NOT ONLY A SHOP STOP

Last year I challenged myself

to stop shopping for 3 months

(here & here).

I succeeded.

Or didn't I? 

I did stop shopping these three months

but did I become conscious of the big picture? 

Maybe?!

I don't feel the need anymore to keep up with other bloggers,

or 

want to update my wardrobe constantly,

and when I present my latest findings to the world 

it are only items that I really love. 

I don't lose myself no longer in this world of übercool bloggers,

who are living the dream

having a wardrobe filled with expensive branded clothing.

Yes.

From time to time I heave a sigh because I see something better, cooler or newer. 

But I've made peace with the fact that I can't own everything that I want. 

In fact.

I don't want to own everything.

Fitting in is so overrated.

Staying true to your personal style and trying to keep up with the latest trends

all at the same time 

is

a mission impossible.

I've always been that kind of girl that felt comfortable in a very clean, elegant style with blazers, blouses, shirts and blue jeans.

Like Will Rogers once said: 

"Too many people spend money they haven't earned, 

to buy things they don't want, 

to impress people they don't like."

So why would I add galaxy leggings and clashing prints to my outfit?

In 2012,

I've decided to stop compulsive purchases.

It was hard from time to time to find my real voice

and quench the rebellious voice in me that screamed "get this, get that" all the time.

But I did.

Of course, this blog is still about fashion I buy and other things strongly connected to materialistic things and consumerism.

But I hope you feel it isn't all about just buying more stuff.

I don't like the feeling anymore to own masses of things I don't need.

I want to invest money in

experiencing

something amazing.

I remember when I traveled in Australia 

and everyday I had amazing experiences,

that didn't cost a cent

and still make me smile today.

Life is so much more than owning and controlling material things.

So let's make room for the good stuff.

5 STYLE COMMANDMENTS

Fashion rules in general can be very helpful in many ways, but also very confining and restrictive depending on how you choose to incorporate style into your life. If you are one of those women who simply wear clothes for functional purposes, these rules are nice because they provide structure which eliminates thought. But if you're someone who chooses to express herself with her clothing choices or someone who wants to make a statement, then you will most likely want to tweak these rules to best fit your lifestyle and personality. 

If you're reading fashion blogs I assume that you belong to the second group and love about fashion that while it isn't something serious, it can have a ver powerful effect in our lives if we handle it appropriately to help aid us live the life we desire.

In the last couple of months of shopping for my body type, getting comfortable with who I am and what life I want to live, I started to hone in on what works and what doesn't work for me now when it comes to fashion. Although I probably always will be a student of fashion, as I'm ever changing, I think I will shop by the following rules for a while because for me they're the timeless essentials to keep in mind.

Dress to flatter your figure and your personality.

Dress the body you have now, not the body you had in high school and not the body that you wish you had. Create your own style and don't just copy all the trends of this season.

Invest in quality basics.

The basic items that create the foundation of your wardrobe should be high quality because these items have to last. When you tend to purchase quality, you will find you need to go shopping less because the items you have last.

Strive for balance - keep it simple.

For me, less is really more.

Only shop for what you need.

What works for me is to always have a running list of what I need, and then I am always on the look out. By choosing to stick to a closet of fewer clothes, you will find you have more money to purchase high quality items when you find exactly what you want.

Navy as the new black.

I am obsessed with this color and I think it's a flattering color on so many different types of skin tones and body types and it works for every season.

Now I'm curious to your commandments, share below!

FAST VS SLOW FASHION

image source.

Last friday I attended the Babalon Blognight at The Public Image store*. Coco Chanel once said: "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." This phrase could actually be the definition of this concept store. The store breaths fashion and offers a mix of items of different designers and brands addressed to ecologically friendly, street wear oriented customers. 

Concept stores give the buying process a different meaning. It's all about the shopping experience for the customers. My thoughts started drifting away. Fast versus slow fashion, is it that difficult to choose for quality?

It seems that we've got a ravenous appetite for fashion. Clothes have gone from being investments to being disposable items. Garments have become more than a third cheaper than they were ten years ago, and the average woman owns more clothing now than at any other time in history. This is all thanks to the 'fast fashion industry'.

International chains like Spain's Zara, Sweden's H&M, America's F21 and Ireland's Primark have conquered the retail world by not only knocking off designer duds minutes after they appear on the runway, but completely restocking their stores with brand new fashions every two week or so. True story: where once there were two fashion cycles a year - spring and fall - we now have two a month. 

I'm not going to point the finger at anyone else. We want to have fun with fashion and fast fashion can definitely be fun. It's great for those who are still trying on new styles to learn what suits then best and have small allowances to pay for it in any case. But for the rest of us, shouldn't we know better by now? Shouldn't fashion be more luxurious than this? Shouldn't it last? 

One of the reasons we all fell for fast fashion was to express our personalities through our clothes. Ironically, all we've managed to accomplish is looking like everyone else out there. We're every few months wearing the same trends, how cocky :-)

There's a reason why nearly 20 years after her death, actress Audrey Hepburn is still considered one of the most stylish women ever to have graced the planet. She favored simple garments devoid of embellishment. She pursued clothing that remained chic year after year. Also, did you ever see Karl Lagerfield in anything else than a suit? And what about Grace Kelly?

Women like Audrey and Grace knew that timeless style is built on a few simple pieces. The key is to figure out which wardrobe staples - your from now on faithful basics - best flatter your figure. Should you invest in pencil or A-line skirts? Skinny or straightleg trousers? Should your white tee be fitted, loose, asymmetric or... what about black? Finding a collection of go-to combos that flatter your figure requires a little experimentation (and an honest friend or two).

