Recently, as part of (ahem) professional development, I have decided to database my whole wardrobe.
Am I currently on my mattress again, procrastinating studying for my next batch of exams so hard that I have dusted off my blog and started writing? Why yes, thank you for noticing.
Now you might be asking, why are you databasing your whole wardrobe, and what does that have to do with professional development, and what is WRONG with you? I have answers to two of those questions.
Answer 1: I am trying to be more aware of what I own, and style what I have more intentionally. Each piece in my wardrobe has been (somewhat) carefully chosen, well at least they were carefully chosen when I bought them. I typically buy clothes only when I don’t have anything appropriate for an event (so, a few times which are far between), or because they’d match a few other things, or simply if I think they’d form a part of what I like to call (and I just made this up) my “Mabel Costume Rotation.” All my clothes, are clothes that are so me, outfit you’d see and go “yup, Mabel WOULD wear that.”
Answer 2: I’m currently deepening my Excel knowledge, learning code and databases to figure out how that can make me a better management accountant, and I needed something fun to work with.
Answer 3: I already told you, I only have answers to two of those questions.
Anyway, if you’ve read my first post (or you’ve EVER met me), you know that one of the things I like is skirts. I think skirts are so pretty and they make me feel pretty. Over the past few months or so, I’ve been hitting the opshops and scrolling on depop, trying to find the perfect skirts that match my character design (whatever that means), and I now have (and apparently this is a lot?) 25 skirts.
I have work skirts, long skirts, boring skirts and fun skirts, and of course denim skirts (for the off periods when i need to be in a casual outfit). In comparison, I have two pairs of work pants and one pair of denim bootcut jeans that fit perfect and I found for $4 at an op shop when I was shopping for (you guessed it) more skirts.
I find this gap ironic because I did recently do a cull and recently got rid of three other (not black) slacks partly because they weren’t my size anymore and partly because I felt they didn’t match enough things in my wardrobe to justify owning them and because “I don’t need multiple pairs of slacks.”
But that logic obviously does not apply to skirts. Duh.
And for special events like school presentations that require you to be swankily dressed or work dinners, I have 2 or 3 structured dresses I can wear (and more than 25 pretty dresses, so lets not even go there AT ALL), so this was another reason why I didn’t want to keep my slacks around.
Anyway, my database (while it will be as detailed as possible and something I slowly work on over the next few months, eventually getting to a point where the code will suggest an outfit for me based on the piece and what it matches with, along with where I am going), will not have any pictures, but I did want to share my skirt collection on the blog.
Other stats from my wardrobe: I own three button sweaters (one for each primary colour), two leather jackets, nine blouses that can broadly be categorised as “red,” three blazers, and five scarves.
Fun right? Let’s get into the skirts.
Disclaimer: My skirts are rumpled because I have them folded and stored in an hanging organiser that hangs in my wardrobe. I wasn’t going to steam all 25 skirts for the sole purpose of the post, plus some of them were in my laundry basket. I am explaining myself because I feel the need to clarify that I do care about what I look like so I (most of the time) don’t wear rumpled clothes outside.
PLAIN WORK SKIRTS
This is my biggest rotation of skirts and I feel like I have every type of skirt one could possibly wear to work (that suits my body type). Pleated skirt, Pencil skirt, Pinstripe skirt, literally three different colours of satin maxi skirt, etc. I have plain tops that literally match every one of these skirts, and so many blouses to go with some skirts, so it really feels like its my own personal capsule wardrobe (heh)
DENIM SKIRTS
I only own two denim skirts, one mini/midi, and one maxi. Sometimes I wear the maxi skirt to work if I do not have any meetings, but they are mostly for casual days
FUN SKIRTS
I would say this is my second biggest skirt rotation. A lot of these are bright colours, patterned, and go with multiple outwear options I have in my wardrobe at the moment (and of course, a crispy black cotton top). I have wool skirts, linen skirts, maxi skirts, skater skirts etc. Some of these skirts I don’t even wear out at all, just at home for my own personal enjoyment.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
These are my favourite skirts of the 25, the ones I am almost always reaching for when I plan an outfit.
This light blue skirt is probably my favourite skirt, my number 1, because I find it quite easy to style, easy to dress up and down and just so gorgeous and unique. I have not seen anything else quite like this. This skirt paired with my light blue crewneck or my light blue button up sweater is probably one of my default looks. If I was a cartoon character with one outfit, that would be it, with how often I wear it.
I fell in love with this skirt when I found it but I didn’t quite like how it sat on my body. I was however determined to figure it out and months later, I realised it was meant to be worn VERY low waisted, which I also happen to love. You’ll find me pairing her with a short sleeve top and a black leather jacket when I’m out dancing, or grabbing a casual dinner.
This skirt seems ordinary, but it was actually the first skirt I bought when I moved to Australia over three years ago, at valley girl during a clearance sale. It’s also one of the core blocks of my costume rotation, you’ve probably seen me frolicking around brisbane pairing this with one of my 90s fitted mesh blouses.
Thank you for indulging me and reading about my skirts. While writing this I had a brief thought about doing this for my dresses, and realised that it would take double the time. Which makes me excited about the database, as I love a “challenge by choice.”
I probably should figure out a way to sign these off. Lol
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