Sentimental Clothing that Reminds us of People or Places
Quote of the day: “The image is one thing and the human being is another. … It’s very hard to live up to an image.” Elvis Presley
Sentimental clothing can be as heart warming as the jewelry that we discussed earlier. I know when I first thought of this subject, I only imagined clothing pieces that had been given to me by others. But sentimental clothing can also remind you of people or even places that you’ve traveled to too.
So join the three of us as we give you some history about a sentimental clothing item and what it means to us. And then do me a favor, and share your stories with me in the comments, of any pieces that bring up certain memories.
Jodie’s (50+) Outfit: As much as I don’t consider myself a sentimental person, I have many clothing items that bring up certain memories.
My favorite piece, though, is this blouse that used to be my best friend’s, Bethany’s. I dedicated a post to Bethany when we chose to highlight stories about our pearl necklaces.
This was one of the clothing items that I was honored to keep after she passed away. Not only is it special because it used to be hers, but it was one of my favorite blouses that she used to wear when she was managing my dental office. The colors and sheen on it, always caught my eye, and made it so exceptional to me.
Coincidentally, I had also just received this necklace from Rocksbox when we were planning this outing. I don’t usually try to match my necklace to my blouse, because then you can’t see it. Instead, I’m more apt to grab a necklace that is a contrasting color to the shirt that I’m wearing. However, with this necklace, it had the colors of the blouse in it, yet also had enough metallic in it to stand out against the blues and greens.
The blouse is my favorite combinations of color, so because of that I kept my pants & shoes more neutral.
I’ve worn this blouse on the blog before with my white ankle pants. Therefore, I thought I’d try it with grey this time.
You can see my other accessories from my Rocksbox set in the close up photos above and below. The earrings were a pair I really loved. The fact that I could wear them as studs or dangles since the larger star is a jacket, made them very versatile.
However, in the end, I really wanted to purchase this bracelet, and I didn’t think I need 2 new pieces. This bracelet is adjustable, so I can make it small enough that it doesn’t fall off my wrist. And it’s such a great neutral, that it goes with everything. And if you want to try out Rocksbox, be sure to use my code JTouchofstylexoxo to get a month free.
This blouse is a little different now than when Bethany had it. I’m not the best at being gentle with my clothing items, so the silk sleeves started to tear at the seams. However, I wasn’t ready to get rid of it yet, so I had my mom reinvent the sleeves with some material she had in her basement. The sheer blue sleeves are the result.
Pants: LOFT (similar here)~~Top: Ann Taylor-modified (similar here)~~Shoes: Naturalizer (similar here)~~Necklace: Perry Street through Rocksbox-get a free month with the code JTouchofstylexoxo (here)~~Earrings: Sophie Harper through Rocksbox ( here)~~Bracelet: Ava Rose through Rocksbox (here)~~Sunglasses: (similar here)
Nancy’s (60+) Outfit: Nancy’s sentimental clothing item is this white cardigan that she’s had for years.
The reason it’s sentimental is due to the fact that both her mother and herself had the same one. She can’t remember who purchased whose first, but she’d like to think that she had it first. And then her mom liked it so much that she bought one also.
You’ve seen this cardigan on the blog, many times, as it’s a go-to item in Nancy’s closet. It’s this exact cardigan that was worn when we creatively styled our cardigans last winter.
I always think a white cardigan is something that every person already has in their closet, since they go with everything. But the last time I said that, many women commented that they don’t have one of these. So instead, let me say that a solid colored cardigan of this style seems like the perfect basic item. And since they never really go out of style, this one is on sale.
This fun dress is a purchase from our local boutique, Trendz.
When the three of us were invited to help host a party at this local store, we also found a couple of items to purchase. Nancy picked up this shift style dress, and has worn it many times over the summer. So throwing a cardigan over it for the cooler months, seemed like the perfect transition.
I also had Nancy wear flats with the dress. I know many women don’t wear heels as much any more, so it’s nice to find dressy flats that can work with both pants and dresses.
In this respect, the metallic shoes always seem a tad dressier, and if you agree then you might appreciate this pair or this pair. Then again, velvet flats would seem quite fabulous for any occasion also. And then a jacquard material could be another variety for a fun pair of flat shoes.
Dress: Mad Style from Trendz (similar here)~~Cardigan: (similar here)~~Shoes: AK Sport (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)
Charlotte’s (70+) Outfit: My mom’s idea for her sentimental clothing was from a different angle.
She chose a suit that she had made with material bought in 2005 when she was visiting Africa. If you have ever sewn clothing, then you might recognize the fact that this took longer than normal to put together. In order to line up the giraffes so they were all going the same way, was no easy feat. And then, on top of that, she added the beaded trim at the neckline and hem of the skirt.
Considering the print, material and trim could be a lot of eye candy in one outfit, we only accessorized with small black earrings.
As for the footwear selection, we chose a nude pump.
My mom is queen of the pump shoes. She thinks they are a classic and will never go out of style. And to a degree, she is correct. It’s hard to imagine when a nude shoe wouldn’t be a smart choice for almost any outfit. Whether it be a sling back, a wedge or a patent version, I can see them lasting a long time as a choice in your closet.
Now, I would like to throw in my personal two cents. I think it’s incredible that my mom can create her own clothes, and then even wears what she creates. And this particular material is so interesting with the green background and the giraffes.
For a twist on this, don’t you think my mom should wear this jacket with a pair of jeans? I know her first thought is to always wear the pieces together, but just think how stunning this jacket would be with a pair of black or white jeans.
Skirt: Mom made it (similar here)~~Jacket: Mom made it (Not surprisingly, I could find anything like it, but here’s my toss at similar here)~~Shoes: 9 & Co (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)
So whether it be a person or place, our sentimental clothing can be a trip down memory lane. I hope you share your memories with me below.
Thanks to one and all of you for your support. It means more than you know!
The Facts
Even if you wouldn’t consider purchasing your clothing online, it can be helpful to look through my links to see what is available! It certainly doesn’t hurt my feelings, if you click on them but don’t like them. Just so you know, one of the ways I make money from this blog is through these linked items.
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I thought I’d showcase some other print jackets after seeing my mom’s giraffe one. We will call it eye candy.
