More Personal Style Thoughts- Making Good Choices

It has been a while since I have ventured into thoughts on personal style.  Mostly because I am still struggling with mine.  It has been nice with the change of weather to be able to bring out some of the other things hiding in my closet.  Which brought me to a thought on personal style, it is well worth the time it takes to pick good pieces to have in your wardrobe.  While going through my winter wardrobe, I realized that there are just some pieces that were good purchases, while others were quite foolish to be honest.

The pieces that I felt were good purchases have attractive styling, a flattering fit (no matter if I have gained a few pounds), quality fabric and are in a flattering color.  The things that I couldn't believe were hanging there were mostly things that once they had been washed, they had lost their shape,  their coloring had faded making them less than attractive or the color was not all that great to begin with.

Since I began working at Burns Saddlery I have become a lot more aware of my choices when it comes to purchasing clothing.  It takes a little more than a "that is cute" for me to buy an item.  I look at how it hangs on the hanger, I feel the fabric, and I try it on.  More often than not, the things hanging in the closet that don't get worn are those things that I didn't take the time to try on.   Not only does trying clothing on give you a sense of the fit, but how the coloring of the item either flatters you or detracts from you. 

It is difficult to tell if something will hold up in the wash, but it pays to do a little research.  Get a feel for quality fabric.  The best way to do this is take the time to search out quality items, even if they are not in your budget, you can get a feel for quality with a little examination. Hold the fabric up to the light and tug the threads in opposite directions (gently of course) Are there a lot of threads per inch, does the fabric "give" and how much light can you see? A thin, cheap cotton will give and let a lot of light through. Run your hand over the fabric and feel for quality and smoothness.  Scratch it with your fingernail to see if it pills or comes up.

Also take a little time to read the tag, natural fibers, such as cotton, wool and cashmere tend to be better quality and hold up better than synthetic fibers, such as nylon, polyester and acrylic.  A good majority of clothing is made in a blend of natural and synthetic, and it is always better to have a higher content of natural fibers in any blend. 

Taking the time to not only develop your style, but to educate yourself on quality will help you fill your closet with pieces that you will find yourself wearing for years to come.