2016 Reflections - Best Buys

I'm a bit different to most lady bloggers. 

Firstly, I don't buy many clothes as I have to be careful with my pensioner pennies.  I mostly "shop my wardrobe" these days and have fun re-discovering things by wearing them in different ways. Capsule wardrobes help in this process.

Secondly, I'm much bigger than most other bloggers of this ilk.  I was shocked a few days ago to read a lady who is 5 ft 8″ and a UK size 12 (US 8 -10) describing herself as being at the larger end of the scale for a style blogger.  Well, I am not a style blogger as you know, but I do post outfits I wear day-to-day as part of this blog's raison d'etre and I must therefore be at the hugest end of the scale.
The fact that I am at the largest end doesn't deter me - maybe it should, I've not given it too much thought.

So, mindful of the above. when I do shop then a lot of thought is invested in the purchase.  And by that rationale, even a Primark piece must therefore be classed as an "investment piece" in Pout World! 
I consider cost, my age,  my size and body shape constraints and my pensioner lifestyle (when will I wear it and how often).

Through that process I identify what I think I need (like!), waste time research on the internet and save photos on my Kindle.  I then spend a few weeks wasting more time familiarising myself with the saved photos (The Photographer views this as simply procrastination).  Then either of the following usually happens through my so-called procrastination.  1) if I do make a decision to purchase a targeted item, it is by then usually sold out in my size, and 2) I discover I have something very similar in my clothes archives.
So the process saves me money!

But occasionally, a purchase is made and they are usually successful.  So most of my purchases during 2016 have also been "best buys".  And here they are, in no particular order.

My black Uniqlo Light Down puffa.  It's excellent; I've worn it most days through the winter. 

It.  Ticks.  Every.  Box.

 

 

Dotty P navy Bardot dress.  I adapted it to "cold shoulder" so I could wear a big-girl bra.

It takes me from easy-casual through to more dressy-lady-like (shown here).  Thus I've worn it loads through the summer.  An easy dress to wear and wash.  And.  I.  Feel.  Good.  In.  It.

The pics also show the Clarks metallic toe nude flatties I bought in spring; I've worn them so much as they go with dresses, jeans, shorts, you name it, and are a walker's dream.

Magasin linen-mix tops, (2), bought in Copenhagen.  I have worn these tops sooo much.  They're just perfect, on their own or layered (OK I do need a bit of tuition on layering tidily!).

These picks also show shorts.  Yes, shorts.  On me!  They were a total wildcard for me but once I found them I spent the rest of the summer in them, if I wasn't in a dress.  My legs shouldn't wear them but as my legs will only get worse, if I don't wear them now then I never will.  So I did.

I bought Next and Dotty P shorts in denim, beige and white.  A perfect colour suite. 

But here I want to also highlight my Birkenstocks, bought in Copenhagen and from then on, I wore them most days of the summer, even if just for a quick beach trip.  So blissfully comfy to slip into.

 Next ivory layer blouse.  Worn it loads and it makes me feel fluffy and feminine.  Goes with so much, so easy to layer

Scarf from Primani.  Colours are pink/black/grey/ivory = goes with so much in my wardrobe.



Peacock grey jeans.  For me, jeans must be made of a thin fabric, otherwise I feel claustrophic.  I loved these.  So light and a nice "worn out" grey too.

 

Peacocks white jeans, ankle length and cropped.  Again, these meet my fabric criterion.  They washed so well and dried quickly.  Loved 'em.

Observation: Peacocks seem to produce good jeans.

M&S scarf in grey/ivory/black and jade (or teal!).  It goes with the abundance of greys and blacks in my wardrobe and, of course, this M&S jade (teal) cardi.  Both items worn much during through the year.

So there you have it.  As I skim through this post, it would seem that my interpretation of  "success " and "best" is "worn a lot", because I like it on me.  I'm wondering, what do you think looks best on me?

I have to say that doing this little reflection exercise has its benefits.  It has helped me identify what works for me, at this time in my life; what I enjoyed wearing, and what was worn time and time again.  I think when I did shop (which seems rather a lot!), I shopped wisely and successfully. And I'm mentally storing what I've learned from this analysis to take with me when I go shopping again.  It may be some time though - via the lovely Janet of thegardenerscottage I've kinda committed myself to a no-spend January.  I'd like to think I could go further than that ... 

Fancy joining us?

Do you do sometimes take a step back to analyse your wardrobe and your recent purchases? 

Identifying what gets worn a lot?  Because you truly like it?

And is there anything in my Best Buys that you have or that you particularly liked?

It's 2017 - let's hear from you!

A la perchoine.