Then I started researching the idea more. And I started kind of falling in love with the idea. My closet was jam-packed with so many clothes that I did not know what I had. Half the time my clothes stayed packed from trips or in piles because I simply did not need them. This was a problem. I'm mostly a thrifty shopper, and I buy primarily from clearance and sales racks. While this can be a good thing, it left me with tons of clothes that I just didn't love (and also did not fit my style). Who needs closets full of mediocre clothing?
I finally decided to do something about it. I followed Caroline's recommendations and took every single thing out of my closet. With little abandon, I narrowed everything down. I ended up with about six trash bags full of clothes. I had remorse on only one piece of clothing (and actually ended up adding that one to my fall capsule). I did keep a container with "maybe" and/or "keepsake" pieces (I just can't let go of that shirt I wore on my first date with D). With the minimal amount of pieces I kept, I was able to hang up all of my clothing (aside from sweaters) and it was liberating! I've had such an easy time picking out clothing. Now I feel confident that a minimal clothing lifestyle is going to make my life easier and hopefully curb my spending habits.
I've been prepping my fall capsule for about a month. There's a feeling of excitement knowing that I have "special" clothing items waiting for me. I know my capsule will be an experiment, and I'm not sure what my end feelings will be. Will I hate all the clothes after a month? Will I have to constantly do laundry? Will I be good at mixing and matching? I'm trying not to focus on the what-ifs and instead maintain the goals for my fall capsule:
Spend less money on clothing.
Buy a few quality, well-made pieces.
Establish my own personal style.
And with that, here is my fall capsule that will run from October through December.
Gap Legging Jeans (similar) | Gap Dark-Wash Legging Jean | GapFit Stripe-Panel Pants (similar) | JCrew Factory Gigi Pant
Gap Boyfriend Shorts | Old Navy Maxi Skirt (similar) | "Leather" Leggings (similar) | Gap Jeans
JCrew Chambray | Gap Popover Shirt (similar) | Gap White Tee (similar) | Gap Light Chambray Popover Shirt (similar)
Graphic Tee (similar) | Gap Tee (similar) | JCrew Striped Tee (similar) | Gap Sweatshirt
Madewell Workshirt (similar) | Gap Cardigan (similar) | Gap Cardigan (similar) | Old Navy Chunky Sweater (similar)
Madewell Anorak Dress (similar) | Gap Striped Dress (similar) | Target Blazer | Gap Vest
Gap Open-Front Cardigan | Madewell Texturework Sweater | Target Cardigan | Madewell Cargo Vest (similar)
Target Anorak Jacket | Old Navy Jean Jacket (similar) | Madewell Stripeset Tee | Madewell Ex-Boyfriend Shirt
Target Leopard Flat (similar) | Converse Sneaker | Target Studded Midi Boot (similar) | Frye Shirley Boot | Vans Leather Sneaker
Not all items pictured are the exact pieces I have, but this gives you an idea of my color scheme and style. Since I work with children and have to be outside on a regular basis, my wardrobe needs to be pretty casual. October through December can be tough months in the south in regards to predicting the weather. I made sure to choose lots of pieces I can layer for the changing weather. If you're interested in doing your own capsule, I would definitely recommend downloading Un-Fancy's free wardrobe planner! It has been extremely helpful along the way.
Do you have a capsule wardrobe?
Do you dress minimally?
What am I missing?
