The other day I came across a picture from a trip I took five years ago and I was wearing this shirt. It was styled much differently (my tastes have changed a bit since then), my hair was different and I only had one kid (haha!), but I felt pretty good that I still like and wear this shirt. Though it still feels pretty current to me, I have found I like this top best when paired with more recently updated items in my wardrobe. For example, these distressed “mom jeans” lend a more modern and updated vibe to the older top. The black shoes help tone down the floral with a little bit of edge, making this top fit into my wardrobe as it is now.
[top, old Anthropologie / jeans, Levi’s 501 / sandals, Madewell / bag, Madewell / watch, Seiko]
My best advice for keeping and wearing the items in your closet for a long time:
1) Buy well. This shirt is from one of my favorite stores that carries very unique and mostly higher-quality items.
2) Launder well. I tend to baby my items when it comes to the wash. Most shirts I don’t dry, some I even hand wash. I don’t wear deodorant with antiperspirant, which leaves those grayish-yellow stains on white shirts (and it’s bad for you!).
3) Rotate with the seasons. Don’t be like I used to be, trying to wear all my cute summer tops in the winter under three layers of cardigans and scarves (unless you’re into that, then by all means, carry on.). I find I am more likely to wear “older” items when I haven’t seen them all winter and they feel new to me.
4) Pair it well. There’s a lot of style talk about pairing high/low items. For example, matching a cheapie fast-fashion item with a higher-end item in order to bring the best out in the cheapie item. I say do the same thing with older and newer items. Often times, a well-considered newer item in your wardrobe can bring out the best in your older items. And if it doesn’t, maybe the older item has finished it’s job and is ready to retire. ;)
I buy a lot secondhand since I work at a thrift shop and I use a similar approach to number 4, pairing things that could look outdated with contemporary silhouettes or extremely simple items so that they look fresh.
It feels good to breathe new life into an older garment, doesn’t it?
I love these recommendations- I have grown to, as you said, baby my clothing too after one too many instances of the mysteriously shrunken sweater. I gentle wash all my clothes and only put items like sleep shirts, jeans, undies, socks, and the like in the dryer. Everything else- tees, blouses, my husband’s polos, and even our sweatpants- are dried on a giant Ikea drying rack. We’ve both noticed a staggering difference in the durability and quality of our clothing since doing this.
I also have (since beginning capsuling) realized the value of rotating my items, usually by season. Its amazing the difference this makes on my desire to wear something. If it sits in my closet all year, I’m less likely to want to wear it than if I tucked it away for a few months! It really changes how I think about what clothing I buy- I don’t want to buy something and wear it for a few then donate it. I want to buy it and wear it forever! Off and on, of course.
Great post!
Kate
kateintheclassroom.com
Well said Kate!
I used to have that exact shirt and finally got rid of it…now I miss it :(
It’s an oldie, but a goodie!