The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: MsPeacock on May 10, 2015, 04:29:05 PM
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Update: starting on page 15 I am working on other wardrobe categories - "nice" casual clothes and workout wardrobe, and others.
orginal post:
This is a spin off from the no clothes shopping thread. I have a goal to cut back significantly in the amount of clothing I have, to increase the ratio of items that I love - and make sure that I actually look and feel good in what I wear.
Challenges:
1. I don't want to spend a ton of money.
2. I look good in preppy clothes but the punk rock girl inside my wants some interesting pieces. This is how I end up with a jumble of stuff in my closet that doesn't go together very well. I really do look best in classic preppy clothing - it just suits me, and I don't like to wear prints or patterns. But somehow when I shop get drawn to a a pretty print or something frilly even though the stuff looks terrible on me. With a specific clothing plan in place and specific styles that I am "allowed" I can cut down on purchasing items that are just plain wrong for me.
3. I have gained some weight due to medical issues and have joint problems - which makes a lot of waistbands and restrictive/structured clothes ( such as suit jackets) uncomfortable. Many of my old pants just don't fit any longer and this means I have to purchase some clothing. I need to take the stuff that is too small out of my closet because they take up space and I have to sort through them to find the things that actually fit on a daily basis, and the clothes that are too small make me feel depressed and defeated.
4. I need to dress professionally, but I don't need to wear suits, for work.
I have purged about 80% of my work clothes. Today I took out all the skirts (I just hate wearing skirts) aside from a black cotton pull on and a grey/black striped skirt that can be dressy or casual, or worn in the winter w/ leggings. I got rid of all my suit jackets today. I put all the too small pants in the basement ... (not quite ready to accept the inevitable - they will never fit again), I got rid of more shirts, blouses, stretched out sweaters, etc.
I bought a few things today: another pair of black elastic waist pants I can wear to work (HM $35), 3 cotton pullover cable knit sweaters ($4 each on clearance at HM), a white blouse, tan sweater and black sweater at Forever 21.
I ordered two pairs of elastic waist dress pants (Navy and black) from Lands End and a couple cotton cardigans.
I have an adequate number of shoes. I still have some heels, which have become too painful to wear - but they fit in the closet shoe organizer so they stay for the moment.
I am still trying to figure out the ideal number of items I need to have. E,g, how many pairs of pants so I can get through the work week w/o having to deal w/ laundry and still feel that I have enough variety in my closet (the answer is probably a lower number than I think).
So - what are your ideas, tips, experiences for getting to your own minimalist wardrobe.
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I don't have any answers for you, but I am in the same boat in terms of paring down my wardrobe more and more. Now I feel like I have to figure out the holes and then fill them. Unfortunately, I suck at shopping. I only have one store I really like and they recently made changes and I don't think they can be my go to anymore. Sigh. I keep telling myself that shopping is like anything else and if I want to find good bargains, nice clothes, and really understand my style and what works for me, I have to invest more time in doing so. However, in my few spare hours I have zero desire to go shopping.
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Thanks for replying brooklynomney!
When you say you are bad a shopping - what does that mean for you?
I am bad at being consistent in my style - which I guess in some ways makes me bad a shopping. I think my biggest challenge is just being consistent - and satisfied w/ having what will amount to a uniform of practical clothing.
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I am bad in a similar way -- sticking to a consistent style, finding things that work together, etc. Mostly I am bad because I just avoid shopping altogether. I would rather be anywhere than in clothes store. I hate shoe shopping even more.
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I highly recommend the blog Into Mind for help determining your personal style and building a functional wardrobe. Start here: http://into-mind.com/2014/11/03/10-step-wardrobe-revamp/
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Have you ever noticed the way Joan Rivers dressed? Almost any time you saw her, she was wearing a simple black top, slacks, and black shoes. Then she would just go wildly creative with colorful jackets, scarves, and jewelry. It reminded me a lot of what we used to do when I had to wear business clothes…we would wear solid black separates and then jazz it up with brighter jackets, brooches, etc. It worked well, and made getting dressed simple yet not boring. Of course our office wear was not as wild as Joan's nightclub outfits! {:- D
I am RE now, but in my casual clothes just as in my jackets/nylons/heels days, I like to have two weeks worth of outfits. That gives me plenty to choose from, cuts me some slack on how often I have to do laundry, and also means that I'm not going to be left with nothing to wear if an outfit gets ruined in some way. (White-out, toner ink, mustard or coffee stains, whatever.)
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I have no useful tips, ideas, experiences - following because I want to figure out a good minimalist wardrobe. I'm a sucker for a good deal when it comes to clothes, so right now I have lots of random things that don't really work together. My goal is to get a small, casual business wardrobe in place, and then shop only to replace things that wear out; but I have no idea how to dress for my body or put outfits together.
I'm frugal and efficient in other areas of my life; don't know why I can't figure out clothes. I have been shopping recently (weight change requires it), but can't find anything I like. Everything is made of sheer, cheap looking fabrics - nothing looks good on my middle-aged self. It's only clothes - it shouldn't be this frustrating.
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I've been working on this since last fall, when I had a friend return the favor of being the closet clear-out taskmaster. I highly recommend having a second party play stylist for anyone going through their closets. She helped me realize I generally don't look good in pants, so I switched to the dresses I previously reserved for weddings and a couple basic skirts. Leggings in the winter kept me from freezing. Strategic scarf placement allowed me to wear otherwise inappropriate dresses to the office. Came to terms with the fact that I'll never be comfortable in heels, and I'm down to two pairs. Also accepted I never get around to dry cleaning, so if I can't wash it myself, out it goes. I have a color scheme of dark blue, green, and red, with a grey or black base. Solid colors or monochromatic patterns only. Right now I could easily list almost everything in my closet, I have under 75 items, and it's easy to get dressed in the morning with an uncluttered closet.
My main issue now is my ideal minimalist wardrobe is not reflected in what I currently own, and I don't want to buy more stuff. I ultimately want clothes I can travel with: breathable, hand-washable, quick-drying, and decent looking. Elie Tahari dresses look good and are great for the office, but I'm not walking 5 miles in one, and they're delicate to wash. My clothes fit my current lifestyle, so this isn't urgent, but any future purchases will need to satisfy my travel criteria.
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One exercise that may help people who have excess clothing and don't know where to start is the total clear-out. This is what I've done with my friends. Take everything out of your drawers, off of hangers, and pile it all on your bed. Pick a category (pants, work tops, skirts, etc) and start with everything in that group. Just seeing how much you already have can be enlightening. Try every piece on and decide yes/no/maybe. Keep the maybe's to a minimum, but it's more important to make quick decisions. Ask yourself with every item "Do I wear it? Do I love it? Does it look good on me?" You should only keep things for which you can answer yes to all 3 questions.
If you decide to keep it, only then can you hang it back up. As your closet begins to fill back up, you'll naturally become pickier about what you want to add back, and may even reconsider some of your yesses. Once you've done your first sweep, take stock of what you've decided to keep and see what consistent themes you can identify. Take a break, then tackle the maybes. Stick the persistent maybes in storage and go back to them 3 months later.
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I highly recommend the blog Into Mind for help determining your personal style and building a functional wardrobe. Start here: http://into-mind.com/2014/11/03/10-step-wardrobe-revamp/
I just visited the site - clicked on the link to "why i don’t believe in dressing for my body type". She pointed out that the concept was about how looking slim and attractive according to today’s societal ideals is more important than wearing clothes you personally like. Maybe I'm overly concerned with hiding my flaws - really, who notices as long as I'm reasonably clean and well groomed? I might enjoy the process better if I tried to please myself (within the constraints of a corporate dress code).
The color wheel and color matching thing is just confusing. I need to keep that very simple.
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One exercise that may help people who have excess clothing and don't know where to start is the total clear-out. This is what I've done with my friends. Take everything out of your drawers, off of hangers, and pile it all on your bed. Pick a category (pants, work tops, skirts, etc) and start with everything in that group. Just seeing how much you already have can be enlightening. Try every piece on and decide yes/no/maybe. Keep the maybe's to a minimum, but it's more important to make quick decisions. Ask yourself with every item "Do I wear it? Do I love it? Does it look good on me?" You should only keep things for which you can answer yes to all 3 questions.
If you decide to keep it, only then can you hang it back up. As your closet begins to fill back up, you'll naturally become pickier about what you want to add back, and may even reconsider some of your yesses. Once you've done your first sweep, take stock of what you've decided to keep and see what consistent themes you can identify. Take a break, then tackle the maybes. Stick the persistent maybes in storage and go back to them 3 months later.
I think this is absolutely +1. My purge started w/ taking everything out. I mean, the closet was "organized" - but it was so crammed that I couldn't see anything. And the reality is that I like to wear some small fraction of what I own - things that make me feel good and suit their purposes - and the rest is just excess.
RunHappy I love the idea of a pencil skirt and rock t-shirt - but could not wear that in my work environment (conservative) and have likely aged out of looking anything but "trying too hard" in an outfit like that.
Maybe that is part of the struggle - coming to terms that wearing practical, easy to maintain, etc. clothing just isn't going to be as interesting as a rock t-shirt.
So - from what I gather so far many of us 1) have trouble defining our style 2) have trouble buying clothes that are consistent with our style 3) have trouble purging the excess from our closets and 4) a subset really hate all shopping.
In all cases having a narrow set of parameters of a "uniform" would make life a lot easier. I guess that is where I see myself headed - something amounting to a uniform. Pull on dress pants, shirt - most likely white - sweater... I just have to move the clothing that I actually own in this direction. And, I want machine washable clothes that do not require an iron.
Anyone else with an unofficial work "uniform".
I may start posting some photos or links if I can get the technology figured out.
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My unofficial work uniform, as posted above, was a black "column"…black top, black skirt or slacks, black or off-black nylons or black socks, and black shoes, either flats or low heels. Then I could go creative with different colored blazers or sweaters on top, with interesting jewelry. I was never a scarf person, but they would be a great way to add to this kind of outfit.
The hardest things to find when going shopping are the simple, well-made, easy-care basics. It's kind of a never-ending search. I find that clothes that work well for travel also work well for everyday life. I try to find clothes that will function for both. One outfit that has come in handy over the years…in various permutations as I wore them out and bought replacements…is a simple, matching pair of stretchy, dark, pull-on, elastic waist pants with a 3/4 length sleeve tunic. In black, this can take you from work to conferences to church to dinner to theater and concert outings. Being a slacks outfit, it is warmer than a dress, and you don't need to worry about how you sit. It would suit all ages and body types. My current version is from Travelsmith's Jet Set Collection…the slim pants and 3/4 sleeve ballet-sleeve tunic, both in black. (They are currently showing it in some ugly colors, IMHO, but black is available.) I've found a couple similar versions in department stores over the years. The Jet Set fabric doesn't work in the hot summer weather if you are not in air conditioning, but other than that it's really versatile.
