The wrong order ?
- I lived in one of the hottest towns in India during my childhood. And was covered from head to toe in layers, in the name of modesty.
- Arizona retained me for most of my youth. In the 115 degree heat, I would wear oxfords, skinny jeans and silk button-ups.
- California. I followed my husband here. It changed me. I now wear sandals, chinos and sleeveless tops. I am usually covered in dog and cat hair.
“Human toes are the ugliest part of the body. They are like a cross section of a lizard’s tail“, I once said to a friend of mine when discussing flip flops. Across the table sat another dear friend from Turkey, who wore an abaya for religious reasons. She make a remark that concluded the conversation and made me wish I never opened my mouth in the first place. “I wish I could wear sandals. It’s hot outside.” One woman’s choice is one woman’s scorn and another woman’s desire … This is the year I said “no more” to this restrictive idea of flattering that I devised for myself and all ( some ) of my prejudices. Dressing just for comfort is not something I would ever do. This is the lowest rug I will climb in the name of comfort. Presenting a new silhouette, complete with sandals :
Chinos : Everlane
These are the kind of trousers I always wanted from Yohji’s clothing line. I got the black in size 0 and the beige in size 2. If my shift dresses morphed into pants, this would be it. They make me cuss at my denim – ” You are done! I am never coming back to you again. …” As I write this emergency blog post to broadcast this sentiment, these pants have their own protest group among my friends and family. “Something a blogger would wear”, meant as an insult. “You look comfortable in there”, something I would say to women who wear leggings as pants. “I hope it’s a passing fad”, referencing my frivolity. My sister yelled “No…..No… No….” in Lousiana and I could hear her in California. Harsha thinks I “usually” have a good taste but these pants aren’t doing me any favors.
Sandals : &OtherStories
Woman by Common Projects makes the original pair. Too expensive and uncommon to appear on the second-hand market. ATP atelier made the same pair but I dislike the quality to price ratio on their shoes. ( I showed them to my cobbler. He started laughing out loud when I told him the price. I promptly returned them. ) When they showed up on &otherStories, I caved. In terms of craftsmanship, they are mediocre. More points for form than function.
Top : A.P.C
Polka dots deserve a page of their own in my Little Blue Book. They need to be of the right sparsity, right size and not be of high contrast – to sum it up in a hurry. This old shirt was the poster child of perfection until I couldn’t fit in it anymore. Parting with it was out of the question. After a year of waiting to see if this middle age weight gain is a temporary surge, I can say : the weight is here to stay. With the sleeves chopped off, it fits me the way I want it to. No more pulling at the bust. After mocking APC as stereotypical Parisian chic and for being the supplier of images for ALL the capsule wardrobe collages on Pinterest, I have fallen in love with their clothes. At what point does a woman accept defeat and admit to being one with the crowd ? ( Answer : Never ! )
The Purge ?
Did I tell you that I wore out the navy blue and black silk blouses while these just sit and wait for their turn in the back of my closet ? I am old enough to know that it’s not a phase. I am angry at them for not being navy blue and want to sentence them to Realreal’s warehouses to be sold. A part of me tells me that I should hold on to them just in case I get tired of navy blue after a few years. Another part of me wants to uphold the vow that I took to wear my clothes till they die. Am I slipping into the cull and buy cycle again? Realistically, I know that selling them is the right thing to do. They are too beautiful to not be used.
UPDATE : Writing down conundrums help me think more clearly. Blogging helps. I am afraid that I am slipping into a cull and buy cycle again. I am already at the 10 incoming garments mark this year with 5 worn out items. At this rate, I will live up to my “there is no fast fashion, only fast consumption” theory. I think I will sell one of the blouses and wear the rest. I dont want to be a spoilt brat discarding clothes based on my whims.
