Wardrobe Obsessions – What’s Yours Today?

Fashion and style are such a glorious hobby. We get to be creative, expressive, individual, purposeful — and obsessive! All within the realm of normal human behaviors.

Without being a slave to trends (and most of us reading this blog are not), it is fun to get temporarily besotted with some item of clothing or accessory, and to stalk, hunt and collect it. Sometimes the stalking is just via window or cyber-shopping, without buying. In my life, it means seeking affordable versions of my current crush, via thrift and consignment stores. Every once in a while, the object of desire is worth a splurge, and lasts for decades, like my beloved Moissanite wedding ring.

Here are some of my past obsessions. Maybe you will relate to one or more — I’d love to know. I’ll post my current obsession at the end.

  • Vintage gloves. I had to look at every pair in town, and on eBay! I bought several, and still wear and appreciate them.
  • Tote bags. The search for the perfect work tote bag was feverish for a while. I looked at canvas, brocade, vintage, kooky and classic. I now have two, a gorgeous quilted design made by a friend, and a practical pleather one that looks good with every outfit.
  • Cuff bracelets. Still loving on these, but I do own enough. I think.
Except I think I need this one. So cute.
  • Tingly lip glosses. I went far and wide, and keep coming back to Burt’s Bees. Guess I am sticking with this one.
  • Patterned tights. You can ask me who carries these in my small city, ’cause I have been around. (Target’s got the best selection and prices).
  • Midi skirts. My eyes followed only the hemlines of skirts on the racks, and I reached for the long ones. I did end up with a handful of cool midis for this Fall/Winter, without spending very much.
If it’s midi, it’s for me. From Asos.
  • And my present obsession: chunky boots. I can’t get enough. At every thrift store I enter, I head straight for the boots — ankle, mid-calf, knee, doesn’t matter. I touch them all and envision how they’ll work in my wardrobe. As usual, I buy just a few and enjoy the heck out of them.
And lately, I seem to want more and more like these (Steve Madden here)
Or these, by Merrell.

These are some of the ways I enjoy guilt-free shopping and indulgences. I have very few identifiably “bad” habits (at least not any more). And my work life is serious and responsible. So it’s a treat to have an obsession and play it through with joy.

What are your fashion obsessions, past and present?

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patti

49 Comments

  1. My current obsession is to find a perfect clutch purse, but past obsessions have included a perfect faux fur jacket and perfect jeans.  Once the obsession has been caught I almost immediately jump into the next one.  It's kind of problematic.

  2. says you Patti … I have to admit that I have years of old newspapers in my house. When I realized that I was starting to have issues about not throwing them away if I didn't read them — I cancelled my subscription. I do throw them away when I come across them, but I know that I still have piles of them around. aggh.

  3. This is a hard one.
    I usually have at least ONE thing on my mind. Right now its pants, harem -kind of like pants that are not so harem (not that baggy) and pants that hit the ankle. I just bought three of the first and am looking for the latter. The issue is once I get them I take forever to wear them and then they are out of style !

  4. Lipstick of course – the perfect color is always out there waiting for me    : >  I think you have found some fabulous maxis and vintage dresses Ariane, but the hunt is always fun, isn't it?

  5. Hi Patti, ok now mine;)
    1- Boots i go straight for the boots in thrift shops but very difficult to find what i want so i shop at Winners, when i have the urge- Winners is a discount store and you can find boots at a very affordable prices.
    2- Lipstick – forever looking for the right color, but i found it finally! I went to a Lise Watier event and and found the right color, Lise Watier by the way, is a Canadian brand and carries a very good line of cosmetics.
    3- Maxi skirts forever looking for the perfect maxi!
    4- Vintage dresses again hard to find for me they are generally to big, but i have found lately and Saint Vincent de Paul charity shop and i am confident i will find something there.

    Ariane xxxx

  6. That's a new one to me, Sylvia — tennis clothes. But why not, they have become so chic. I am going to go look at SM's designs right now!

  7. Yes! I have thin arms too and maybe that's why I love cuffs so much. : >

  8. Inspired by the Style Crone I want more hats! In the last month I've bought several. They're a great accessory and wonderful for bad hair days (I have many)! I used to have an obsession with tennis clothes. I could not pass by an addidas store to look at the latest Stella McCartney outfits. And if those outfits were on sale.. Oh boy…

  9. I like everything you mentioned on your list, my current "obsession" would have to be cuffs. It's so good for skinny people like me with small arms, the cuffs just stays in place without slipping up and down. 

    mongsmythriftycloset.blogspot.com

  10. Fun to read about your obsessions!  My favorite is of course hats, but I have a vintage glove collection that I adore.  I also love scarves of all sizes, and anything that screams unique and beautiful.  I've spent years going to estate sales, but also enjoy consignment and thrift.  

  11. New favorite shopping expression: "multiple ongoing affairs".  : >  I spend a lot of time (and therefore less money) favoriting things too, and filling my shopping carts. No one says you have to check out.

    Sad face: my hooves are far too large for your fab boots!

  12. Oh that last detail is fun! But at least *you* know that you are wearing sailor-style pants, and that's what counts  : >

  13. Oooh lovely picks. My current and on-going obsession is finding either a combat or cowboy boot that I can wear during summer. I'm currently lusting hard after a pair of baby blue ones on etsy, but they'll have to wait until the ban is over.

    I have multiple on going affairs: fur outerwear (thrifted only!), leather anything, anything with lots of straps and buckles. And newish: statement necklaces. 

