eBay has become my friend. Clear it out.

Anonymous wrote:Typically it is because I don't know how to make it work. It's not that there's anything wrong per se, it is that I'm not much of a stylist.

This

A red leather size 8 dress (I bought when I was closer to a 10, but with the best intentions ) for a Valentine's date that didn't happen. It still has the tags on it and has moved 4 times since 2004. Husband and 2 kids later, I have no illusions about wearing it anytime soon. It was a bargain at the time, though! And I keep it partly to remind myself NEVER buy something that doesn't fit, both body and lifestyle, regardless of how good a deal it is.

I rarely have wardrobe "fails", but then again, I stick pretty closely to a formula in how I dress. Plus I tend to buy most of my clothese from a handful of stores where I know the sizing is pretty consistent.

Because I try styles that are not "me" and then it's too far out of my comfort zone, and/or too much work, to wear them. For example, I have a bunch of tall dress boots that I intended to wear with winter skirts -- but I walk to/from Metro so they aren't really convenient, and longer skirts make my hips look big. I recently got rid of a pile of button-downs that I thought would make me look more professional than my usual knit shells, but I never had time to iron them and they tended to gape at the bust during everyday bending/sitting, so I never wore them. And so on through the trends, whether it's layered things or belted things or whatever.

Turns out I am happiest to just find a simple style (and, preferably, a single brand) that fits and looks good on me, and wear that all the time.

^^or the raspberry color?

Waterfall cardigan a grandmother look? I am too heavy for this style -- thought it was a young style? No? This style just.never.works. for me!

I buy the top I love thinking that I'll find the right skirt/pants later but never do.

Because I buy the cheaper item than the one I really love.

for me it's that I don't have time/like to spend time shopping, so when i go home WITHOUT buying something it sometimes feels like a fail. That's when I can talk myself into buying something that I'm on the fence about.

When I try to convince myself that if I pair it with other things, it will look right

If I don't love it immediately and I'm trying to convince myself it will look better when...

If I don't have enough things to pair it with

If it's not good quality and I try to wear it more than 3 times

If I don't even try it on first because I'm in a rush but it's on sale (I'm talking about you, raspberry waterfall cardigan that was $30 at nordstrom but makes me look like a wanna-be hip grandma)