Skin Care
My skin is one of those things I take for granted, as long as I use sk2. I weened off it beginning of this year to see if I can do without. The answer is no – the hyper pigmentation is back. A month after I brought it back, my skin tone is even again. (Just woken up and no makeup face in the photos above.) I got Ordinary’s arbutin to alternate … save some money. It’s a “nice” product, but it’s nothing like sk2. On the other hand, Ordinary’s Vitamin C made Skinceuticals irrelevant. I am sorry if you purchased CE Ferulic on my recommendation. I am sorry for wasting your money. Ordinary’s Vit C is an exceptional product while being 6$ for 30ml. This has to be my first anti-aging product. Just because of all the saved money routing into my retirement fund. Wrinkles won’t age me. Lack of adventure will. And I need to save up.
Questions :
Would you wear something deemed not flattering for comfort ?
Have you ever purged something gorgeous because it’s not your style anymore? Its a bad idea right ?
Has the legend of the Ordinary skincare line reached you ? If you know of any superstars, do share.
Those pants look great! I think often friends and family can be a little behind the times fashion wise 😉 My family disapproves of my “mom jeans” but Instagram and my more fashionable friends love em. More importantly, I love them 🙂
I am so used to seeing a certain proportion and legs in a certain way that I dont find these flattering at all. But I have always admired the silhouette from afar as monk attire. Had I know this level of comfort, I would have tried this shape a long time ago.
F&F heavily rely on me for a bridge to the fashion world. I am going to show them !
And thank you Melissa !
A lot of information Archana. Thanks
Thank you
You are welcome Archana
At first I thought those sandals were the pair of shoes that you bought from AndyHeart on Depop! Didn’t realize ATP Atelier is poor quality. You’d think a brand dare to have “atelier” in its name would be the all about craftsmanship. 🙂
btw there are quite a few pairs of the common projects sandals on TRR- https://www.therealreal.com/products?keywords=Woman+by+Common+Projects&taxons%5B%5D=554
Those pants look great on you!
I dont know if its bad quality. But ATP is like Porselli ballet flats. Too fragile and flat. Too much money for what they are.
These are the shoes I bought from AnyHeart :
http://www.lecatch.com/2016/01/mary-jane-shoe-trend.html
Worn then once so far. Havent gotten out of these sandals yet.
Damit, Common projects is on realreal. I should have waited.
The pants : I dont think they look great, but I like them anyways. They have more volume than my pjs !
The chinos look great on you. It’s funny that you say you wanted that style from Yohji’s line. I recently bought a used pair of Ys pants and they are much baggier than my Everlane pants, but I love them for it (and of course the amazing craftsmanship)!
I laughed out loud about your toes comment. I feel the exact same way.
I’ve bought a lot of clothes this summer that many would say are not flattering on me at all. I’m leaning away from the traditional form fitting styles and embracing lagenlook, oversized street style, and hunting down affordable Yohji items. I’ve been a mess this summer with my wardrobe as a result, but I’ve been having a lot of fun as well. I’m also much more comfortable than I was before. I feel like burning my skinny jeans but will probably sell them.
I don’t know about purging gorgeous things. I think that’s only happened with fancy dresses that no longer fit me, but it’s very rare that happens.
The Vit C and Retinol 2% are my Ordinary items, but I may consider getting a couple others. I might try using the retinol 1% when I’m done with this container. Skinceuticals is good, but ridiculously expensive compared to Ordinary. I used to have their 1% retinol, but found it too harsh.
I tried on a pair of his woolen trousers a long time ago. The material felt like canvas and it was so big that it felt like a costume. (I was trying on the wrong size too ). But yes, they looked sturdy. His clothes are legendary for their durability. That’s my number one factor when assessing quality.
Do you wear sandals ? Do you think painted toes are prettier ? Please tell me more. I am surrounded by flip flop lovers and will get punched if I say these sort of things out loud.
With purgings, I want my old things to fund my new garments. I need a replacement navy blue silk blouse. If I can sell these and buy a good one, I would be pleased. While I want to sell these, it feels wrong to purge because its not my style anymore. If I told my mother what I plan to do, she will slap on my wrist and ask me to wear them to not waste money. Its so hard parting with stuff !!
