Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

2018 Closet Mission

01.12.18

Happy Friday everyone! We’re already two weeks into January and I’m just starting to feel the exhaustion from last year and a busy holiday season lifting and making way for creative energy but it feels so good. I’m doing my best to approach my plans for 2018 one day at a time and putting this post together was the perfect way to get back into a blogging mindset and amp up my excitement for things to come.

When I started this closet mission concept four years ago it was mostly about defining my personal style, curating a closet I loved and living better with less. From there it evolved into shopping responsibly, building a community around the 10×10 Challenge and helping to empower others who were interested in achieving their own closet contentment.

It’s been fun to look back and see how far this process has taken me. It all began at the end of 2014 when I felt like my personal style and closet had no direction and has led up to today where I’m feeling completely in tune with my style and much more at ease about my closet. Of course, there’s still a lot left to explore and I’m both a little nervous and a lot excited to share what’s been on my mind for the 2018 Closet Mission, so let’s dig in!


Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

GOING FORWARD FROM 2017


I feel really good about how my closet mission has evolved and even though there are always areas to improve I feel like the goals I’ve set have ultimately become mindset shifts. For instance, shopping responsibly was a goal that started in 2016, which seemed daunting and scary at first but now I can’t imagine ever going back. So this year instead of repeating some goals, as I have in the past, I’m simply planning to maintain them. I discussed my 2017 Closet Mission Conclusion in more detail on Monday but essentially I’ll be continuing with the following:

1 | Continuing To Shop Responsibly + In Moderation | This might very well be a lifelong endeavour and I’m ok with that. Every year it gets easier as I want for less and find brands that better suit my personal style.

2 | Remix, Remix, Remix | I LOVE styling clothes. I could honestly play dress up all day. For me it is an art form that allows me to express myself and my creativity in a tangible way. I never tire of remixing pieces no matter how simple a look might turn out.

3 | Supporting Canadian Brands | We have so much talent here and I’m excited to share more of what Canadian designers have to offer.

Now let’s dig in to the critical point of today’s post, my 2018 Closet Mission!


Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

MY 2018 CLOSET MISSION


My closet mission used to be all about closet contentment but now that I feel as though I’ve reached a satisfactory point in terms of personal style, shopping tendencies and embracing a less is more lifestyle, I’m opening the closet mission up to my blog plans as well. The fact of the matter is that my blog and my closet are fairly co-dependent at this point, which is good in some ways and tricky in others. So I’m approaching this closet mission with that in mind and sort of splitting my goals between the two. So here goes!

1 | TRY A REAL CAPSULE CLOSET 

Yep! I’m finally ready to bite the bullet. It’s funny how many ‘Capsule Closet’ blog lists I’ve found Style Bee on and yet, I’ve never actually done a capsule closet. In fact, I’d never really felt like I wanted to until this year. That said, the concept is a huge inspiration behind my style philosophy and what I do on Style Bee (hence the 10×10 Challenge). I’ve just never fully committed to trying a capsule closet proper. But that’s going to change this year!

Yes, I might be a little (ok a lot) late to the capsule party but once we’d finalized our plans to spend 3 months in Vancouver this spring (we leave in Feb!) it seemed like the perfect answer to dealing with my closet. So I’m going to have a carry-on suitcase, a medium size suitcase and a few tote bags to house my closet for our 3 month adventure on the west coast. It’s safe to say I’m really nervous excited to try it out and share my experience!

2 | DEVELOP A BETTER SYSTEM FOR CLOSET ANALYSIS 

I know, nerd alert!, but hear me out. I did a fair amount of closet analysis last year, with my Winter Wardrobe Assessment being a very popular post on the blog. I really enjoy scrutinizing my style and closet yet, I’ve found it hard to put real data and numbers to my outfit and wardrobe performance. I was recently intrigued by a concept my friends Andrea (Seasons & Salt) and Paige (Style This Life) were throwing around about conducting an ‘item wear count’ to keep tabs on how often they reach for certain items in their closet. I think this is a brilliant way to gather some real data on how pieces are performing within our wardrobes. I also think it might push me to wear more of my closet once I see how much or how little certain pieces are getting used.

I’m also interested in keeping better track of what to wear for certain temperatures/weather. Being in southern Ontario means crazy ranges in weather, as in literally 60 degree differences from one season to another. With that in mind I’m planning to keep tabs on the temperature and how it correlates to my clothing choices.

