Honey, what’s your style?

Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.

bo derek

Anytime I feel a shift in the seasons, (especially the start of autumn), I begin eyeing the cedar chest with renewed interest. I know my sweaters are in there, and I just can’t wait to see them again! Nothing is better than the day when I switch out my spring/summer staples with my fall/winter pieces. Seeing my favorites is like greeting an old, dear friend.

My wardrobe has gone through a bit of a shift in the last couple of years. It all started with gray hair. I am one of those folks who always thought I would dye my hair. Then, my scalp started becoming incredibly sensitive, and hair color really exacerbated the problem. That’s when my hairdresser gently nudged me towards the “natural” look. Or, should I say, the NEW natural look. Because my hair was no longer my natural dark brown…it was gray!

We cut my hair super short to get rid of most of the hair color, and suddenly, I was a different person. A fully fledged Silver-Strand Society member. And, I actually liked it. It took a while to get used to, but it “grew” on me. However, I didn’t like the way I looked in some of my clothes. I felt… off. So, I called my mother, and she, who knew my wardrobe, laughed and said, “yes, I went through this too. Camel and brown don’t always look that great with gray hair”. She was right. The main neutral in my wardrobe was camel, which went beautifully with my honey-colored dyed locks. I had lots of navy and black also, which looked fine with the gray. But, with a few exceptions, the camel – at least for me – had to go.

I loved my camel-based clothes. They were warm and cozy. And, I’m hoping some lovely woman is using and enjoying all my beautiful camel-colored sweaters. I let them leave with a heavy heart. Silver (ha!) lining? I just HAD to go shopping! Now, I’ve learned to embrace gray (both on my head and on my body). I now really enjoy it. I’m learning to see the differences between a cool gray and a warm gray. To experience the same cozy in gray that I always did in camel.

Now that I’m retired, I’m finding that I need to pare down the “collection” in my closet once again. I am realizing that some of the clothes that I wore to work, (and I was lucky enough to have a job that didn’t require a super sophisticated wardrobe), still just don’t work anymore! I have been toying with the idea of a “capsule” wardrobe (all the rage!). However, I refuse to go into one of those extreme capsule plans that only allow you a certain amount of pieces. I need what I need. So, I’m perusing catalogues, and getting a sense of what I really like and… important…. what I’ll ACTUALLY wear.

My problem? I tend to have a vision of myself that is not always truthful. I think I’ll wear button up blouses, when, in fact, a unstructured sweatshirt made of french terry is more my speed. Leggings? Yes, please! Jeans? Yes, but only if they’re super comfy and have enough stretch. Cowl-necks? All day long! It helps to know that my sartorial philosophy has always been, “if it feels like pajamas, I’m in”.

So, for the next few weeks, in preparation for fall, I’m going to let you in on my revelations about what I’m purchasing, and what works for filling in the gaps in my wardrobe. Also, what I’m going to let leave my closet and – very Marie Kondo – thank it for its service as it departs. I’ll keep you posted. And, I’d love to know what floats your boat around this subject.

Next time, on the blog, we’ll talk about another favorite recipe! Until Monday, my friends!