Skinceuticals is great in fact. But the cost of it …
I have a tube on retin-A that I dont use. Am worried about the side effects ( not the peeling, but from the harsh chemicals ).
The trousers I have are woolen as well. I think most of his are like that with the Y-s items being tencel nowadays. I love the trousers though and want to wear them all the time.
I only have one pair of sandals and those are fake Birkenstocks (made by Madden Girl). I have written a long diatribe against flip flops on my blog when I mentioned items I would never wear. I know that sounds extreme, but I really dislike them, yet I’m surrounded by them as well. I hate how noisy they are! I don’t like sandals in general because I don’t like toes nor to see toes all the time, but that’s just me being a self-righteous princess about it. The only reason why I bought the fake Birks was because I needed some sort of sandals for visiting my parents in Florida. I wanted something comfortable and most sandals I find very annoying because the leather (or not) straps always give me blisters. Finding comfortable sandals is very hard!
Don’t feel bad for purging what you won’t want to wear, even if it is a really nice garment! The less you like it, the more resentment you may have for that item so it’s better to sell it and get what you really want than let something sit in the closet unworn for years. Selling those items for what you really want is a really good trade-off, I think. It’s being smart about it. Let someone else enjoy those items, you’re done with them.
I’d recommend the Ordinary 2% retinol. It’s very gentle on the skin, but still works well. I think I’m at the point where I’m ready to up the level a notch though, which is why I’m tempted to get the 1%.
I am absolutely on board with sandals now. Not flip flops – they are a terrible design.
How have I not read your blog ! Will sit with it in the night.
I like sandals in the summer but they have to be secure on the feet. I need a back and an ankle strap! That’s why I don’t get the trend for mules… People must be ruining their toes, pressing then forward into their shoes and curling them to hold on to the shoes all day…a very impractical trend.
However, I do like the wide trouser trend. It is an unexpected shape but people’s eyes will get used to it in time. Do you remember when skinny jeans started in 2006 and looked so shocking after a lifetime of flairs? It was unexpected but now it seems indispensable and more normal than anything else. Those people who are making fun of you now will get with it in 3 years.
I dont get mules and slides either. I hate having to clinch my toes to be able to walk. Stupid design should not be encouraged for shoes. This strap is very secure around my foot and its walkable – but yes, its not winning points for great functionality. More form than function.
Oh yes, I remember skinny jeans. I had just landed in America and thought they weren’t modest enough to be worn by me. I think my brain will rewire itself given some time. I wore the teal silk shirt with black pants today. Everyone’s been telling me how “cool” I look. I dont care and mind the fashion commentary from my F&F and the blog. As long as its funny, its funny !
Q1. “deemed not flattering”-says who? I wear a lot of things that I like/love/feel good in,although some/a lot of my friends&family don’t like on me (even a beautiful navy/cream silk dress that my seamstress (?!) doesn’t like on me)
Q2. There are a couple of gorgeus dresses and pants in US 2-4 I’ve gifted a couple of years ago. I am not sorry,I will never be so thin again (sorry Archana,but you can’t have middle age weight gain-I can!)
I also gifted a beautiful chocolate brown velvet blazer in my size-I am a little bit sorry,so, you think it once again
I love navy polka dots
Dottoressa
1. Would you wear something that you don’t find flattering but are driven solely by comfort? That is what these pants are to me. I put them on and wonder what happened to my sense of proportion. But the indoctrination to the dark side has been done. I don’t want to wear denim anymore.
2. Argh, these blouses are my size. I feel like a spoilt kid wanting to part with them for not being a certain color.
Polka dots and stripes are my fav ways to wear pattern. There is an old age indigo print that is called bandhini by the indians ( places around the world have other names ) which is a variation of polka dot that is my fav :
https://goo.gl/images/JhfyKr
Lovely!
D.
