I did a post yesterday in which I reviewed three grey dresses that I own. Add to that
yet *another* grey dress that I also recently wore, I realized I have WAY too many simple grey dresses. Which then led to me actually looking in my closet and realizing that if I was going to buy the
lyric dress (not in grey, come on now...) and the
maritime dress, I would also need to re-evaluate whether or not I needed as many jersey dresses as I have.
I think part of the reason I have held onto so many of these clothing items is because I simply run out of time to cull my closet. I know this is going to sound mega-lame, but after running around after the kids all day, blogging, and doing all the daily "essentials" of my life (that sounds pretty tame, lol), by the time Mr. Dina gets home and can take over the child-rearing and such, I definitely don't have the energy to go into my bedroom and clean (
but drink a glass of wine, um, yeah...).
But yesterday morning afforded me the trifecta of awesome...I felt good, Mr. Dina was home and herding children, and I knew that some of the items I wanted to cull from the closet could end up on the JCA Weekly "Sell" post, so I kind of had to get my booty in gear.
So how did all this end up as a Mommy Style Monday post? Because, admit it, if you are reading this, you probably are both a) a mommy, and b) stuck with a few too many clothing items of your own.
But, if like me, you need an excuse, a valid reason, a push in the behind, this post is for you. I will even show you some ways of coping with your loss (oh, I know I can't be the only one who has trouble getting rid of clothing because of sentiment, right?).
In order to REALLY be objective, I took a series of photos of myself wearing the jersey dresses, and through the power of Picasa, I chopped off my own head to make the most wise decision for each dress. I have done this before, but for entire outfits. I encourage all of you to try this...not seeing your head, just your body in the piece of clothing (and if you want, from all sides) will let you see what TRULY flatters you.
You will be seeing a series of photos that show my insane jersey dress collection. In these photos you will be treated to: dresses that got a second chance because I ended up liking the way I looked in them, dresses that I want to sell (I think my readers and other JCAs/Boden Babes/Loft Lovers might have some interest), and dresses that I will give away to charity (older, but in still great shape, dresses from places like Old Navy and JCPenney).
1)
Loft Scoopneck Dress with Ruching. Well, I already admitted to having a huge problem hoarding grey dresses. Do I really need this one? Answer: Definitive NO. It is a nice enough shape, but the bust is too large and the overall length is too short (have enough short dresses, too). SELL.
$20, Size 8. See this polyvore for more info, if interested.
2.
Old Navy Bright Yellow Pleated Neckline Dress with Bow Detail. This color is amazing, but I have two tops from old navy that are this color. The dress is baggy, saggy, a bit sheer, and overall a bad fit for me. Answer: Definitive NO. Going to give this one (and a few others that I have not shown here) to Goodwill.
3.
Boden Printed Beach Dress. Oh, how I adore this print. Too bad the pockets on these are at my widest point of my hips, making it a bit too floppy at the WRONG part of my body. This one is definitely meant for ladies with more up top and less on bottom. This one was the hardest for me to part with, but at least I know it will be swooped up by another Boden babe (I like that term, btw). Answer: NO.
For sale info at this polyvore, size UK 10, US 6, $30.
4.
J. Crew Cotton Interlock Kristy Dress. I have worn this a few times before, but never for the blog. I could never seem to make it work for me. The problem had been that I added a necklace. By leaving the dress and its silhouette alone, the simplicity and the modern lines were able to shine through. But I still wasn't convinced, so I took two more photos.
From the side. Short, yes, but that is perfect for the weather around her in the summer. It also allows me to be a bit "dressier" on errands and the like.
From the back. Answer: YES. Keeping this one and look forward to keeping it simply styled.
5.
Mossimo Dress with pleated detail at neck and waist. Bought this at a Target in Indiana a few summers ago. Love the color and adore the design but was on the fence about whether it worked for me or not. It didn't...two summers ago when I was still postpartum and nearly 20 pounds heavier than I am today. I think all the pleating made me feel a bit larger than I was back then, hence my fence sitting. Still not convinced, so took a pic from the back.
From the back. It's okay, and I love this style for hanging out during the summer. Answer: YES.
6.
J. Crew Jennifer Shirtdress in Black. Oh, this shirtdress has driven me CRAZY for a few years now.
I had it in brown and didn't really care for the way it looked on me. Then I lost weight, sold the brown (size medium) and bought the black and the green in size small. I wore the green one time, and hated it on me (again???). Turns out I did it wrong for me. So what if everyone else can wear this dress buttoned up and long-sleeved. I can't. I needed to adjust. So I opened the lapel ALL THE WAY (while still remaining decent) and rolled the sleeves to the the 3/4 length. The picture confirmed that I had chosen the correct styling. Answer: YES. (Phew.)
There will be two more posts today (and the third post will prove to be a humdinger, so come on back you all.)
Now, in the meantime, CULL THAT CLOSET!!! ;)
