Do You Double Up On Style?

A funny thing happened when I was preparing a post about what I planned to keep or get rid of out of my closet in 2016. As I began sorting through my clothes, I started seeing double.

We’ve all been guilty of loving a favorite piece of clothing so much, that we buy it over and over again. The only thing is,  I didn’t realize how often I had been doing this! Take a look at what I found.

Duplicate Jackets– Let’s start with this jacket on the left. I picked up this cute boyfriend jacket from Zara about four years ago. Some of you may recognize it; I’ve worn it on the blog. It’s been a fabulous piece, and Samie Color   I’ve gotten a lot of use out of it.

So when it started to wear out last spring and I came across this Smythe jacket on the right, I grabbed it. There’s really not much difference between the two. They are both a pretty watermelon color, but the new jacket is a little more tailored, and it’s linen.

Have I worn it much? Sadly no. Even though it’s fresh  and new, it kind of feels like “been there, done that.”  It’s nice to have, but truly, I wish I had gone for a different color just to change things up a little.

Same Print – Next… On the left is a favorite of mine. I’ve had this leopard print Tory Burch sweater for a few years, but it is in excellent condition. It’s a classic. So why did I need another classic leopard top? Obviously,  I was in some kind of animal print phase because a couple of seasons later I bought this silk leopard print blouse by Equipment.

I know, one’s a sweater, and one’s a blouse, but again, they are pretty much duplicates, and that feels like a waste of money.

Same Style  – Not only was I seeing double in my closet as far as color and print, but I also found I had duplicate styles. This DVF purple oversized sweater is a favorite. I love pushing up the sleeves and wearing them with leggings and riding boots. I guess I wanted to recapture that artsy feel when I bought this brown Theory sweater that has a similar look and fit.

The problem is, and you may have found this yourself, that when you buy the new version of the old sweater or jacket or whatever,  you often stop wearing the original. I wish I had been more conscious about the fact that I already had a similar sweater hanging in my closet.

I do wear both sweaters, and they are slightly different. If my budget were more limited, I would be kicking myself.

On Sale Trap  – Alright, I know what happened here. I look awful in white but in the last few years, I have discovered how lovely I looked in cream. It’s softer than stark white and makes my peachy complexion glow.  I started off buying this cotton J.Crew sweater a couple of years ago. Last year I picked up this boucle version ( middle)  from Theory – I like this one much better than the first because of the cool texture. Then, I fell into a classic shopping trap.

I made the mistake of buying something because it was in the sale. I picked up this lovely Michael Kors V-neck  ( right) at a huge discount after Christmas last year. I remember thinking, that I didn’t need it, but I couldn’t resist the price, and I rationalized that was a good, basic wardrobe staple.

You know when you are in a shopping mood and you just want to buy something? I think I have worn it once, and that was out of guilt. I knew better, but I bought I anyway.

And now for the grand slam –  4 red dresses. Can you have too much of a good thing?

I’ve always loved red and feel my most confident in a red dress. It seems like I’ve been looking for the perfect red dress my whole life – my closet is proof of that. Take a look at these four dresses that are just a tad different from each other. Obviously, I like a lean, minimalist silhouette, which is fine because it really suits my body shape and personality.

The first red dress on the left was purchased several years ago from a French boutique. The next one, is Akris Punto. I bought it this year and wore it to New York Fashion Week ( paid too much, but I do love it).  I must have been having a mod moment when I bought the third one. It’s a shorter, shift-style dress, but still lovely and elegant. And the last one by Milly has a twist- a color block theme.

Even though three of the dresses are a few years old, the good thing is they are not dated. They’re classic, which means they always work. You just need to update them with the latest shoes and accessories.

Was I crazy to buy all these dresses that are so much the same? I guess you could argue that if color and or style looks fabulous on you, ROCK IT! …And these do look fab!

How about you? Do you have a few doubles, triples, or more in your closet? It’s not always a bad thing, but you have to watch you don’t fall into a “same old, same old”,  boring rut. It’s good to experiment once in a while with new looks, styles, prints, textures, and colors.

What items do you buy over and over and over again? Please let me know below.