Wardrobe Planning: S/S Change of Plans

Unrelated Personal Photo

Whenever I have made up a wardrobe plan for myself , I've always wished I had the money to buy everything right away. After all, I've just spent so much time assessing my needs, my tastes, my ethics... Of course my plan is perfect, it only needs to be completed!

Except not. In this case, definitely not. Which is why I'm rather surprised to find myself appreciating not being so financially endowed as to be able to buy a new wardrobe at the drop of a hat (not a pun, I swear.) Who knew low incomes were so environmentally friendly? They produce so much less waste! And, as I have just discovered, expensive learning experiences.

The things I now know since making my original Spring & Summer 2014 plan?

•  I do not look good in white. 4-5 pieces I had planned are white. Apparently, they aren't any longer.
• It is a lot warmer in my office than I thought it would be. 3/4 sleeve tops and multiple cardigans, you may be excused.
• So now I have maybe 4 tops suitable for when the daily temperatures average Hell. 
• Did you know closed toe shoes are also fairly uncomfortable in that sort of weather?
• In other news, it so happens Pinterest makes those quick and easy alterations I had in mind for thrift store pieces look a lot quicker and easier than they really are. 
• And finally: finding non-leather, long-lasting, attractive bags and shoes is REALLY REALLY HARD. I implore you not to question the necessity of capslock in that statement until you've tried finding some.

In other words, had I been able, I would have originally bought a lot of stuff I would have ended up disposing after one or two wears because it didn't work for me. That's the same wasteful outcome as buying with little thought, but with more of my time thrown away with everything else. Now I think I understand why the word 'slowly' is often used when explaining how a capsule wardrobe is built. Up until this point, I may have been willfully blocking that particular descriptor out. :)

Because it does take time to assess your needs - and that time isn't always spent making lists of what to buy or shopping to check things off, as I probably expected, but also actually experiencing those needs. So you, like, know they exist. That's a sort of organic element I didn't expect when I was attracted to the apparently analytical concept of wardrobe planning.

With that said, I will go and rearrange my plan based on what I've discovered so far, now with the expectation I am probably doing it completely wrong. :)