But when you've found what you love and what looks best on you, the urge to buy fast fashion will take off. Dressing yourself in a few well-made basics that you can update with well-chosen accessories will make you feel so much more confident than dressing yourself with so much junk. We women have been dressing ourselves in nasty, flimsy, scratchy, badly made and ill-fitting clothes, all for the sake of being on top of a trend that lasts about two minutes. We're worth more than that. 

Once you've got these essentials sorted, it's easier to figure out which trends to incorporate into your wardrobe and which to leave on the rack. As a general rule: the more details a garment has, the more quickly it becomes outdated. For example take stripes: they've been popular since the early 1900 when Coco Chanel first designed tops inspired by French fishermen. Right now, stripes are back. But when you buy a striped tee with embellished shoulders and military-style buttons on the cuff it will feel like an expired rend by this time next year. So ladies, keep it simple. 

I once bought (read: grabbed) something at F21. When I came home I saw that the stichting was already ripped and that besides it was already damaged, it really didn't suit my figure. I gave 10 euros for something that was already damaged and would probably not look good on any woman's body type.  Pfff. 

This is the reason why fashion guidelines always used to say that women on a budget can't afford to buy cheap clothes. Those inexpensive garments just don't last. It's better to buy less but high quality items that are locally produced and ethically made. At least they will last more than one season, probably for years.

Keep in mind that an item's expense doesn't guarantee its quality. The trick is to shop like your grandma would have done: turn down the seams to see if they're well finished or if threads are loose and the stitching is uneven. Is the garment lined? Are heave-use areas such as buttons or zips reinforced? Is the fabric durable? The list of questions goes on.

It can be expensive. I think that when a garment is extremely well made, it's worth a splurge. The old idea of actually saving up to buy something special instead of racking up more debt on a whim has something "romantic", right? Invest in your clothing. Invest in your style. Invest in you.

------------------

* The Public Image

Wijngaardstraat 16

2000 Antwerpen

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Sane sales shopping

 

Great bargains, red sale signs and hoards of women rifling through bins piled high with reduced items, like bees round a honey pot, jostling with one another for that must-have bargain buy. Yes, there is certainly no better way to test my new shop spirit than during the sales. Because today my no-buy was officially over, it was time to test that the super responsible shopper in me.

Sharing is caring: so here are my tips and tricks for keeping it all sane during the sales. Because let's be honest: it's funny how sales shopping brings out the best (or worst) in women. Honing in on their hunting instinct, turning into warriors at the mere mention of a sale. A sane woman can turn positively irrational at the sight a 50% reduction rail. Sales can be overwhelming and it have often led me to waste money, but not this time: now I have a plan.

Before shopping

Plan ahead

Browse the online shop of your favorite store to pre-select what you want to try on in the actual store. One important thing I learned during my no-buy is that I lose all bit of common sense when I fill that online basket.

Make a wish list

Sales clothing tends to be fashionable pieces which are likely to become out-dated quickly, so if the item you have your eye on is just coming to the end of its trend, then consider how long you'll able to wear it. Think about what you still need? Non-seasonal pieces or basics like a leather jacket (check), denim shirt (check), parka, shirt dress (etc.) are perfect sale buys.

Balance quality and price

Sale is the time to get a high end item for what you'd normally spend on the high street. Same goes for fancy fabrics like silk or cashmere. High quality, low price... Score! 

Set a budget

Set a budget and stick to it. But because nobody is perfect you can allow yourself one 'must have' that you run into. Now you're ready to hit the shopping streets without bankrupting yourself.

During shopping

Go early

It's best to wait until the midpoint of sales season to go in for the kill, knowing that it's usually the second price-markdown that offers the best values. Waiting until the very end of the sales will provide the most substantial discounts, but choice is often limited by that point, and when shopping for clothes, finding the right size becomes a challenge during the last days. 

Ask yourself these questions:

* Would you buy it full price?

Do not get distracted into buying clothes just because they are in the sale. How many times have you come away from a sale with a bagful of clothes that you honestly never really wear, or don't feel good in? Getting a cheap item might be exciting in the store, but once you wear it, the deal becomes irrelevant. The garment still looks, feels and fits the same. So always ask yourself, would I still but this if it wasn't reduced? 

* Will you like it next season? 

Take a look at your wish list: does the item suits your style? Will it last all year long or is it just a one season wonder?

* Does it fit my style and other pieces in my closet?

All super fancy eye catchers don't make an amazing closet, try to find some classic and timeless pieces that you can wear throughout the year. 

Wear comfortable clothes

Wear something comfortable that's easy to change out of. And flat shoes, because only superwoman can survive a whole day of walking errands with high heels. Also, wear clothes you love to wear, so you can see if the item would fit with your current wardrobe. 

Hold on while shopping

If you see an item but you're unsure about it, don't buy it and don't ever look at it again. If you're not that radical, hold on to it while making your round in the store. Sale shopping goes quickly so this way you won't be disappointed to see it's gone once you decide to get it. 

Check it and test it.

Don't buy anything without a visit to the fitting rooms. Since a majority of clearance items are overstock or returned products that have been sitting out for a long time, be sure to give things a thorough once-over before purchasing. Closely check the items before purchasing them because sales are final. If you discover a hole after you've already paid, the item is yours.

Have fun

Don't stress and maybe you just run into an unexpected new-favorite item.

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