I’m excited to either find a useful app (some of your suggestions below) or create a tool that can be used as either a print out right in my closet (by just ticking off the item each time) or a digital document with editable features (import a photo and jot down a few notes). My goal is to have something in place for our west coast trip so I can collect as much info as possible this year. I’m not sure how I’ll evaluate the information just yet but I have a feeling it will be really useful if I can manage to follow through!

APP OPTIONS: StyleBook looks like a great tool to do exactly what I’m looking for. Another option is the Cladwell which creates outfits for you based on similar items in your closet and the weather. I plan to test out one or both of these apps  during my west coast capsule. Honestly though, I’ve found I have a hard time maintaining my use of an app (that’s not instagram) so we’ll see how it goes!

More closet mission plans below!


Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

3 | ENFORCE A MORE PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO COLLABORATIONS 

This one has been on my mind since the Fall of last year when I published a collaboration with the brand VETTA. I styled 3 sweaters into 2 different looks (6 total), reviewed each one (with 100% candid pros and cons) and ultimately kept only 1 of them. This approach was met with such an overwhelmingly positive response that I felt I must be onto something.

As such, going forward I’ll be applying this candid ‘review’ approach to collaborations when I feature multiple pieces. This will allow me to share fresh style content (meaning new brands or collections), multiple options (for varying tastes, body-types and lifestyles) and still keep the amount of ‘new’ pieces I add to my wardrobe to a minimum. I’ll also be doing my best to provide Style Bee readers with an exclusive discount to help make shopping responsibly a little easier on the budget! In terms of frequency, it will be similar to 2017 (2-3/month) and they’ll be clearly identified as always.

I’ve given a lot of thought to the concept of collaborations, free product and sponsorships in terms of how they influence the integrity of a blog. It’s a precarious balance to say the least, particularly for someone who values conscious consumption. It’s also a hot topic, with several arguable perspectives, but my current conclusion, after much internal deliberation, many discussions with fellow bloggers and slow fashion brands, is that I have a unique opportunity to provide my readers and audience with a reliable and broad range of responsible shopping and style options. I also love discovering new collections and designers who are doing work that I feel is worth sharing and supporting.

Seeing product and testing it out in person is a critical part of the process and allows me to share genuine opinions and provide additional details. It also gives readers the opportunity to see how an item looks on someone other than the website model with different styling approaches, personal thoughts, sizing info and to then make better informed purchases. To me this is a fundamental offering of Style Bee as a responsible shopping resource and if done thoughtfully and openly need not take away from my personal style or closet.

Partnerships vary in their monetary value but ultimately doing paid or commission based collaborations allows me to balance my time and be able to put together a post like this one (and Monday’s), for free. They also allow me to keep my site clean and free of advertisements. Collaborations are also something I really enjoy because they push me to try new things and hone my styling skills. Not to mention that I’ve made great friendships and developed relationships with some incredible creatives over the years.

Alas, all things in moderation I say! 


Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

4 | SHARE MORE STYLE PERSPECTIVES 

I really enjoy sharing my perspective on personal style but there are so many women with inspiring style (that’s much more interesting mine) and great insights into our connection with fashion and clothing. I started a series in 2016 called Style Profile and I’m planning to resurrect it this year.

I’m also eager to share more from the menswear department by way of my husband’s own closet and style. Dave has been such an inspiration to me over the years in how he keeps a super lean closet (it’s a fraction of the size of mine), shops responsibly (he started long before me) and embraces the uniform approach with mastery. He’s also a hilarious, quirky dude who is not afraid to rock a custom-made hat and a pair of penny loafers on a whim. Fair to say Dave’s pumped for this too!

5 | CREATE AN ATHLETIC WEAR CAPSULE 

I saw such a positive change in my closet after creating my Loungewear Capsule that I am now determined to carry the concept over into my athletic wear section. Truth is, until about 2 or so months ago I never really made working out or physical activity a priority in my life. But now that it is, I’ve got to get this section of my closet outfitted in order to keep my commitment to daily activity from falling to the wayside. I’ll share more on all this, including my workout routine(s) and other self-care elements, in the next little while!


Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

WHERE TO START WITH YOUR OWN CLOSET MISSION


Are you considering embarking on your own closet mission or looking for a way to find more closet contentment? That’s awesome! Here are a few resources to help you get going:

1 | SHOPPING FAST | Start with a shopping fast. Take a breather, however long or short you’d like, and don’t add anything or eliminate anything for a bit.

