Far-Fetched Money Schemes for Dreamers

Everyone I've talked to recently agrees: I'll never be able to buy a home here in Auckland (joke link). Loan officers, friends, family, acquaintances...no one is even pretending anymore.

A couple friend just bought a house after searching for two years. They kept getting out-priced for ramshackle structures at auctions, even with a budget of over $1M, a combined salary of over $200K, and a generous down payment gift from his parents.

Since about 2011, I've diligently saved over $500 almost every single month for a house down payment. This fund currently stands at $45K. I would like to put 20% down, but some home loans require just 10%. This means I'm "qualified" to buy a $225K home, if this were the only restriction. There's basically nothing in Auckland at that price. Even if I put down a minimal 10% and max out my buying potential, I can get a $450K place. That doesn't include all the costs associated with buying a house, either... At $450K in Auckland, you're limited to leasehold places, where you don't own the land the building is on, and have to pay an additional land rent, which can go up high amounts at various intervals.

On top of that, I probably couldn't get a loan for the remainder, at 20% or 10% down. One friend in Auckland said she was turned down for a 30 year loan and forced to get a shorter one because she is over 50. I'm 40, so probably in the same boat by the time I save up more money. I make less than $40K per year. I cannot afford a place paying a high 15 year mortgage, plus body corporate fees, council rates, property management fees, and leasehold fees. Example: ground rent: $1700 per month, body corp fees: $350 per month, council rates: $150 per month. That is $2,200 per month ON TOP of mortgage payments, which would be about $1800 per month according to the calculators I used by Westpac. $4K a month! WHO has that kind of money, esp. if they are the kind of person who can only afford a $250K place?!

So. I accept it. I'm going to rent forever or have to move away and give up my job. For now, I choose my job. I'm almost (2-3 years) away from the goal I've had for 11 years: run my own project. Once I get my PhD, I will be seen as qualified to do the thing I've been doing for 5+ years, and will get actual recognition and the title for it. At this point, who knows if it even will happen? But I have to try.

In lieu of buying a place where I can have a dog and a yard and never worry about being evicted, I dream. So that I do not lose hope, I dream. What do I dream of?

I dream of winning a house, or lottery. It is improbable, but it isn't impossible. I need hope, so I allow a tiny portion of my savings to go into very high risk lending schemes, from least to most favorite:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Bonds

 
1. Bonus Bonds. You buy these for $1 each ($20 minimum buy per single purchase). You get a number for each bond. Each number is entered into a draw every month, and a bunch of numbers are picked randomly to win a bunch of different prizes. Every month, there is a $1M prize, a $100K prize, a $50K prize, down to $20 prizes, depending on the prize pool each month. The odds of winning anything in a year is about 1 in 50,000.

These only make money if you win, obviously, but it is better than the lottery--if you don't win, you get to keep your money, and can withdraw it at any time. It's just a safer way to play the lottery--for fun money. I have about $140 in this and haven't put any new money in in many years. I have never won anything, though!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LendingCrowd

2. Lending Crowd. I also dabble in high interest peer-to-peer lending. So far I've gotten 13% interest on my loans. To be properly diversified in crowd lending, they say you need to be invested in about 200 loans out. The minimum entry for loaning is $50, so I'm aiming to invest about $10K in these, slowly building over the years with 'extra' overages from my monthly budget--beyond my mandatory savings.

I currently invest $2,300 and have about 50 loans out, with 23 more fully paid out already. Again, I consider it 'fun' money. I don't count on getting all of this money back, but this strategy is currently doing better than my US Vanguard funds, and has outperformed them for the past 10 years already. If this continues to be successful, I will stop saving my fun funds, like travel, etc., in low-yield savings accounts and put it into lending instead. Anything needed, like retirement, house down payment, or my emergency fund, I of course would never dare invest it here. But for extras? Why not?

https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/

3. Finally, my favorite: the NZ Heart Foundation. Awww...a little dreaming while helping other people, what could be better? This scheme allows you to buy 'lottery tickets' to go in a bi-monthly draw to win a house in NZ, a car, $10K, or one of about 4 holidays of various sizes. When I get the notice every 6 weeks, I eagerly click on the link to find out where the house prize is located, inspect the location and floor plan, imagine myself living in the house and having friends over to stay...I dream. I buy 2 tickets at $15 each on auto-buy and this allows me to be entered in the early bird draw for $10K. It also qualifies me to be in the draw for a car. Meanwhile, $30 goes to the heart foundation every 6 weeks. I of course haven't won anything through this, either, but it's well worth the feel-good nature and the dreams it allows me to have.

Of the above, #3 is my favorite in terms of max dreaming per investment, but #2 is certainly the most lucrative. I'm basically banned from investing money in any retirement accounts due to US tax laws, so I have to get creative where I can!

