Practicality

Yesterday, Carrie at Petal by Petal wore a dress that she said was probably the “most impractical” item in her closet (she looked gorgeous, btw).  And that got me to thinking about the practicality of my own wardrobe.

On one hand, I think that I have a very practical wardrobe.  Because I commute by bike, the majority of my closet is filled with clothes that are good for riding a bike in.  But, I will admit that practicality isn’t my only criteria when shopping.  Hell, sometimes it doesn’t even enter the picture.  However, for the most part, I try very hard to find items that are both good for riding and that make me happy.  Like this dress:

It’s printed, which makes me happy.  And it’s pleated, which is great for riding my bike (and makes me happy).  It also gets practicality points because of its versatility; last time I wore it, here, I paired it with sandals and a skinny belt.  This time I paired the dress (vintage, Goodwill) with tall, gray boots (Circa Joan & David “Ralco” via Piperlime), the same skinny belt (Gap) and a cuff (Goodwill).  And I think this is a piece that will work well into winter too.

On the other hand, I own some pretty impractical pieces too.  For example, as practical as my dress is, these boots are just the opposite:

They are suede, and light-colored suede at that.  I’ve treated them, of course, but unfortunately, even treated suede is no good during the Oregon winters, so these and my other suede shoes have a pretty small window of wear.   

I know I should probably stop buying impractical pieces, especially given that my window of wear is smaller than most because I do commute by bike.   But I just don’t think it’s in me to have a completely practical wardrobe.  The way I see it, it is entirely possible that I’ll need a mink-collared cape or a sequined dress some day and I like to be prepared.   Andpreparedness is very practical trait so, yes, I’d say I have a very practical wardrobe.  On both hands.

What about you, Reader Friends?  How practical, or impractical, is your closet?

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey