Cheryl Shops

As I've mentioned recently, I've been in what feels like a year-long wardrobe rut but maybe that's just been a year-long global pandemic. Either way, I decided I needed some new Instagram inspiration and on the recommendation of an IG friend, I started following @frisky-gatos. She's a thirtysomething nurse in Minneapolis, and she dresses with a quirky yet very strong sense of personal style. Her theory is that you should listen to your most primal "lizard brain" and buy the things you absolutely WANT to wear. It seems very simple and even obvious, but I've found over the years that I've always been chasing some ideal of how I should be dressing—in my very specific case, like a "French woman." Faced with a very black-white-and-gray closet that all of a sudden feels very sad to me, I've come to the conclusion that "dressing like a French woman" is boring, and that such stark neutrals are not actually very flattering against my fortysomething skin. So this post marks a turning point for me. I'm going to start dressing for me—for real this time.

When I was younger and I had an item of clothing that I really liked, my mom would encourage me to buy it in multiple colors. At the time, I found this to be embarrassing and eye-rolling, but now I realize that 1) I was a teenager and found everything embarrassing and eye-rolling, and 2) my mom realized how hard it was to find good clothes, so she was doing me a solid by pointing this out. So, at the ripe old age of 42, I am finally not ashamed to buy things I love in multiple colors. In fact, I'm going to do it more often.

Monday is my birthday, I'm leaving for Europe Friday, the dollar is strong, and I am going to shop. I am only two months into my no-new-clothes resolution and, let me tell you, I have the biggest urge to spend. (I realize it sounds like I have an addiction, and I probably do, but I'm working on it, I promise.) In spite of my urges, I'm not going to go on a shopping bender; I'm going to do it responsibly! Here's what's on my tightly edited birthday wish list.

Way back in December, I mentioned in this post that I was contemplating buying a black midi skirt, but I talked myself out of it because I figured I could re-create the look with a dress. That worked for winter when I was wearing heavily layered looks, but now that it's warmer (and we've had a crazy heat wave), lighter is the way to go. So, long story short, I pulled the trigger on a black midi skirt, and I've worn it approximately five times in the last two weeks. It goes with so much, but here's one of my favorite ways to wear it.

When it comes to skirts, I have a type: above the knee, tiered, with a slight A-line shape. Off the top of my head, I can think of five of these already in my closet, although I probably have more. There's a reason I have a type—it's the most flattering on my body—but the downside is that my wardrobe starts to look the same after awhile. This was the argument that ran through my mind as I was contemplating buying this skirt, but I decided screw it, I really love it—plus I had a Free People birthday discount to burn. Once the weather started to cooperate, I ended up wearing this skirt three days in a row, which I almost never do, but that's how much I'm into it. Long story short, just wear what you love.

I'm going to Miami this weekend for a girls' trip with some of my oldest friends, so while it's still technically winter, I have beach weather on the brain. Also, I have so many cute spring and summer dresses, it's a shame they have to languish in my closet for months. So today I'm breaking all the rules and wearing my warm-weather dress now. Take that, January!