What's in My Closet?

It's list theme at MaNaMoBlo and Susan of one my my favorite fashion (and more) blogs asked us to list our wardrobe basics, so I'm in luck (not to mention a little late). I've started a "letter to my body" but that's a bit harder to write. I'm 39 with two active boys, 4 and 5. I work full time in a fairly conservative company, but have been known to go from work to park, which wreaks havoc on the pointy heels. I live in northern CA so we don't have real winters or anything, but I do dress slightly different in the summer vs winter.



The clothes I wear over and over are the ones that I think I look wonderful in, and make me feel great. Those range from a great fitting pair of jeans (got Lucky with a pair at Marshalls :), to high heels with peep toes and some really comfy and flattering wrap dresses. I've been gaining weight lately, which makes me wear more long tops (which sometimes make me look preggo - aack) and avoid some of my t-shirts with pants or jeans. I also suck at laundry, can't iron worth shit so either pay for dry cleaning, go way too long without wearing something, or, worst case, ruined some perfectly lovely sweaters. This means I have way too many clothes since I forget about some and buy more (not to mention ye old retail therapy).

Just one more reason I have too many clothes, before I get to my list, is I tend to latch on to trends that I think flatter me, like high heel shoes, a-line and wrap dresses of late, and these cute tunic type long shirts. Even though I'm short I love the boot cut high heel boot jeans look, makes me feel tall :) I also love how my boss (also short, but tiny) dresses, and get sucked into wanting to buy what she has - we even have an outfit that is so similar, but makes me feel like I have the "affordable version" :) I tend go with one look/trend for a while, then switch to another look. I feel like some day I should really choose a "style" and stick with it.

1. Shoes: no matter how many I have, the women at work have way more. I love my high heel shoes and boots, but also try to have several very comfortable/good for my feet walking type shoes. They range from $60 DSW boots to $6 Target thongs, just purchased tonight in orange and brown. I have a wide foot, so really don't fit in much, and tend to wear out my favorites like these comfortable brown loafers and mustard color high heels.


2. White button down shirts: I just discovered three of those that had been waiting to be dry cleaned for ages. I have an awesome one with a zip up side and v-neck type front to wear over a tank, slimming but does not tuck in. I wear those over black or khaki pants and just got a new cropped one-button black sweater that goes well. Also have a green and a black plaid blazer.


3. Skirts: while I love all the great patterned skirts, they really don't fit in with my work, so I've got a great jeans and a black plaid a-line that I wear a lot, they are tight then flare out. Looks great with boots. I used to wear cute and light floral skirts but they all got too small and don't even miss them anymore.


4. Jeans: staple for casual fridays and days when I just want to feel comfortable. Two pair that look good, one getting too tight in waist. I would love to have someone just tell me what looks good, as I've spent way to many hours looking at jeans, and often end up sticking to one pair having bought others that "fit" but just don't look as good.


5. Capris in khaki, white, black, brown - I need to lose some weight to look better in these, as the ones I have just don't cut it, either too big or too small. My favorite have actually been from Costco.


6. That one outfit that I just love - this year it's a pair of brown pants from Ann Taylor loft, and one of those sweater vest over patterned shirt combos in brown, that you wear outside the pants (noticing a pattern here :) I wear that all the time, and switch to brown capris in the summer.


7. Black pants are a staple, but haven't been wearing those as much lately. I've been trying to spice things up since I work with more fun dressers these days.


8. Wrap and other polyester dresses: I love these, and have one in black/striped and one bright green and black I wore at the Blogher conference. I have to say they make my boobs look great, IMHO :) Again, I don't have much occasion to wear dresses.


9. I tend to forget about my sweaters, but then I get cold. I've got a cute purple sweater which crosses over in the front that I used to wear constantly. Love it but it's getting old. I actually saw some similar ones at INC but have been resisting those.
10. Just quickly cover weekends here, which are so up in the air. Might throw on my old army green cargo pants, yellow shirt and old walking shoes, which I put on today, but think I wore like every weekend for about 5 months last year, until they got too tight. The next day I might dress it up with jeans and a layered T-shirt look with cute shoes. Or perhaps it's workout clothes, in the hopes I'll actually get in a workout either at the park or later. And then we'll go out, and I'll be all tarted up and the rest of the family will wearing soccer gear :)