Who knows? One month I may get lucky and win a million dollars and a house! Because I dare to dream, it could happen.

Closet Cleanout, Part III: Skirting the Issue

The next logical place to go after dresses are skirts. I'm not someone that likes wearing skirts. a. They are not practical. I bend down, scootch around on the ground, and could be called into the field or to haul or move something heavy at work at any time. b. my pale legs are not my most attractive feature. c. I never seem to have SHOES to go with skirts. Summertime is fine because you can wear sandals, but NZ is 90% cooler, rainier weather and sandals are not practical. Plus you have to make sure your pedicure is on point to wear sandals. I digress.

Pre-inventory:  9 skirts; post-inventory: 9 skirts (none donated)

5 black or gray skirts, one faux leather

I like the shiny gray fabric on the left skirt.

4 summer-y skirts. 1 jean skirt for the beach, one shorter navy side-tie skirt, one navy striped skirt, 1 longer calf patterned skirt.

Close up of the navy side tie skirt. 

One winter skirt is in storage and unaccounted for here. I should do a winter wardrobe inventory once I pull those clothes out of storage!

I get use out of the longer pattern skirt and the striped navy skirt. I keep thinking I will wear the black and gray skirts, but...don't really. They are on the chopping block.

Closet Cleanout, Part II: Dress Inventory

I haven't forgotten about my Closet CleanOut efforts! Here are the dresses:

Dresses: 17 before inventory, 15 after

Work/Conference Dresses (always worn with a cardigan or blazer):
navy sleeveless button up dress. This is new so we'll see if I wear it.
purple sleeveless dress. I wear this all the time.
dark red sleeveless dress. I wear this all the time.

gray ruched dress. This is new so we'll see if I wear it.
black dress with white stripes. I wear this all the time. It is great as a wedding dress, too.

Navy/purple/dark red dresses

gray ruched dress, black dress with white stripes.

Casual/Summery dresses:

brown dress with black birds dress

pink and white spaghetti strap dress 

black flowery long strapless dress

black busy patterned long strapless dress

black flowery short sleeve dress

For the photo below: Yes, the two on the ends are the same pattern. I couldn't decide if I liked the long or short version better so bought both!

I didn't realize how busy the middle dress was until this photo.

               

Close up. This pattern might be too busy for my look?

Going out dresses/fancy dresses:

black lace top dress

ruched side ruffle one shoulder dress

short handkerchief black dress with silver cross tie detail

These are only worn for very special occasions.

I wear these out dancing, to clubs, to fancy dinner dates, to New Year's Eve parties

I love the lace detail on the top of this one. Very classy

I like this side ruffle on the middle dress. And the ruching hides my problem areas :)

T shirt Dresses/very casual:
2 short sleeve black t shirt dresses
1 short sleeve black and white striped dress
1 long sleeve black and white striped dress

I just bought these so haven't worn them yet. We'll see if I wear them.

I envisioned myself wearing these with leggings in winter when I bought them or while toodling around in summer. 

 I am not sure I'll wear the two middle ones--they are stretchy and I wonder if they will ride up and need too much manipulating when worn.


Dresses to replace/donate:
DONATED: black handkerchief fancy dress. It is just too tight on me now.
DONATED: brown dress with black birds. It doesn't suit my complexion and I never wear it anyways.

On notice for donation:
-pink and white spaghetti strap dress. I have never worn it! The pattern might be too busy for me.
-long black busy print flowery dress. I like it ON me, but I need to keep an eye out for how busy it is.
-one of the two black t shirt dresses, whichever I like least
-gray ruched dress. I am not sure I'll wear it. It might be a bit too form fitting/sexy for work events. I either like my conference/work outfits to be fitted on top or bottom, but not both.

Credit Card Travel Plans

My Chase Sapphire Reserved card is wonderful, but costs $450 a year. Yikes. The card fee renewal will be charged June 1 and I had plans to cancel the card before then, but a couple of travel bloggers have convinced me of a better plan:

1. Change my statement due date to the first of the month.
2. Let the $450 annual fee get charged on 1 June.
3. Receive the $300 travel credit, which should post after my June 1 statement is published to my account.
4. Take advantage of the $300 travel credit via as many means as possible:

• Uber rides
• flights for ski trip later in the winter
• air bnb or rental house for above

5. Before 29 June, once the $300 travel credit is used up, transfer my ~40K Chase Ultimate points to United or British Airways.
6. Downgrade or cancel the card. A full refund of the $450 annual fee is available if the card is cancelled or downgraded within 30 days of posting.
7. Viola! I've gotten $600 travel credit for one years' worth of an annual fee ($450).

If this works, I am getting great value for $$ from that card!

Other value from the card:
I'm also stoked because I received Global Entry this past year, and that $100 fee was refunded by the card.

