Off, So Off-Price Shopping?

Another day, another casual outfit.  I am not sure what I am going to do next week when I am back at work and will no longer be able to be quite so casual in my dress.  I am definitely enjoying being very comfortable ... and catching up on all my reading.  I wish that I had had the forethought to stock up on DVDs for the week (but I didn't).

The other day, I went to one of the city's larger off-price stores, comparable to Filene's Basement in NYC.  I usually have a hard time shopping at this particular off-price store.  I fall in love with tons of stuff and end up walking away with many things that, in the light of day (i.e., in my home), I just can't make anything of.  This time around, I tried something new at the store, in an effort to ensure that I only walked away with clothes that I could make something of at home.  Instead of just ooh-ing and aah-ing at the clothes, I tried working each thing that I tried on into my existing wardrobe.  I imagine that this shopping technique is quite common (in fact, I just finished reading a post where the blogger says that she doesn't buy an item of clothing if she can't imagine wearing it, with her existing pieces of clothing, in the fitting room).  The thing is: I don't usually resort to this technique.  Ordinarily, if I love a piece of clothing, I buy it.  Somehow I usually manage to make it work subsequently.  But, so far, if I love a piece of clothing that I find at an off-price store, if I buy it, I can't seem to do anything with it, no matter how much I try.  Hence, my trying to resort to the shopping technique.  I am pleased to report that it worked.  I only walked away from my off-price shopping trip with clothing that I know I will be able to do something with.  And, if it's proof you are after, then look no further than today's outfit.  The vest was one of my off-price finds.

I am wearing a waffle lined flannel shirt from LLBean, an old scarf, a Calvin Klein Jeans sweater vest from an off-price store, un-sweatpants by Roots, old socks from an off-price store and an old barn jacket from Lands End.  My boots are Bogs.

My Next Accessory: A Cottage?

Given all the "Going to the Cottage (If I had One)" outfits I have been wearing as of late, I should probably consider getting a rural retreat!  The other day, I started thinking of my late grandma, wondering if she may be the source of some of my "rural inspired" outfits.  My grandma was a worker.  At my family's cottage, she  mowed the lawn, cleared brush for a garden, gardened, chopped wood, helped to build the storage shed, etc.  When she was doing all this "manual labour", she would wear slacks and men's shirts and, when it was cold, lots of different coloured and mismatched patterned layers.  When she was finished, she would clean up and put on a blouse and skirt or a dress, keeping the casual feel and mismatching of colours and patterns of her work outfits.  In the city, I rarely saw her wearing pants; it was always the dresses and skirts.  I don't remember consciously opting for my grandma's style of dress, but I would definitely say that I have adopted elements of it: the love of skirts and dresses, the wearing of men's shirts, the wearing of layers, the wearing of different colours and mismatched patterns.  Although, unlike my grandma, who wore pants only to work in, I wear pants just for the sake of wearing them, however infrequently that may be.

I promise that I will stop wearing my new Bogs soon ... as soon as it stops raining!  I think that I have become acclimated to the rain.  I really don't mind it now.  Especially since I have these new Bogs that I love to bits.

I am wearing an old jersey blouse from Lands End, an old silver pin, an old dress by Susan Harris Design, an old wrap cardigan by Susan Harris Design, an old quilted vest from the Gap, old long johns by Stanfields and old socks from an off-price store.  My boots are Bogs.

Another Day At The Pretend Cottage

Lately, my Saturdays are turning out to be less activity filled than they used to be, meaning that my "official day" (i.e., my day of yoga) ends at least two hours earlier than usual.  This gives me more time to do household chores on Saturdays, meaning that I have more time to do fun things, or nothing at all, as my mood dictates, on Sundays.  This pleases me ... a lot!  Although, for reasons that I won't go into, I shouldn't be so happy about how things are turning out.

Today's outfit was another "Going to the Cottage (If I Had One)" outfit:  Comfy and cosy.  I wonder how many of these I will be wearing in the upcoming week?

Have I yet mentioned how much I love my new Bogs?

