I do not like and won't wear.  No reason to.  Nice clothes and I look nice in them.  Unless of course they are damaged or don't fit.