Clothing mistakes

[pinotschmino]

I've tried desperately hard over the last few years to stop making the same style mistakes! I try to buy colours that suit me rather than the ones I like (l love pale pink for instance but think it washes me out). I spend quite a bit on clothes (£200 ish a month) from higher end (not designer) shops. However I still make mistakes. Just now I removed 3 coats from my wardrobe that I don't like or don't suit me. How many mistakes are normal?! I'm early 40's and feel like I should know by now exactly what suits me but I don't seem to!

Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, however, I have a couple of rules that I think has helped me limit the amount I make.

1 - if it doesn’t fit perfectly then I don’t buy it. Previously I would keep ill fitting items if I really liked them, then I wouldn’t wear them as they didn’t look that good on! Exceptions being where I can get things tailored, like if a pair of trousers are great but too long I would just get them taken up.

2 - if I don’t like an item more than 3 other items of the same category (5 for tops) I don’t buy it. I do a clothes wash weekly so if a skirt is my 4th favourite then realistically it won’t get much wear, as in all likelihood I will wear my favourites then wash them and wear them again, instead of wearing one that I don’t like as much.

Your monthly budget is quite high, so I’m not sure if maybe your standards of acceptance are lower? I guess even if proportionally you make the same number of mistakes, as you make more purchases the mistakes will also be higher.

Why don't you use one months allowance to pay for a style consultation? One that covers the best styles and colours to suit you

I honestly don't understand how people can say, 'I'm 40 now and I know what suits me'. I'm well past that age and every time I think I've cracked this style business, something happens to my body: my arse sinks a bit lower or my boobs get bigger or sometimes I just get bored, and I have to think again.

So I wouldn't be too hard on yourself about mistakes - if you don't make them, you never change and you never learn. But maybe it's worth thinking about whether there's a pattern to them e.g. are you buying things that don't fit properly or that don't go with anything else - as in Summa's points? Or things that don't fit your lifestyle? Are you ruthless about returning things that aren't right or do you think 'It'll do' when actually it won't? Do you try enough versions and sizes of something before you choose it (I think that's a big danger with shopping online)?

Also while normally I agree with buying the best you can afford, if I'm trying out a new look, I don't spend a lot on it straight away. I either buy it second hand or I look for a cheap and cheerful version. Then if it's wrong it's still a mistake but at least I haven't wasted half my budget on it.

I still make mistakes but i'm better at saying no to things that I won't wear no matter how lovely it is. It has to be practical & comfortable (generally) so I won't bother with mules this time summer for example.

I also try & not buy tops & bottoms unless I have a top or bottom that I can wear with it.

I disagree on not buying things unless they fit perfectly. My top tip is to take things you buy to the tailors and get them fitted to you. Nothing fits perfectly off the hook and well tailored clothes make a huge difference.

Agree, try a style consultant/House of Colour. I think some of us are just "style blind" to what suits us and need a little help. That will get you a coherent plan anyway.

I basically don't buy anything that I don't love as soon as I try it on. I have too much stuff that I thought, "that looks OK" that I never wear.

Downside is I send loads of stuff back!

I basically only buy complete outfits now. It comes from me having lots of separates in my wardrobe and not having anything to go with them.

Now, if I’m buying something, I have to either buy an entire outfit at the same time to go with it, or be 100% sure that I know what I already have that I will wear with it. I don’t think for example ‘oh I will have to be on the lookout for a pair of navy Capri trousers to go with this new top I’ve bought’. I either buy the navy Capri trousers there and then or I don’t buy the top.

I think this has something to do with my odd shape - I am very short, so can pretty much only buy in petite ranges, am a size smaller on my top half than my bottom half, and even then have to accommodate thighs and bum.

@PedrosPony

Why don't you use one months allowance to pay for a style consultation? One that covers the best styles and colours to suit you

This . Invest some money in getting your colours and style personality worked out and you won’t waste money on the wrong clothes ever again .

I agree. Invest in a style analysis. I did one a couple of years ago. It’s helped me shop styles and colours that suit me. I don’t always get it right, but I have a lot more successes than mistakes, and definantly received a lot more compliments.

Can I have some recommendations for where I would get one done please? I had a John Lewis one once but the girl was young and new to the job and I didn't feel she was very good tbh!!

House of Colour do consultations www.houseofcolour.co.uk/find-a-stylist?location but you may be able to work it out for yourself instead. I found this website www.truth-is-beauty.com really helpful (I'd also add that HoC don't consider 'ethereal' style in their consultations so if that particular type rings true for you at all then HoC may not be the way forward!)

House of Colour are brilliant.

I'm trying a bit of minimalism and capsule wardrobe ideas. I keep tags on and if I have not worn them in a month I return them.

My physical wardrobe is quite small and Everything in my wardrobe fits. I plan to buy things I will wear 30 times. Except occasion wear or things for a specific function.

I make mistakes and I have sold a lot of clothes this year on vinted. The more I buy the more mistakes I make.

