In marketing, they say it can take a consumer seven times seeing a product before they feel comfortable enough about it that they might buy it for themselves, or even just consider it.
I know there have been style trends over the years that when I first saw them I was like ew gross yuck ugh who’d wear THOSE hideous things? I believe those were my exact sentiments the first time I saw ankle boots many, many years ago. And it took me probably seven years, ha ha, before I thought hmm, those are kind of cute and might be a useful addition to my wardrobe. I finally tried them, and was hooked.
So I’m very slow on the uptake of new trends. And I’m okay with that, because some things just don’t stick around that long. Kick flare pants, for example. They were really only big for like a season or two. I was still in my early ew ugh yuck stage when I started noticing I didn’t really see them around anymore. There are still straight leg jeans and wide leg jeans and culotte jeans but I’m not really seeing the exaggerated kick flare anymore. So I’m glad I didn’t jump on that.
The point is, for some of us it takes a long time to try something new. I consider myself a mildly creative person, but I still like to see an item or outfit on others before I spend money on it myself. And I kind of like to see it on a LOT of others before buying it for myself.
So it’s not that I’m a sheep (is the title finally starting to make a little sense??), blindly following trends or only imitating the looks of others, but I do need to see a new style worn different ways on different people in different settings before I can commit. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s human nature. Marketing professionals probably spent billions of dollars to come to this realization.
I’m not saying we should just copy outfits piece for piece that we see on others, or that we shouldn’t try to combine items in new and different ways that suit our particular style. But there’s nothing wrong with looking to others for inspiration, or to see how different items can be styled, or just to get comfortable with a new type of look.
It’s alright to let others be the early adopters and experimenters with new styles. Perhaps better to take your time before making new purchases. Maybe fewer shopping mistakes are made that way. Perhaps fewer items will get purchased, worn once or twice, then hang unused in the back of your closet.
M-b-a-a-a.

ABOUT MY OUTFIT

I’m still finding different ways to style my blazer. It’s more a fall item than winter…cuz it’s too cold (most days) in winter to wear alone, but it’s too bulky to wear under a coat. I hate coat bulk. I wish the blazer was lined in some fabric with “slip.” I hate when shirts get “stuck” on the inside of coats and you’re always shimmying and tugging to get everything to lie nicely.

I like the black and white plaid over the blue of the Tencel chambray shirt. Honestly, this color blue goes nicely with almost everything in my closet. And I like the blue of the shirt with the black skinny jeans.

And then there’s the shoes. I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of black flats that will go with pants and dresses…more spring/summery than fall/wintery (because in my Dream World I WILL find black – and cognac – ankle boots next year, and that will be my cold weather footwear). But I don’t have them yet. And that is what I would have worn with this outfit.

I like the leopard flats with the black and white plaid blazer…and with the blue shirt…and obviously with the black pants…so I reasoned that I would like them with all those things together. It doesn’t NOT work. But…it feels just slightly off-balance having the only “brown” thing at the base of the outfit. But sometimes I don’t “see” these things til I look at the pictures afterwards. Seeing things in the mirror is just different than seeing them in the mirror. Maybe if I’d grabbed my cognac bag, that would have repeated that tone higher up and maybe that would have balanced it out.

WHAT I’M WEARING

  • Charlotte Russe Black Refuge Skinny Jeans, size 24 short. Old. Similar here and here.
  • Charlotte Russe Blue Chambray Tencel Blouse, size 3x. Old. Similar here and here.
  • Old Navy Plaid Blazer, size 3x. This color no longer available. Similar here and here.
  • Aerosoles Betunia Leopard Flats.

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