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Today's "uniform" - with tan sweater instead of white:
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Following! I'm at a major life transition point, and I need to revamp the clothing. I've done pretty well paring down what I have, but much of it is starting to get warn out and needs replacing. What I do have tends to make me look younger than I am (cheap fabrics and construction), which does me no favors because people usually guess I'm 18-19. Does not inspire people's confidence in me right off the bat.
Challenges for me: no dry cleaning (duh, MMM, don't have to explain that one here), has to be fairly durable, I am hard to fit for clothing (pretty tall for a woman). And as others have mentioned, clothes are HARD. What should be a 'simple' question in defining your own style becomes this existential exercise in identifying all your personal values >.<
I also struggle with the "buying clothes for the life I want, not the life I have" issue.
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My collar is messed up because I took my ID tag off - but here ya' go for reals in person.
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Following! I'm at a major life transition point, and I need to revamp the clothing. I've done pretty well paring down what I have, but much of it is starting to get warn out and needs replacing. What I do have tends to make me look younger than I am (cheap fabrics and construction), which does me no favors because people usually guess I'm 18-19. Does not inspire people's confidence in me right off the bat.
Challenges for me: no dry cleaning (duh, MMM, don't have to explain that one here), has to be fairly durable, I am hard to fit for clothing (pretty tall for a woman). And as others have mentioned, clothes are HARD. What should be a 'simple' question in defining your own style becomes this existential exercise in identifying all your personal values >.<
I also struggle with the "buying clothes for the life I want, not the life I have" issue.
Welcome BrackenJoy! Yes - I think I am supposed to be a six foot tall size 2 model and having a hard time dressing down to the fact that I am not any of those things. And I've found that I can't tolerate clothes that I used to really enjoy (e.g. heels, as the most immediate example).
+++1 on the not needing dry cleaning - and even more important to me - not needing to be ironed. I don't mind a pair of chinos I can wear 3 or 4 times and then have cleaned and pressed at the 1.99 place. But everything else has to be able to go on "hand wash" in the machine and line or tumble dry and come out of the process looking presentable!
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Ms Peacock - nice uniform!
I also don't look good in skirts. I also don't look good in button downs (get pulling cos of the boobs - have found a few shirts made for curvier figures but still don't feel comfortable in them).
My uniform is in two parts:
Winter/Spring/Fall
Black trousers or jeans (I can be casual to work)
Black knit tops - long and short sleeve versions
Cardigans and Sweaters - colored, various weights
Summer
Dresses
Cardigans (Spring/Fall ones above)
My trouble spot right now is summer weekends - I either look over dressed in a dress I wear to work, or under dressed in shorts and a tank/t-shirt.
I don't look good in capris. Need to find a casual dress, or might try some of the wide leg capris/culottes that I see in the shops right now - but since it seems so "fashionable" am I going to want to wear it more than a season????
Also - I have kept a few skirts and button downs because I keep thinking I might need them (eg if I need to go to a business attire event?) - am I nuts - should I just get rid of these things that are not part of the capsule? I mean I also have a few formal dresses not part of the capsule that I actually wear more than this business attire stuff I keep! I think I just answered my own question by writing this down - just keep one business attire outfit. Three are overkill ...
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I meant "ballet neck" not "ballet sleeve" tunic up above. Doh.
One thing I've done over the years is just given up on wearing white or light-colored tops. I always wear dark color values of colors that flatter me. The reason is that I destroy white and light-color tops all the time by spills and stains. Also, with everything darkish, I don't have to separate loads of laundry--all my clothes go in together and it makes life easier. And all my colors look nice together--no big issues trying to coordinate outfits. Also all my underwear is black or dark colors, too. No need to search out a flesh-colored bra to no-show under a white shirt. Don't get me wrong--I look good in white and like it--but for "real life" and for travel, my darks just work better.
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It took me a while to find my "power silhouttes" but I did, and now buying clothes is really easy (almost too easy! ) but I find that I enjoy dressing and caring for my appearance now. I'm tall, mostly leg and a full chest.
Year round, a knee length fit and flare dress is flattering. I like a skinny pant or jean with a loose silk or cotton blouse that falls straight from the bust. I used to think buttondowns didn't flatter me but now that I buy for my bust and get the waist taken in (cheap fix at the tailor or dry cleaner) I really enjoy them.
In the hot weather, I wear chino shorts with the above style shirts. I find 5-7' to be the most flattering inseam. In the winter, I wear v or scoop neck wool sweaters, with the skinny jeans or pants.
I stick to mostly shades of greens, blues, and orange/coral, but I don't exclusively buy those colors. I have simple accessories, one gold bangle bracelet, one sterling bangle bracelet, a couple sterling post earrings, two pairs of dangle style earrings, and a pair of pearl button studs. I have a silver necklace, a gold necklace, a classic pearl strand, a strand of large baroque pearls, and a strand of jade beads. I also have three watches. Everything goes. It's glorious.
Of course, I wear an actual uniform to work.
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I will alway reject any notion of aging out of anything. I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm almost 40 and I hope I haven't aged out.