I think often time when people say something is flattering, they mean it makes you look thin, or it creates or highlights an more stereotypical (sexualized) hourglass figure. So I can readily say that the vast majority of my clothing does not flatter. My husband and I jokingly call my style bag lad chic (a la the Olsen twins, whose style I adore). So yes, I do wear clothing I don’t find flattering, and yes, it does tend to be comfortable. That said, I’m not driven by comfort. I pick my clothing primarily by fabric, and I buy and wear clothing that feels fabulously luxurious on. Heavyweight linens, plush cashmere, comforting sweaters of wool and yak fibers, silk smoothness, ticklish lace. I’m driven by the great joy I get from my unflattering clothing. And no one else’s opinions on my style override that joy. It’s a stark contrast from what I think of as truly comfort driven unflattering, which to me is a worn out, oversized t-shirt seen commonly in America’s suburban and rural communities.
Archana,
I dress purely for comfort and often in the look you have above. I always thought it was the influence of working in engineering around a bunch of American men. I never wanted to stick out as too feminine or something. I still envy women who can dress showing all their curves with confidence.
I err on the side of purging and maybe regret it for about five minutes. Sell the blouses and buy your one silk navy. Honestly, I worry about the cull & buy trend a lot, which is why I finally caved in with the 333 seasonal wardrobe. I thought, if I just simply get tired of something, I’ll only have it out for 3 months and then can shop my put away boxes of clothes for something else at the start of next season. You could always try storing them away for awhile where you can’t see them and then decide.
Update: a second merino wool top of mine has got a hole down by my waist. Same size and place as another shirt. I think it must be from a belt that I occasionally wear. Not happy about that but still love merino wool for reduce laundry washings and cannot beat the versatility: dries fast, doesn’t smell, infrequent washings, drapes beautifully, doesn’t wrinkle.
I often see this silhouette on Japanese bloggers and Everlane hard core fans. Always always told myself that its not my style. I have admired Yohji’s wisdom but never the clothes. I think its changing. Going from shift dresses to jeans is quite the contrary. I want minimum contact with the body too. Maybe with the 90s renewal in the fashion circuit, I will feel more comfortable going with the grain. Trousers can be very comfortable !
About pruging, I was thinking :
Why do I want to simplify ? Is it for a piece of mind ? Not really. Things don’t bother me that much. For sustainability. So I should be buying less and wearing my clothes till they fall apart. life was so much easier when I didnt care. Now, I am conflicted. I like the idea of hiding the clothes for a while and re-evaluating after a few months. Maybe I will feel differently when Fall comes around and I can’t wear my summer dresses anymore.
I haven’t tried the Ordinary. I shop a lot online, but when it comes to beauty products I want the instant gratification of going into the store, buying, and bringing it home. I don’t have as much patience to wait for it to come on my doorstep. That’s high praise if you’re saying it de-throned SkinC. If you have SkinC you may as well use it up ASAP b/c I’ve seen reviews that it looses its efficacy over time with exposure to air/light anyway. Which SK2 is that? That’s not the original/famous one. Or better yet, don’t tell me. I gradually warming myself up to buying Sunday Riley…just seeing how far I can finish up what I already have.
I’ve purged beautiful things in my closet that were no longer my style. Because why should I wear them to destruction when someone else can happily inherit a beautiful thing in good condition? So not a bad idea to pass it on, whether for donation/friend/resale.
I felt the same way about ugly feet, until I worked in shoes and saw many a gnarled up feet that I realized mine were just fine. Now I think my hands are far uglier and give away my age.
Maybe it’s the pleats in the pants. Tends to not be the most flattering thing on most women. I tended to steer men under 40 away from pleated chinos too. If you like them, wear them. We should be allowed our infamous items–the thing that we love but everyone else hates. lol! If you don’t already, check out Dapper Kid blog, its a love letter to Yohji. I too, enjoy reading his quotes, but his clothes is not for me. Possibly Y3 through–but then I have Rick Owens DRKSHDW so…
I use the sk2 serum – the cellumination. I have never tried the essence. I promise : my skin is doing great right now. It wasnt a few weeks ago. I was using makeup to even it out. This Vitamin C and sk2 do wonders for me. I am glad that I am free of CE Freulic that I have used for 4 years now. I want to find cheaper alternatives to every splurge I make in the name of quality.
