Fashion—or Lack Thereof

My messy closet. The couple bright t-shirts? Bought them on the shopping trip described below. Because everything is bright this season. And these were the only three I could stomach. May 2013.

I really don’t like shopping. Nevertheless, it’s sometimes unavoidable.

And recently, I needed new work clothes.

I went to five stores, not including multiple department stores and boutiques at the Houston Galleria. Misery. After two days of effort, I walked away with three t-shirts. (And although I wish t-shirts could pass as work clothing for me, they don’t.)

So I complained on Twitter, as one does. In response, Will Pora asked me what I considered worthwhile, wearable, good clothing. After all, what I found unworkable would be someone else’s fashion nirvana.

Here goes:

• Comfort. I won’t suffer for fashion. If I can’t wear it all day without fussing or feeling constructed, I pass.

• Clean and classic. I like clothing with clean lines and classic shapes. I prefer fabrics that have weight and structure. Hippie and grunge styles just don’t work for me.

• Simple. Clothes must be easy to get into—wrestling arms and head into fabric isn’t fun. An item should clearly indicate how one wears it—no puzzles allowed. And if it takes too many steps or layers of extras to make an outfit work, I won’t wear it.

• Solid colors. I lean towards solid hues. Or one main color and an accent color. And minimal to no patterns. Busy fabrics overwhelm my pale coloring. Also, they get dated quickly. (See below.)

• Timeless (or nearly so). I’m not into trendy. I want clothes I can wear for years—if not decades. I have some clothes from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that still garner compliments. Timelessness is especially critical for pricier fashion.

• Suited. Through many painful adolescent-years of trial and error, I learned that clothing cute on someone else may not suit my shape. I do well with fitted on the top and more unstructured or full on the bottom. Always.

What’s your idea of good clothing?