The 50,000 airmiles I earned by opening the card has saved my an entire flight to the US already, with 10K airmiles leftover to apply to future trips.

NZ

Oh man. I don't even know what to say. Or how to start.

The attacks on the mosques in Christchurch last Friday were ...

Yeah, I don't know how to write about it. But I'll try.


I first saw an FB post saying that someone hoped their friends in Christchurch were OK & I thought it was another big earthquake, and braced myself a little. Oh no, I thought. Not again. And then...it was not an earthquake, but a seismic shift.


My heart is breaking for those that lost loved ones so senselessly. It's a tragedy and I feel so deeply for those involved. I cannot imagine their pain. They need and deserve every bit of the love we can give them.

On a more superficial level, all Kiwis are feeling the aftermath of this event. NZ is small. Even if you don't personally know someone that was at the mosques, everyone knows someone that lives in Christchurch. And everyone in Christchurch has a direct connection to someone that was at one of the mosques. It's astounding, and the Kevin Bacon-Kiwi Effect is evident when scenarios like this arise. So to be so close in degrees of connection to something that...something just so hateful and ...yeah, I ran out of words again. I cannot comprehend the level of hate involved in that horrific act. Anyway, to be so close to something like that...you feel it. It is a visceral pain and sadness and shock.

I think a lot of people are feeling it. NZ is going through a reckoning.

And that is the only solace I can find right now, but it is huge. Our government and the Kiwi people have banned together like nothing I've ever experienced to support those that need us. $10M donated, outpourings of love, commitments to fighting against hate, people voluntarily surrendering their guns, folks reaching out to people that they don't normally reach out to. A ban on semi-automatic guns, a government unified in their stance...What's more, news outlets are not focusing on the terrorist or his life or his manifesto or the exact details of his actions--we here in NZ have barely seen his face or heard his name. I accidentally saw a few things last Friday when things started happening, so it's out there...but it isn't really in here, in NZ. We are focused on the victims. On their stories, their lives, their acts of bravery. On the group that was targeted. On how to help. On how to spread love. It is difficult to find anything to be grateful for when a disgusting act like that has occurred, but these are seeds of hope. Coming from the US, where things like this terrorist act happen all the time and...people don't really come together and our government starts fighting each other about what to do...I know how things could have gone. And, blessedly, they haven't gone that way. I am almost skeptical--it feels too good to be true. Like I'm living in dual realities. One an almost-ideal response, one a dystopia. The incongruousness is jarring and I can't reconcile that I am both a part of this culture and that culture.

I was in Christchurch this week for work, and so became that many more degrees of connection closer to the tragedy. A friend's neighbor lost a son. One of my colleague's MSc students was killed. Wherever I went, I was overhearing where people were when the lockdown occurred, people sobbing, who visited who in the hospital. Today, a week after the attacks, I participated in the call to prayer and nationwide 2 minutes of silence. And it became even more real. 

I had an hour before I had to leave for the airport this afternoon, so went to one of the mosque sites.

The road is blockaded, so you travel along, turn the corner, and then everything becomes absolutely still. Silent. Poignant. The energy is respectful and reverent. Emotions just take over. The whole street has become one large a place of worship, of prayer, a place to honor the lives and memories of the people that deserve to still be here. Instead of destroying or damaging the spirit of Islam, the terrorist has inadvertently expanded it, brought all of us closer to it, made us a part of it.

There are armed police with AR-15-looking massive guns held at the ready at the barrier, but still they talk with the crowd willingly, seriously, and quietly, like they are in a house of worship too. People have decorated the road barriers. Around trees in Hagley Park, the park across the street from the mosques, people have laid notes, photos, poems, cards, flowers, and candles. People gather spontaneously and sing waiata and perform the haka at the site directly across from the mosques. Numerous massive cameras and booms and news people stand at the ready along the barrier.

While I was there, one woman, in traditional dress, stood completely still, staring at the mosque, while a male companion comforted her. She stood there in the same spot the whole time I was there, about 25 minutes or so. Most other people wandered around, stopping for a minute at each memorial, or to talk to police, but she didn't move at all. She just stared across the street like it was the only thing that would make it real to her.

There were 26 funerals today. The airport was full of grieving people on the way back home, all across NZ.

I think we've all been a little kinder to one another this week. On Monday when I arrived in Christchurch, I saw a lot of pakeha (the Maori word for Europeans--really white people) talking with Muslims. This is relatively unusual. While the reason is absolutely horrific, I was happy to see people engaging with one another. I hope it continues.

Kiwis just give me so much G-D hope. There are a few outliers here and there, but I just came to love this country in a way I haven't yet in my time here. They are lovely. Most are saying and doing the right things to support our fellow Kiwis that need support right now, and we've mostly all banned together. As great as that is, it wasn't worth the cost.