Ha, that's what I thought too when I was your age. I felt confident about my looks and rocked most any outfit I put on ;-)
Fast forward 8 years and I am now in the throngs of perimenopause: rapid weight gain, the deep wrinkles in my face and neck becoming more and more visible (genetic predisposition - they take on the same pattern as they do in a lot of women in my family), gray hair... I am as self-conscious about my body as a teenager and I have definitely aged out of a lot of styles that simply don't work for my, ahem, more stately silhouette. And, it's not like I've gotten really large but somehow all of a sudden I truly feel middle aged. I went from size 4 to a size 8 and I feel like an elderly elephant.
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I will alway reject any notion of aging out of anything. I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm almost 40 and I hope I haven't aged out.
Ha, that's what I thought too when I was your age. I felt confident about my looks and rocked most any outfit I put on ;-)
Fast forward 8 years and I am now in the throngs of perimenopause: rapid weight gain, the deep wrinkles in my face and neck becoming more and more visible (genetic predisposition - they take on the same pattern as they do in a lot of women in my family), gray hair... I am as self-conscious about my body as a teenager and I have definitely aged out of a lot of styles that simply don't work for my, ahem, more stately silhouette. And, it's not like I've gotten really large but somehow all of a sudden I truly feel middle aged. I went from size 4 to a size 8 and I feel like an elderly elephant.
+1
I would have said the exact same thing as RunHappy at "almost 40" - but now I am "almost 50" (OMG.... Aughhh) and while it used to be that I could pull anything off - I was tall and thin - shifts in weight...uh... distribution, weight gain (and I am not overweight, just heavier), wrinkles, being physically unable to tolerate heels, etc. At some point I just couldn't pull off the same things. It becomes that whole "mutton dressed as lamb" phenomenon. We have all seen it done and know that the effect almost always is to make you look older rather than ageless or younger. (Some recent outfits from Madonna come to mind.)
Anyhow - so far I've gathered that we all want:
1. Clothes that are easy to take care of
2. Some defined personal style that can be used as a basis for purchasing clothing. Many of us are bad at figuring out what that personal style is.
3. Sometimes our idea of our personal style doesn't fit what we purchase or what is flattering or easy to take care of
4. Many of us are "bad at shopping."
Other universals in our struggle/quest for a workable small wardrobe?
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Re. colours, I can't tell what other people's "colours" are, let alone figure it out for myself because I can't detect the things I'm supposed to be looking for, but I found Imogen Lampert's explanation of how to find your colours better/less confusing than other books/articles I had read. She goes more into values and contrast and it's actually kind of fascinating.
Though mostly I just pick colours I like. :P
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After reading this post I went through my list of clothing and realized that somehow I have achieved the capsule wardrobe I set out to create three years ago without realizing it. A few thoughts to help others:
Quality is worth the price, especially as you wear and launder clothing more frequently.
+1 to limited colors (black, gray, green, teal, blue, purple are mine - with brown leather accents)
Shoes: quality and as casual as I can get away with. This means that I have two pairs of heels, for when I absolutely need to look professional, but everything else spans from casual to nicely dressed (my office is appropriate-casual) depending on which clothes are worn.
Versatile clothing: dresses and skirts are much easier to dress up or down with a change of shoes or jewelry. I wore out my shorts two years ago and have never replaced them.
Comfort above all else - if I don't want to lounge in it, it doesn't belong in my life. Wool is amazing for this. Out with button downs, in with belts.
A good tailor and cobbler (or sewing skills) are worth their weight in gold.
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After reading a few similar threads over the last year or so here, I started paying attention to what I wore to work each day (business casual mostly, occasional suit required). I realized this winter I basically ended up in a uniform:
black or gray pants (four pairs of wash and wear, two pairs of dry clean only/suit separates)
white t-shirt or button down under layer (about 6 of these)
semi-fitted sweater (about 7 of these)
black leather ankle boots (I wore the same nine west boots about 95% of the time this winter)
I realize this is not really "capsule" as that's a lot of sweaters, but it really took the guesswork out of each dark winter morning and cut down on laundry - I wash the undershirts each week and the sweaters/pants about every other week. I've never been that into fashion and for a few years wore an actual uniform to work, so this low variety style worked for me and might work for others for the winter.
I haven't worked out a good summer plan so looking for ideas along those lines here. I like the idea of dresses that a few have put out here - but where do you guys buy your work-appropriate dresses that don't need to be dry cleaned and aren't crazy expensive?
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I haven't worked out a good summer plan so looking for ideas along those lines here. I like the idea of dresses that a few have put out here - but where do you guys buy your work-appropriate dresses that don't need to be dry cleaned and aren't crazy expensive?
Depending on the temps in your office, you can probably pretty much have the same system in the summer as you have in the winter. I used to wear skirts and dresses to work but since we moved into our new space a couple of years ago, my office has been too cold in the summer to have bare legs or arms. So I wear pants in neutral colors, a sleeveless shell (silk or synthetic silk) and a lightweight sweater. Sandals or flats. I haven't worn my summer skirts or dresses at all last summer so I am bringing them to consignment this week.
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I'm trying to get my wardrobe smaller and better without a giant influx of time or money! So I'm concentrating on getting rid of things that don't fit well, paying attention to what I really like and how I use my clothes, and being more intentional about what I add. ("No clothes buying" would be a nonstarter for me--I own only one pair of shorts that don't make me look pregnant and exactly zero dresses in that category.) So I made a mental list: I want 2 pairs of shorts, 1 work-appropriate casual dress, and sturdy 1 A-line skirt suitable for work as well as casual biking.
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I really recommend "Dressing your truth" (free trail with emailed videos). I was in a rut wearing a beautiful capsule of black, white, and a few jewel tones that met all criteria of well-made, fitted, appropriate. Yet, it WASN'T my style.
