WT: Wardrobe Therapy (the questionnaire)

I’m a late participant of online Wardrobe Therapy, referred by Lead Paint Cookbook. I’ve been meaning to keep record of my outfits and wardrobe for a while, and since I don’t really have any posts in mind other than boyfriend and roller derby stuff, muddled with the usual penis postings — why not include clothing to piss off all my male readers?

I should have joined this group before recently dumping a crapload of well, crap from my closet and investing in some new, cute pieces. I’ll include some of those steps (and why I donated and rid my closet of those particular items), since I was sort of doing this already… Maybe someone can learn something from my insane Closet OCD and why I get rid of/keep certain items.

Thinking primarily (but not necessarily exclusively) about looks, who’s your favorite performer of your own gender and species? Why?
You can smack me later, but I LOVE the Olsen Twins’ style. You know, without all the frumpy crap. I love the simple dresses, overstated jewelry, large glasses… or just a simple t-shirt with a jacket. My kind of style: simple, pretty, chic, sleek/but messy, without all that Hollywood hoochie.

In a completely other world, my daily life is more like Brandi Carlile. Is it appropriate to call it Lesbian Casual? Sure it is. I have no other way to describe it.

If you could live in any historic era with a really good clothing budget (as well as soap, toothpaste, and delicing as needed), when would you choose?
No doubt, the 70s. But maybe with more classic and polished of a shoe than a block and platform heel.

What’s your favorite painting or other form of visual art? Why?
I’m a fan of abstract and impressionist art, like Hans Hofmann or Edgar Degas. Each artist is an opposite of the another. Hofmann, with his vibrant colors and lines; and Degas, with his muted, soft and “pretty” dance work. Thus, the dichotomy of my closet.

What is your first memory in which clothes are important?
My mother made our clothes as kids. We were total chic hippies (you know, we looked like it, but we were bathed and unsmelly). I look at old pictures, and wish I had some of those garments as an adult.

What is your favorite garment ever? Why?
No doubt, my grandmother’s vintage fur coat from the 40s. With its three-quarter length sleeves and rabbit fur color, it is a CLASSIC. I can wear it casual or dress it up. But never, never, ever wear it to a bar. I would be empty if I lost or left it.

What is your favorite garment in your wardrobe right now?
My J Brand dark denim, skinny jeans. Tailored. Fit perfect.

What is the worst clothing purchase you can remember making?
Anything that racked up credit card debt in my early 20s. More specifically, Express. Express. Express. Totally unoriginal clothing.

What’s your most embarrassing clothing-related memory other than a bad purchase?
It has to do with “that time of the month,” and I don’t want to discuss it here. That, or the fact one of my ex-boyfriends could fit into my clothes. Don’t ask me about that either.

What body part (no more than three!) are you proud of and expect compliments on?
I like my back. I like my legs. I even like my clavicle, but that’s a totally weird thing to compliment somebody on.

What body part (again, no more than three!) seems to require management, if not coaxing, cajoling, and sometimes outright begging if it’s to please you?
I have huge feet and large calves. It took a long time to find skinny jeans that fit right, and I have even greater circulation problems with knee socks and boots. My feet, I ask of them every day, please don’t trip me. I’m short, and somehow ended up with giant feet — while my mom and my sisters all enjoy the tiny feet of tiny women, I got an 8.5.

If you could dress however you wanted all the time, what might you include?
In layers! This is why I love Fall. I love cardigans and scarves and tights and boots. We get at least four months of warm weather here in Cleveland, and I get incredibly sticky outside of wearing tank dresses and flip-flops. There isn’t much alloted creativity when you’re melting.

If you could shop at any store (or from any designer), which would you choose?
I lurve Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang (and not just because of his euphemistic last name). So, either will do. So long as they throw in a pair of Louboutins.

Where do you ordinarily shop now?
I like Anthropologie and ModCloth, so I shop on eBay for deals and vintage-inspired pieces (and random cutesy pieces from Hong Kong — I LOVE their fashion culture layering and mismatched cutesy-ness). I’m incredibly cheap, and I loathe shopping in actual stores with real people (I KNOW, right!?) and crowds and ACK! When I pull my head out of my ass, I regularly shop at Urban Outfitters and American Apparel and Target (for basics).

What clothing, accessory, or prettifying need (if any) do you enjoy shopping for?
Shoes. That is all. The rest of which I hate because, well, I hate shopping.

Which one do you most loathe shopping for?
Makeup/Skincare. Nothing has worked for my oily skin (prone to breakouts, yet surface old-lady dry) other than Murad. But it’s definitely NOT in my current budget. Makeup generally sucks because of aforementioned oily skin — foundations discolor after a few hours and leave me with a neck line (I’ve tried buying lighter, it looks worse); eye shadows, liners leave streaks and crease lines; waterproof mascaras work, but NEVER come off — even with so-called makeup removers (again, within my budget).

I have so many products under my sink. Sad.

I’m not sure if this fits into “wardrobe therapy,” but you asked what I hated. This is it. 

Do you consider yourself low-, medium-, or high-maintenance?
Medium. I don’t spend a long time getting ready, but I will NEVER leave the house without mascara — if even that is the ONLY thing I’m wearing. Truth. And chapstick.

What are the two most frequent occasions that you dress for and how would you describe them?
Grocery shopping (ahem, Lesbian Casual) and nights out (kind of trendy but usually jeans & heels). I wear my PJs and slippers to work, so I rid my closet of almost all “work” attire. Whee, working from home! I only need to dress up occasionally for important client meetings, for which a black dress and a cardigan works wonders.

What was your favorite Hallowe’en costume ever?
Now, this is a tough question. No doubt, my mom has made some awesome costumes for me. Probably my MOST most favorite was a couple years ago, when I went as a paper doll. From the back, I had one of those vintage white pantaloony full slips from the back (and underneath) and my front pieces were interchangeable. Yes, even with those white “tabs” sticking out in several places.

What do you see as the current problem(s) with your wardrobe and/or look?
Covering up my tattoos? Heh. It’s not-so-much a problem anymore (again, that whole working for myself thing). I had a lot of ill-fitting clothes in my closet — you know, bigger clothes for if I ever gained weight again and skinny ones for when I lost it. Two years ago, I was in a size 9 pant. And four years before that I was in a size 2. My body has seemingly found a happy medium, but I was clinging on to clothes I didn’t wear so I didn’t have to invest in varied sizes again.

Note to self: MAINTAIN the proper weight and there will be no wardrobe fit worries.

Also, on the topic of having visible tattoos, I want to show them off. Especially my newest back piece. I can’t WAIT for tank top season!

At the end of WT, what lovely compliments do you want onlookers to give you?
That I look put together. (Hah, I see now that this is a popular response). I have a big closet, and I want to spend the time to put together full outfits, with matching accessories and purses and such.

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