2 | TAKE THE 10×10 CHALLENGE | While you’re on a shopping fast the best way to get to know your personal style and closet favourites is to put them both to work. Join us for the #WINTER10x10 starting next Friday, January 19th!

3 | CONDUCT A CLOSET EDIT | Once you’ve spent some time with your existing closet and you have a better sense of what’s working and what’s not, it’s time for an edit!

4 | DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE | Put your personal style into just a few words to keep in mind whenever you’re getting ready or shopping or feeling unsatisfied with something in your closet.

5 | CREATE A WISH LIST | Create a concise wish list of items you would really love to add to your closet and style. Refer back to the list every time you’re tempted to impulse shop.


Style Bee - 2018 Closet Mission

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT, MY 2018 CLOSET MISSION! 


Are you setting any goals for your closet this year?
What is one major change you’d like to make in terms of your personal style? 

I love this stuff so feel free to share in the comments as I always read (and try to respond to) them all! 


SHOP THE LOOK



  • COAT | MARVIN BROWNE | s/o | Made in England. | Similar style here on sale (made in Canada)
  • SWEATER | EVERLANE | $100 USD | Made responsibly in China | Colour s/o but many others available.
  • JEANS | MADEWELL | old | Similar style here (made responsibly)
  • BEANIE | EVERLANE | s/o | Made responsibly in China
  • BAG | c/o THE STOWE | on sale for $295 USD! | Designed in Montreal and made responsibly in Spain
  • NECKLACE | old Young Frankk | RING | c/o CLAUS | $90 USD | Made responsibly in Brooklyn
  • BOOTS | c/o EVERLANE | $225 USD | Made responsibly in Italy | Fit is TTS

Photography by Jacklyn Barber.


This post was not sponsored but contains affiliate links. When you shop via the links above I may make a small commission from a sale. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Style Bee! As always all opinions are my own.

Tags:

Leave me a comment here!

  1. Lo Dey says:

    Hey! Proud (East) Vancouverite over here, excited to hear your coming out west this spring! Looking forward to seeing what you get up to and where you explore in the local fashion scene here. Lot’s of great (island) BC designers like Bees & Bones, WKNDRS, Korrinne Vader, and Annie Axtell!

  2. Alison says:

    really excited to see some men’s brands represented! I’m always trying to find ethical/sustainable companies to shop for my partner so this will be super helpful!

  3. Meg says:

    I use both Stylebook and Caldwell’s Outfits. Stylebook generates some very useful stats (and they’re improving them). It’s also very easy to search and make notes. The interface has some annoyances but, overall, very useful for cataloging and tracking clothes. Outfits, on the other hand is great for generating outfit ideas. I love having someone else present me with outfit options to pick from at 7am. That may be less useful to you as you’re so good at that yourself. Cladwell seems to are talking about moving in the direction of what Stylebook does. I’m not sure how I feel about that as the interface is clean and simple and I’m not sure what will happen with more features. But, they’ve done a great job so far. And Cladwell’s support is AMAZING!

  4. Britt says:

    Loved the post and I echo all of the excitement about your move to full-time bloggery.

    I am personally bad about keeping up with anything via app tracking, so I have moved to a pencil and paper format for my exercise goals this year. I color in a flower petal (each flower has 10 petals) each time I work out. It’s like a tiny, but somehow significant reward for getting my rear in gear. So if I were to track my outfits,
    1) I would take a big piece of sturdy paper, maybe a posterboard,
    2) make numbered lines to write my clothing item on,
    3) add only the pieces I wear as I go (not everything added on there in advance),
    4) hang it up in my bathroom, where I take off the clothes (not in the closet, where you put them on, that way you know you actually did stick with wearing it…)
    5) and use a check mark or bubbling system to mark off each time I wear the item.

    Actually, that sounds like fun. I should probably do that for a month and see how it goes… Are you tracking loungewear and exercise gear, too? Hope you find your way that works!

    http://www.radiantearthart.com

  5. Patricia Kay says:

    Awesome Post! Thank You for all,of the delicious goodies! Mmmmmm!
    Like you, I am a cold climate girl. Northern Minnesota/Canadian Border.
    I simply do not wear the pieces from warmer weather in the winter as much as I want to include some for “possibly” wearing them.
    That said:
    1- grateful for upcoming 10×10. I will be realistic & consider only cold weather pieces (it’s been -20 to -35 here for almost a month!).
    2- grateful for athletic wear & self care inclusions to come! I teach fitness classes & I almost need to have a 10×10 for my workout wear!
    Happy New Year, Style Bee?

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thank Patricia! Happy new year to you too! I really appreciate the positive feedback and enthusiasm (as always!) So glad you’re in for a Winter 10×10 and I hear you on those temps! So brutal. So cool that you teach fitness! Will look forward to your input when I share my work wear. All the best for 2018! xo

  6. Madeleine says:

    I’m having a baby any day now, so my body will be changing radically this year. I think I should reevaluate my wardrobe every couple months (and the baby’s ?) and keeping it real small. Maybe I’ll just 10×10 all year long!
    Also, I have two wardrobes: farm clothes and town clothes. My goal this year is to focus on my farm clothes so I can look like “me” every day, not just when I go to town twice a week to sell veggies at market! I’m really excited about this and plan to supplement my farm clothes with thrift store finds that I can get muddy etc. I think this might be a fun and ethical way to try out new styles that I could incorporate into my town clothes eventually. I have this bad habit of gravitating toward styles I have been wearing since high school when it finally comes down to buying something. (Even though I fawn over amazing clothing on this blog all the time! What’s up with that? Anyone else have/had this issue?)
    Kudos to Lee for making the leap to self-employment! And thanks for your dedication to this fantastic blog creation of yours.

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much Madeleine! Congratulations! A small closet is the way to go especially when your body with be changing so much. Honestly, I’ve considered doing back to back 10×10’s all year before too 😛

      I LOVE this idea of embracing your Farm wardrobe and making it feel more like you. Thrifting is definitely the way to go and I have no doubt you’ll find some items you really love and can crossover between farm and town. You’re not alone when it comes to gravitating towards styles you’ve worn for a long time. Takes a really push to try something different sometimes but thrifting is a great way to get out of your comfort zone without investing too much. All the best for 2018! xo

  7. Carol says:

    I do have a capsule closet, but it’s not seasonal, because I’m fortunate to have a large enough closet (combined with a dresser) that will hold all my clothes and it’s a good thing, because the weather here in Chicago is so wacky, it’s not a good idea to put anything into storage if you don’t have to. I haven’t made any goals for my closet this year, but I have finally finalized my color palette which seems to be larger than a lot of the ones I see. My core colors are black and white, my main colors are ivory, stone, taupe, grey, indigo and charcoal and my accent colors are red, wine and berry. Nothing remotely yellow or orange.

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Hey Carole, I’m in the same boat weather-wise so I know what you mean about not putting anything in storage. Your palette sounds beautiful! Thanks for sharing. All the best for 2018! xo

  8. Meg says:

    I have used Stylebook for several years and I love it. My biggest piece of advice: use stock photos to set up your closet. Don’t try to photograph your wardrobe. It’s frustrating. I only take a photo if I can’t find a similar item anywhere online. I also wish I would have been more diligent about adding the cost of new items purchased. I am hit and miss on that. I love the style stats so much.

  9. Luize says:

    Hi, Lee!

    The nerdy need to do proper accounting for #30wears / #100wears is *real*! My option of choice is a Google Drive spreadsheet that gives you a literal blank slate to track exactly what you want to. I actually just turned from creating capsules to just tracking the wears, because for a well-pruned wardrobe it feels enough, here I write more about it: http://unarmarioverde.es/new-capsule-spreadsheet/

    Best, Luize

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Great idea Luize. I’m leaning towards the spreadsheet approach too. Just don’t need any more reasons to be glued to my phone right now. I’ll be sure to check out your post. All the best for 2018! xo

  10. Andrea H says:

    I remember your Style Profile, that was a fun series! Excited to see you bring that one back. As for tracking, I’ve been using a spreadsheet. And I am just adding the items as I wear them so I don’t feel overwhelmed with getting everything listed off the bat. I keep the spreadsheet open as a tab on my browser to I remember to enter the items whenever I sit down at my computer.

    Also, LOVED how you did that post with Vetta, such a clever idea! I am happy to hear it was well received. Keep the genius ideas coming!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      So glad you’re into the Style Profile series Andrea! I’m leaning towards the spreadsheet approach too. Just don’t need any more reasons to be glued to my phone right now. I like your idea about adding as you go too. I think that might encourage me to branch out more instead of just repeating all the same pieces.