    Sometimes it's fun just to sit around favoriting and pinning lots of lovely things. Almost as good as shopping, no?

    (Btw I sent you an email regarding those boots)

  14. Others would probably suggest I'm obsessed hats and vintage jewelry, because I do have a lot of both, but somehow each item I own in those categories seems different enough from the others to not make acquiring more seem obsessive to me. However, I have noticed that I do not seem to be able to say no to any pair of pants that features sailor detailing (2 vertical rows of buttons) at the waist. I think I own about ten pairs of pants in this style and this might be excessive, and obsessive, especially as I invariably wear my shirts untucked and no one can even see the buttons.

  15. A pea green coat would be so great. I haven't seen many in this color.

  16. Nice insightful post! I'm a boot fan myself. Anything tall or with a chunky heel :). One of my cyber monday splurges was a pair of Lucky Brand riding boots I found for 60% off. Can't go wrong with a bargain.

    I guess my only real obsession these days is amber jewelry. I love how much depth the stone has in it. Theres also a thing with scarves – like the cheap "pashmina" types you can buy from street vendors in NYC. I have one in many colors and often gift them to people. Theyre so versatile!

  17. I was obsessed with the idea of elbow length opera gloves for winter — but could never find the right ones. Slowly, over the seasons, my obsession waned. But, now I'm obsessed with the idea of finding a brightly colored winter coat in an unusual shade – like pea green.

  18. I'll try to show my totes in a future pic, thanks for asking! It's not easy to find a great, simple white shirt, is it?

  19. Is there a photo available of your totes? I would love to see them! Last year I had some obsessions, and got hold of all of them: white shirts without any nick-nack and v-neck cashmere sweaters with leaves that don't and halfway down my ellbox (I am tallllllll)

  20. Oh I do love your chunky boot links, which brings me to my weakness… boots, shoes, sandals, kitten heels… any type of shoe will do, massive weakness!  I have far, far too many ..

  21. Hee! Debbi, you are a hoot. I think your therapy is that you must write a blog about all these issues  : >

  22. Oh my, I am so very, very bad. I think it is OCD. I want more jackets, more jeans, more blouses, more necklaces, more bracelets, more shoes, more boots.
    Hi, I my name is  Debbi and I am an obssesive clothing accessory addict. Is there a 12 step program for that?

  23. Sure! I forgot to include that one — I have gone through phases where I could NOT leave the store without a new polish. Inexpensive treats!

  24. It's OK to get carried away here Pam, no actual credit cards have been whipped out  : >  You have a lovely scarf and bracelet collection, I'd love to see them all!

  25. Earrings, of course — and they're so small, you can keep a LOT of them at once! You have some fabulous pairs.

  26. Does nail polish count?  I must have every color under the sun, and yet, I can't stop aquiring more.

  27. I like everything here…I for sure have an obession with cuff bracelets…I still would like to have more and for me it was be scarves, can never have enough or great fitted jackets or soft knot shirts….Uh Oh, I think i am getting carried away!!

  28. Thanks AnnMarie – I am going to check out CO Bigelow Lip Gloss – I have tried some of their products and like them. Oh, and cashmere of course — that's a great obsession  : >

  29. I think I have indulged all of your obsessions at some point but one that has remained consistant throughout the years?  EARRINGS!   I have managed to restrain myself lately…

  30. I just love cashmere…..sweaters, t-shirts, scarves, wraps, leggings…..anything with that beautiful feel, I'm drawn to.  I am very happy with my little "collection" and wear it as much as I can!
    Tingly lip gloss is a good one, too….have you tried the CO Bigelow Lip Glosses at ath & Body Works?

  31. You are a woman after my heart, Adrienne. Very expensive handbags always catch my eye  : >

  32. I've been obsessing over a pair of grey ankle boots. Finally ordered them yesterday while Piperlime had everything 20% off. Gorgeous!

  33. I went through a very expensive handbag phase that faded over time, thankfully. I also have had a *thing* for cuffs for quite some time and I own way too many scarves. I seemed to always go for the accessories . 

    Currently, I am searching for statement necklaces, pencil skirts, blazers, and fitted button-down shirts. Those are always the things I search for when I go to 
    thrift shops.  

    Really like those Madden boots…

    Adrienne 

  34. Thanks Loren – I hadn't though about Etsy for boots, but I am going to look tonight.  : >  You do look fab in a pencil skirt, blazer, and boots.

  35. I just read about your caftan search, and thought perhaps it fits this post? . . . but it's a lot of fun, isn't it? And it's not like we're keeping years of old newspapers about, right?  : >

  36. My obsessions… Boots & Blazers. If they fit me I'll probably buy them. Regardless of how many I may own… Also, check Etsy for boots, I've had a lot of luck there at really reasonable prices.
    More recently I've started a pencil skirt collection (I need ALL the colors) I just love the way I look in all these things.

  37. I do have a very strong compulsion to collect things, and often it is silly, rather unnecessary stuff like 15 short-sleeved sweaters in every possible color. I did amass a large collection of vintage handbags at one point and some of them were quite nice, but last year I realized I had never used a single one, plus they were gathering dust and taking up too much space. So I finally sold most of them. I had a brief obsession with espadrilles at the beginning of the summer, and bought a few too many! I think I will get some wear out of them at some point. I hope. And I don't even want to talk about my jewelry situation.
    Currently my wardrobe obsession is simply trying to find something comfortable! Looking at a lot of floaty caftans for around the house and soft knits for my rare excursions out into the world.

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