I am wearing an LLBean waffle lined flannel shirt with an old polka dot scarf, an old vest from the Gap, un-sweatpants by Roots and an old barn jacket from Lands End.  My socks are old from an off-price store and my boots are Bogs.

Soap Opera And Going To The Cottage

So one of the two JCrew items that I mentioned yesterday I was (sort of) coveting is now off my wish list.  How come?  Because since mentioning the items, I have been to the Gap, where I purchased a black jacket with grey piping.  The Gap jacket was on sale and, as such, way more of a practical purchase for me than the JCrew jacket.  In addition, after trying the Gap jacket on, I realized that I much prefer grey piping on a black jacket than white piping on a black jacket.  So the JCrew black jacket with white piping is off my wish list.  The shawl collar cardigan with contrast tipping, however, is still on my wish list.

Since I seem to be picking up today from exactly where I left off yesterday, let me continue.  Yesterday, when I got to work, I started questioning my choice of footwear.  I kept thinking that I should have worn "those brown Kicker boots".  When I got home, I thought that I would just try on "those brown Kicker boots" to see if my thinking was correct.  So I went to get "those brown Kicker boots".  Funny thing.  It turns out I don't have any brown Kicker boots; I have black Kicker boots (and brown Kicker shoes).  Because I couldn't give up on the idea that I should have worn brown boots, I tried on my brown Fluevog boots.  I think that I made the right choice of boots.  Maybe.

In addition to questioning my choice of boots yesterday, I also questioned my choice of coat.  I realized that I am having what is turning out to be a perennial problem of picking appropriate coats.  I am not entirely sure why it matters so much to me to pick appropriate coats, but it does, and, since it does, I really need to figure out how to do so.  Maybe if I didn't stop my planning of outfits short of a coat?  I suppose it is something to try.

As for today's outfit, it is an outfit that I put together last week after going to the Susan Harris Design open house.  At that time, I said that I wasn't sure that I would ever wear, but, truth be told, with each passing day since "creating it", I have been itching more and more for an occasion to wear it.  I like to call it my "Going to the Cottage (If I Had One) Outfit".  It is definitely a warm, comfy, cosy outfit.  And it was totally appropriate for today's weather.  It was just one degree celsius when I got up this morning (heading for a daytime high of just nine degrees celsius) and, on the radio, they said that there had been snow flurries to the north of my city.  Brrrrr!  It's probably a good thing that I like sweaters as much as I do!

I am wearing an old tshirt from the Gap, a sweater dress by Susan Harris Design, an old cardigan by Susan Harris Design, an old scarf by Susan Harris Design, leggings from Old Navy and an old barn jacket from Lands End.  My socks are old from an off-price store and my boots are Bogs.

A Coat And A Suit

Since I don't have much to say about today's outfit, other than that I added an old H&M suit to yesterday's new H&M coat, I thought that I would make today's post one of those random thoughts about clothes posts (since I do have a couple of random thoughts about clothes to share).  So here goes.

Random thought number one:  On Tuesday, I finally wore an outfit, inspired by the Autumn/Winter 2011 twenty-seven names collection, that had been waiting to be worn for a couple of weeks.  It occurred to me this evening that there is a second outfit, inspired by the Autumn/Winter 2011 twenty-seven names collection, and created around the same time as the outfit that I wore on Tuesday was, that is still waiting to be worn.  This second outfit just keeps slipping out of my consciousness when it leaves my sight.  I really have no idea when I might wear this second outfit.

Random thought number two:  Yesterday, I received a package from LLBean.  I ordered those Lace Snowbell Boots in graphite about a week ago and, yesterday, they arrived.  There were two other items in the package: two waffle-lined flannel shirts.  I had a few free hours today, so I thought that I would try on one of the shirts.  As soon as I put it on, I fell in love with it and began styling it.  At some point, I recalled an LLBean flannel shirt that I had seen in an editorial last year.  I remember being drawn to it, wanting it and trying to find it, to no avail, at LLBean.  I think that the flannel shirts that I bought this year are the flannel shirt that was in the editorial.   I was new to LLBean last year.  Having had more experience with LLBean, I now realize that the reason why I probably couldn't find the shirt last year was because, by the time I had gotten around to looking for it, LLBean had sold out of it.  Weird, huh?  How I happen to buy this year, by happenstance, what I wanted to buy last year.

