Let's talk "Investment" in terms of fashion and styling and the reasons I've never found it worked for me

"invest in quality" or "spend as much as your budget allows on quality" isn't necessarily good advice.

Some of my "investment" purchases - Zoe Kratzman sandals and the Beau Coops Sqeakers.

A lot of fashion-ey types talk about this and I can see where they are coming from, however in my experience it's never actually benefitted my Closet.
For example, I invested in some designer leather trainers, I thought it was about time I upgraded from my well worn converse sneakers. I chose a cute pair from Beau Coops that were half price on sale for $195 (a lot of money to me!) and the first time I wore them they were actually very comfortable, a little squeaky but comfortable. Unfortunately it all went downhill from there, the squeeking became progressively louder as I wore them to the point where I started actively AVOIDING wearing them. I googled how you un-squeak trainers and cornflour and baking powder didn't work. Dry shampoo did work for a time but I wore them one day when it was spitting rain and that took me back to square one AND the dry shampoo stopped working, no matter how much I sprayed! I've had to make the gutting sartorial decision to get rid of them. I don't feel like I can sell them so I think I'll just donate, then when people try them on in-store they can see the squeaking for themselves and decide whether they're OK with that. I've since purchased some cute pre-loved embroidered trainers by Kate Spade on Facebook Market place that I've worn a few times now with no issue, they're a tiny bit squeaky but not in an off-putting way, I can handle it. That initial "investment" in what should have been a quality item lasting years was wasted as I probably wore the "investment" trainers 25 times? Not even the magical 30 wears one should aim for from any piece they're thinking of adding to their Closet.

The $2 Kookai top from the Salvos and my $9 thrifted Zara flats.

Exhibit number Two: some of the most worn pieces in my wardrobe are fast fashion brands that I've THRIFTED. My Zara woven flats have been worn upwards of 50 times and I WALK DISTANCE in those shoes and they're absolutely fine, they're a point-toe design and that's wearing slightly on the sole but not in a way that you can tell while they're on my feet. My vintage lacquered cane bag that I've worn upwards of 80 times in the year I've had it, $7 from Vinnies. All of my most worn tops are fast fashion and the majority are also second hand. My white cotton tank from Kookai (a fast fashion brand here in Australia) $2 from the Salvos, still as white as the day I thrifted it and going strong. My black cotton tank from Just Jeans (another Australasian fast fashion brand) I bought over 3 years ago new for $20 still looks brand new. I could potentially have spent hundreds of dollars on premium brands to get that "quality" but ultimately I've found that sort of shopping just doesn't work for me.
Which brings me to exhibit number three, my silk blouse. A few years ago now I was really getting into downsizing my Closet and was consuming a lot of content around capsule wardrobes, shopping less and only purchasing a few items every season but spending more. I'd been on the lookout for a silk blouse for awhile and when I stumbled upon a gorgeous dark emerald green one at a Trenery outlet at Wellington Airport I snapped it up. It was heavily discounted but still $104, very reasonable for a new silk blouse and seemed a quality piece but expensive to me overall (I was used to fast fashion sale shopping and bargains galore) While I was happy to have "found" that piece now, I could tick that box, I didn't find it immediately very easy to style. At that stage my style was quite rockstar (I loved Caroline de Maigret and Alison Mosshart from The Kills) and I was wearing a lot of jeans, a silk blouse should have slotted in well there... And yet, I wasn't really wearing it. Even in winter under my beloved faux leather jacket, I found it a bit sweaty and clingy, I had the impression that silk was a luxurious fabric but this blouse was a bit of a let down in those terms. I've since thrifted some silk pieces that I absolutely love so I think it's really just the blouse style that isn't agreeing with me.

The Silk items I do get along with: trousers (left) and a sleeveless silk blouse (right)

I still have that blouse but living in brisbane means there's maybe 5 days a year that I can comfortably wear it! I'm still not sure if I hold onto it because I love it or if it's some mental block because it's classified as a "must have" item for every woman?


