I worked out this system (and I’m still working out the bugs) when I was cleaning out my closet a few months ago and realized that I have so many roles that one clothing style simply won’t work.
There is:
“Nurse me” who wears scrubs—definitely not elegant. Healthcare is probably the most fashion challenged industry.
“Day-after-the-night-shift me” who comes home at quarter to eight in the morning and collapses in her bed in a twitching heap. This me is not at all interested in fashion, but only comfort. This me wears lounge pants and slightly longish turtlenecks with a long cardigan sweater. Again, not very elegant, although I’ve seen the whole lounge pants-turtleneck-long cardigan ensemble in the Lands End catalogue, so it’s not too unfashionable…
“Actress me” who goes to auditions wearing black yoga pants with a blue form fitting v-neck sweater and high heel boots when the weather is cold and a blue skirt with blue button down sleeveless shirt and character shoes when the weather is warm. This approaches elegance because of the high heels. Also, I fix my hair and do my makeup on these days, which increases the elegance factor.
I actually think of these outfits as costumes. I keep tops and pants together on the same hanger so I don’t have to scramble to find them.
But that’s not the end of it. There’s also “Casual me” who wears skinny jeans and long tops (I really can’t stand to see anybody’s butt when they bend over, and I’m not going to inflict mine on anybody else). However, I think you can be elegant in jeans, and I’ve been mindfully putting together outfits. Also, I prefer catalogue models for inspiration to fashion magazine models. Nobody where I live dresses like “Vogue”, but lots of women wear LL Bean or Coldwater Creek or Spiegel. When I get dressed in the morning, I put on my complete outfit, including accessories and jewelry, and I’m ready to walk out the door.
But as soon as I come home, I take off everything that isn’t clothes and put it all on a hook next to the door, because that’s when I have to do housework.
Then there are the occasional me’s. “Sunday Best” me has dresses or skirts. “Bohemian me” wears long peasant skirts. “Formal” me wears evening gowns. But I’m not going to go further with this post right now, because it’s getting long enough, and I’m starting to feel like a Barbie doll talking about my clothes.
violetchronicles 