Louise has suggested that I dye them to a shade of blue that is more to my liking. I am going to give it a try on the gray-mauve shirt. The other two, I will wear them. I have given away beautiful clothes that I thought weren’t age appropriate. A red skater skirt. A wrap top that shows too much cleavage. The perfect denim shorts. … I miss them but convinced myself that I am too old for them. Oh well !
I agree about the pleats. They add volume to the area we women dont want volume at. They don’t flatter me but I want to wear them. This is new territory for me ! I have never worn anything that I would actively label ‘man repeller’. Too much feminism reading ? Dont know.
Are the discard silk shirts only discard for color? If so, silk is very easy to dye. Go to plaza art (or similar, not Michael’s but an art store) and get fabric dye. You could get a kit like this indigo kit (less dark than navy and might not turn out exactly indigo if you don’t start with white) or something like this: https://www.plazaart.com/idye-navy + soda ash. It will turn out navy or very close some navy is so dark and the colors are blush (which is very light) and blue (which is easy to make into a darker shade of blue without turning it into an ugly color). If it isn’t dark enough the first time, try again with 2 packets of dye it simply get a little jar instead of a packet (this is what I always do).
I do this a lot when something gets an oil stain.
P.s. You can dye them at home in the washing machine. Run them on the delicate cycle and then run an empty super cycle to wash out the dye. You don’t even need to get your fingers messy.
Thank you ! I am accumulating a tiny stack of garments to dye. I am absolutely going to follow your advice and dye the lightest shirt indigo. Again, thank you for the idea. These shirts are rather precious and its very irresponsible of me to get rid of them because they arent my current fav color. Absolutely dont mind getting my hands blue :
I think the trousers look great, based on the photos, and I genuinely don’t see what’s unflattering about them! But maybe it’s because I totally favour this cut and I’m used to it. You’ll be surprised how quickly the eye adjusts – skinny jeans weren’t always the norm!
I’m a big flip-flop fan, which really pisses my mother off when she sees me in them, because she says I look like a slob. I don’t think they’re great for foot health (toe clinching), but personally I find them so comfortable and practical because I’ve worn them all my life, and I like how they look too (nonchalant, minimal design). I default to it unless I think it’s actually ruining the outfit.
I’ve bought some comfortable sandals in recent years, and I love the, but out of habit I’m still wearing flip flops far more often. I love how people hate them vehemently – truly one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
I think sack dresses make me look much broader in the shoulder than I really am, and sometimes I see my reflection and wonder why my head looks so tiny. But I don’t care – not only are they’re comfortable, I like the silhouette too, pin-head and all.
If I find something beautiful, I keep it. But if I feel regret looking at it, I would sell it or give it away, no matter how beautiful it is. I don’t usually get rid of something immediately though, because I think my closet has ample space for me to hoard things a bit. What’s the harm in hanging on?
I’d never heard of The Ordinary until now. I have been meaning to try a Vitamin C product of some kind though, and the prices are very attractive and it’s awesome they don’t test on animals – I never tried Skinceuticals because of the crazy prices, and they do test on animals.
The idea of flatter is of entirely my own making. Got used to seeing certain proportions and body shapes. Its time I be less vain and wear more relaxed fits when it comes to trousers. I have seen you in pants like this and wrote them off as something the bloggers could wear but wont translate to my life. Think blogging finally caught up.
I get my toe hating tendencies from my father. Never seen him in sandals/flip flops/etc. A gentle man always covers his toes, he says. The rules are changing, thankfully.
Comfort is the first priority to me, so I don’t really care how I look. I think I am past the age of caring and it feels liberating, lol. Due to the weather (I live in a tropical island), I wear flip flops and Birkenstock sandals a lot.
