The Wardrobe Architect: Color Story

The color story was a little difficult for me. I've been buying clothes for years based on whatever I could find that fit me. This really limited my options greatly. After thinking about what I really like, I came up with some ideas. I spent quite some time coming up with colors that, hopefully, represent the colors I had in my mind.

The Neutrals

camel, black, light gray (preferably textured or heathered), navy, chocolate brown

Not So Nearly Neutrals

plum, burgundy, green, teal, coral

Statement Colors

 orange, green, aqua, pale pink, fuchsia

Metallics

gold, silver, pewter

I realize the the 2 greens are nearly the same, but I guess I am just that excited about green! The colors also seemed to change with the white background. The navy, plum, and burgundy were much deeper. :( These still give the basic idea of the colors I am trying to use.  This has really made me excited to start building my new wardrobe!

The Wardrobe Architect: Silhouettes

These silhouettes really define my style. I'm not sure what else there is to say about that. :)

Wide leg pant + loose top + fitted jacket

business casual by laurahoj featuring wide leg pants

Wrap dress

wrap dress by laurahoj featuring Diane Von Furstenberg

Fitted skirt + fitted shirt + fitted jacket

sunday skirt by laurahoj featuring ruched tops

Wide leg trouser + skimming tee + cardigan

cardi/trouser by laurahoj featuring a citrine necklace

Fitted dress + cardigan

sunday best by laurahoj featuring flat soled shoes

Bootcut trouser/jeans + loose tee + loose cardigan

casual cardi by laurahoj featuring boot cut jeans

Wardrobe Architect: week 2

The second week of this project was harder than I thought it would be. I second guess myself and my style, I guess. I had a little help from my husband and my younger sister. Thankfully.

The goal this week is to uncover the styles that feel like yourself and attach words and images to them.

When I'm wearing my favorite clothing I feel confident.

When I'm wearing something that isn't quite right I feel really uncomfortable, and sometimes fat. I want to avoid this. I want to avoid feeling out of place or like I'm wearing someone else's clothes.


I didn't really think I had any style icons. Then I realized that mine are characters in TV shows. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel, Bones), Carrie Wells (Poppy Montgomery, Unforgettable), and Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack, In Plain Sight) are all characters whose style I noticed while watching them. They all have a common thread- they wear jackets or cardigans- often.

I love looking at clothes and other things that feminine and flirty. I don't think this style works for me, though. When I try to pull off this style I feel like it just isn't me.

I asked my husband what he thinks my style is. He described me as classy, older Hollywood actresses, ie Audrey Hepburn. More in the sense that they always looked put together and would never be caught having an off day where style was concerned.  I took this into account when figuring out my style words.

I narrowed it down to three: classic, put together, with a touch of edgy. I think I already knew this, but was so unsure of myself that I couldn't put it into words. I also create a Pinterest board representing these words.

Wardrobe Architect: week 1

I am a little late in starting, but since I need a whole new wardrobe I felt this was a great project for me.
Sarai of Colette Patterns started the Wardrobe Architect: Designing and Building Thoughtful Attire. For week 1, there is a worksheet. I was a bit intimidated by the idea of this, but it wasn't so bad once I started.

So here goes:

History
I was really tall at an early age. In kindergarten, I already had trouble finding pants that were long enough for me. This has never changed.
I grew up in a poor family. We didn't get new clothes often. My grandmother used to send money for clothes on our birthday and my would take us shopping. Somehow my older sister always got to come along on my birthday. We wouldn't get to go until after dinner, when the mall was about to close. Usually we ended up grabbing whatever my sister picked out just as the store was closing. I wasn't really encouraged to develop my own style. There was one year in high school that my sister didn't go along with us. *hallelujah* I got to go to the stores I liked and picked out what I really wanted.
In junior high and high school I tended to dress more alternatively. The same sister, who is a year older than me, was more preppy and popular. She tried to influence me in how I dressed and acted. I so strongly wanted her approval and to be my own person at the same time. I didn't really fit in anywhere- I wasn't grunge, goth, punk, or prep (which was pretty much all the categories there were back then). I was a mash up of everything. Finding a style has been a struggle for me from the start.
I was sewing as a teen, and I mostly sewed dresses- sort of baby doll dresses, but longer. I made a pant suit and LOVED it. I wore it to school in 8th grade. I was all over the place!

Philosophy
I believe in moderation in all things, not that I always live by this. Are we all works in progress? I don't strive to have a closet packed full of clothes. My closet has been quite bare for years. I just want to have more than one pair of jeans! I also want to teach my daughters that quality is important and quantity, collecting things, is not. *I see you over there, fabric stash, with your "do as I say, not as I do" taunting.* Work in progress, y'all...

Culture
I grew up in the midwest. People there dressed fairly well. I moved to the east coast after high school. Casual in that area of the country is more of a business casual attire. People dress up on the East Coast. We moved to Oregon not long after we got married. It was pretty much culture shock! People went out to eat in tye-dye and sweats. We aren't talking fast food joints, we're talking sit down restaurants. I was way overdressed walking the malls in my khakis. Here in Vegas, it is very random. You will see people in formal gowns next to someone in sweats.
I personally don't think loungewear is appropriate for anything but lounging, but I see people wearing that and exercise clothes at the grocery store all the time.

Community
I do follow cues from those around me as to how to dress, whether it be casual or formal.

Activities
I'm a stay at home mom. My daily activities require clothes that are washable. I mostly go for pants on a daily basis, as I don't want to worry about keeping covered while wrangling kids. It's windy here! It isn't easy to hold down a skirt while grabbing a boy who tries to run off in parking lots. I also go out with my husband. I usually try to dress up a bit when we go out.

Location
I live in a desert. I don't need big winter coats. With air conditioning, I can wear long pants year in the summer. Mostly I need several swim suits and plenty of pool side attire. :)

Body
I was very thin until I had children. That is no longer the case. I have struggled to accept how I look now in comparison to how I used to look. I haven't learned how to dress for my figure, as finding clothes that fit in stores is nearly impossible. I am ready to figure it out!

In doing this worksheet, I have learned a few things about myself and my style. I am excited to continue working on this project and develop my style and wardrobe.