      Thanks so much for the support and enthusiasm lady! Right back at you! xo

  11. Maripier says:

    I learned about slow fashion at the beginning of this year and discovered your blog through Pinterest at the same time, and I must admit that I LOVE every single piece of clothing I saw on the few posts I read so far (I intent to read as much posts as possible, even if I have a couple to read to be up to date!) I have not put any of your advice in motion yet since the whole concept is new to me, but I look forward to start analyzing my wardrobe using your recommendations!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks you so much Maripier! So happy you discovered Style Bee and are enjoying it. Let me know if you have any questions about getting started on your closet adventure! All the best for 2018! xo

  12. Sarah says:

    Hi Lee!

    This year I’m hoping to define my style (for both work and home life) and start buying more responsibly-made clothes (which is going to require planning and saving – eep!). Thanks for being a great resource for responsibly-made clothing and for highlighting great Canadian sources, too!

  13. Paige says:

    Hi Lee,
    I love your straight-forward steps to creating a Closet Mission. You’ve inspired me to dig a little deeper and set some more concrete goals for myself. I have already begun a shopping fast as I realized at the end of 2017 that I had added much more than I had realized. I’m using a clipboard and tally marks in my closet to track my wears because I wanted to keep the system simple. I think I’ll also add the price of each item next to it so I can continue to update my cost per wears throughout the season.

    I love that you’re going to use a traditional capsule approach during your time away. I look forward to seeing/hearing how that works for you. I put a lot more into storage this winter with two goals – first to open up my closet a bit more, but also so that when I pull it out in spring my wardrobe feels new and refreshed. (and hopefully helps me continue my shopping fast).

    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Paige

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks very much Paige! I love your simple approach to wardrobe data/analysis. I’m leaning towards a similar approach because I just don’t need any more reasons to be glued to my phone right now. Adding the price is a great idea and I’m sure the cost/wear results will be eye-opening for me. All the best for your shopping fast and for 2018! Excited to see what you do for the #Winter10x10! xo

  14. Sara says:

    I am so excited to hear that you’ll be doing some menswear posts! My husband is basically allergic to shopping so I am in charge of pretty much all the clothes buying in our family of 4… except my 5 year old daughter who has a lot of (questionable!) opinions. After a few years of editing and paying attention to my own style I have a pretty edited closet for myself. The kids and hubby are a different story! His closet is a mash of work clothes, junky casual clothes and the few nicer things I’ve bought him. There is no direction, some of it doesn’t even fit and the man never gets rid of anything! Time for me to do some work there I think. As for the collaboration issue I agree with everything you said and I really enjoy reading them… Especially the way you approached the Vetta one. I thought that was so smart. Sadly it does make me feel a bit frustrated sometimes thinking that I can’t realiatically afford brands that style bloggers often showcase…epecially given that it’s been gifted to them. I know TONS of work goes into writing the posts without a lot of actual pay, so it is compensation for that. I understand that. I just think it would be nice to know whether you would have bought the item if you had to pay the full price for it? If so then no problem promoting it as far as I see it!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks for the feedback Sara! So happy you’re into some menswear content 🙂 TBH I’ve bought Dave a lot of his clothing too but he really does appreciate better quality goods that are made to last. Appreciate your thoughts on collaborations too. All the best for 2018 and tackling your hubby’s wardrobe! xo

  15. Eve says:

    I’ve used Stylebook and found it helpful, but my photos weren’t that great (I am not a good photographer) so that hampered its usefulness and the initial importing of photos was tedious. I have found that I have not updated what is there in some time, but this is due entirely to personal laziness and no fault of the app. It was very useful when I wasn’t lazy! I am also doing a count of wears after reading those posts, but opted for a printed tally sheet for each month off of a main spreadsheet on my computer. I’m also noting any items I feel I am “missing” as I go through each day or stand out emotions and thoughts so I can better gauge what I really should be shopping for (but i’m not buying anything now). I am interested to see trends throughout the year not just with items, but colors as well by month and by season. Very much looking forward to your thoughts on the whole capsule thing and athletic wear!

    • Eve says:

      It’s odd to be replying to myself, but I wanted to add something about Stylebook. My favorite thing about the app is using it for packing for trips. It’s fun to use it to make outfits and then once I have outfits premise it’s really easy to choose them for a trip and not overpack cause you can see your outfits that reuse pieces very easily. It gives a checklist so you don’t forget items too (sadly, nothing for your toothbrush though). This is by far my favorite feature. The cost per wear is interesting too. I have had the app for a few years now and promised myself I would get good pictures once my wardrobe stabilized (which it has so I had better keep my promise!).

