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If you know about my minimalism (or semi-minimalism journey, rather) then you know that I am not big on shopping for clothing often. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love fashion and new clothes, but I have never been a big shopper. I do my best not to buy for the sake of buying. In the past, low funds made my shopping choices for me, but now that I am older and making my own money, my fashion buys are intentional and determined more on necessity and true wants instead of fashion desires. For that very reason, every season I have been curating and adding to my closet to create a well-rounded collection of items that are my style, durable, well-fitting, versatile, and long-lasting. I am all for trying new trends, but I only shop for clothing that I truly feel will get a lot of wear and last the test of time. My goals is to purchase clothing that I can wear again and again over many years to come.
One thing I truly dislike is being cold. I love autumn in New England, and winter too, however, once temps run under 70, I want to bundle up with layers. In the past I have reworn my favorite winter pants and sweatshirts, which has been great, but not very versatile when you work in a formal office environment and not necessarily fun if you enjoy expressing yourself with clothing choices. Last year I added plaid shirts, dark wash denim jeans, duck rain boots, an Adirondack jacket, great thick knit socks, and a warm down vest to my autumn clothing selection. It kept me warm and comfortable as we tracked around New England for fall adventures. I also love pulling out old favorites form the years before; my favorite cozy sweaters, my grey sweater dress, and my warm ankle boots. This year I have a couple new items on my wish list to compliment the items that I already own and appreciate.
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Knee-high rain boots
As a good set of tall rain boots can run between $80-150, this item might not make the cut this year (I am a girl on a budget after all), but it will be making a reappearance on my wish list for next autumn. Having a sturdy pair of rainbows is invaluable this time of year in New England and they’re also great for snow days too.
A wrap jacket
I am not brave enough to spend money on a white or ivory jacket that can be easily stained around the sleeves and collar, but I will be adding a classic beige wrap jacket to my collection this autumn. For work or a night out, it is simply classic and timeless. Not to mention, this jacket from H&M reminds me of something the stylish Meghan Markle would wear.
A plaid coat
I have a tan plaid jacket with a faux-fur lining on my wish list this year, like this one from Forever 21. None of these are affiliate links, I simply happen to like these items and wish to share them. It is a great price, great for autumn, and the faux-fur (never real fur for me) lining is removable for versatile looks and added warm for winter. It is just classic enough that it will stand up the test of fashion time for years to come and it will be perfect for Thanksgiving when its getting much colder, but still not quite winter. When it gets cold, jackets are a great way to show off your style while staying warm. I rotate between a few favorite pieces of outerwear, some well over ten years old, so I am excited to add something new.
Renew My Old Jackets
This is not a new item to add to my list, but rather, to renew my old favorites. I have several lovely jackets that I have collected over the years including a maroon coat I purchased during my study abroad semester in England back in 2010, but many of them are in need of some serious loving. Ripped liners, missing buttons, worn out sleeves, pilling, and holes in the pockets. They’re much loved, but also fixable. This year I plan on taking them to my favorite tailor for some extra care and then to the dry cleaners. Who says you have to buy new clothes to look your best?
Blazers and Jersey Jackets
As much as I love my favorite cozy sweaters, some days are simply warmer than others and being able to have layers is wonderful during the working day when you go form hot to cold to hot and then cold again. H&M is my go-to place for blazers. I already own a classic black, grey, and navy so this year I am hoping to add some seasonal colors such as tweeds, browns, and plaids.
A Matching Suit Set
I would like to add a warm matching suit set to my collection this autumn, consisting of a high waisted skirt and blazer.
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A Two-Piece Set
I fell in love with two-piece sets this summer and I was sad packing them away for the cold season. Then I found this cute two-piece set at Forever 21 (that looks like a jumpsuit) that works perfectly with the beginning of autumn.
Corduroy Pants
I used to own a few pairs of corduroy clothing items, but I have long since donated them for various reasons. One of those reasons is that my husband has an aversion to the texture of corduroy and it really freaks him out. The other is that many of those items were from way back in high school and the fits were much baggier than my now preferred fitted styles. I do not plan on going overboard with everything corduroy, but I do miss having brown corduroy pants for autumn! They’re just so darn warm, cute, and seasonal. My old pair were low-rise bell bottoms, which have been making a come back, but this time around I found a great pair of high-rise skinny pants at Forever 21. They also come in a nice shade of navy blue. I’m hoping that this pair will last me years to come.
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Casual sweaters
I already own a few casual sweaters, but this year I am hoping to add a few other colors and styles.
A Biker Jacket
Sadly, my old biker jacket was made of faux-leather, so it only lasted a few years before it started to crumble and it was my absolute favorite. I don’t feel comfortable buying a real leather jacket and they cost a lot more, but I was weary of replacing another jacket yet again if it will only last a year or two before adding to a landfill. The dilemma was solved for me when I was picking up my old winter coat from my mother’s coat closet the other night. In the closet was a collection of her old leather jackets form when she was a teenager and young adult. They fit me perfectly, but most of them had really big puffy 80’s shoulders that will never come back in style. Thankfully, there was one deep maroon jacket that has stood through the test of time. My mom let me take it to clean it up and give it some loving care. Reusing old clothing is environmentally friendly and it will keep me from having to buy another jacket.
The best course of action when cultivating your own seasonal wardrobe is to remove all unnecessary items first. Recycle any items that are stained or ripped beyond repair then create a donate pile for all items that you simply don’t like, are too big/ too small/ fit funny, and don’t make you feel your best. Before putting all items away, create a pile for repairs. If items like old sweaters have pilling, repairable holes, or missing buttons, put them in a to-fix pile and make sure to take care of them in a timely manner. Once you know what you’re keeping you can run an inventory to see what you need: more winter socks, more sweaters, new pants, blazers, etc. Appreciate what you already own and have fun selecting items that you truly need and want. And as always, when purchasing new items ask yourself: do I really need this item? Do I truly love it/want it? Does it fit into my budget? Is it versatile? Will it last several years of wear? Is it very trendy or is it timeless? And most of all, have fun.
