My Wardrobe, Myself

Addressing “On the Bubble” Shoes – Not Summer Edition

Debbie Roes

May 19, 2021

Last week, I wrote about my shoes in the first installment of my periodic “Rule of Ten” series. I decided to split my footwear into two Rule of Ten collections: one for my summer shoes and the other for my “not summer” shoes (for the cooler months of the year). While I could have selected ten pairs of shoes for each collection, I only wanted to include the footwear that I love and wear regularly. Therefore, I chose only seven pairs of shoes each for the summer and “not summer” seasons. I also shared my reasons for making these Rule of Ten selections and speculated on the types of footwear I might be interested in purchasing in the future.

As I mentioned in my last essay, I don’t want to make new shoe purchases while so much of my existing footwear (14 pairs!) is still “on the bubble.” I’d like to make concrete decisions about each of my “maybe” shoes so that I can do one of three things:

Start wearing them regularly
List them for sale online
Pass them on via donation

Today’s post kicks off that decision process. I look at the six pairs of shoes that didn’t make the cut for my “not summer” Rule of Ten collection. I explore my feelings regarding these cool weather shoes and highlight why I didn’t feel right including them among my favorites. I then let you know what I plan to do in order to make up my mind about each pair of shoes in the near future.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know which shoes to keep – and which to purge.

Applying “The Rule of Ten” to My Shoe Collection

Debbie Roes

35 comments

May 12, 2021

In May of last year, I published a two-part series (starting with this post) that I called “the state of the wardrobe.” I covered a number of topics in those essays, one of which was a new concept I termed “The Rule of Ten.” I created this rule to help me reduce my “out-and-about wardrobe” to a more manageable size – and keep it there.

The basic tenet of the Rule of Ten is that I should limit the size of each wardrobe category to ten or fewer items. At the time when I created this rule, I divided my closet into three distinct sections: at-home clothing, out-and-about clothing, and “crossover” pieces (which could be worn either at home or when I’m out). Since out-and-about items have long been my “problem area,” in that I have too many of them for my lifestyle needs, I opted to apply the Rule of Ten only to that section of my closet.

the rule of ten

Revisiting the Rule of Ten

I didn’t do much with the Rule of Ten after its introduction, as I got swept up in the chaos going on in the world and forgot about many of my wardrobe management efforts. I’d like to revisit it now in a series of posts that I’ll publish throughout the coming months. Each post will cover one distinct area of my wardrobe, beginning today with my shoes.

Less is More in 2021: Addressing Information Overload

Debbie Roes

11 comments

May 7, 2021

Earlier this year, I published a two-part series (HERE and HERE) announcing my theme for 2021: “less.” I’ve been writing a lot about wardrobe-related subjects lately, but I’d like to switch the focus back to my overall life for a bit. If you enjoy my wardrobe musings, they’ll be back soon, as I’m committed to cultivating a smaller and more workable wardrobe as part of my commitment to “less is more” this year. However, some other topics have been more top of mind in recent days.

The other night, as is often the case, I had trouble sleeping. A cascade of thoughts raced through my mind, and I was unable to settle down enough to get the rest I needed. When I woke up the following morning, I was not just tired; I also felt unsettled and angry. At the root of those feelings was the fact that I have shifted off course once again. I’ve allowed “more” to permeate various facets of my existence, such that it has disrupted my peace and serenity.

Does information overload ever disrupt your peace and serenity?

We’re now over a third of the way through the year, so I’d like to increase the focus on my less theme. I was going to do an overall update on how I’m incorporating this theme into my life, but I’ve decided to take a different approach so I can delve deeper. I’ll periodically write about an area of more that I’d like to pare down. I’ll share the current state of affairs and let you know what I plan to do to address the situation through the lens of less. We’ll start today with a longtime problem of mine, information overload.

What I Don’t Wear Anymore – Part Three (What I Like to Wear NOW)

Debbie Roes

17 comments

April 30, 2021

This is the third and final installment in my three-part series about what I no longer wear. In my first post, I explored two types of garments that I previously loved wearing but no longer do: skirts and blazers. I reflected upon how the combination of certain types of skirt and blazers created an overly-formal vibe that didn’t work with my casual lifestyle. In part two, I showed how I progressed to the interim outfit formula of maxi-length skirts and dresses paired with cropped or tie cardigans. I also shared the current state of my skirt wardrobe and mused about whether or not skirts will continue to be part of my summer style.

Today, I look at how my style preferences have evolved and what I’m wearing now instead of skirts and blazers. I also highlight some of the reasons for my style shifts and what these changes reveal about my current style preferences and my future sartorial journey.

New Preferences: Cropped Pants and Mid-Length Dresses

After I went through menopause in 2016 and my body changed (more on that below), I started to migrate more toward wearing cropped pants in warmer temperatures rather than skirts. This shift in terms of my bottom pieces has continued as the years have gone by. My current collection of cropped pants is pictured below (I also have a few other pairs that I wear only at home):

This is my current collection of cropped pants that I wear a lot in warm weather.

What I Don’t Wear Anymore – Part Two

Debbie Roes

12 comments

April 22, 2021

In my last post, I offered a suggestion for helping you increase your understanding of your style preferences. Since many of us have a better sense of what we don’t want in our lives – and in our wardrobes – than what we do want, I recommended starting there to gain some powerful insights. I also suggested looking back at what you used to love wearing but no longer do, and I explored two of my previous closet favorites that have since fallen by the wayside: skirts and blazers. I shared photos of some of those formerly loved garments, as well as examples of ensembles in which they were featured.

I used to love wearing skirts like this, but I don’t anymore.

In today’s essay, which is the second installment in what will now be a three-part series (I found I had more to say than I originally thought!), I look at how my style has evolved to the point where I very rarely wear skirts and blazers any longer. I’ll show how I progressed from my too formal summer “uniform” of skirts with blazers to an interim formula that better suited my lifestyle and style aesthetic. I also share my current skirt collection and my thoughts about the future of skirts in my wardrobe. The third installment in the series will cover my current style preferences and some thoughts about my future sartorial journey.