I've found DYT to be great at helping me defined what I feel best in and what gives me the most confidence.
Now I shop at secondhand or "thrift" stores in the richest neighborhoods! Tons of quality clothing for a fraction of the price.
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I'll echo what's been said about color by others. Find a good base color and stick with it, then work in your accent colors around that.
My base color is black/grey, almost all of my pants, skirts, and suits are black or grey.
Then pick colors that you both like and look good on you to go along. I look good in jewel tones, so I picked my favorites - red, teal, purple, and occasionally lime green.
I'll put outfits together that are generally black or grey pants, colored shirt, grey sweater, whatever scarf I feel like.
Now, some people will prefer their base color to be brown/tan. That's fine too. And some may pick navy blue. I think that one is a bit odd because browns and blacks are so much easier to find than navy, but I do know it can work as a base neutral.
If you're having trouble determining what colors look good on you, listen for compliments. I know I will tell coworkers from time to time that I think an outfit is cute or a flattering color. Listen for that. Now, just because you wear something and don't get a compliment, doesn't mean it's a BAD color on you!
The other thing that I absolutely require my clothing to be is comfortable. If it hurts, pinches, bunches, itches, or anything like that, I'm getting rid of it, end of story! Oh, and washable. You'd be surprised how often "dry clean only" clothing goes through the washer and dryer on delicate just fine. Since I buy my clothes almost entirely from thrift stores and clearance racks, the occasional ruined item from washing doesn't bother me any.
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I haven't worked out a good summer plan so looking for ideas along those lines here. I like the idea of dresses that a few have put out here - but where do you guys buy your work-appropriate dresses that don't need to be dry cleaned and aren't crazy expensive?
Most of my dresses have come from Australia or New Zealand as I find I have more time to shop when I'm there (extended breaks down under to visit family). I did get two at DKNY (from the outlet) plus one at Uniqlo.
They are all wash and wear - no dry cleaning or ironing. They are mainly rayon or cotton knit. I do have one cotton dress that says to iron - but it doesn't need it as I wash it and then dry it on a hanger and looks wrinkle free drying like that.
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Wardrobe Oxygen FTW: http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/
She has great suggestions on capsule wardrobes, and I love that she's a fashionista who has curves (and a working mom to boot!)
My base color is black (it's a city thing) with lots of grey thrown in. I rock a style that I like to think of as shabby-chic professor: lots of oversized cardigans with skinny pants and flats, or more fitted cardigans with skirts and dresses. My wardrobe is mostly mix and match, with everything practically matching everything else, and predicated on layering (hello, cardigans).
Use the 20/80 rule (you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time) to figure out what styles, colors, and cuts you gravitate toward (I know I *should* own a white button down, but I would never, ever wear it). Then buy those. I'd rather have 4-5 well-constructed cardigans and one great pair of boots that will last me years than a bunch of poorly made stuff that will wear out quickly.
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The best thing I did to move towards a more minimalist wardrobe was embrace DRESSES! I have always been a pants-person, but dresses are a whole outfit in one, and almost always look nice.
I bought 6 pairs of leggings from Costco and a handful of dresses that flatter my figure from a second-hand store. I feel more movement freedom because of the leggings, and I don't have to put very much thought at all into what I wear each day. Now I only add to my wardrobe when I find a dress I truly LOVE!
For high quality, easy care basics try Costco. My experience has been that it is the best quality I can get for the price. I get socks, under-shirts, leggings, and layering tees there and have had great success. To find good quality dresses, I like the nicer second-hand stores. If you buy something new, you don't know yet how it will hold up in the wash. But if something is used and still looks good on you, there's a better chance it will hold up.
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Thank you everyone for replies and ideas!
I love the blogs. However, they feel very aspirational to me - e.g. I can't find a single fabulous blouse that I can make work with 12 different outfit. I also can't get by with only 2 shirt and 1 pair of pants + a sweater. It just isn't enough clothing. I could probably go that minimal for weekend stuff (I mean, I basically wear the same one pair of shorts in the summer), but for work it just isn't enough clothing to get through the work week w/o doing laundry or being all stressed out realizing that something isn't clean.
Keep the ideas coming!
For the sake of fidelity - here is what I wore today - another neutral pants, white shirt, sweater combo. Pants are <5 years old and were $5 at H&M (I have a Navy pair too). They look best pressed so I try to wear them 2-3 times and then send them to the cleaners. The blouse is about 1 year old and from Forever 21. Sweater is new from H&M, $5 on clearance. I would prefer to be a little less rumpled in this outfit, but it is fine (not my favorite).
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Great thread! I don't think I want a truly capsule minimal wardrobe,but I always notice that I wear the same things all the time, and when I pack to travel and have fewer options that are well considered, I am happy. I have just done a major closet purge, and I am starting a new job in a month. Business casual, but in health care so I have to be extra aware of not flashing people and having easily washed garments from germy people. I am good to my clothes, even most of the cheapies last because I wash on cold and line dry a lot of things.
I really like wearing pants, but I also like the ease of dresses. I am coming out of a period of dressing for other's approval and restrictions and hiding my true self, and I'm done with that. I need to feel like myself! Today I am wearing a dress with a white on white floral pattern top and black and white patterned bottoms, indigo tie dyed leggings, guatamalan flip flops, and an olive short sleeve open sweater with brass button details. I know it is a bit weird, but I think it looks fun, creative, and fine, and it feels like me. Comfy too.