I don’t have anything gorgeous that I want to purge or sell or donate. I guess it’s because I don’t buy anything I don’t like or anything that is not my style. Not saying that I’ve found my style from the get go, but during the searching phase, I was a broke student so I couldn’t afford anything well made.
Thank you for bringing me back to the ground. There was a style rut and some boredom with my closet. I used to wear lot more color 4 years ago and these blouses are reminiscent of those times. The easy solution was to purge and buy. Now that I write it, I can see better. Its okay if I dont wear them 10 times a year ( my criteria for having too much ), I will wait for a few more years to see if they are redundant. I have a tiny closet and no space for things I dont wear. I have to be on top of things for that reason.
It does feel liberating! I can attest to that much. A friend of mine was telling me that its a nice silhouette but I should consider a more elegant material for this cut. Oh well, too late now.
Boredom is natural, but when it comes to fashion, personally I don’t have the interest to explore anymore. The goal of living like a monk aside, I have retirement and mortgage to think about, not to mention taking care of my aging Mum. Learning to be content is also a way to be okay with our limited wardrobe.
For skincare, my holy grail is the P50 lotion. Recently I tried Melano cc vitamin C essence and it’s really good. Quite cheap too.
I seem to slip into my monk hat and out of it. I really thought I was done when I made my closet inventory post. I was proud and content. I have been meeting more and more woman who are in the monk mindset – either be that they dont have time because of how hard life got, or that they are following their startup dream and need to eat ramen till they make it, or that they are working on their art and constraints help, …. or that they dont want to spend the money.
Skincare, sk2 is my only one true love. Everything else, I diy or will buy the cheapest non-nasty product. I am happy that the Ordinary line exists. Its the everlane of skincare. Basics that work.
I try to find a balance between comfortable and flattering – sometimes that even means wearing a waist-defining dress the day after I wore a shift dress or an oversized sweater. I sacrifice flattering for comfort sometimes, though flattering items can also be really comfortable (cut is so important!). But I also sacrifice flattering for a slightly more ‘edgy’ look – don’t want to be a girly girl or obsessed with the ‘what not to wear’ philosophy any more! But I still need traditionally flattering clothes to feel feminine at times, hence the search for balance. It’s all in the mind 🙂
Something a member of the order of Jedi would say. Well said. And thank you !
I think I will hold on to my good clothes and wait for a day when I will fall in love with them again.
Most clothing items I gravitate to tend to be both comfortable and flattering, or so I think. Now it’s quite likely that someone with a more discerning eye for style might have a different opinion. Sure, I can wear sheath dresses, long flowing skirts, off-the-shoulder tops, etc. However, I don’t like those styles, and so the question of them being flattering on my frame simply doesn’t arise.
A dear friend bought me a long Anarkali-style kurta/legginsg combo from India. It is pretty (a little large for me, though) but it isn’t my style. My friend thinks that it’ll look lovely on me… But that doesn’t matter much, does it?
I do have a lovely voluminous skirt (red! tons of tiny gathers! lovely to dance in!) that I just dunno how to wear any more. I think I got it from Fabindia. I don’t have the heart to give it away. I’l figure out how to wear it. 🙂
I prolly have mentioned about the Shankara skincare line that I use regularly. I don’t buy any others.
I have been wanting an Anarkalli style kurtha/tunic for a while now. I saw them on men in Rajasthan. The touristy spots we went to shop had some cheap material for tourist prices. I couldnt figure out where the locals shopped for their sturdy clothes. Same with the leather shoes. They had some flimsy fancy princess kind for tourists and the men on the streets wore their old battered thick soled ones well. Some day, I am going to get one stitched for myself.
The problem with the current pants in question is : they are not classic cut. I may like them now. But I hope to stay in love with them till they wear out. Else, I have become a fashion victim yet again !
If you like specific Indian styles that are traditional, and you want to get them stitched for yourself, a good bet would be be to connect with Indian bloggers who are into textiles, fabrics, etc. My husband’s cousin works in that field, and if you want, I can introduce you to her.
