writing it down, part 2 (of many)

One of the unique features of my wacky brain is that I can remember bizarre random factoids from my life (such as the colour of a sweatshirt I wore in sixth grade for “group” yearbook photos) but I cannot remember what I wore to work yesterday. I started drawing my work wardrobe about four years ago when E complained that I always wore drab colours. He’s right, however I always have and always will wear boring things. These days he’s worn off on me enough that I try to sometimes spice things up with something different as variety for everyone.

I can’t draw very well but enjoy the fun in trying. I recently took a fashion illustration book out from the library and am trying to improve. We’ll see how it goes.

Today I continue to record what I wore for a few reasons. One is that I often visit certain places once a week and could see myself as always wearing a certain shirt on that day just because that’s when I grabbed it and put it into the rotation. I also have too much clothing and this is a good way to track (without doing that weird reverse the hangers thing) what I have and haven’t worn.

Part of my inspiration for this was that my mum used to draw the weather on her calendar. It’s a wonderful childhood memory and I’m sad she stopped doing it after my dad died and she moved. I record the weather on a chart too (thanks teabird for the help) but mine aren’t the same. My wardrobe drawings definitely do not have the same fuzzy feeling but it is quite useful to see what I’ve worn and what colours or styles I tend to gravitate to.

For example, it took considerable effort not to pull out my green striped shirt this week and give other items in my closet a go to see if any of them should be retired (most likely, splattering cooking oil all over one shirt helped hasten that decision). This is also useful to remind me that I don’t need any new clothing.

I generally just record the tops. I buy my bottoms in multiples of the same colour and style and I figure at least for an office setting they are similar to boys clothing, for the most part, no one notices. :)

This list currently lives in my personal-sized filofax (more on that saga next week). It most likely doesn’t need to, but that’s where I started the chart and I find that in taking a short break in my day to at least pencil sketch my outfit (it’s later outlined in ink and coloured with pencil) helps to rejuvenate my brain and provide inspiration.

Does anyone else do anything at all like this?

• Category: tools
• Tag: filofax