I struggle with sizing sometimes because I am plus sized on the bottom but M-L on top. So even though I love woven shirts, sizing is often difficult because of the hips. I also would like to get away from fast fashion and more into self sewing and quality pieces, in more natural fabrics. I am trying to arrange my new home space and time to allow for a bit of this.
I have a ton of cardigans in different colors. I will be able to wear more jackets and sweaters, now that I don't have to wear a lab coat anymore. Thank god cuz those scrubs and lab coats are seriously the most unattractive, frumpy thing ever! A uniform can be good, but not if looks like hell and makes you feel bad! Some people loved it but not me!
I am on a work break now and it is so fun to wear whatever I want. I have rediscovered things in my closet that I love and had neglected because I couldn't find it. I probably got rid of about 30-40% of my clothes this week. I had forgotten how much I love olive as an accent and neutral. I will try and check out some of those other blogs soon. Thanks for the thread and discussion!
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This is a little bit of a tangent, but it's important for people who want a simple, long lasting wardrobe. Tumble drying kills clothing! I've stopped using the dryer for most of my clothes and let them dry on a rack instead. Since I started doing that, I've had very few issues with shrinking, pilling, fraying, etc. This method works wonders to extend the longetivity of cheaper brands like Forever 21 and H&M. I used to have the worst luck with those clothes falling apart until I stopped tumble drying them.
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Last night I went through all of my clothes and ended up with the below list:
Home/exercise use only: 21 items (faded shirts, baggy jeans, yoga pants, sweater with a small hole)
Sell/donate: 15 items (unused Cole Haan boots, silk work tops that I never wear because I will ruin them, an extra winter coat, and work stuff that’s too big and/or never really fit)
Under consideration: 9 items (expensive shoes that I only wear to interviews, 3 dresses that are too big, short springtime wraps, long-sleeve t-shirt that’s getting worn out, jeans on the mending verge)
Winter: 16 items (coats, hats, scarves, tights, sweaters, and snow boots)
Base wardrobe: 24 items (9 dresses, 4 t-shirts, 1 long-sleeved shirt, 5 work/party tops, 1 jacket, 1 cardigan, 1 work skirt, 1 casual skirt, and shorts)
Extras: 11 items (an interview jacket, 4 light scarves, and 6 tanks/cleavage-hiders)
Not including shoes, but counting all other accessories, I’ve got 96 things, soon to be 70-something.
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Last night I went through all of my clothes and ended up with the below list:
Home/exercise use only: 21 items (faded shirts, baggy jeans, yoga pants, sweater with a small hole)
Sell/donate: 15 items (unused Cole Haan boots, silk work tops that I never wear because I will ruin them, an extra winter coat, and work stuff that’s too big and/or never really fit)
Under consideration: 9 items (expensive shoes that I only wear to interviews, 3 dresses that are too big, short springtime wraps, long-sleeve t-shirt that’s getting worn out, jeans on the mending verge)
Winter: 16 items (coats, hats, scarves, tights, sweaters, and snow boots)
Base wardrobe: 24 items (9 dresses, 4 t-shirts, 1 long-sleeved shirt, 5 work/party tops, 1 jacket, 1 cardigan, 1 work skirt, 1 casual skirt, and shorts)
Extras: 11 items (an interview jacket, 4 light scarves, and 6 tanks/cleavage-hiders)
Not including shoes, but counting all other accessories, I’ve got 96 things, soon to be 70-something.
Very impressive MonekyJenga! I don't want to count - it is way more than you have. I keep pairing down and it is getting easier as the "uniform" falls into place.
My nanny wears the same size and loves that I've been giving her bags and bags of clothing, shoes, etc. I know she uses them because she shows up wearing things and I'm like 'I know that shirt!"
ETA: I did get rid of a huge - HUGE - bag of hangers today (and there are still plenty of "spare" hangers in my closet). It did bring home the accomplishment of pairing down.
I have extremely dysfunctional closets in my house - tiny, weirdly shaped. I was able to reposition almost all my work clothing into one closet. Goal - get it down to one. I feel better prepared to take more out as I get things liked up in terms of a uniform. Even looking at what I didn't part with this weekend - there are more items that now feel "meh."
Anyone else willing to post a photo or links to items from their capsule/uniform?
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Went to the shops tonight . Wandered aimlessly and left with nothing . I really do need a srategy! This thread is helpful.
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Thanks, Ms Peacock. I did the 30 day challenge last year (get rid of 1 thing on day 1, 2 things on day 2, etc), so I'm starting from a reduced inventory. I also love tracking, categorizing, and making pivot tables out of things I own/spend, so I had to count it. Had to!
I've given clothes and purses to friends, it's great when you know someone else is appreciating that itchy sweater or uncomfortable heels. (I'm delicate.) Although I once got really annoyed with myself for giving away a purse that became my friend's standard bag. Every time I saw her with it, I wondered why I kept the one I did, as it was clearly inferior. PURSE PROBLEMS.
I eventually solved my dilemma by carrying a backpack everywhere.
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Commenting to follow. :) I'm ~6 months postpartum and have lost 10 lbs out of 55. I wear scrubs to work, and usually just workout clothes at home. Jeans + t-shirt if I have to leave the house. Obviously I'll be buying clothes as I lose the weight, but I don't want to buy a lot. At the same time, I'm tired of feeling frumpy all the time, and I don't want to wait till I'm at my goal weight to dress nicely.
