16 Outfits for October 2017

Since the start of fall, I've been fretting over how to get back on top of my outfit posts. Life is still very en l'air at the moment, and it's clear things are no where close to settling down. If I've learned anything, though, identity crises and strict budgets are no excuse for neglecting one's personal style -- in fact, they offer a perfect opportunity for refining it!

Instead of returning to my watercolor croquis, I was inspired this month to revisit self-photography, hearkening back to my first-ever capsule wardrobe post. Let me just say: It's shocking how much a brain can forget about DSLRs in the space of a few years. Even after Internet-jogging my memory on aperture settings, remote configuration, and manual focus, I still had the challenge of our dim apartment to contend with. Add that to the slogging process of photo-editing on an overstuffed computer.... This is all to say I may not have saved any time, but stepping back in front of the camera sure was fun!

Let's talk about how this little wardrobe came together.

Continuing with my monthly sampler concept, I started by reserving a selection of items from my September wardrobe -- items I could see myself wearing for at least another month. The remaining September clothes went into storage for next spring, when the weather warms up again. Next, I sorted through my in-storage pieces. I looked for:

• anything that might be useful for the season ahead (like my oversized cotton turtleneck)

• anything I was just "itching" to wear (like my oh-so-Halloweeny lace-sleeve silk blouse)

I chose to leave shoes out of the equation, because I don't own many shoes. Between work and city walking, they all get worn fairly equally, and I don't gain much from storing them.


Here's what I ended up with:

Since a large portion of my clothing is secondhand, my wardrobe is regularly in need of maintenance; throughout the month, I make notes on anything requiring mending, cobbling, or replacement. When replacement time rolls around, I must take care to buy mindfully, as most secondhand items cannot be returned. So alongside the maintenance notes, I keep track of general inspirations and obvious gaps in my closet contents, to form a clear list of needs before I so much as window shop. This month, for instance, my list went something like this: 

• COBBLE ALL THE BOOTS
• Morticia Addams = October fashion queen
• ethical tights that don't cost a fortune... is that a thing?
• shop: work-appropriate sweater or turtleneck (likely black)

Speaking of shopping, I did acquire a few new-to-me clothes this month, thanks to the Housing Works Best of Fall sale. Most of those items will be featured in November, with the exception of the fabulous bell-sleeve silk dress you see above -- because can you get more Morticia than that?

Happy October, everyone! Enjoy your Halloween! 

Fall Playlist 2017

It's always a joy to dive into playlist mode each season. I spend far too much time figuring out how to arrange these tracks on Spotify, but the little quarterly capsules that result are always a pleasing way to mark the time. Sometimes I think I rely more on music than pictures for memories these days.

This may be the first year I've strayed from my old standbys -- especially the ones liable to come out in fall (The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.) There's are lots of new bands here, but as usual I've fallen in love with the songs individually, rather than judging them on an album-by-album basis.

Amongst my standard uplifting pop-rock tracks, I have tunes from The 1975 (not sure I fully like their sound, but I can't resist that background guitar...), Air Traffic Controller (LOVING), MisterWives (best lyrics), and a brilliant Stevie Nicks cover by The Wind & The Wave. Another worthwhile cover I unearthed just a few days before completing this list is Branches' take on The Darkness' hit "I Believe in a Thing Called Love." That banjo, though!

A coffee shop pulled Ra Ra Riot from the archives of my mind, and it was really exciting to discover "Valerie" again. It occurred to me that this was the track I was actually looking for when I settled for Mika's "Emily" for my playlist last fall. It's provoked me to wonder how many pop songs involve men earnestly howling the names of problematic women into the universe.

Will winter finally bring some chiller songs my way? Lately all I've been interested in are these hand-clapping, foot-stomping, folksy romps. The Oh Hellos track is liable to carry me straight through to Christmas in a state of hippie-happy oblivion. I think I'm content with that.

Happy fall, folks.