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Haha Not at all! Thanks for the follow-up and note about using Stylebook for Travel. That does sound super useful. Why is a toothbrush so hard to remember!? Quick tips for better photos, grab a big piece of white matting board from your local art shop (they often have them on sale), put it somewhere that gets good natural light and use the VSCO app for photos (it’s what I use exclusively). Hope that helps! Also, it’s great to hear your wardrobe is in a great place now! xo

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much for sharing your Stylebook experience and thoughts on acquiring wardrobe data. All the things you’re interested in finding are similar to mine. Sounds like the app is great but takes a fair amount of effort and follow-through so I think I might end up going for a more analogue or spreadsheet route. All the best for 2018! xo

    • Eve says:

      I’ve still got a ways to go, but much wardrobe improvement has been made. Thank you for the photography tips, I will definitely give them a try!

  16. Sarah says:

    Hi Lee! Reading your closet mission has me so excited for what 2018 has in store, on your blog and in my wardrobe. This year I’m developing my professional identity thanks to a big step forward in my career, which has also sparked a sea-change in my style. New position, new style influences, and a new work uniform are all taking shape.

    I contemplated a year-long shopping ban, but right now it makes more sense for me to hone my wardrobe priorities and concentrate on making responsible, thoughtful purchasing decisions.

    This year my goals are about identifying what elements will take my outfits from a self-described 8/10 to that confident 10/10 feeling, shopping responsibly, and planning for fewer, better purchases as my style and role in life evolves.

    Looking forward to the Winter 10×10 and implementing these goals in good company! Thank you as always for co-hosting it and sharing your own closet mission.

    • Lee the Bee says:

      That’s great to hear Sarah! Congrats on your career achievements, how exciting! Sounds like your on a great track to make some thoughtful, well-chosen additions to your closet. Thrilled to have you partaking in the #Winter10x10 🙂 All the best for 2018! xo

  17. Katy says:

    Hello Lee!

    I’m so glad you had a nice relaxing break, and I’m (selfishly) so glad you’re back to writing! Just my two cents on the apps: I use Stylebook and, although it takes a bit of time on the front end to add all of your items, it’s so easy to use afterward as a quick and efficient tracker of “style stats.” I can easily see what’s getting worn and what’s not, and use that as a guide to keeping or letting pieces go. I’ve used it for about a year now and if there’s something I had when I first started using the app that has not been logged on the calendar once, I find it very easy to let go of that item. If I’m never wearing it, it’s probably not my style. I also LOVE that it tracks “cost per wear.” It helps me justify spending more money for higher quality items if I’m getting a ton of wear out of them and watching that cost per wear number drop. As for my closet goal for 2018, I feel like I’ve pretty much filled every gap in my closet and this will be the year of “upgrades” for me. So instead of adding new items, I’d like to replace some of my older and lower quality items with items from the ethical brands I love most. I still have a few items from my fast-fashion days that are hanging on by a thread and I’m just waiting for them to fall apart so I can invest in better quality items. 🙂 Anyway- thanks for sharing and happy new year!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thank you so much Katy! I really appreciate your thoughts on Stylebook and can see how helpful it would be in terms of editing and letting go of pieces. Sounds like the cost per wear feature is a huge hit too. Love your 2018 closet goals lady! All the best for the year ahead. xoxo

  18. Justina says:

    I can’t wait to see what you develop for closet analysis! I’m wanting to start tracking what I wear more (somewhere other than my head), so I can really figure out what is working when. Your perspective and tool will likely be helpful with this.

    Not having a closet in my bedroom means that I leave hanging clothes everywhere, just so I can see them. My goal for this year is to make a closet for my bedroom and organize my hanging clothes in a way that makes them accessible. This will help me with my other goal, which is to purge the things I keep “just in case”. This is going to be hard because many of the things I need to purge are too small for me, but I love them. Opening my closet to see a bunch of clothes I don’t fit into doesn’t help with feeling great about myself or my wardrobe. My hope is to find good homes for these pieces and get excited about wearing the awesome clothes that do fit me!

    I look forward to following along with you in 2018 🙂

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thank you so much Justina! I’m glad you’re interested in closet analysis too! Looking forward to sharing what I decide to go forward with.

