Hello & Goodbye: July 2014

I really cannot believe it's the last week of August. I've had a lot going on (including a job change!) so time has not-so-literally flown for me. I even didn't do a post for June, because I just couldn't be bothered. I'll probably catch up with that later on; I did actually get some interesting things that month. Anyway, here's what I had for July:

Hello & Goodbye: April 2014

Tan & Coral Linen Dress, Personal Photo

This post is rather long, but here's what I purchased and purged this April. I noticed some themes this month that I wanted to address in greater detail, which is why I didn't combine these purchases with the ones from May: the word count would have been enormous. Or, more so than it already was. I may need to work on being a little more succinct. That's never been a strong point of my writing, as I'm sure you can tell!

Hello & Goodbye: May 2014

I'm not reviewing my purchases from April yet, because there's something else I'd like to discuss along with them. I also didn't discard anything in May, so I only have Hello!s this time, but with many Goodbye!s to premier in June, ha.  :)

Curating: A Navy Dress Experience

Crochet Cocktail Dress by Blueband

When I first started my wardrobe plan, I knew for certain that I wanted to add a work appropriate navy dress to my closet. I've probably mentioned before, but I'm slightly obsessed with navy. An improvement from the past, when looking at my wardrobe one could only assume my life's goal was  to become the world's first navy/human hybrid species. And my sub species would have been navy-dress-human, because, really. They. are. all. cute. In other words, it's not hard for me to like any of them, so I ended up buying the first one I tried on. I found it in a thrift store while looking for some much needed work clothes. It was from Target, 100% polyester, empire waisted with a deep v-neck. To give you an idea of the inappropriateness of those cuts, let's just say I'm 27 and still fit into Forever 21 tops. 

Care: Washing Less Experiment

Laundry || Personal Photo

I've often heard that two of the best ways to make your clothing last longer are to air dry and wash less. Fair enough, as most substances will break down with either heat, water or friction ( the latter being part of what makes the washing machine so useful). And, easy enough to avoid the dryer - all you need is a drying rack, a little space, and some time.

But to not wash your clothes after every wear? I had done it in the past, but I was in a very lax environment, not to mention being a cheapo living in an apartment with no washer or dryer. Now I'm in a job where my appearance is quite visible, and have access to a washing machine whenever I need it. So after each wear, I just ran everything through the washer to make it presentable again. It was the simplest way to address my laundry, so of course I liked it. :)

Then I read this post about ways to reduce the impact of our clothing on This Kind Choice, and wondered if some of the reasons I had for washing more often didn't come from preemptively trying to fit in to my new environment by doing what I assumed others thought of as hygienic. We definitely have a huge focus on sanitation here in the U.S., and while that is awesome for a lot of things, it's overly cautious in others.

So, I figured I may as well experiment if I could get away with washing my work clothes a little less often without any repercussions (ie, someone telling me I smelled.) I didn't expect to be very successful, but I was surprised.

My clothes looked and smelled fine. There were some exceptions and I had to learn a few things along the way, but it was a very easy process, and everything turned out well. I never got told I stank, in other words.

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. :)

Care: Storing Wool for the Summer

Wool care should start early || Image Copyright State Library of Victoria

Note: I use the term wool to include cashmere, though that's technically incorrect. Cashmere comes from goats, while wool comes from sheepies (their scientific name.) 

Also: Although I prefer not to use animal products, I don't mind buying  wool items if they're made from the wool of  humanely treated sheep, or if the garment is secondhand. 

While I love wearing my wool sweaters, cardigans and coats during the winter, I have to admit, I'm not too upset it's now time for them to be put away. I am over cold weather  - that is, until the next four months pass and I'll welcome it in place of our lovely 90+ degrees Fahrenheit days! Funny how that happens.

Anyway, I'm actually very happy with the wool pieces I was able to add to my wardrobe this winter, so I've put a little more effort than usual into learning how to store them correctly. I thought I'd compile the information I found here as a reference for next summer when they'll hopefully still be around for me to store again!

Storage

1. Always clean your wool garments prior to storing them. Brush with a lint brush or clothing brush to remove any debris, then dryclean or hand-wash as the care tag recommends. Moths and their larvae are attracted the insect delicacies of body oil, hair and skin particles deposited on an item when it's worn, so clean those sweaters up and make them the low-sodium, reduced fat rice cakes of the sartorial world! 
2. Place items in an airtight bag or plastic bin. This will make it harder for those hungry moths, or any other unwanted critters, to get to them. 
3.  To kill any moth eggs that may already be in your garment, place the airtight container in the freezer for 24 hours.
4.  Remove your container from the freezer and, if you'd like, add further moth deterrents such as mothballs (with caution), or their "natural" alternatives like cedar chips or lavender sachets
5. Store in your preferred place, and enjoy wearing your lovely wool garments next winter.

Cleaning

Washing wool seems a bit intimidating at first, but it's not very difficult as long as you know how to do it. Just remember, heat (either from hot water or the dryer) and agitation (through the spin cycle of the washing machine, or wringing or rubbing when hand-washing) are to be avoided, as they are what causes the shrinkage and damage most people associate with cleaning wool.

1. Fill a bucket or sink with cold water and allow the woolen item to soak for a couple hours to prevent shrinkage. 
2. Remove and let the garment soak for about ten minutes in another bucket or sink full of cold water mixed with a little gentle shampoo or wool detergent. 
3. Rinse, but do not wring out excess water, as this may damage the garment's shape. Roll gently into a towel to soak up the extra moisture.
4. Lay the item out flat on a drying rack in the shape it's worn. Let it rest until it's completely dry - this could take anywhere from a couple hours for a lightweight item, like a scarf, to over a day for something heavier, like a coat.

More Information:

1. Pendleton Woolen Mills: Product Care

2. Ibex: How to Care for Your Wool

3. About.com: Storing Wool

4. Real Simple: How to Clean and Care for a Wool Sweater

Please let me know if you have any further suggestions or corrections on this topic. I admit this is my first time learning much of this. :)