Discipline

all JCrew

I love the look of a padded vest under a tailored blazer

Despite no posting about fashion while in LA, I have been thinking about clothes constantly for the last week. Traveling has a way of defining what you really need, and what you can easily do without.

It makes you more creative as well - you need to rotate and rethink your combinations and I quite liked that. When I was in college in New Jersey I had arrived with just 2 suitcases, but those clothes would last me a full term. I mixed everything around a lot, and took considerable pride in my friend Pam's opinion that I never looked the same twice.

Now that I have more money to spend, I have become lazy when I shop. I have bought so many things in recent years that I didn't feel passionate about. If you are anything like me, check your wardrobe and see how many things you just absolutely love and couldn't part with. Not that many? I bet you too have a whole lot of grey, black, navy and white knit things, and countless pairs of unworn jeans. There's often an indifference when I buy those items, constantly thinking I need them, but not really searching for the perfect versions.

I loved having very few things last week, and somehow making it all work together for 9 days. But maybe that's because I only brought my favorites. And maybe that's what I need to remember better from now on, to only buy the things I truly love. Of course that takes discipline, the kind of discipline that was forced on me in college when I didn't have any money.

I did shop with discipline in LA and went for 3 things I really wanted: a grey blazer jacket, a padded vest, and some boyfriend jeans. I love all three very much for their fabric, their cut, and for what they add to my existing wardrobe. Now if only I can keep it up.