That would be great. Can I hold on to the favour Lakshmi ? Take a rain cheque. This year, I am already at my 10 incoming garments mark. After things cool off a little, I would like to get a kurthi done for sure.
I like the pants, Archana, and if you like them — especially the way you feel wearing them — I think you should keep wearing them. Funnily enough, your comments and questions about them come at a time when I’ve been going through a similar transition in my clothing choices. For a long time, I mostly wore very traditionally feminine pieces, and they would often attract attention and compliments. However, these things weren’t always comfortable to wear, and, I don’t know how best to put this, but the compliments they inspired almost seemed predictable or ‘paint by numbers’ in a way (like, I was following some sort of formula that almost guaranteed a certain kind of response from people; i.e., wear something pretty = highlight my femininity = get praised for looking like a lady).
Now, I’ve started to wear tomboyish silhouettes a lot more often, an some things that are probably even considered a bit unattractive by most people, and I’ve actually come to enjoy the feeling I get from wearing things that are edgy enough to elicit a knee jerk reaction from people when they first see them.
In another moment of simpatico, I have also fallen into a bit of a love affair with A.P.C. of recent, which is funny, because I used to think the label was pretty pretentious despite it supposedly being all anti-pretension! I can’t justify buying much of it at full price, but I have snagged a couple of nice things on sale recently and will hopefully continue to do so over coming seasons.
I’m not sure what you should do about the blouses shown above, but this is certainly an instance of one man’s trash (well, not trash, but you know what I mean!) being another’s treasure, as whenever you show them on here, it inspires me to look for silk blouses in similar hues online, with very little luck. What I’m trying to say is that I would totally buy them myself if I saw them online for a reasonable price, so maybe you should sell them and use the proceeds to buy something you really do like.
As for The Ordinary, it’s attracting lots of attention on Makeupalley, where I often go to read reviews. It’s seems like it’s a bit hit and miss, in that you may strike as many duds as successes with the range, but at that price, who can complain?! I may take a closer look at it down the track, but my current beauty routine works fine for now (I use Differin, Biologique Recherche P50W, and Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra and Lala Retro to moisturise).
I am aware of how they look on me but really like them. I have seen this look on bloggers like Lin and Japanese street style stars and told myself ” I can never wear such clothes “. I have worn the same silhouette for years because I determined that it looks the best on me. Choosing for pleasure feels luxurious. Ignoring the body type rules feels pseudo-intellectual ( almost ). I went to a dinner last weekend to a market place with food stalls all around. Everyone was wearing breezy sun dresses and I think my pants are the equivalent. I get a lot of compliments in my every day for my blue dresses. They are comfortable too. I would like to keep a balance between my classics/staples and occasional dilly-dally in new silhouettes. It’s gotten stagnant and boring otherwise. I can close my eyes and get dressed without thinking – but I dont want to.
I think I have always loved APC but never the head to toe look that is required by the store staff or as shown on the runway. I like it when it can be mixed and adopted to one’s own personal style. I have been collecting their clothes on second hand market when every they become cheap for what feels like years now. I have a few “lounge” dresses that are not suited for leaving the house in for how worn out they are, but wear them on the weekend and at home. I plan to continue finding more pieces in the future.
What size shirts do you wear in Equipment? If I change my mind, I can ping you if we are the same size. Its easy to think I dont need the clothes that I dont wear in summer during the summer. Come Fall-winter when the dresses are packed away, it’s another story. I will wait for fall before labeling them as un-necessary.
Ordinary – I tried out the buffet and some zinc portion which didnt do much for me. But Vitamin C is a hit. I am happy about the money saved above all. Sk2 already takes up ALL of my budget. The rest – I can DIY and find affordable alternatives.
I love your words “Choosing for pleasure feels luxurious.” The pleasure really does lie in having the ability to choose what to wear on a given day — to be able to mix it up and go from girly one day to tomboyish the next. And I think that your plan to hold onto those shirts until the colder weather hits is a wise one. See how you feel when the temperature starts to drop! If you still feel inclined to part with them, just let me know. (I’m an AU/NZ size 6 in most things, which is usually a US 2, or thereabouts.)
