- Kate
Window Shopping: Curated Closet
Updated: Nov 20
This blog post is a reflection on some clothes I've bought from Amazon.
The book Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe, by Anuschka Rees, is mostly a version of KonMari - put all your clothes in a pile by type and go through them. However, the book also has a worksheet to figure out a buying list. Following that, here are some reflections as I worked my way through Rees's book.
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Review: I went through a long phase of wearing Oxfords. My most used brand was Wanted, which is sold directly on Amazon as well as HSN and Modcloth. The problem is I would wear them every day and the rubber soles would get holes on the bottom. From my Amazon purchases, I would buy a new one every year. I cannot tell if they're fair wage products.
Wanted, $50 / U-lite, $60 / Rismart, $41 / Mona, $98
I think the owners of Wanted are New Yorkers but there is no mention of how or where the products are made. A more ethical alternative is probably Taft Shoes, which is made by leather artisans in Portugal and Spain, and Julia Bo, who donates to children education for every oxford purchased.
I stopped wearing these and wearing more sandals now that I work from home, but I should get back into wearing Oxfords. The problem is they still need insoles for good support.
Future Shopping: Buy a new pair of Oxfords and insoles if get tired of the sandal life.
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Review: I went through a short phase of wearing embroidered blouses. I would buy these and then only shortly wear then, eventually selling them because of a dislike of the silhouette. I feel like the blue one added 30 pounds to my look since it's so much fabric on top and the waist.
Arjungo, $26 / Umgee, $26 / Riviera, $30 / Agan Traders, $40
Ethics: Most embroidered blouses are based on folk costumes, so there's always the ethical question of whether the artisans in Mexico, Ukraine, Slovakia, etc, are getting paid.
Abrazo Style / Etnodim / Kozzachka
As much as I love all the embroidery, I prefer waists, v-necks, and with true sleeves. This is one of those tough decisions that the curated closet makes it sound easy. But this dilemma of "looks beautiful but then I hate wearing it" is something that is hard to remember.
White House Black Market, $60 / Amazon, $25 / Amazon, $105 / Eshakti, $35 / Eshakti, $50
Future Shopping: Buy blouses with a waist, v-neck, and 3/4 or bell sleeves!
Don't buy waistless, bowl neck, cap sleeved blouses even if they're very prettily embroidered.
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Review: So unlike my Amazon oxfords (which have fallen apart) and my Amazon embroidered blouses (which I gave away because they aren't my style), I still have all of these zipper blouses. But I'm not sure if I'll keep them. The Calvin Klein tops are still in great condition, 3+ years after use. However, the non-print tunics are often see-through or in some way sheer. I'm not sure if I like this style. Sometimes I think they make me look older or younger. Animal print can read "Tony Soprano's wife" and plaid can read "middle schooler who went to Hot Topic."
Calvin Klein, $49 / JCZHWQU, $26 / ANGVNS, $22 / GAHARU, $28 / BEPEI, $30
MordenMiss, $35 / AllegraK, $34
Future Shopping: Buy shift dresses or stretch peter pan collars.
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Motorcycle Biker Leggings in Large, $33 / Stretch Denim in 20, $46
Feather Mini-Skirt, $42 / Lace Sleeves, $23 / Print Blouse, $27 / Amazon, $110