Wardrobe Board 2025 + EGL Fashion Goals

 Long time no online rambling! 

I've done with this blog what I do with a lot of my writing hobbies, which is to say that I hold myself to a standard that becomes unsustainable for me. Namely, I was trying to hold off on making a new post until I take more outfit photos, but I NEVER remember to photograph my outfits when I'm not with my friends. So, I decided we're just not doing outfit posts regularly lol.

My personal computer broke around November last year, which makes Blogger a little hard to operate. It isn't a platform that's super conducive to a mobile format, which is a feature I enjoy, but makes it a little hard to write posts and format photos when I'm doing it all on my phone. For this reason, I actually decided not to do a "traditional" January EGL wardrobe post this year and instead to do a Pinterest board! If you'd like to see my wardrobe, you can view it here (I have a mixture of stock photos and my own photos). 

The other reason I opted not to do a static wardrobe post is that I've had a few minor stylistic changes within lolita, and I'm moving some things around. I'm wanting to add a few Atelier Pierrot aristo pieces to my closet, as well as some more Gothic pieces, which might necessitate selling a few things. I like the flexibility of being able to add pieces and archive sold pieces, so a Pinterest wardrobe seemed like the way to go. 

All of this is a nice transition into the fun part of this post, which is: my goals for my closet this coming year!

 I am very much in the camp of "lolita is equal parts collector's hobby and fashion," and part of the fun for me is the thrill of the hunt! I love tracking down older pieces and cleaning/mending them. However, my first resolution is actually more about enjoying what I have! 

1. Buy less, coord more 

I am a clotheshorse, and the only thing that keeps me from reaching hoarder levels in our little house is clever storage. I have 15 main pieces (with two more skirts on the way), and while that isn't even close to some people's collections, that is a gargantuan amount of garments to wear regularly. That doesn't even count my "normie" skirts and dresses, either! I have a really impressive and beautiful wardrobe that I am so lucky to own, and I definitely favor certain pieces over others, so I'd like to challenge myself to wear every single piece (and let go of the ones that don't get a ton of wear) before repeating my staple favorites.

2. Purchase basics 

Contradictory to the above, I know. I, as most of us do, tend to favor main pieces over basics when making purchases. That ends this year! I have a short list of basics that my wardrobe could really benefit from, which is: 

• A black full bonnet (I have my eye on a secondhand Moitie one)  
• Stand collar blouse in black  
• A black jabot (ideally the Sheglit Ulysses one) 
• Black lace gloves 
• Black lace arm covers
• A corset finishing belt with actual boning

I've made three purchases this January that do NOT adhere to this list, because I'm incorrigible and they were fantastic prices. I snagged: 

Innocent World Musette Bustier (2011) in Black, $38 

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Velour Skirt (2006) in Wine, $60 (missing suspender straps) 

 Bodyline Tiered Floral Skirt with Cameo Bow (2010) in Black, $22 (missing bow) 

It's funny how so many of us are now nostalgic for Bodyline! I think we didn't realize how good we had it until they closed, haha. 

The goal is for these pieces to be the last main pieces I purchase for the year, with the exception of specific wishlist items (if one magically pops up). The idea behind buying some of those "basics" listed above is that they'll add even more versatility into my closet, and open up a lot more coordinating options for my current wardrobe. 

3. Wear my clothes more 

As I write this, I am at my desk wearing athletic leggings and my massive striped "around the house" cardigan. I work from home, and I often find that my motivation to get dressed is negatively correlated to how busy we are. As in, as soon as I'm on more than one project at a time, I stop bothering to get dressed in actual clothing. This usually means that the only times I wear "real" clothes is on the weekends, or if I'm meeting a friend after work. It makes me feel schlubby and unmotivated, and makes working from home that much more boring. 

I'd really like to try to establish a good morning routine this year (maybe even hitting the gym in the morning instead of at night, but I don't want to get too ambitious) and at least make an effort to put on real pants every day. I think it'll improve my work productivity, as well as my life in general! 

4. Do more sewing (that isn't just skirts) 

I'm so guilty of making skirts because they're fun, simple, and easy. I've been sewing for about 12 years, so suffice it to say, I've made enough skirts haha. I really enjoyed making some GLB patterns last year, and I'd like to try a few more from my collection. I also want to try to recreate this Victorian Maiden blouse in cotton gauze, because it looks incredibly simple and is (unfortunately) made of polyester. 

5. Spend time with my loved ones

Self-explanatory, I have amazing friends/family/an incredible fiancé,and I love hanging out with them in fun outfits. Looking forward to doing a lot more of that this year!