Project Wardrobe Revamp: dressing to look younger
Back in early July, I announced that I was revamping my working wardrobe and so I thought I’ll do a series of Project Wardrobe Revamp posts here. In fact, I’ve been over shopping lately, buying new pieces or accessories almost every other day. And it’s really great to work in a place where I can dress as myself and not having to conform to some corporate dress code. IT’S AWESOMELY LIBERATING, PEOPLE!
Employing common sense
So on some days, I can head to work in jeans, and on other days, something a bit more dressy. The dress code really depends on what I feel like wearing for that day. YAY! This is a huge change from where I used to come from, as my dressing had to be a lot more age appropriate and conservative. Okay, although there aren’t any official dress code for me now, I do employ common sense like NOT heading to work in a pair of shorts or wearing anything too revealing. I certainly don’t want to come across as a bimbo although that labeling would require me…ahem…having some “assets” in the first place too.
Online shopping is addictive
Because of the change, I really needed a wardrobe overhaul. I could wear my weekend clothes to work but there weren’t enough of those outfits now. So thank goodness for the Internet, and I could shop online anytime and anywhere. I’ll be honest with you though – online shopping is very addictive and time consuming because of the varied choices! There are so many blogshops and online stores these days with really competitive pricing and pretty good quality apparel!
Where to find
So where did I get my outfit here? The top is from ASOS, the skirt is from Iora, the shoes are from Metro and the bag is an Osprey London from Zalora. I wore a brown cuff bracelet from ASOS but it’s not visible on these pictures. The necklace is an old one I got from one of the department stores eons ago.
My fashion philosophy
Like I’ve mentioned before, I don’t like to dress my age. I like to dress to look younger. So yeah, I shop at stores meant for the younger crowd. But I’ll draw a line where the style is too sweet, too cute or too edgy. I am also drawn to the style over the brand as I do set a budget for my clothes; I don’t believe I need to wear branded stuff just to look good. And while I do check out fashion lookbooks for ideas of what to wear, I prefer to coordinate my own pieces with clothes that fit me well. At the end of the day, I need to wear something that makes me feel comfortable.
Over to you
So what’s your fashion philosophy? Do you have to conform to a certain dress code for work or school? And do you have a favorite online store to feed my online addiction?
Related posts
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Love the top! I haven’t shopped at ASOS and this is tempting me!!!
Oh check the store out! They have so many choices – some really affordable. And they ship internationally. No problem whatsoever with all my orders thus far.
My fav. online shop is asos.com which you mentioned ? and yes online shopping is indeed addictive and takes up a great amount of time. I actually prefer online shopping to visiting the mall to shop for clothes.
Well, for me… once I find a clothing item that looks great on me, i’ll probably snap up a few of the same design in different colours ;p Also, when it comes to online shopping, i’ll keep in my the kind of style/cut e.g. trapeez, empire, that suits my body type. I think this is really important as it allows me to make successful purchases online instead of pondering over different styles and eventually buying something that doesn’t suit me.
Hazel last post is: SALE! Chanel, NARS, Stila, Shu Uemura, MAC, Laura Mercier, NYX…
I can wear jeans too but only on Friday.
I love asos too.
I think you’ve found a great balance here! It looks youthful and fresh, but most subtle. I think it is wise like you say, to draw the line at too colorful, sweet, etc. Because you want to look younger, not like a kid! I like the shoes a lot!
haha! Early this year, I was talking to a girl-friend and she went on about how she couldn’t stop buying pieces from online. I didn’t believe. I know my materials well enough, and I have strangely proportioned body, so I prefer to touch and try my clothes before buying. Little did I know that I spoke too soon! I completely understand the online shopping now! hahaha.
Recently, I like the style from Fairebelle live journal a lot. And I swear by the quality of Love Bonito.
I have heard so many good things about ASOS, but not yet tried it… … Maybe it’s time since you like it so much too. =D
Jyoan last post is: LOTD: A Trip to the Gardens! – That Earthy Brown
By the way, I am not sure if Viva Woman would actually venture towards fashion, but I must give you the thumbs up for all the style & fashion posts you’ve done so far!
