Fashion Cents

Being a cheapskate who hardly ever goes shopping and frequents thrift stores when I do, I can hardly post a weblog on fashion but here are my two cents if you care to read them. :)

1. Have your bases covered. After reading the book Color Me Beautiful, I have learned the value of having all your base colors covered. Whether you wear skirts or pants, it is always wise to have these base colors waiting in your closet: black, khaki, and/or brown and navy. This way you can mix and match your clothes, giving you more combination options. This gets rid of the feeling that you "just don't have anything to wear!" and prevents needless shopping trips to accumulate more clothing that won't match.

2. Comfort > Looks. The french say you must suffer for beauty, but that's not my creedo. If it's not comfortable, I'm just not going to wear it as often no matter how gorgeous it is. For example, I have a sparkly read sweater that I wear in the fall/winter seasons. It is very beautiful, but it is also very scratchy. Because of this I do not wear it as often as I would like, which ties into my third point...

3. Save it for a rainy day. Always keep a special article or two of clothing that you can save for that special occasion. How many of us have walked to our closet, peered into it (stuffed with clothes) and felt like we've worn it all? This is more than likely because we have been exhausting that certain article's specialness by frequent wearing. Setting that special sweater or skirt aside keeps it fresh, unfaded, and exciting when we dig through our everyday clothes and spot it peeking out!

4. What's in a name? I went through a (very) brief stage of the teen brand craze where I wore clothes from Aeropostale, American Eagle, and Hollister. After a few months of unreasonable prices and finding the exact same clothes at Goodwill for $30 cheaper I gave that up for good. If the quality of your clothing is at stake, it's sometimes better to invest in something pricier, but just because it's a popular brand doesn't mean it's quality clothing.

5. Classy is always current. This is probably what I most strive for in shaping my wardrobe. If you purpose to buy only timeless clothing that will last a lifetime (and perhaps longer as an heirloom to pass down!) I promise you won't regret it. There is no style that is more versatile than the classic look. And I'm not talking the high-priced kind. Pairing jeans with a pretty sweater, scarf and cute pair of shoes is an outfit that would fit into anyone's budget. It's also an outfit that you won't feel out of place wearing to school, church, the mall or a nice restaurant.

I'm a long way from my goal of having a completely "classyfied" wardrobe but with discretion, taste, and determination, I'll get there someday. :)