Some Recent Wardrobe Additions

January is usually the time of year when I rethink and adjust my wardrobe for the coming year.  One reason is my parents are in town over the winter, and I can plan and shop with my sweet Mom!  (insert hearts!)  This year I have added a few things and donated a LOT of things.  (In case we end up moving in the next short while, I don't want to transport a bunch of stuff we don't actually use, so I've been sorting through things even more than I do each January.)

A typical outfit for me this winter (and this is nothing new) includes a lot of black & white,
small patterns, and a bit of pretty color:

pants: INC International Concepts (Macy's)
top: Charter Club (Macy's)
jacket: Levi's (Amazon)
boots: Sam Edelman (Macy's)
mask: Etsy

Here are some personal guidelines I try to follow when buying new clothing.

1.  I must LOVE the item and want to wear it right away.

Even basic necessities are better if they feel special in some way!  For example, I have favorite pairs of socks; their details (dots or stripes, usually) make them special.  Sometimes it's a nice smooth texture or a waffle weave or lace trim or a pretty color.

2.  It must be comfortable.

I'm not super picky about fit, but I care a LOT about things being comfortable.  I do not want to be adjusting my shirt all the time because the collar is itchy.  I have sensitive skin and some sensory issues (especially with tags, seams, etc.), so I don't tend to keep clothing that bothers me in these ways around in the long-term.

3.  It should at least sort of fit within my color palette.

My favorite neutrals are black & white.
My favorite non-neutral colors are light blue, light pink, and golden or mustard yellow.  

4.  I must be able to see myself loving and using that item for years to come.

It's wasteful to buy inexpensive things that don't last and then clutter up landfills.

Bonus point if the item is made with sustainable fabrics in an ethical way (i.e. not using child labor, not using slave labor, paying workers fair wages).  These items are more expensive, but it's worth it to feel like I'm investing in the world.

Here are some things I've ordered lately!
Keep in mind that some of these things don't exactly seem like winter-wear for most places, but in Arizona, these items can easily be worn in reasonable ways all year round.  I have been being creative in my mind with these items, imagining how I might wear them even in cold weather (with fleece-lined leggings or tights underneath on the bottom, a long-sleeved t-shirt underneath on top, warm thick socks inside boots, etc.)

This dress from Vetta has been on my list for quite some time.  It's a beautiful color with a small print (my favorite!).  It also can be worn a bunch of different ways.  It can be worn with the neck bow in front or the neck bow in back. It can be worn with or without the belt.  AND the bottom tier is removable, so it can be worn as a knee-length dress or a midi-/maxi-length dress!  Clever!  I picture wearing it as the longer version with sandals in the summer and with a long-sleeved t-shirt and tights underneath when it's chilly.  It would look great with sneakers and a denim jacket or boots and a faux-leather moto jacket.  I'm looking forward to playing with different options!

Here's a picture of one of the additional ways to wear this dress:

This dress arrived and it's WONDERFUL.  It's well-made, it's a beautiful color, and it fits great!

It's a little crumpled from shipping and it's longer on me than on the model.  I'll be wearing with shoes that have a bit of a platform or wedge, probably.  The shoulders and neckline are perfect.

I also just ordered this dress, also from Vetta.  It's another convertible dress!  I adore the black dot print, and how the dots are spread randomly over the material.  

Let me give you an example of how it can be worn.  

The bottom tier can be removed so the dress looks like this:

It can be worn backwards so that it has a crew neckline instead of a v-shaped neckline and the belt can be tied in the back instead of in the front

My Mom and I went shopping recently, and I found the following helpful items . . . 

a lovely lacey sweater from Knox Rose at Target:

I got it in white, too!

Target's Universal Thread line had these wonderful drapey ribbed tees:

I sized WAAAAAYY up because I want my tees to be flowy, not clingy.  I don't know why t-shirts are sized so weird.  No wonder women can't figure out what size we are or how we actually look!  I came home and ordered some more of these striped tees online (the store only had one).  I like wearing striped tees underneath sweaters and jackets and dresses, so I want to make sure I'm stocked up.

I've been considering this sweater, but I'll wait awhile before ordering it because I found the ones from Target.  This one is from Vetta, and it also is convertible. It can be worn with the v-neck and buttons in the front or the back.  It's oversized, and I am always looking for sweaters that are long enough to be worn with leggings!  If this sweater is as good as I think it might be, I would love a light blue version and a pink version, but those aren't very popular colors right now, nor are they normally available in the dead of winter!

This winter I would also like to add a couple of pairs of straight-leg black pants I can wear with shorter tops & sweaters.

I feel satisfied with my the comfort, flexibility, and personality of my wardrobe, but it's fun to do little tune ups from time to time!

In a different area of acquisitions,  I also did not choose to resist these salad plates . . . I love dishes and have a lot of them (especially considering that only two human people live in our house), but we have lost some of our original wedding salad plates over the years, and these will definitely bring me joy every time I see them:

We used them tonight during pizza and Doctor Who!  :)