I like the originality that is coming through. And this time round, I like the top and the OMG platform sandals a lot! <3
Unfortunately, I do need to conform to workplace dress code, and something like this top you have is no-no. T_T I can only see and lem for it, but cannot wear.
My personal fashion philosophy would be clean-cut sophisticated. I must not be a sight pollution to this world.
Jyoan last post is: LOTD: A Trip to the Gardens! – That Earthy Brown
You’re right about getting clothes that suits out body type. It makes it easier to zoom right in on what works and what won’t when shopping online. I also like the idea of buying different colors of the same design. Sometimes, if I like something really basic, I might even get 2 of the same. eg. a nice black skirt with a great cut.
At least you can wear jeans on Friday. I guess that’s pretty much the norm.
Love the variety and the free shopping! ?
Thanks Ruby! I prefer understated styles that are not too loud. I like the shoes too and they’re pretty comfy!
Oh I know Love Bonito! Anyway, I quickly went to both of the shops you mentioned and noticed they have some nice dresses…heheh…
Check out ASOS cos they do have great variety. But we have many choices here so if you don’t feel comfortable shopping with them, it’s not a loss.
Thanks for your encouraging comment! I most probably would be a fashion blogger if I were in my 20s. I used to love dressing up, experimenting and even designing clothes. But now, if I were to run a fashion blog, I think I’ll run out of things to post. So I’ll keep such posts during the weekend.
I was tickled by your comment – “I must not be a sight pollution to this world”. That’s a good objective!
I love this post!!! I have something slightly similar sitting in my drafts folder about dressing up nicely but I can’t publish. No pics. I want to show myself wearing what I usually wear to work but for some reason, I can’t get the angle right when I cut my head/face out of the pic ?
I don’t need a wardrobe overhaul ’cause I think I’ve got lots of clothes that reflect my fashion statement already. BUT I need to motivate myself to wear them. That’s the problem, haha. I’m someone who usually takes hours to decide on what to wear and because my schedule is crazy tight nowadays, I don’t have that much time. I end up usually heading to work in ugly shirts and pants/shorts and slippers (unless I have meetings, of course). One thing that motivates me to dress up, though, is looking at pics of other everyday women dressing up.
I LOVE your shirt! I’m into loose shirts recently. They are comfy to wear but don’t look lazy even when paired with shorts/miniskirt. I think that the look your currently going for definitely suits your personality, your age and your body type (and your signature hairstyle! :p).
My fashion statement is ‘wear yourself’. I wear whatever I feel as long as it’s appropriate for the occasion. I’m strongly drawn to bohemian fashion, though. And I can’t wear heels so I look odd in corporate attires. o.O
EcoBeauty last post is: Sleep in Total Darkness to Stay Young and Lose the Bulges!
I remember you wanted to do some outfit posts and I was like waiting…waiting…LOL. But photography is an issue for me too. I love doing such posts but it’s not easy to have the pictures taken. I ask my hubby to take for me and sometimes, it depends on his mood. ? Then I tried self-timing but the quality is not good. Then there’s the issue of location. With OFTD, it’s gonna be taken at home rather than outside so the aesthetic factor is an issue. So I can understand what you mean by no pictures.
Anyway I’ve caught glimpses of your wardrobe from your Instagram and they look like my type of clothes. As in, I might not wear them but I like those styles. Boho-chic! On a daily basis, I love wearing flats like my Fitflops. I only wear heels when I work but they do make the outfits look better.
Okay, time to do something about my hair. *sigh*
Definitely love this post of yours! We are on the same boat now! But like Vivi, I don’t think I can post any photos on my blog because I don’t want to show my face. Cutting my head is a no-no ?
I never buy clothes online, because I would like to try them on before paying. That way, I can minimize my failure rate. Up to now, I’m quite satisfied with my progress. The only thing that I am lacking is money ?
Sesame, you know what? It’s you who encouraged me to dress younger. And I did it and love it!! But since my change is more dramatic than yours (I’ve dyed my hair, changed my hairdo, worn eye shadow, and COMPLETELY changed my wardrobe of clothes), I think people must be speculating behind me. A makeover like mine takes courage. I used to care so much, but no more. It’s more important to enjoy myself while I still can ?
