My Wardrobe, Myself

May 2020 Wardrobe Update – Part Two

Debbie Roes

May 26, 2020

In my last post, I shared an update on “the state of my wardrobe,” specifically my at-home pieces and crossover items (things that I can wear both at home and out and about). I also introduced a new guideline that I’ve put in place called “the rule of ten.” When I published that post, I thought I had been fairly comprehensive in recapping how I’m doing with my wardrobe, but I soon realized that I had left out some key areas.

Since my wardrobe posts are typically popular with readers – and because we all need some distraction right about now, I decided to do a part two. Today’s post will cover what I’ve purged from my closet this year and why, and the state of my “holding zone,” and the out-and-about item purchases I’ve made thus far in 2020. If you like wardrobe analysis and number crunching, you’re in luck!

This isn’t my closet, but mine is getting a lot more minimal and is better suiting my needs.

What I’ve Removed from my Closet in 2020 – and Why

Let’s start by examining the pieces that I’ve removed from my closet so far in 2020. I’m going to primarily look at out-and-about and crossover items here, as I’ve found that most of my at-home and workout items tend to stick around until they are worn out. The exception to this is when there are issues with items that weren’t readily apparent upon purchase, but this phenomenon happens to even the best shoppers from time to time, especially in light of declining quality and workmanship.

May 2020 “State of the Wardrobe” Update

Debbie Roes

34 comments

May 13, 2020

Last week, I gave an update on how I’m doing with my “20 for 2020” goals. I also shared the ways in which I’m modifying these goals to meet my changing life circumstances. Some of my 2020 goals relate to my wardrobe and style, as I outlined in this February post. Although I highlighted my progress with all of my 2020 objectives in my last essay, there’s more that I want to say about my wardrobe today. I also want to debrief the year-long wardrobe challenge that I took on last May, my “wardrobe half project,” and introduce a new rule/guideline that I’ve put in place for my wardrobe.

Don’t we all want to have fewer “I have nothing to wear!” moments?

“Out and About” Outfits – Some Cold, Hard Facts

For all of us, this year isn’t going the way we originally thought it would. This is true for many aspects of our lives, including our wardrobes. At the beginning of the year, I decided to track how often I got dressed in “out-and-about” outfits each month. I had estimated that I wore such clothes maybe half of the time, but I wanted to compile some cold, hard facts rather than just guess at what was going on.

“20 for 2020” – May Update and Changes

Debbie Roes

19 comments

May 4, 2020

Back in January, I shared my “20 for 2020,” which is a goal-setting framework introduced by writer and podcaster Gretchen Rubin. I separated these goals out into categories and tried to create a balanced list that would help me to move forward in various areas of my life, while also increasing my life satisfaction. Some readers expressed that my list seemed somewhat daunting or overly ambitious, and that’s turning out to be true. So much has changed since I created my list, so it’s time to make some adjustments.

Sometimes when life changes, we need to re-adjust our goals.

In today’s post, I highlight and celebrate the progress I’ve made with some of my goals. I also let you know which goals I’ve decided to “table” for the time-being and my reasons for doing so. I’ve revised a few of the goals that have remained on my “20 for 2020” list so that I’ll feel more confident and relaxed about making them happen. I don’t want to be a “taskmaster” with myself, especially during the challenging time that we’re all going through. Finally, I reveal the new list items that have taken the place of the ones I’ve moved to the back burner.

Staying Sane in Difficult Times

Debbie Roes

17 comments

April 10, 2020

Over two weeks have gone by since I last posted. I always want to post more often, but the days just seem to zoom on by and then I realize that it’s been too long once again. Strangely, the recent days have seemed to both drag on and zoom by at the same time, which is a phenomenon that I don’t quite understand. March seemed like one of the longest months in my life and I can hardly remember what it was like to socialize with others, eat in restaurants, and run errands without fear.

We’re all in uncharted territory and are doing our best to keep our heads above water and retain some semblance of “normalcy” in the midst of a time that’s anything but normal. There’s never been a period like this when the entire world is in a similar boat, at least not in any of our lifetimes. Yet, even in the middle of all of the coronavirus chaos, our lives still go on. We still have to get through every day. Some of us have more responsibilities than others, which can be both a blessing and a curse. While it can be nice to have some distractions from the world seeming to fall apart, it can also compound our stress to have to hold ourselves together in order to get things done.

It can be hard to move forward with our lives in the midst of so much chaos and change.

Those of us who have fewer concrete responsibilities may ask ourselves what we can do to help, which can be difficult to answer when we’re being directed to stay at home. I’ve decided that in addition to donating to charities that I believe in (here’s a list of some suggestions), I can also help by continuing to share my thoughts and perspectives here on this blog. Today, I want to offer some suggestions for how we can stay sane during the challenging times in which we find ourselves. I’ll highlight what’s working for me, as well as feature some tips that I plan on implementing. It’s my hope that some of you will also chime in with what’s working for you in navigating stressful and uncertain times.

“Enough” in a Time of Chaos

Debbie Roes

28 comments

March 25, 2020

So much has changed since the last time I posted here. It’s been less than three weeks, yet it feels like months have gone by. In seemingly the blink of an eye, the whole world is now in crisis. Many of us are mostly confined to our homes and when we do venture out, we’re shrouded by anxiety about an invisible enemy that can potentially strike us all. So much is unknown at the moment and it’s difficult for any of us to predict what may happen in the coming days, weeks, and months. Most of us have never lived through a crisis of this magnitude, and our lives have already been affected in profound ways and our perspectives have shifted immensely.

In my last post, I mentioned that I would be writing about my “enough” theme for 2020. That’s what I’ll be doing today, albeit not in the way that I originally planned. I’ll table those thoughts for a later date, as I have something different to say now. I want to reflect upon a few insights that I’ve gained about “enough” over the past couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a very different and uncertain world these days…

“Enough” has taken on a new meaning in this time of chaos and uncertainty in which we find ourselves. This post is divided into several sections about “enough” related to the coronavirus pandemic. I’m not going to focus on the macro, as there are many others better qualified than I am to cover those topics. Instead, I’ll look at how “enough” has impacted my life and how it may also apply to you during these challenging times.