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Love this topic.
I've been looking around the internet for the past couple of years as I tend to be a hoarder when it comes to clothes and never really had a good idea of what I should be looking for when it came to a base wardrobe. I was always in that situation of having too many clothes but nothing to wear.
A few years ago a very lovely friend helped me to go though it all - as other posters have suggested, getting everything out, trying it all on and getting rid of what wasn't being worn. It also helped me to identify those wardrob 'orphans' (I can't remember exactly where that term comes from, but I love it). I then realised that I had never shopped with any purpose - Instead, I might have the vague idea that I should be buying clothing (before it all fell apart) and then would wait until I fell in love with pieces.. that often went with nothing else I owned.
In the end of that exercise I realised that the reason I was struggling was that I was only wearing a tiny portion of my wardrobe. The rest was either too old, too uncomfortable, too unflattering or just didn't go with anything else.
Since then I have tried to be much more systematic and picky with purchases. For any base items e.g. a pair of pants, the fit has to be really good and not just good enough. Same goes for jackets, cardigans or shoes. Colour too is important but I don't restrict myself as much as some people. Base Items are in any of the neutral colours (I do tend towards black/navy though). I've found that I don't like patterned bottoms (as much as some blogs recommend them). Instead, I like to have a range of patterned, block or otherwise bright T-Shirts or other light tops.
For casual my uniform tends to be:
Jeans/black pants with a patterned top (sleeveless), cardigan and often a scarf for extra colour. If it's cold, i can add a base top underneath and change the cardigan for a jacket.
For work/more formal:
Either keep the black pants or swap to a pencil skirt, same tops and cardigans work. Change the scarf to chunky jewellery.
For some reason, as much as I love dresses, I tend to always gravitate towards pants/jeans unless i'm getting really dressed up. They just don't feel 'casual' to me, no matter how casual they really are.
My advice is pretty much the same as what has already been said -
1) clear out that wardrobe. Figure out if you aren't wearing some things because you lack the item to go with them (some tops/jackets only go with low waist pants, others with high waist skirts etc.).
2) If it doesn't fit, get rid of it (or get it altered).
3) If you don't like it (even if you feel you should wear it because it's 'appropriate' or because of how much money you spent) get rid of it. Someone else out there could be making use of it. Free that space up.
4) figure out what basics you are missing and 'how' they should fit - just knowing you want a black jacket isn't enough - where do you want it to sit at the waist? Do you want fitted or loose?
5) find out if you like patterns or blocks. Do you like to wear them on the top or bottom or in accessories?
6) Realise that what you like on the hanger or on other people, isn't always right for you. (It took me one pair of patterned pants to realise I hate to wear patterns on the bottom half - much as I love them in magazines and on other people).
The last advice is to then practice it. Last year I was travelling for several months with limited baggage space which really made me look at my wardrobe again. I took 2 pairs of pants, one of shorts, two dresses (one formal, one maxi), six patterned tops, three neutral base tops (for under), two cardigans, one warm jacket, one light formal jacket, one pair of dress shoes, sandals and casual ballet flats, two scarves and of course, underwear.
Because I didn't have options, I made what I did have work. When a couple of my items became too worn out, I found I really knew what I wanted as replacements. By then I knew what sleeve length, neckline, fit, colours, fabrics and other details would be most suited to my needs and was far more particular when shopping.
So once you have a base 'capsule' wardrobe, hide everything else away for a month or two. Give it a real test. You will soon figure out what the gaps are and what isn't working.
In a way I think it's taken alot of the fun out of 'shopping'. Where I used to wander around aimlessly for something that caught my eye, I'm now on a mission with specific requirements ... but I'm saving money! and I know that I always have something to wear.
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I want in! I'm 6' tall and have some serious hips, and trying to find things that are long enough and also flattering makes me want to MURDER someone. Even stores that say they sell clothes for tall women (expensively, of course) frequently only add length and don't change proportions or rise or shoulder width. GAH!
Plus, add in an active job and hot hot hot climate so need to mask sweat.... sigh. Frustrated.
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Sticking with my uniform on day 3 - posting because it keeps me honest.
Pants - Lands End - super comfortable. I think they look better in person rather than the photo at this angle. They are soft, unstructured, warm, and seem to be hold up very well to washing.
Shirt - same white blouse from yesterday
Sweater - from Kohls about 1 year ago. I don't love it for a few reasons but the color is pretty and it works with the "uniform"
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Okay, I started a capsule wardrobe from what I have about 2 weeks ago. (About 40 items total, not including underwear/workout clothes). I'm planning not to buy any new clothes until July, when I'll reassess my capsule.
I'm finding a couple of problems so far:
1) I have already spilled things on my 2 white shirts. :( They might be permanently stained.
2) I picked lots of dark items, grey, navy, and black (because of my propensity to spill things on myself, apparently, plus these are the items I already have that go with each other) and I'm really wishing I had lighter/brighter items to wear in nice weather. I feel like my clothes are way too somber!
3) I'm frustrated at the laundry, and at the wearing out of what I have. I have to wash things almost every time I wear them (I have overactive sweat glands, plus bike to work regularly). I don't have super high quality items to start with, and I have bought a lot of my clothes from thrift stores to begin with and I'm finding my capsule is already looking raggedy/worn out. Instead of looking polished and together, I just feel like a big pill-ball.
Any others out there finding similar issues?
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1) I have already spilled things on my 2 white shirts. :( They might be permanently stained.