All this rambling is to say:

I think that's why purchasing clothing second hand works so well for me, I need to road test things. The items that I buy thinking I cannot do without end up languishing because of some quirk or whatever, that Italian made silk blouse I was SO EXCITED to find at the thrift that I wore  once and I realised it just wasn't me and donated right back. Or the white leather trainers by Schutz that were only $9 at Vinnies (Schutz retail around AU $250 new) but ended up being too flat for me and made my toes go numb after walking 500 metres. By thrifting clothing or purchasing from used clothing boutiques you get the premium product for a much lower piece and then if it doesn't work out, you didn't make too much of a financial "investment" and you can easily find said item a new home. If I invest a substantial amount of money in an item there's potential that it ultimately won't work for me and the thrifty part of my personality cannot handle that. I'll try so hard to MAKE it work but in the end it's all for nothing because eventually I have to give in and admit it was a wasted effort. Now is a good time to add that one should make a note of these fails so you don't keep purchasing similar items and therefore continue losing money. I actually have so many examples of times I "invested" and it didn't "pay off" that I could blog for days! Maybe I will.

So my tip...?

*** Don't be afraid to experiment ***

With silhouette, with patterns, with materials, with items.

Silhouette: I have a long torso so tucking tops into waistbands works best for me, but also knotting tops, tying button downs at the waist, all good ways of giving the illusion of longer legs. That Kookai top I was talking about, $2 from the Salvos, that knots excellently. My parrot print button down, FCUK $4 from neighbourhood charity shop in Maroochydore, I tie at the waist with a hair elastic and tuck up under to blouse over at my waist.

Thrifted prints left to right: My parrot print top and cactus skirt. striped cullots with floral hem. Floral Trousers! Only $2 from the Lifeline rummage sale at the Eco Expo 2019.

Patterns: when I first arrived here in Aus I had a capsule Closet full of neutrals, no prints, however once I started thrifting I went mad on prints, some of which I still have today. That parrot print top I just referenced, goes with everything. I actually have 2 parrot print tops! The birds are small and the main base colour of the top is a navy in one iteration and white in the other, so they easily pair with everything. I thrifted a cactus print skirt just before the whole lock down scenario, it's handmade, I absolutely love it and it seems to go with everything in my Closet. Once again the cacti are small and the background is white, so I think that's helping the situation.
Materials: When I first began my capsule journey I swore off polyester, only "natural fabrics" were considered. Once I dove into thrifting though, I found a few pieces in polyester that aren't so bad after all. My cullots from Sheike, $9 from Vinnies, are one of my most worn items. Also my Forever New snake print skirt, $10 from the Salvos, I never have a problem with static, it's perfectly flowy and I get SO MANY compliments. You've all heard me bemoan the sweaty quality of my silk blouse but I also have a top and trousers in silk and they're lovely. A few of my 100% viscose pieces shrank in the wash but I googled how to stretch them back and I now hand-wash them. My black dress has all the delightful properties of silk, the fluid movement and light airy breathability, I just have to remember not to throw it in the machine (kind of like silk!)

Thrifted hats and shoes in my experience are comfier than new!

Items: I've always been a hat lover but I often felt like I was in costume, a bit of an impostor. I've seen some of you out there mention this too so I'm not alone, but since thrifting I've really opened up my hat collection. A couple of my all time favourite hats are thrifted, my Boater and my orange fedora. I feel like if you want to rock a hat you just have to do it and own it. Don't second guess yourself! People will look maybe but they're most likely thinking how kick ass you look, don't worry about what others think so long as you're true to yourself and your style.

GOSH! I think that's a good idea on which to end this long rambly post. I'm like this on Instagram too, I take a whole caption to say something simple! Do you agree at all with me? I guess for some things it could pay off, like a Chanel purse maybe, not that I'd ever spend more than $60 on a purse - cry laugh emojji. In my experience though, Investing in fashion just leaves me out of pocket and still in need of something to wear!

Thanks for reading (I hope you did read)

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♥ Paula Roving Style ♥

The Navy Jumpsuit accessorized with a Gelato in winter, featuring the squeakiest trainers in modern history.

I've been on the hunt for a nice jumpsuit for YEARS. Every one I tried on would result in camel toe and an unflattering puckering around the crotch. For years I wondered, why can't I fit jumpsuits? How come everyone else looks so awesome in them? I even hauled a couple from ASOS, it was NOT pretty, I looked like a massive toddler. I think I was watching something with Trinny Woodall when she said how she had a long torso and short legs, a light bulb weent on! That's me and that's why I was having trouble finding jumpsuits, with a long torso there was not enough material in a jumpsuit. With a top you can pull it down, with pants they just sit a little lower, but an all in one needs to have that length in the crotch. So when I tried on this one at Just Jeans at Pacific Fair shopping center on the Gold Coast I couldn't check out fast enough. I didn't even bother trying on my normal size (NZ14) I just grabbed the 16 thinking a little extra room around the crotch couldn't hurt.