Car Space Miracle

Oh my goodness, for once, things went my way :)

As head tenant, I rent out my apartment car space in my complex garage. It's gated, covered, and is located right in the middle of the city. I have been getting a whopping $70 per week for it, which adds another $280 to my income per month. It effectively makes my lovely apartment ridiculously affordable and the best deal in the entire CBD for me. My effective rent for my large room is $160 per week. Everything else at $160 pw or less in my area requires you to share a tiny room with at least 1 person. (Or you could be the third person sharing a living room for $120 pw...).

My problem car space tenant has been renting it for about 3 years now. He cancelled his lease with like 3 days notice. He is extra sensitive and weird, and I didn't have the energy to fight to make him pay out the required week. He is also the owner of the local convenience store (literally 2 doors down from me), so to keep things from being awkward, I just let it go.

To explain further, a year ago, the co-op board of my apartment complex and my landlord required the apartment tenants to list the make/model and license plate of every vehicle parked in the complex for safety and security reasons. The co-op board head, my landlord, and I had ALL noticed that there was a rotation of vehicles (at least 7 different ones) parked in my spot over time. I told my tenant what we'd noticed and asked for the vehicle information. It was time to renew our lease anyway, and I also explained that I had decided not to raise the rent because the average rent in my area had stayed around the $70 pw mark (I thought this would be good news...). At the end of that email, I gently reminded him that the lease did not allow sublets of the spot, as per my landlord and co-op's instructions. I was very professional, as I am with all financial transactions.

This tenant is a bit too familiar and acts like I'm doing him a favor by letting him park there, instead of making a smart financial decision. Whenever I go into the dairy, he calls me 'dear' or 'sweetie.' Personally, I hate this kind of talk unless it is coming from my close family. The way he says it is condescending and is sort of like, Aww, aren't you cute, being professional and saying professional words!

His response to my email requesting information was decidedly NOT professional. He went on a long rant about how he was insulted that I accused him of subletting and did I think he was so cheap that he stooped to that level. He had a 'serious objection' to my email. He owns lots of businesses and had no intention of starting another one, subletting. He doesn't need to sublet. He wouldn't mind if the rent had risen, because he could have afforded it, blah blah blah. He was offended that the rent had not risen. ??

And then he didn't even give me the information I needed, the vehicle make/model and license plates. (They were his employees' cars at the dairy, something he did not discuss with me.) I just wrote down the different ones when I noticed them and sent it to my landlord. Sigh.

So anyway, out with the problem tenant. With how long it took to find new flatmates, I was super worried. There are also several car parks for rent in my area so I worried that there just wasn't a market for them.

I prepared for a long slog and a month in which my income was not what it usually is. Luckily, someone contacted me 2 days after I posted my $50 ad on TradeMe (the fee is highway robbery!).

The people are a nearby couple and were overjoyed that the spot was available. They came the next day and signed the lease and it was all super easy. They seem wonderful and easy--so nice. If they renew their apartment lease in June, I have long-term tenants for the next year and a half or so. If not, I have a raised car park income of $75 pw until June.

Yay for me! So easy, it surprised me.

Quick-Take on the Alt FI Manifesto

Hmmm, what's this now? There is a lot of chatter about some sort of manifesto. What could cause such controversy in the PF world? THIS I have to check out!

(tries to read the Alt FI Manifesto*) Oh...kay...?

(finds no real intro, just a straight dive into nonsense words) WHAT EVEN IS THIS HORRIBLE WRITING

(scrolls to see if it gets better) OH GOD IT'S SO LONG AND THERE ARE NO REAL POINTS OR FACTS HERE

(it still doesn't make any sense) WAIT, EW, YEAH, THIS ISN'T NEW, IT'S JUST POLITICS

(reads something) GASP! A MIDDLE AGED WHITE HETEROSEXUAL MALE WROTE THIS? SUR-EFFING-PRISE

(starts skipping around the text for some semblance of meaning or personal finance content) I'M TOTALLY LOST, WHAT ARE YOUR EFFING POINTS, WHERE IS THE PF, I JUST SEE SELFISHNESS AND IGNORANCE AND HORRIBLE ARGUMENTS TO PERPETUATE CLASSISM, RACISM, AND SEXISM


(at so many points) OH. HELL. NO. *fury flare ups*

(gets to end) THIS IS NOT PF AND THERE WAS NEVER A POINT (except maybe to rile up people to drive traffic to sell tshirts and a book, as this post points out, s/o to Revanche for the link!



That was basically my thought progression from finding out that the Alt FI Manifesto was a thing (from Revanche's links) and then finding it and reading it. Well, I read as much as I could. It sounded mostly like utter nonsense to me. And there are so many awful bits that have clearly been repeated from the same bots that like to troll people on Twitter, right down to using SJW as a slur/insult.

I'm pretty disappointed that I gave it a click and that someone like that is out there in the personal finance community. I'm also surprised (I really shouldn't be) that so many agreed and offered support for what was written in the comments!



Sigh.
PF has always been a 'safe' community for me. I mean, surely there are PF gurus and bloggers who are racist and sexist while living their lives off line. Dave Ramsey has been slammed for being a terrible boss and bully, for example. The exalted Warren Buffett is casually sexist on the reg. As for the smaller potatoes in the mix, like other bloggers, I haven't always agreed with everyone's views (and vice versa), of course, but those discussions have been open minded and well mannered and not clearly manipulative. But I guess it was only a matter of time before PF was infiltrated by the nonsense pervading the political sphere as of late, and before the same base tactics used to get attention by '45' and his ilk were used by a blogger trying to do the same thing.

It makes me physically ill.

Money is, of course, political. I get that. But this feels and is different. Dangerous-different. These views? They kill and hurt people. They marginalize. They minimize suffering and life's inherent unfairnesses. And just like in the real world, they have NO PLACE in my community.








*the link above is an archived version of the original article and DOES NOT give the offending blog traffic.

Closet Cleanout, Part I: Jacket Inventory

Oh my Lord.

Am I ready for this?

As a part of my Wardrobe Makeover (see Parts I and II), I need to go through my closet and chuck things that a) I don't wear, b) aren't one of my color palette colours, or c) are just too old/stained/whatever.

I generally consider myself to be pretty ruthless when it comes to throwing things out of my closet. Some things don't fit, some look bad on me, some are itchy, some I never wear. About twice a year I go through my closet and chuck things that I don't wear.

Chucking is pretty easy mostly because I don't pay a lot for the things I buy. Max $20-$30 per item, if not less. T-shirts are usually like $5-$10 each--I get a new crop every year to replace the old ones. I chuck for a variety of reasons: the colors have faded, there are bleach or other spots, my deoderant causes stains in the underarms, I'm a klutz so get grease or food or unknown marks on my clothes no matter how careful I try to be, it's itchy or uncomfortable, I don't actually like the color or cut and never wear it. Turnover is frequent

My old clothes go to the donation bin (if decent), into my pile to wear at night (if suitable), or get turned into cleaning rags. I have a pretty good system, I think.


To assess properly, first things first. I need a clothing inventory. Here is my closet:

jackets/pants/skirts/underwear & nightclothes drawers

shirts/dresses/blazers

I also have a dresser which contains my shorts, work out clothes, bathing suits and cover ups, and tank tops, as well as underbed storage containing my sweaters and heavier pants. 

I'll cover jackets first. 

Before inventory: 12 jackets, 9 blazers. Nothing donated yet but 7 items are on notice. Some I need to replace, some I need to give myself a chance to wear them.

Jackets: I LOVE JACKETS!
2 pea coats (black, army green). I wear the black one but rarely the green.
fleece lined dark green weatherproof jacket. My every day winter jacket.
powder blue down jacket that zips into a powder blue and darker blue waterproof ski overjacket. Worn skiing or if traveling to a very cold area (South Island in winter).
a very light packable lemon yellow rainjacket. Worn in summer and great for travel.
a black trench rainjacket (it rains a LOT in New Zealand!). Staple--wear all the time when it rains in winter and during fieldwork. Keeps me super dry and lookin' cute, too.

Lighter jackets:
2 leather/material jackets--mainly for fashion. not very warm. The one on the left is a staple and I wear it all the time. The one on the right is tougher and is new. We'll see if I wear it.
1 light fleece. This used to be my every day winter jacket. I love it so much but it is falling apart.
1 jean jacket*. Love the color but it is a bit too boxy. Could replace it.
1 lavender light jacket for running/summer*. Good quality but not my color. I don't wear it much.
1 cranberry light jacket*. Good light casual one for summer. I don't wear it much.

*I would like to replace the jean jacket and get a nice lighter jacket that is a bit more my color, and sophisticated. The ones I have are very sporty and casual.

 













Blazers: 
Long-sleeved:
-black
-white
-gray
-tan cords 

I barely wear the white because, well...me. I wear and want to keep them all, though.

Black, white, tan cord, gray blazers.

short-sleeved blazers:
1 tan (rarely wear it)
1 royal blue (rarely wear it)
1 pin striped (love this one but doesn't quite fit my arms anymore)

 

I adore the pin stripes!

Work suits (jacket + bottom):

gray suit jacket and pencil skirt
black suit jacket and pants

Have never worn these but they are there for job interviews, really fancy work events, etc.

Closet Clean Out:
I am undecided about the following jackets--they are up for donation/replacing:
--green wool pea coat
--jean jacket
--lavender light jacket
--cranberry light jacket
--tan short sleeve blazer
--blue short sleeve blazer
--pin stripe short sleeve blazer

If I don't wear these or find a replacement for these in the next year, I need to get rid of them.

Wardrobe Makeover, Part II: Know Thy Colors

Can you differentiate between colors? Test your Color IQ here.



My results (I got a perfect score of 0):

Being good with color is key for the next step in my Wardrobe Overhaul plan. In Part I, I outlined my Ideal Style and Secondary Styles that I am aiming to incorporate into my current wardrobe. For Part II, I dove into something fun and frivolous (but still kinda scientific!): Seasonal Color Analysis. I discovered it over at Pretty Your World. Then came the rabbit hole of information and millions of websites and extensively categorizing myself with defined rules.

Well. Sort of. Science and logic has effectively debunked the idea that everyone falls into one of four distinct seasonal categories, however, I can't help but think that there is something to it--it's not complete BS. I read that scientific article as a scientist and think that what it does seem to indicate is that there is a spectrum of characteristics rather than 4 hard categories. Which makes logical sense.

Great. What does that mean? Maybe some people on one side of the spectrum look better in some colors vs others. The majority of people probably fall into a few, or straddle seasons. I do NOT believe all the detailed hocus-pocus nitty gritty around it--esp because the original system was definitely made for mainly white women--but do buy into the idea that there are 'better' colors than others for most people. A quick peruse around various celebrity dissections shows that this is true. (It is so fun to hone this skill yourself by seeing what looks good and what doesn't, and then read why!) I've started analysing everyone that catches my eye while walking around.


The first thing all the color analysts advise people to do is to define if they are:
Cool or Warm, or
Light or Deep, or 
Soft or Clear.

From what I gather, there are little 'tells' to help you figure this out without the professionals:

HUE--Cool vs Warm: Check your jewelry. Cool people have skin tones that look good with silver jewelry. Warm people look good in gold. Cool people's veins look blue/purple under their skin. Warm people's veins look green or olive. Cool have blue based colors, Warm have yellow based.

VALUE--Light vs Deep: Light people have light, delicate features. Blondes are Lights. Deep people have intense, rich, dark coloring. Kim K is Deep, Ellen Degeneres is Light.


CHROMA--Soft vs Clear. This one was the hardest for me to figure out, but from what I can glean, Soft people have very little contrast between their eye color and skin/hair color, while Clear have large contrasts. A big tell for Clear is when someone has crystal clear, intensely bright eyes that pop out from their skin/hair in high contrast (e.g. Brittany Snow, Courtney Cox, Heather Locklear).

If you have trouble, there are a ton of quizzes online.

With my coloring, I am definitely Cool and Light. I'm not sure which of those is most dominant, but the next step in the color analysis is to place yourself into a Season based on these qualities:

Falls are Warm and Deep
Winters are Cool and Deep
Springs are Warm and Light
Summers are Cool and Light

From http://www.thechicfashionista.com

On the most basic of criteria, I am a Summer.

But this schema is a spectrum of sorts, which complicates things. The Clear vs Soft add another dimension to all of the seasons. According to Pretty Your World, within each season, there are 6-7 subseasons--cool and warm versions as well as clear and soft versions. Soft people can be toned with gray--making them dusty or smokey--or toned with brown--making them sunlit or toasted.
  
According to one source, there are 28 total seasons:

Summer

1. Cool Summer
2. Light Summer
3. Sunlit Soft Summer
4. Dusty Soft Summer
5. Toasted Soft Summer
6. Smokey Soft Summer
7. Icy Light Summer 

Spring

1. Clear Spring
2. Light Spring
3. Sunlit Soft Spring
4. Dusty Soft Spring
5. Warm Spring
6. Sunlit Light Spring
7. Sunlit Clear Spring

Autumn

1. Warm Autumn
2. Sunlit Soft Autumn
3. Dusty Soft Autumn
4. Smokey Soft Autumn
5. Toasted Soft Autumn
6. Deep Autumn
7. Hot Deep Autumn

Winter

1. Cold Clear Winter
2. Cold Deep Winter Clear Winter
3. Cool Winter
4. Toasted Soft Winter
5. Smokey Soft Winter
6. Deep Winter

So now I have the task of figuring out which type of Summer I am. I have no clue what I'm doing, so then decided to analyse what colors I think look good on me to narrow down the options.

Colors that look good on me, anecdotal evidence:

black (because hair contrast, not necessarily skin or eyes)****

most lighter to medium blues, esp cornflower or denim blue--these make my eyes pop

teal

aqua

dusty rose pinks--I gravitate toward these colors in my nail polish and make up

cool reds--I gravitate toward these colors in my nail polish and make up

most jewel tones, esp medium to deep versions: ruby/garnet and aquamarines esp--no yellows though

light to medium pinks, no hot pink

soft navy

silver jewelry

medium to deep tone colors in general

I've been drawn to fall colors recently...we'll see how these look on me!

