Unworn 2015 Purchases

I did quite well with buying things on my list and wearing what I bought this year.  For the most part.  There are still a handful of items that did not get worn.  Some I bought near the end of the year and just have not yet had an occasion, but some I’ve had plenty of time to don, yet haven’t for one reason or another.  My aim is to buy what I’ll wear and wear what I buy. 

I need to focus just as much on the second half of that motto.  I don’t need every new purchase to be worn a lot to be considered a successful buy.  Some things make me happy even if I wear them just twice a year.  But there is no sense in owning items that are not worn at all.

Here is what has not left the closet yet:

Express red halter dress bought May 20
Miss Me jewel cuff jeans bought July 30
Equipment silk snake print blouse bought October 17
Faux fur vest bought November 9
Express black shirt dress bought November 11
Express dalmatian clutch bought November 11

The vest I almost wore twice just last week.  I think that is more a timing/opportunity thing, not a possible mistake.  Ditto the two November Express purchases – life got very busy and my opportunities to dress outside of work uniform were slim to none, so I think I just need more time in order to break them out.

But the other items I’ve had the time so it is something else with them.  I packed both the red dress and snake print shirt on my vacation to New Orleans 2 months ago.  Had the opportunities to wear them but did not.  I either need to decide if they are too far outside of my comfort zone or how to better style them so I feel more comfortable wearing them.

I’d actually put on the red dress earlier in the summer to wear, but it was ‘too much’ for the occasion.  I like it but it is the kind of dress that needs to have just the right place to wear it or it’s quite conspicuous.  I do believe I will wear it, and am not planning on getting rid of it any time soon.

The snake shirt I packed to wear with my leather/suede pants.  That was a mistake in styling.  It came across as both too masculine and also too ‘cougar’ like all at the same time.  Felt aging.  I think I need to pair it with feminine items to balance the print and the button front styling.

That leaves the jewel bottomed jeans.  I think fit is the issue here.  I LOVE the detail, even if bling is a little passe in some circles.  They are both too long and too loose around the cuff, given my shorter stature and slim calves.  I am debating altering them in to be narrower, so the longer crop does not cut off the leg line and just hang there.

I do like to wear my items shortly after purchasing, season and occasion allowing.  When I don’t I’ll admit it gets me wondering if they were mistakes.  Taking the time to figure why items aren’t yet getting worn can be helpful.  Both in not tossing them prematurely, and in realizing what issues are at play and maybe considering these when making future purchases.  For instance, I won’t be buying any more fancy skimpy dresses.  The combination of dressiness and skimpiness limits its wearability for me.  Any future ones might be shiny or short, but will have coverage up top more suitable for my climate.

Feel free to share what in your closet didn’t get worn and why you think that is.  Did you make a mistake, or has it just not had it’s time yet?  Do you have a set amount of time in which something unworn gets returned or purged?