Do you plan your outfits in advance? When you get up in the morning, do you stare into the abyss of your closet wondering what to wear or do you have your clothes already laid out, perfectly coordinated and ready to wear?
I have to admit that I am more of a planner than a spontaneous dresser. I usually know exactly what I am going to wear. I check the weather for about a week in advance and I get my inspirations form store display, magazine/Internet pictures and fashion bloggers. I sometimes spend couple of hours on weekends just to try things on and check if they work together. I have a pretty good idea what looks good on me but sometimes a mental picture in my mind does not quite translate to a great look irl. I know there are definitely more interesting and worthwhile ways to spend my time ,but I could do worse, I am sure.
Because of all this outfit planning, I don't spend too much time in the morning deciding what to wear. But I do spend some time choosing the right accessories. I have quite an extensive collection of costume jewelry (and some fine jewelry) and it is not unusual for me to try on 5-6 different necklaces until I settle on the right one to wear.
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| This is my jewelry storage |
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| these J.Crew boxes are great for stacking |
There was a time when I was only wearing fine jewelry, then I went through a lot of choker necklaces, and for some time I was briefly fascinated with statement necklaces, but these days I am very much into longer, simpler pendant necklaces.
Here are a few ways I wear my necklaces.
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| As a pop of color |
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| I think this necklace makes the outfit |
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| To tie the outfit together |
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| To keep with the style |
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I like to match necklaces with my shoes:
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| Making it more playful |
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| Softening the black |
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| Dressing up casual outfit |
Or use them as something a little unexpected
Or to counteract the effect of a high neck or turtleneck
Necklaces can really transform a plain top:
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| Boring |
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| Cool and laid back |
But sometimes subtle is better:
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| Round necklace with polka dots |
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| Picking up a hint of color |
And, of course, there is nothing like pearls to bring some light to your face:
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| Against all the black |
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| That's all folks! |
So now you know why I am always running to the train station...
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What takes you the most time deciding what to wear?
How do you pick your accessories?
Do you wear costume jewelry?
What is your favorite way of wearing your necklaces?
Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!
I've gone through the same progression with jewelry -- when I was younger and just starting my career, I only wore real jewelry. Just like I only wore black. More serious, to make me feel more serious. As I got older and became more confident in myself, I loosened up. Colors and costume jewelry, bringing out the real stuff only for serious evenings. I like it all, the statement necklaces, the fun smaller pops of color, the dainty pendants. I do find, however, that the one area where I don't waiver much is in earrings -- it's pretty much always studs, because they hang better on the way my ears were pierced.
ReplyDeleteI don't work, so I have few requirements for my daily wear and as a result, rarely have anything planned out. I pull on whatever I feel like wearing at the moment and find some fun jewelry to pull everything together. I do really think that accessories can change the whole feel of the outfit.
I must add, however, that sometimes my husband gets a little miffed at my choosing costume (always always my own purchases) over real (almost always his purchases)!
audreys,
Deletefunny, I have the same thing with my hubby. he has great taste and I love his gifts but sometimes the cheap trinket is just what I need to complete an outfit. I usually try to wear his presents if we go out on the date.
I love this post - your photos illustrate your points really well and I love the outfit photos you've chosen, particularly the colorblock navy dress and the plaid skirt.
ReplyDeletei love this post too and i love esp how you match jewelry and shoes!
ReplyDeletefor myself i am pretty spontaneous picking my outfit and sometimes i cant decide so i fall back to basics(jeans,black sweater and lots of bracelets).
i always loved bold jewelry and i mix real(yurman and tiffany) with costume.
i own lots of jcrew bracelets and bangles and i wear them stacked with my real ones as a daily uniform.
Abyss here, I need to learn from you and Dani, I stand like a frightened rabbit in front of my clothes.
DeleteThat's why I find dressing so stressful, only at the last minute do I realise I don't have the right shoes/bag/belt.
Oh re the porcelain pencil skirt which I love, is there any stretch in the fabric?
Thanks!
Tabitha, I don't think there is any stretch in Porcelain Paisley, but why on earth would you need stretch, lol?
DeleteI plan my overall wardrobe meticulously but the only outfits I plan are those for special occasions. I used to plan my outfit the night before but usually felt like wearing something else the next morning anyway so I stopped wasting my time.
ReplyDeleteLiving close to the mountains the weather here can change on a dime so there is no sense planning based on the weather forecast, it will change five times before the day arrives.
I go through spurts where I plan ahead and then a weeks on the fly. My youngest is now 2 years old and I'm just getting back into necklaces that won't be pulled, chewed, or given up to a toddler. Very inspired after seeing your pics to get back into the necklace groove.
ReplyDeleteI remember the pulling phase, it was worst with earings, sweet moments though...
DeleteThis is a great post, especially with the jewelry. I've begun to realize that one of the reasons I get tired of clothes or don't wear certain pieces as much as I thought I would, is because they never become part of a real outfit that excites me. Too often I put my money into the big things--tops, skirts, pants and ignore the shoes, scarves, jewelry that pushes them into being an outfit that I truly love.