****this is iffy--the color analysts say that charcoal gray should look better than black, and I was probably in a black that was soft/faded a bit. Will test

Colors that do not look good on me, anecdotal evidence:

royal, almost purple blue--surprising, since blue is my favorite color and I look great in all other blues

lavender, most purples

khaki/light tan (bland, washes me out)

pastel, light colors wash me out, except for light pinks

very bright or neon colors overwhelm me (sadly for my workout wardrobe, which is mostly bright because of road safety)

oranges (I literally own zero orange items)

most yellows (though I love my dark mustard cardigans)

browns (a nice cocoa brown accent in a belt, purse, or boot looks great with my good colors, though)

bright greens

strong, large prints overwhelm me

gold jewelry

These are just patterns that I've noticed through the years, without thinking about them too much. I don't wear my deep purple shirt, for example. I never buy orange items, even if I try them on in the store. When I go shopping I heavily gravitate toward the first list and strongly avoid the second without thinking about it too much. We humans naturally go for colors that make us look good (if we can see them; I feel terrible for the poor color blind folks :( ).

So what are my Summer options based on those good/bad colors?

 I've ruled these out:

1. Sunlit Soft Summer: probably not. I have zero warmth. 
2. Toasted Soft Summer: probably not. I look nothing like the model-type they depicted. I don't have much warmth at all.
3. Smokey Soft Summer: probably not. I'd never be mistaken for a Winter and can't pull off very dark colors.
4. Icy Light Summer: I don't know much about this one, but probably not? Probably too crisp and contrast-y. Something to ponder. 

This leaves:

1. Cool Summer: Strong Contender. Palette--hmmm, maybe a little too dark?:

https://infinitcloset.com/12-seasons-color-analysis/cool-summer-palette-true-summer-cool-light/

 2. Light Summer: Contender, however I have no warmth. Pastels feel too light on me and wash me out.  Palette--maybe a little too light?:

https://elementalcolour.com.au/blog/light-summer

3. Dusty Soft Summer: Strong Contender. I could be mistaken for a Light Spring in looks, however I cannot pull off bright colors and have zero warmth. Palette:

https://elementalcolour.com.au/blog/soft-summer

Don't see much difference? Yeah, me neither. However, I am really leaning towards Dusty Soft Summer. There are too many overlaps with Cool and Light Summer to be totally sure, but I thought Dusty mainly because the color palettes of the Sister Seasons of Cool and Light Summer are not really great on me. Also, I have a number of earthy-colored clothing items that really look stunning on me--a teal, a purple, a cranberry--and I like the idea that a soft black or charcoal could work with my coloring, so perhaps I am a Soft Summer with some cool, dusty-soft, gray toned Fall influences that make me Dusty.

This graphic helps explain what soft/muted really is:

https://www.style-yourself-confident.com/color-analysis-muted.html

The ideal palette consists of colors that look better on me next to my face than colors in other palettes. To narrow it down further, I will have to pay attention to the colors that I wear and how they look on me. There are color palette apps that show the colors that work on various Seasons, and you can use this to color-match clothes in the store. I'll be using it in my closet, and seeing which colors are dominant in my wardrobe (spoiler, it is going to be blues and teals!), which ones make me look best, and then I can decide from there. 


This will be an alternative to the pricey "color draping" test experts do to people in person or over the internet. I'll drape myself with my own clothes and see what pops out. :) Given that the science behind it is wishy washy BS, I prefer not to pay $100 for a color analysis!

 
(Advanced level: Whole outfit coordination--combining the colors, contrasts, and values. This tells you how the shades and colors in your overall look should balance. There are two components: color contrast and value contrast. This tells you how many colors should be in your look, as well as how much those colors should contrast one another. Who knew getting dressed was so complicated?!

Color contrast is how colorful/monochromatic a look is. Low values mean colors should be neutral.

Value contrast is dark vs light. Low values mean the colors need to all be similarly light or dark shades. High values mean a light color with a dark color is OK.

Here is a quiz that tells you where you fall.

I fall in the "2 neutrals and a color" category for my color contrast, which means I look best wearing mostly neutrals plus one color. I also fall in the "medium contrast" category for the value contrast, which means I need to stay away from wearing a white top with a black bottom without some sort of medium tone in the mix, for example. Or I need to wear one light and medium color, or one medium and dark color.


--> Verdict: My outfits should consist of Light/Medium Neutrals plus a colour or two maximum. e.g. This

Combining this with Part I: This is not that inconsistent with my preferred styles, actually--aside from not wearing all black, my French chic-Beachy-Hard Edge style could definitely include outfits that consist of a few neutrals plus a splash of color in adjacent hues. I wonder if I can find a few examples... )

Wardrobe Makeover, Part I: Defining My Style

One of my annual goals for the past few years has been to build up my wardrobe.