We could be the same size, dont you think ? Do I have your email address ? Please drop me a note at apaladug@asu.edu with a hello.
Hi Archana,
Forgive the unrelated comment, but at the Junior League shop (The Shop) in Menlo Park, they have a gorgeous pair of NDC boots. Brown, nice little heel. I think. They were snug on me, I’m a 39/40 generally, but I thought of you! Maybe give them a call. I am so sad they don’t fit me.
Its good to know NDC is still in business. I can never understand why they dont get the praise they deserve for the craftsmanship. Thank you Hadilly for thinking of me. I have a pair of brown boots by NDC which are doing wonderfully. (Still waiting on the patina that brown leather can acquire ).
You are welcome. They are gorgeous boots. I can see why you like NDC so much. I really wish they had fit me, but that is the joy and pain of second hand shopping!
I tried to buy some of the vitamin c stuff you mentioned, but it was sold out.
Then, you will have more time to collect a few more reviews of the product. I bought it as soon as it was released. Maybe they will even have some time to fix any bugs they could have with version 1.
Bookmarked the vintage shop. Thank you for bringing it into my radar.
Such a wonderful post, as usual! The most unflattering thing I wear are big fluffy brown socks when it’s chilly. My feet get cold easily, and it keeps me from catching colds. Thankfully, I didn’t have to buy any of them, since they were gifted to me.
I find myself sticking to specific items in my now pared-down closet, and I keep on trying to think of accumulating back ups – what if something rips or tears in an untimely manner?! I’m trying to find the courage to stick to these items, until they wear out…however soon or later that may be. It also helps that I have been on a shopping fast since February.
The CE Ferulic breaks me out because of one of the ingredients. I am so glad to hear that you approve of The Ordinary’s Vit. C formula. I’ve tried their Granactive Retinol 2% Emulsion (very gentle), and the Niacinamide + Zinc kept my pores clear in hot tropical weather.
If socks are on the top of your unflattering list, you must be doing good !! I was gifted these ugly high contrast striped socks that I never show in photos on the blog – but wear them to bed every day. I have the cold limbs problem too.
I am a backup accumulator and often own multiples of almost same thing. The rule : they have to be very cheap on the second hand market. I have some short term and long term goals when it comes to closet building.
It’s very very impressive that you have been on a fast for 7 MONTHS !!
I could justify buying CE freulic from Skinceuticals when I lived in Arizona. The harsh sun and the outdoors took their toll. California is mild and gentle. I don’t need to spend that much on preventative medicine anymore. Ordinary’s C is wonderful!
Ooh, could you write about your short term vs. long term closet building goals in a blog post, perhaps? 🙂
I will try for sure.
I actually really like this silhouette and wouldn’t say they are unflattering on you at all – but you know how I feel about “flattering”! I’ve had my eye on those same pants as replacements for my rayon warm weather pants, but I’m wary of buying them online without being able to try them on.
Lady, I interviewed you for my blog. My take home should have been “dont buy things you dont need”. Instead I took a page from your way of thinking and changed my attitude towards “flattering”. I think I saw this shape on you and clicked buy. Oops.
I tried those pants on at the everlane showroom and loved them too! it has great structure in the chino material. I’m not a fan of the one in the floppier go-weave material. There’s lots of people scared of unconventional shapes and stick to the oh so uninspiring skinny pants 100%.
Interesting. I met with a few friends who were firstly, shocked to see me in those pants. We got to talking and lot of them thought silk or wool in that shape will look better on me. It will be more fluid and elegant. Secondly, it was suggested that I should have sized down. Maybe its all true but I like them just the way they are and on me too. Wearing jeans now feels like a corset for the legs. We went to the farmers market today. And lots of Asian moms were wearing these sort of pants under a button up. Made me feel extra cool.