I’m glad that my posts have been an inspiration for you to dress younger and that you’re loving it! I haven’t progressed much on my hair and makeup. The hair is a bit difficult to change but the makeup, I can put in more effort. Have been having problems wearing eye shadow although I use them.
Oh about the speculation, don’t worry. You’re changing for the better and most important, you’re happy!
As for purchasing online, I actually save more cos online shopping is very competitive. I started out not daring to venture but as I shopped, I learned and it’s getting addictive! I sometimes prefer to spend time shopping online than to blog! Haha…
Please don’t get me wrong! Your hair fits you perfectly! I think anything longer might take away the shape of your hair while anything shorter might be too oldish and harsh/less feminine. I think your hair frames your face just nicely. ?
Ah…no worries. I wasn’t affected by your comments. Anyway, your comment was positive. Just that I’m quite tired of my own hairstyle…but I don’t have much choices. Even when I go for makeovers, I end up having the same style! Haha…
Sesame, this was a great post! I recently did a huge purge of my closet….I am famous for holding on to stuff that are old, hardly worn and don’t fit me! Thank god that I have a colleague who was more than happy to take huge bags of clothes (some new with tags still on) from me and make them her own. My body is not the same after having children and I am now plus size. Shopping online is limiting as is shopping at the mall – larger women are so marginalized and it is demotivating to shop when all you see are frumpy and downright ugly looking items from regular shops. I did try shopping online but because fit is an issue, I tend not to do so. I took inspiration from the top you were wearing and I love pieces like that which are so easy to wear. Keep bringing us these lovely looks and having just turned 40 and fabulous…..I refuse to ‘dress my age’ too!
Lucky you, my superior would not even allow me to wear capri pants on a Friday! The only thing I can do is opt to wear lighter or brighter colors (nothing too loud though) to my workplace. I have a tight budget for clothes. I try to shop at boutiques that offers clothes that are made free size; they are actually cheaper. If not, I will have to wait for a sales. Sometimes, I would ask the sales assistant if their boutique has a outlet store. Clothes sold at their outlet stores are usually discounted. If you can rock a younger look, I know I can too…yay! Thanks for this great post!
That’s good…to have someone who is willing to take on your clothes cos I know it can feel like a waste. I recycle mine in the recycle bag so I have no idea where it goes to. Over here, we are starting to have some shops selling plus size clothes and they’re rather nice. Once, I walked in to look and I was shooed out. ?
There were stages in my life I didn’t pay attention and ended up looking dull and frumpy too. So if we all just put in some effort, we can look fabulous no matter how tall, how short (I’m short) or whatever size or age we are.
Ok, funny thing is I don’t wear capri pants. It’s not something I have in my wardrobe. They all end up looking longer on me.
Actually a lot of the online stores sell tops, bottoms and dresses for under S$30. Pretty good quality too! I’ll feature some next time.
For my previous jobs, I was mostly wearing flat or low heel covered shoes which were pretty boring and some even hurt my toes and nails. At least my current superior allows me to wear open-toed sandals around 1.5 inches high. I felt much more comfortable in them.
Oh I can’t wear covered shoes too! Like you, they hurt my toes and nails like crazy. Usually the big and small toes turned up blue-black.
Love your outfit! X
Thank you! Glad you like it too.
i don’t really get ‘dressing one’s age’, it just seems so self-limiting
i believe people should wear whatever they’re comfortable with, looks flattering, is occasion-appropriate and not sloppy; and i believe most wouldn’t wear say, a bikini top to work anyway ?
if you’re 50 and still look good in a mini skirt, and you’re comfy with it, why not?
You’re absolutely right. Unfortunately, there are pple who will associate certain clothes with certain age and hence, what one should wear at a certain age too.
I know how addicting online shopping can be, because over 90% of my beauty products are from online stores. Although there is still a risk of my being tricked and the products being lost, I still love online shopping very much ~
Haha…yes, it’s addictive!