Christmas Wish List

It's that time of year, I suppose. I've already slaved and stressed over gift lists for both my mother and my mother-in-law, so why play this sad game of want-versus-get all over again? Easy: The Internet is a fun place to pretend!

As I've grown up a little, entered and then exited the corporate world of dress codes, and made significant changes to my body, I've had some time to redefine my wardrobe a bit. Or at least, think about redefining it. Many of you probably know that the Hubs and I keep a relatively tight budget; often, we would much rather stash away our extra cash for new windows or a roof for our 100-year-old house than throw money at something as fickle as fashion. But who doesn't love to dream? Plus, being an overwhelmingly visual person, I've always felt more comfortable in situations where things are pretty. Daydreaming about tweaks and adjustments to my daily look is like a happy little mind exercise I do to keep myself surrounded with aesthetically stimulating things and new, fresh ideas. Like a total phony, most of this wardrobe analysis and construction begins and end with this thought experiment. But who can afford the time and cash to attain complete wardrobe perfection? Not anyone I've ever heard of. (Not anyone who wasn't broke, anyhow.)

So let's play pretend: If time, money, and other important life priorities weren't an issue, what changes would we make to our everyday looks, and what pieces would we add to round a wardrobe and make it more cohesive? Here are some elements I've been wanting to add to my winter wardrobe lately. (Warning: Those prone to overwhelming retail lust may wish to duck out at this moment, or keep their debit cards put safely away, as the eye candy is about to begin!)

1) More Skirts. 
I've had my eye on this stunner by Little Ocean for like, forevs. And though it's not currently in our budget, I'm always in favor of supporting local, handmade artists and craftspeople, and know a piece like this would be a wise wardrobe investment. Plus, look at those colors! *swoon*

Harvest Printed Linen Skirt by Little Ocean

2) Ankle-Height Moccasins. (Because you can never have too many moccasins, let's be real here.)

Vintage 1970's Minnetonka Leather Moccasins from Clever Nettle

These are already sold, and not to me, because I waffled and hesitated and ultimately wimped out.  *whimper* But they do represent a look I've been toying with lately--the pale, neutral ankle boot silhouette. These have leather soles, which are not a good match for snow. They would also probably not fit even my skinny jeans inside, but a pair that would might just be the perfect winter substitute for my normally not-very-weather-proof Minnetonka Kilties.

3) More tights, please!

Image via Jen Loves Kev

I don't know who got the bright idea to make tights something that grown-ups can wear, but whoever they are, I think I need to spend more time in their presence. I think I used to hate tights as a kid, thinking they were scratchy, constricting and too warm. But since I work in some kind of Office Arctic tights have become my new best friend. They allow me to dress up more even as the weather gets colder, help transition many warm-weather dresses and skirts to be more wearable year-round, and keep me from wearing the same boring jeans to work every day till they stretch out and start sagging in the rear. Plus, with fun, exciting new colors like the ones Jen models above, and at price points that allow for a small (or rather large, in my case) collection, tights seem like a no-brainer.

4) Socks. The wooly-er, the better.
It's no secret that I'm much more fond of cold weather than our hot, humid Wisconsin summers. So it's probably no surprise that I've become completely obsessed with trying to wear as much clothing at one time as possible.

Gipsy Over The Knee Socks from ASOS

Tall, ribbed, cozy socks are only a natural extension of my compulsive layering addiction. My favorite variation lately has been to layer warm, scrunchy socks over tights with shorter skirts, as expertly modeled by Tania from What Would a Nerd Wear:

Image via What a Nerd Would Wear

(post-script: I totally wanted this grey lace skirt from Target in the WORST WAY. I unwisely hesitated, then it showed up on this style blog, and another (I don't remember which one now, sadly) in the course of a week and immediately sold out. BOO. I may try to replicate it as a DIY project; if I do, I'll let you know how it goes!)

5) Green. And I mean the color. (Remember when it was only a color? Aye, the good old days...)
I've been really craving rich, deep colors lately as the weather's gotten colder. Green is one I don't have enough of in my wardrobe. I'm hoping to finish a handbag I started last winter (ha! if only you knew how common this sort of behavior was!) that's made from an old, evergreen-colored wool jacket. In the meantime, I'm trying to add it in here and there where I can.

"Green"set from my Polyvore

All in all, I realize that to be unsatisfied with my wardrobe is sort of silly; I know I have more than I truly need. But a little virtual window shopping always gets me thinking, sometimes not even about shopping for new items, but about creating new combinations in my existing wardrobe or about crafting new pieces myself. And that sort of visualizing can't be all bad. ;) (PS - I don't really need any more projects clogging up my life, but maybe someday I might be brave enough to take this experimenting to the next level and try Kendi's 30 for 30 remix challenge!)   ♥