I've actually bought a lot of clothes this year more so than and have been really philosophical about it. I have plenty of serviceable clothes but they do date. Things I would have worn five years ago are no longer fashionable even staples like jeans (unless they are 501s). I tried my old jeans after I'd lost weight and got back into them and couldn't believe how low the waist was! Some things are really sensitive to weight loss and gain so a few pounds can make me wear or not wear and outfit.

I agree with buying outfits. Coats- I have one at a time not several. Learnt after having to offload 20 or so coats.

I find if I can sell mistakes on vinted then I don't get too haunted by them.

Don't be too hard in yourself but set some (soft) rules to help you.

I follow a few personal stylists on Instagram and previously Facebook. Find one you like and invest in a mini analysis. I just made this step and awaiting my mini analysis (body shape and season) and a mini shopping guide for May. It was £20.

£200 is a lot. Getting rid of 3 coats is a lot too! Which suggests to me you already have a lot of clothes.

I think instead of a style consultant to buy new stuff you need someone to go through what you already have, work out what you look good in and combinations that work, and come up with a sort of capsule wardrobe from your existing clothes. You'll then be able to work out what holes you have in your wardrobe, if any, and how to fill them.

My suggestion would then be, fill any gaping holes, then put yourself on a 6-12 month buying ban. Shop your own wardrobe instead. Get rid of stuff that doesn't fit, doesn't suit you or that you don't love.

You need remarkably few clothes, we generally all have far too much.

@cherrypiepie

I'm trying a bit of minimalism and capsule wardrobe ideas. I keep tags on and if I have not worn them in a month I return them.

My physical wardrobe is quite small and Everything in my wardrobe fits. I plan to buy things I will wear 30 times. Except occasion wear or things for a specific function.

I make mistakes and I have sold a lot of clothes this year on vinted. The more I buy the more mistakes I make.

I've actually bought a lot of clothes this year more so than and have been really philosophical about it. I have plenty of serviceable clothes but they do date. Things I would have worn five years ago are no longer fashionable even staples like jeans (unless they are 501s). I tried my old jeans after I'd lost weight and got back into them and couldn't believe how low the waist was! Some things are really sensitive to weight loss and gain so a few pounds can make me wear or not wear and outfit.

I agree with buying outfits. Coats- I have one at a time not several. Learnt after having to offload 20 or so coats.

I find if I can sell mistakes on vinted then I don't get too haunted by them.

Don't be too hard in yourself but set some (soft) rules to help you.

I follow a few personal stylists on Instagram and previously Facebook. Find one you like and invest in a mini analysis. I just made this step and awaiting my mini analysis (body shape and season) and a mini shopping guide for May. It was £20.

Could you explain what you mean by a mini analysis please? I'm always making mistakes with clothes!

cherrypiepie can you tell me more about your analysis, who you used etc? Sounds good..

I agree with a PP the more money u have the more you buy and try s more mistakes you make. You need to be more intentional.

I think most people make fashion mistakes because they are buying clothes for the wrong purpose. Shopping to cheer yourself up or out of habit etc. This is when people make the wrong decisions. If you have £200 a month to spend on higher end clothing and have three coats hanging around doing nothing, then you have too many clothes and don't need any more.

I'm 41. I've reached the stage where I don't necessarily 'have a style' but I know what I like and generally what kinds of things flatter me. I'm also a lot less concerned with being fashionable and more focused on doing what suits me. I also know where to shop to get what I want (and it's not the high street).

Look online at something like project 333 and capsule wardrobes. Stop buying clothes for a while and start working with what you have. What are the things you wear all of the time and why do you love them so much? Why don't you wear others? Sometimes it's about finding something for them to work with and other times they just look terrible on me. I have become much more ruthless with clothes. I had far too many. I still have lots I don't wear. Lockdown hasn't helped because I used to dress smarter for work than I would at home. I still have a lot of 'work stuff' I probably won't wear again now I'm WFH.

I just sell anything that is a fail ... Vinted is great and stuff sells quickly !

I think you need Wardrobe Fairy

She comes round and goes through what you have, works out what suits and gives you different options of how to style things, what to put with what etc.
Then usually recommends a few new items

A full day with her would be less than your monthly allowance and you may only need a couple of hours

She does virtual if you are not close (she's in Nottinghamshire)

Link here

www.wardrobefairynottingham.com/

@pinotschmino @PatchWorkAnnie

I haven't had it back yet but can't wait to!

Style me happy on Facebook and instagram. She (and lots of other stylists) does and individual online analysis where you learn you body shape and season but it is totally bespoke to you and has lots of details in it for you. (These are hard to get hold of though)

She recently introduced a 'mini shop' service for people who knew the shape and season. So that was a generic top up product each month.

She then introduced for those -like me who hadn't had a full analysis a mini analysis with the mini shop. So you just learn your shape and season and get the generic monthly mini shop (eg autumn hourglass/summer strawberry/ winter pear)

The woman that runs it is called Emily Innes and love her ideas and ethos on Instagram and Facebook and I don't know her personally.

Thank you :)
I'm renowned for my crap 'quirky' dress sense and I am really wanting to have an actual style or at least only wear things that suit me. Not because I like them!