Don't be afraid

Don’t be afraid to be unremarkable.

quiet. soft. subtle. focused. simple. unfussy. to the point.

practical. comfortable. easy. 

even languid. 

be authentic.

Don't be afraid to be you.

Inspired by Janice’s response to this quote, from the article: Sign of the Times/Slaves No More by Cathy Horyn,

"a woman of indeterminate age who knows what she likes and has shrugged off what she no longer has any use for, and maybe never did.  If that sound rather limited, that's the point. I'll stick with the same paint colors and my lovely old kilt, because, it turns out, there's a surprising amount of harmony in unremarkable choices.” (emphasis mine) 

2014 Goal 1. Quality over quantity

Diane Von Furstenberg Daga Silk Chiffon Top (see more keyhole halter tops)

I just saw this diane von furstenburg silk chiffon pleated top for $155. It occurred to me that with the amount of money I spent last year (which I think is small compared to most people), I could have bought 4 such items.

Or one and 4 more in the $100 range. 

That's really something to think about. I should make it my goal to save up for at least one such purchase.  Which is in keeping with my first 2014 goal of saving up for bigger purchases.

I'm thinking my shopping plan could look something like this:

5 key purchases of 2014-$80 each=$400, $40 each=$200

1. bra, cotton. esp with cotton straps as well. dark or nude
2. tan/taupe shoes
3. true summer everyday blouse/sweater, drapey. esp lt blue/teal/gold?
4. dress
5. pants/topper/earrings?-wait and see which I need

By the way, I did do a small 'shopping fast' for the month of January to kick off my savings goal. It was hard at first, but after a couple of weeks I was in the groove of just deleting all those coupon emails.  I did, however, use my budget to buy a gift. (Which to me is totally acceptable and a fantastic use of my money.) I saved about 30% for my future purchases.

2014 Style goals

Last year I set style goals for the first time and I felt that it really helped me focus. I would look at it throughout the year and keep in mind where my style is going, which is sometimes the hardest part for me. 

This year, I would like to:

1. Save up for bigger purchases that matter. Fill Holes and take care of needs, before buying bargain items that are not on the list. Also save money for big annual sales, like Black Friday, so I can take advantage of 50% off at Talbots, for example.
2. Master grooming.  Since I started focusing on style, the word Polish has come up repeatedly.  I think I'm finally ready to actually tackle Polish. 
3. Look good at home too.  I'm worth it and my husband is worth it. I will fill in home/loungewear capsules with nice pieces and, brace yourself, comb my hair even though I'm not going out. Gulp.
4. Think about wardrobe additions for the purpose of maximization of function and cohesiveness. This sounds really good, and I wrote this list a month ago, so I don't remember what it means. Haha! I got it from Into Mind, I remember that much. I think it has to do with covering all scenarios in your life with appropriate outfits, and also still have your entire wardrobe look like it belongs to the same person. Sounds very desirable. But maybe harder to achieve than the first 3.

Knowing me, I will write more about my goals in future posts. At length. Repeatedly.

Well, you've been warned.