I am wearing a coat from H&M and an old suit from H&M.  My tights are from my sock drawer and my booties are by Neosens.

You Say Pota-toe, I Say Pota-tow

Lately, I have been pondering my love of plaid, wool, tweed, quilted jackets and wellies, in connection with this notion of grunge.  Can some of what I wear be described as grunge style?  I have never thought of my outfits being grunge style. But if my references and the references for grunge are the same, I guess they could be called grunge style.

The boots that I wore today are new Bogs.  I suspect that I will be wearing them a lot in the near future, particularly if Winter this year is like Winter was last year, i.e. not a lot of snow.

When I got home today, a package from LLBean was waiting for me.  Last week, I commented on a blog how I had developed "a thing" for LLBean last Winter.  Today, my third pair of Bean boots arrived.  Clearly I have a thing for LLBean.  These latest Bean boots are fleece lined and have front zips.  Though I don't expect to be wearing them any time soon, I do expect to be wearing them quite a bit come Winter (when I am not wearing the new Bogs).  I tried them on and, not only are they toasty warm, they are also very comfortable.

My LLBean package also included a pair of Lace Snowbell Boots, described on the LLBean website as "inspired by vintage Eskimo-style boots in the L.L.Bean archives".  The boots were available in brown and graphite.  When I first saw them, I wanted both colours.  Eventually, I talked myself into getting the brown ones first and getting the graphite ones if I loved the brown ones once I got my hands (literally) on them.  Well I love the brown ones.  So I guess I will be ordering the graphite ones.  I hope that LLBean will still have them in stock in my size by the time I can order them.  The Bogs and new Bean boots will have to step aside every once in a while this Winter for the Lace Snowbell Boots, because they too are awesome (in my humble opinion).

I am wearing an H&M top, an old quilted Gap vest, an old H&M bubble skirt, an old H&M belt, an old Kensie coat, old Gap leggings, old LLBean socks and Bogs.

Lessons Learned

I learned something today.  I am not happy when I pair sweats, even "un-sweats", with sweats (or "sweats" like clothing).  Today started out with me wearing un-sweatpants with a hoodie sweater.  Unhappiness big time!  Now if I can only remember today's lesson.

I am wearing a flannel shirt from Urban Outfitters, a pin from my jewellery box, an old sweater from Zara, un-sweatpants from Roots, socks from an off-price store and old Fluevog boots.

Originally Broadcast On ...

I found myself with a couple of extra hours on my hands this morning.  So I sped up my "yoga day", finishing it two hours sooner that I ordinarily would, giving me two extra hours to sort through my closet and pare down my wardrobe.  I am almost finished with this occasion of closet cleaning/wardrobe purging.  I realize that it might be less time consuming overall if I were to closet clean/wardrobe purge more than twice or thrice a year.  Something to consider.  Any suggestions as to how often I should closet clean/wardrobe purge?

As I have probably already mentioned, dressing for the weekend is difficult for me.  Oddly, it has become somewhat easier since I started this blog.

I am wearing an old Zara dress, an old JCrew sweater, an old Gap quilted vest, an old Gap scarf and old Old Navy leggings.  My socks are by MacGregor and my boots are old by Fluevog.

Reruns

It was a bit chillier today than I thought it was going to be.  Ah well.  It meant that I got to experience, a little earlier than anticipated, that comforting, embracing, warm feeling that I love (and have talked about before) that comes from coming indoors on a chilly Fall (or cold Winter) day.

As for today's outfit, I wore it, more or less, on a couple of days last Spring.  I suspect that I may be doing "reruns" (from last Winter and early Spring) quite a bit this Fall and Winter, for a variety of reasons, including that I have resolved to cut down on the amount of new clothing that I purchase and that I see nothing wrong with reruns (if it isn't broken, don't fix it), no matter how boring this may be for those around me.

I am wearing an old Old Navy shirt, an old scarf from my accessories collection, an old JCrew sweater, an old American Apparel skirt and an old H&M belt.  My tights are from my sock drawer and my shoes are by Fluevog.