 I'd normally wear trainer socks so you can't see them poking out.

These Beau Coops trainers/sneakers (I call them my squeakers) are an online shopping kind of fail. I love how they look and from day one they were super comfortable. But as time has gone on they've become SO SQUEEKY, you should have heard them one hot day walking around Brisbane, I was very aware walking past people on the foot path! I've tried a few tricks to stop the squeaking that seemed to have mitigated it, but then I wore them on a day with some rain and they're back to being the squeakiest shoes anyone has ever heard. I did the baking powder trick, I've sprayed them with dry shampoo (seems quite effective) I've even started tying the laces one hook down. They continue to squeak all day every day. These were not cheap either, half price at $190 on sale at Sisters and co. I guess I'd always admired the Beau Coops brand, especially after they did a shoe collection with Karen Walker, so I was interested in buying something from the brand. I also wanted to upgrade my converse sneakers to a more "serious" pair of leather trainers, I should have perhaps guessed that converse are so popular for a reason. I'm not saying all Beau Coops shoes won't be good but these trainers in particular are super disappointing, if I hadn't spent a that much money on them I'd have moved them along a year ago.

This hat was NOT a shopping fail, it was a shopping STEAL. on sale for $6.75 ($29.99 retail) at Sportsgirl, it was hidden UNDER the sale table in a basket, I just happened to pull it out for a rummage and find a few of these hats. I've been on the hunt for a hat like this as as similar style I have is falling apart and having traveled a few places now it's not a pleasing hat shape any longer, plus it blows off in the wind! Hats are such a must here in Brisbane the sun is super bright and hot YEAR round. It's winter here and in the sun it's still 23 degrees celsuis (74 Fahrenheit)

Jumpsuit: Just Jeans $69.99 (6 months)

Trainers: Beau Coops $190 (Old)

Bag: Kate Spade - thrifted $25 (The Recycle Boutique)

Hat: Sportsgirl $6.75 (new)

Do you own a jumpsuit?

Does your body have any quirks that mean dressing seems a little more challenging?

♥ Paula Roving Style ♥

Welcome to Roving Style - where I Paula, attempt to experiment with minimalism while still being stylish

What would you take with you if you and your partner had only 2 large suitcases, a smaller carry on and a backpack? I'll tell you what I brought with me:

1 Silk Blouse: Forest green

1 Sleeveless blouse: White

2 Cardigans: both grey!

3 T-shirts: Grey, white, 1 band t (QOTSA)

11 Tanktops: 3x spaghetti strap: White, navy, black

3x Scoop Neck: White, grey, black

3x printed camisole: Leopard, floral, Flamingos

3x Cullottes: Grey, black, blue

3x Carrot Leg High Waist Trousers: White, Pink, Khaki green

2x Skinny Jeans: Indigo, Black

2x Summer Dresses: Black, Floral

1x Occasion dress: Silk Floral

1x Jumpsuit: Navy

Shoes:

6x Heels

4x Sneakers (I'm a jogger)

1x Sandal

1x Flat Loafer

Bags:

2x Large tote (one which doubles as carry on for shorter trips)

2x Medium Cross Body

2x Small Cross body

Accessories:

3x Hats: Grey, Black, Orange.

1 beret: black with rhinestones

1x printed scarf: pink

1x belt: brown

12 Necklaces!

I had to take pictures of EVERYTHING to load into the Yourcloset app - which is great by the way.

I also stuffed this canvas into my suitcase

I'm an artist and had to leave all my paintings behind with friends and family
but this one I couldn't not bring.

Feel free to follow along! I'm going to post about our journey here.
For daily outfit Inspiration follow my instagram here:
Paula Roving Style

Have you ever tried a capsule wardrobe?
It's funny as once upon a time I thought it sounded terrible - now I love it.

We're still living out of our suitcases which is bad but what can I say?

Happy New Year Everyone!


♥ Paula Roving Style ♥