So, I’ve been absent from my blog (and most of the blogosphere) for about 6 months now. And I’ll be honest: I’m probably going to be absent for another 6 months after I post this. 🙂
Earlier this year, I started to feel like my life had slipped into a rut, where my days revolved around work, and not much else. It didn’t help that I was having some health issues which resulted in extreme fatigue– and then I was hit with a sudden increase in family obligations, due to some unexpected events. I was exhausted!
When I finally started to feel better, I decided that I needed to spend more time on personal interests outside of my day-to-day work; so that’s what I’ve been doing: playing music, sewing, gardening, reading, and home improvement. I’ve also been spending more quality time with friends and family. Even at work, I’m making an effort to interact more with people outside my immediate department. It’s all been good.
What I wore
Because last winter was such a busy and exhausting time for me, I think I also got into somewhat of a clothing rut. I wore virtually the same “uniform” every day: Sweater, t-shirt, jeans. Sweater, t-shirt, jeans. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
The colors changed (a little bit) but the style was virtually identical from day to day. And I was too tired to accessorize.
As I am now determined to work myself out of boredom, this spring and summer, I’m suddenly craving variety in my wardrobe.
For the first time in a long time, I’m buying (and sewing) printed tops and dresses. And I’m shopping for pants other than jeans.
The budget is tight, and I need a lot of new things right now (because last year’s tees and jeans are so worn-out that I can’t really wear them anymore). So I’ve been doing some bargain shopping. I’m sometimes having to settle for polyester instead of silk, but that’s just the way it has to be for the time being.
So far, I’ve had the best luck shopping at TJ Maxx and Kohl’s.
At TJ Maxx, I’ve found some nice pieces from the Max Studio brand, heavily discounted. In fact, everything I’ve purchased there has been from that same brand. (A lot of the pieces don’t look work-appropriate, but there are some– and TJ Maxx tends to sell the more conservative styles from this brand.)
At Kohls, I’m liking the Simply Vera brand by Vera Wang. Some of the pieces look a bit cheap or tacky (in my opinion), but she also has some pieces that look pretty nice. Everything at Kohl’s is constantly on sale, so it’s easy to find things there at affordable prices.
I still love my J-Crew basics, but I guess I’ve reached a point where I’m ready to move beyond the basics. I can’t see myself ever amassing a huge wardrobe (or even a cramped closet); but I do see my wardrobe becoming larger and more varied in the next year or two.
Department of Color 