      I really hear you on having a scattered closet. Mine is split over two rooms and a clothes rack (which I highly recommend!). Keeping it lean and organized has been a huge help. I also really appreciate your hurdle with clothes that don’t fit right and yet you still like them. I used to keep pieces for when I was small enough again but those days never arrived and it was just a constant self-esteem jab. I promise the moment you let them go you’ll feel so much better about your closet and the pieces you have that fit right! All the best for 2018 lovely! xo

  19. Michele says:

    Hi Lee

    I’ve started a temporary shopping fast. I meant a bit mad in the sales with impulse purchases. I’m taking the fast week by week at the moment to see how I do. I don’t intend to buy any winter clothes, it’s spring/summer that I’m focusing on but they do tend to come out early in the UK. I’m going to have a go at the closet mission to get a better idea of my style which is more hit and miss than intentional. I’ve not taken part in the 10 x 10 before as I keep my work and weekend wardrobe mostly separate, but I’m thinking of doing a weekend only challenge over 5 weekends to focus more on my hit and miss wardrobe as my work wardrobe is quite lean and is ok for the time being. x

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Hi Michele, I hope the shopping fast is still going well. January is always a good time to take a breather and re-evaluate your style and needs for the year ahead. Good for you for noticing it was needed! I really like the idea of doing a 5 weekend 10×10 challenge. Such a great idea for people with a strict work wardrobe/weekend closet distinction. xo

  20. Cindy says:

    I love your blog and your style. I’ve been inspired by your posts and hope to embrace the tools you share in my own closet/style. In regards to tracking your wardrobe performance, I use an app called Stylebook that is helpful in this area. This app also offers other great features/tracking. I look forward to seeing your content for 2018. Have a great weekend!!

  21. Stephanie says:

    I love that you’re interested in wardrobe data and analysis — fellow nerd here! Looking forward to your coming thoughts on this! My commitment to shopping ethically made clothing is no small financial thing. Analyzing my wardrobe has helped me identify what were good, non-so-good, and downright bad purchases. This knowledge helps prevent further spending mistakes.

    I actually shared this thought on Paige’s blog a few days ago, but thought I’d share with you as well:
    I’ve been using the Stylebook app for the past year and now have a lot of interesting data at my fingertips. It’s definitely worth taking the time to input your wardrobe and log what you wear everyday. I have found wear count/cost-per-wear the most useful piece of information. For the past two months, I’ve been considering CPW for my clothing purchases. My baseline goad is that my everyday clothing reaches at least $5 CPW over the course of its lifetime and my special occasion wear reach $25 CPW. Ideally, CPW will be much lower than $5, but this is the marker I’m using right now in deciding what to purchase. I divide the price by 5 (or 25) to see how many times I need to wear the piece and decide if it’s actually feasible.

    I passed on a beautiful $330 sweater since I didn’t know if it would hold up to 66 wears. However, I knew I’d definitely wear those $280 black leather chelsea boots way more than 56 times.

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks Stephanie! So glad to hear you’ve had such a good experience with Stylebook and that the CPW analysis has helped a lot with budgeting and rationalizing purchases. I think your goal of $5 per wear is so smart and sensible. Thanks a lot for sharing these insights! Enjoy the chelsea boots and all the best for 2018 🙂 xo

  22. Dana Wooster says:

    This is my second year of the “every other month no-buy” challenge, and I’m hoping what I learned last year will make it even more successful! I’ve actually switched it up this time around so I can take advantage of the end of year sales to buy any of the remaining staples on my list (perfect black skinny jeans being the currently elusive item) but I want to continue to thoughtfully pick up new pieces that add to my closet as a whole. I’m still not sure what to call my style as a whole, since in the summer my weekend wardrobe leans very colorful/maxi dress/bohemian which isn’t reflective of how I want to dress at work/most of year, but it’s working for me. I was able to pass on/sell/donate a LOT of clothing in 2017 though, and I’m excited to keep doing that!

    I think my biggest goal for 2018 is to figure out my business casual/corporate style. I’m lucky that my office allows me a good bit of leeway, but sometimes I feel like I lean too heavily on “dressy” jeans, which isn’t going to take me far in my career beyond this particular company.

    Quick question/suggestion – if you’re interested in doing more Style Profiles, may I suggest adding voices from the inbetweenie/plus size world? I’ve found it unexpectedly difficult to navigate the world of shopping responsibly when few of the “it” brands go above a US size 10 (because even the “large” is a US 8-10), or if they do the only return policy is store credit. I respect the needs of small businesses, but investing in pieces that I may or may not fit at a brand I may not be able to recoup the cost at is slightly terrifying.