As a kid, like many, I wore first what my mom bought for me, then what looked good on other people, or whatever had a cool brand-name. Damned what it looked like on me, I just cared about fitting in with whoever was around.

At the preppy university I attended, I got into penny loafers, J Crew, Limited, Banana Republic (not that I could afford it--I bought cheap knock offs). I actually came to love that style and it became a part of my personality.

In Hawai'i in grad school, and in Southern CA, I went for easy surfer vibes: Roxy, Quiksilver, Hobie, Rip Curl. I really love that style & part of my personality, too.

And of course, while I am not a big partier (I didn't have my first drink until I was 18!), I do have a streak of hard rock/hip hop rebel in me that loves lower, sexy necklines, delicate studding, leather accents, smoky eyeliner, and sequins.

After 40 years of living, I know what I like when I see it (although I will have no idea if it will work on me). However, from trying on lots of clothes and different colors on, and I feel like I am finally narrowing down my style.


Defining My Style: 

Default Style:

comfortable 

outdoorsy, weatherproof

practical/functional

basic/boring
easy


Ideal Style: 
classy
clean cut
tailored but casual

stripes
French chic but with fun details: interesting textures, intricate, small patterns. e.g. tiny skulls on a scarf, delicate leather detailing, etc., that elevates a boring top or pants or shoes

Everything as described here: The Art Of Parisian Chic: 8 Rules for Mastering French Fashion

 Basically, everything on this image search, but I need more color and a few small interesting details.

Trendy additions of basics through cut, styling, jewelry, pops of color, and metallics

Feminine looks with a hard edge
Also this whole page

Expensive looking 

looks effortless

small delicate patterns, if any--no bold patterns 

fall/winter: anything with texture, wool pea coats and trenches, tweed, leather accents, pashmina scarves, capes, cords, big sweaters, fleece, velvet, riding boots

spring/summer: navy-inspired, fedoras, metallic accents and sandals, light, easy muted florals 

I really love this casual, basic look: 

I also love Joanna Gaines' style. She always looks so put together--muted, yet comfortable, pretty, feminine, classy, with a twist of country. She wears a ton of neutrals but amps it up with on-trend jewelry or colorful accessories that keep her outfit from looking boring. Her hair and makeup also help keep the outfit from looking too dressed down. Everything fits her well. She looks like she could be going to work in her garden or meeting a client.

Secondary Styles (occasion dependent):

Earthy bohemian surfer girl: island-y, beachy, feminine, easy, flowy, (a few) ruffles, maybe a muted print

The intense red and ruffle on the shorts are a bit much but I would rock this in the right color. http://www.billabong.com

https://www.kmart.co.nz/product/sleeveless-jumpsuit/2376302
(I actually own this--and get lots of compliments!)

Club wear: Classy but tight, black, animal prints, black leather leggings, dark wash denim skinny jeans, heeled leather boots, black heeled ankle boots or loafers, sequins, small delicate studs, shine, leather jacket. Not a big skirt/dress person for nighttime, as my legs are pale and glow in the dark (!)

I'd forego the jacket and blue purse/cuff and wear my silver cuff and other silver jewelry with this, plus black heeled ankle booties. I also wish the top was a v-neck to show a hint of cleavage. Otherwise, this is very much my club/night vibe :)

Also very much my vibe, sans the white jacket and heels.

This top is almost exactly the same as the one I wore to my friend's local gay club to celebrate NYE 2019 with him--any excuse to wear sequins or rainbows! I also had on silver hoop earrings, some silver jewelry, strong eye makeup, leather skinny pants, and black ankle booties. Perfect outfit.
https://www.bustle.com/p/sparkly-new-years-eve-dresses-to-make-2019-as-bright-as-your-ootd-15562757

In this category, I also really like the looks pulled together here, though I'd lose the heels and chunky, tackier jewelry shown in some of them.

 

Goals

I end up wearing my Default Style 90% of the time because I have to wear long pants, shirts with sleeves, closed-toe shoes to work in order to do labwork (them's the rules). I also don't want to take the time to pull looks together. My wardrobe now pretty much all goes together and I don't have to think very much, which is good when you are tired from your PhD/family illness stress.

What I want to do is move closer to my Ideal Style, while incorporating elements of my secondary styles and maintaining the versatility, comfort, and function/practicality of my Default Style.

Part of that will involve figuring out what actually looks good on me. I'm still very lost when it comes to that. As described in the French Chic article linked above, one of their rules is knowing their colors. And this is where the next section comes into play!




Part II: Seasonal Color Palettes

Apparently this is a huge thing. I dove deep down internet holes for this one. Results coming in Part II!