ReplyDeleteMary,
DeleteI used to do the same thing, buy a great skirt and have nothing make an outfit out of it, big mistake I learned it is better to have great shoes and necklace with basic clothes than the opposite.
I try to plan my closet so I don't have to plan day to day. I still end up standing there staring at everything.
ReplyDeleteI tend to wear my pearls pretty much everyday, I try to wear statement necklaces but it doesn't often work out, I end up putting my pearls back on!
Pearls go with almost everything! But sometimes I actually use necklaces to dress down an outfit, pearls won't do then, lol.
DeleteI should try to be more organized and try out outfits on the weekend! As it is, I usually run late in the morning, trying on and discarding various outfits. I keep my jewellery very simple - I usually select from a pearl necklace, a silver locket or diamond pendant. Sometimes I feel adventurous and wear a "statement" piece but it's a rare occasion - it just introduces another variable in the equation which is too much for my brain to handle when I'm trying to get ready in the morning!
ReplyDeleteWhen I had the office job and commute I did exactly what you do in regards to planning. Every detail was thought of on Sunday night so I'd be prepared for the week-plus the kids were smaller so this was a chore I had to take care of.
ReplyDeleteNow I often wear jeans, tee and cardigan or jacket and low sandals or boots. If the weather is hot I'm in a dress and sandals with minimal accessories, but I always wear earrings, a watch. I mix my costume and real stuff all of the time. If my manicure is fresh I'll wear a fun ring. I always plan outfits for vacations, evenings out which is fun and I like knowing I have everything pulled together.
I always wear earings because I hate the look of pierced ears with empty holes but most of the time my earings are very simple, pearl or gold studs.
DeleteI often get caught wanting to wear one specific item, but for some reason that's the one piece I can't pair that particular morning. Strangely getting dressed on the weekends are the worst for me - because I know I don't have a time restraint so my mind stops working, haha!
ReplyDeleteI'm not working so I'm not in a rush in the morning and the only time I plan is for an event. I've just done a 360 in my wardrobe. I use to wear black pants and sweaters,blazers or blouses . Now thanks to you and Dani I'm wearing frocks . In fact our neighbours keep asking me if I'm going somewhere special and I reply no... just hanging around.
ReplyDeleteI usually wear pearls everyday and a David Yurman bracelet ...keeping it simple. Today I received the rouge dot skirt and anchor belt and i put the denim popover with it. love it
Thanks for getting me out of a rut!
Marsha, so glad the skirt and belt worked out for you!!!
DeleteI am a spontaneous dresser, sometimes I am inspired and sometimes I fall back to my jeans uniform. But even when I worked in an office I could never plan my outfo
ReplyDeleteits in advance.
I keep my jewelry in the bathroom, which means that I can't experiment much. I need to find another storage system! I totally agree on you about on the power of jewelry to spice up an otherwise basic outfit.
I don;t really plan so much for the next day but I always have about 3-5 complete outfits in mind (yep, little obsessed, that's me). I am not a morning person at all and I don;t like to get up right after I wake up, so I take that time to think what I will wear that day and once I decide I am a little more motivated to drag myself out of bed. It works wonders, lol.
DeleteJewelry storage is a must for me, I used to have it all in knots and I could never untangle the one thing I wanted to wear...
I have to choose the nite before to have an easy time getting ready in the morning. Otherwise I usually end up disliking what I have on. I plan everything to the jewelry and swap out handbag if needed. If I don't do it the nite before it never happens. Esp the handbag part. I will carry the same one for eons if I don't change it at nite. My favorite outfit in this series is the striped top w/viridian pencil skirt. Divine!
ReplyDeletegigi, I am with you, when I get spontaneous, something will end up not being quite right and I it will spoil the outfit somehow.
DeleteI love me some striped tee with pencil skirt, I actually have to restrain myself from not doing it all the time, thanks!
Great post! It is pouring rain this morning, I have a nasty rash on my legs because of some cheap self-tanner and loads of tedious meetings today! I will probably stand in front of the closet, but am going to try some of your tips!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a spontaneous dresser. There is some method to my madness, though. I often I start with the bottoms because frequent weight fluctuations, however small, make a subset of my bottoms undesirable on any given day. Then I think about the weather and what shoes are a good choice. What I wear on top is an after-thought, and jewelry is the last thing I decide on. I have also preferred pendant necklaces lately. I find myself not bothering with earrings or bracelets very often, but almost always wear a necklace.
ReplyDeleteI don;t do bracelets too often, I love the look but since most of the time I wear the necklace, I usually feel like adding a bracelet would be too much. But I always wear earings (usually studs).
DeleteI am the opposite- I am a VERY spontaneous dresser.I have known to plan many an outfit only to change it the last minute. I like my P333 that it limits my choices( otherwise I'd be trying to dress for hours) and yet allows me some creative flexibility. Packing fro vacation is always difficult for me as I tend to over pack b/c I am so indecisive.
ReplyDeleteSlastena, my outfits would never look half as good as yours if I was spontaneous.
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