    • Stephanie says:

      I LOVE this “every other month no-buy” idea!!

    • Justina says:

      I second the want for inbetweenie/plus size Style Profiles!

    • Alissa says:

      Dana, I’m also loving your every other month idea – that seems so doable! And I have to echo your call for profiles on women in a variety of size ranges. I have found when trying to seek ethical brands, there is only one style – wide/boxy and cropped. That may work for a slender frame or a shorter figure, but when I’m working with curves at 5’9″, I need to highlight the hourglass with some definition in my clothes. I have really appreciated what Morgan at The Garment is doing with showing models of all sizes for her “try on” and would love to see other shapes and personal styles in the Style Profiles!

    • Dana Wooster says:

      It’s actually been super helpful! Even if I don’t actually make it – which happened – I felt like it forced me to be logical and deliberate about purchases outside the prescribed month, which is why I’m trying it again 🙂

    • Dana Wooster says:

      Alissa, thanks for recommending The Garment – I have visited her blog before but now I’m definitely going to take a look. And I’m with you on the crop/boxy dilemma. I like the style quite a bit on other women, but it’s rarely worked out in my favor (I’m 5’6″ and curvy). I’m not quite at the income level or style commitment to get into actually bespoke clothing, so having some more examples of body types and brands with applicable fit information would be so helpful.

    • Karen says:

      Yes! Every other month sounds like a great idea!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks for sharing your current closet thoughts and goals for the year Dana! I have no doubt you’ll make excellent progress.

      I think the every other month shopping ban is a good idea for sure but I wonder, do you find a tendency to over shop after a no-shopping month? Just curious as I’ve had a number of readers mention that before.

      I really appreciate the suggestion about sharing profiles of inbetween/plus size women and will absolutely endeavour to do so. I so appreciate that it can be hard to find responsible brands catering to a broader range of sizes. Thanks very much for bringing that up and for your long-time support! xo

  23. Jodie says:

    Good morning lee!
    I am so glad you’re back blogging first of all!
    I’ve been shopping way too much for myself since Kaden was born. I don’t know if it’s a new Mom thing, or I am just being triggered by all the changes and anxiety so I am shopping to feel better and soothe myself in some way?
    I am taking a shopping detox in February (and maybe longer?). At first I wasn’t going to do the 10×10 again since I like what’s in my closet and now that I have Kaden I never post much or as much as I want but in review I willl be joining you gals and working on making my closet leaner (again)!
    Have a great weekend xo!

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much Jodie! I’m sure the over shopping is a combination of all the big changes in your life lately. Don’t beat yourself up about it though! You’ve noticed something you wanted to remedy and you’re taking steps to do so, that’s great! Thrilled to have you join in the #Winter10x10 with us. I know it is always a great time and I very rarely think about shopping while the challenge is on. All the best for 2018 lovely! xo

  24. Dani says:

    I’ve decided to do an extended shopping fast, and I just realized that even though this is the case your blog will be one I will still read and appreciate. So many style blogs are focussed on shopping while you approach the concept of personal style, remixing and responsible shopping, in such a way that I know I won’t be tempted to break my fast while reading your posts. Thanks for that!
    My style has changed now that I’m in my late 40’s, my hubs and I travel more and I just want less stuff. I definitely embrace the uniform concept, something I never thought I’d be into. After reviewing my online purchases of 2017 I realize I returned almost everything I tried to buy, aargh what a waste, all those delivery trucks, all that time spent looking at things online, return shipping etc etc. This is the reason I want to take a break, and after filling in some obvious “gaps” during the boxing week sales I feel ready. (Fortnight had a killer sale, and I have to thank you for leading me to that brand.)
    Looking forward to your posts so much! xx

    • Lee the Bee says:

      Thanks so much Dani! So glad you’ll be visiting and reading during your shopping fast. I find I seek out more inspiration for style when I’m not shopping than when I am and it can really help to spur some creative outfit ideas. I returned a lot of things during 2017 too, it’s such a drag for sure. Good luck with the break and all the best for 2018! xo

  25. Stefanie says:

    Love this, Lee! I know you’ve gone back and forth for a while on how to balance collaborations. I think your well thought out intentions will serve you well and we can trust your voice because of that. Excited to see how that unfolds and what it looks like for you!