Building a Wardrobe

No, I am not referring to flat pack furniture here. You see, one of the niggles and difficulties that any clothing-obsessive will confess, is that planning and building a wardrobe that is both practical and filled with the sensible pieces that everyone needs, is no mean feat. I'm sure that many of you will sympathise, and all too often get the bug for an outrageous (and unnecessary) new pair of shoes that naturally you 'just have to have' out window shopping.

        The Crockett & Jones on Jermyn Street was the last shop to take me as its victim of impulse buying...

This problem is often exacerbated by my student budget, and as a result, I often end-up struggling when I really do need to plug a gap in my wardrobe. For example, it may surprise you to know that whilst I own a pair of scarlet loafers, and four pairs of two-tone brogues, I don't have any plain black formal shoes - the multicoloured options win every time... Indeed, you may have read my recent post on 'planning ahead' and my penchant for a lilac suit - you see my problem? Well, this is spilling over into the current dilemma of my casual wardrobe too - I'm getting bored of wearing jeans.

I'm afraid that they just don't do a lot for me, and my last-ditch attempt to find a pair that excited me in Levi's last week ended after trying on over 15 pairs, with no success. You see, over the past couple of years at Uni, I've been experimenting more and more with my own dress sense, and my love of tailoring has flourished - denim just doesn't give me the buzz anymore.

I've got a pair of cords, and some old chinos which are pretty-much worn out, but that's it, and these trousers aren't quite fitted or sleek enough in the leg to give off the sharp effect that a tapered jean can offer through the thigh and calf. This is something that I'd like to find in a tailored trouser, but I'd also like to keep the higher rise that a trouser has over jeans. Its a poser isn't it? I simply can't afford to have casual trousers made, so the only options left to me at present, is to keep hunting, or to alter those casual trousers I buy - which can be an expensive process in itself.

              And then there was this jacket in Favourbrook...

I've been pondering over this dilemma for a couple of weeks now, and as yet I have failed to find a satisfactory solution. I've been enjoying wearing some of my wool tailored trousers out and about during the day, but I'm conscious that if this is going to become my permanent mode of casual dress over the coming months, I'll need to invest in quite a few new pairs, because mid-weight wool just doesn't hold up like denim. Furthermore, finding navy trousers that can take the place of blue staple jeans, that have different blue tones woven into the cloth has proven very difficult, and plain navy wool won't match with all my blue jackets in the same way that jeans do. So I suppose that really this is a cry for help, if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can affordably plug this gap in my wardrobe, I'd be delighted to hear them? (Alternatively, if any tailors out there reading this would like to collaborate with me in creating a sharply cut tailored casual trouser in return for a glowing review of the process then please do feel free!)

I joke of course, but this does illustrate how from time to time the challenges that experimenting with fashion presents adds another dimension to enjoying clothes. I've had a good couple of weeks of pondering over a sartorial problem, and I've enjoyed experimenting with wearing my clothes in different ways to try and find a solution. It just goes to show that dressing well is no easy feat - but perhaps that's what makes it such a rewarding experience when finally the light-bulb moment happens, and you find a way to solve your problems. In fact, in writing this, I've had a light-bulb moment myself, if plain navies aren't working - then how about blue checked trousers? I suppose all I have to do now is find some....

            What was that about a student loan?...