1) Shout! Advanced Set in Stain Remover Gel (got mine from Target)
2) Bleach- if they are ALL white shirts this should work fine.
3) Oxyclean
4) Someone told me sitting it out in the sun helps fade stains. I've never tried it since I live in an apartment w/o a balcony.
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Okay, I started a capsule wardrobe from what I have about 2 weeks ago. (About 40 items total, not including underwear/workout clothes). I'm planning not to buy any new clothes until July, when I'll reassess my capsule.
I'm finding a couple of problems so far:
1) I have already spilled things on my 2 white shirts. :( They might be permanently stained.
2) I picked lots of dark items, grey, navy, and black (because of my propensity to spill things on myself, apparently, plus these are the items I already have that go with each other) and I'm really wishing I had lighter/brighter items to wear in nice weather. I feel like my clothes are way too somber!
3) I'm frustrated at the laundry, and at the wearing out of what I have. I have to wash things almost every time I wear them (I have overactive sweat glands, plus bike to work regularly). I don't have super high quality items to start with, and I have bought a lot of my clothes from thrift stores to begin with and I'm finding my capsule is already looking raggedy/worn out. Instead of looking polished and together, I just feel like a big pill-ball.
Any others out there finding similar issues?
Can you get some things out that were packed away to supplement your capsule? Maybe 1 or 2 items that would change everything?
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Okay, I started a capsule wardrobe from what I have about 2 weeks ago. (About 40 items total, not including underwear/workout clothes). I'm planning not to buy any new clothes until July, when I'll reassess my capsule.
I'm finding a couple of problems so far:
1) I have already spilled things on my 2 white shirts. :( They might be permanently stained.
2) I picked lots of dark items, grey, navy, and black (because of my propensity to spill things on myself, apparently, plus these are the items I already have that go with each other) and I'm really wishing I had lighter/brighter items to wear in nice weather. I feel like my clothes are way too somber!
3) I'm frustrated at the laundry, and at the wearing out of what I have. I have to wash things almost every time I wear them (I have overactive sweat glands, plus bike to work regularly). I don't have super high quality items to start with, and I have bought a lot of my clothes from thrift stores to begin with and I'm finding my capsule is already looking raggedy/worn out. Instead of looking polished and together, I just feel like a big pill-ball.
Any others out there finding similar issues?
Is there an option to change clothing once you get to work, and bike in wearing workout clothing or similar?
If pilling is the concern, a sweater stone or similar may be a good option. I think most importantly, look at which items ARE holding up well for your life. What color and fabric? Then look for similar in the future.
As for somber, how are your accessories? I have a friend who stays very 'bright' and fashionable by trading out her 'highlight' items every season. She does a lot of scarves, statement necklaces, and boot socks. Any option like that that could work for you? It seems to me like a bright scarf doesn't count as part of the main capsule ;)
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I do think that the idea of a capsule wardrobe w/o enough clothing for 1 week (like complete changes of clothing) or even 2 weeks is simply unrealistic for many people. Even more so if you workout or ride a bike to work. I can re-wear something more than one time - but I absolutely don't have time during the week to deal w/ laundry and I'm likely to get really tired of only 2 shirts.
I personally hate accessorizing. I find scarves to be baffling and distracting - "What is this thing hanging on my chest." So - YMMY.
And I just have to have enough underwear so that I am not conserving and have absolutely no risk of running out. Its pretty nonnegotiable to me. They take up little space, last a long time, are critical for my comfort, and are relatively inexpensive (at least mine are).
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I do think that the idea of a capsule wardrobe w/o enough clothing for 1 week (like complete changes of clothing) or even 2 weeks is simply unrealistic for many people. Even more so if you workout or ride a bike to work. I can re-wear something more than one time - but I absolutely don't have time during the week to deal w/ laundry and I'm likely to get really tired of only 2 shirts.
I personally hate accessorizing. I find scarves to be baffling and distracting - "What is this thing hanging on my chest." So - YMMY.
And I just have to have enough underwear so that I am not conserving and have absolutely no risk of running out. Its pretty nonnegotiable to me. They take up little space, last a long time, are critical for my comfort, and are relatively inexpensive (at least mine are).
Totally agree with all of this. I'm all about the uniform to minimize decision making in the morning and not having obsolete pieces cluttering my wardrobe, but I'm not going so minimal that I have to do laundry all the time. I live in an apartment building with shared laundry facilities.
And I'm not a scarf person either!
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I will alway reject any notion of aging out of anything. I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm almost 40 and I hope I haven't aged out.
Ha, that's what I thought too when I was your age. I felt confident about my looks and rocked most any outfit I put on ;-)
Fast forward 8 years and I am now in the throngs of perimenopause: rapid weight gain, the deep wrinkles in my face and neck becoming more and more visible (genetic predisposition - they take on the same pattern as they do in a lot of women in my family), gray hair... I am as self-conscious about my body as a teenager and I have definitely aged out of a lot of styles that simply don't work for my, ahem, more stately silhouette. And, it's not like I've gotten really large but somehow all of a sudden I truly feel middle aged. I went from size 4 to a size 8 and I feel like an elderly elephant.
+1
I would have said the exact same thing as RunHappy at "almost 40" - but now I am "almost 50" (OMG.... Aughhh) and while it used to be that I could pull anything off - I was tall and thin - shifts in weight...uh... distribution, weight gain (and I am not overweight, just heavier), wrinkles, being physically unable to tolerate heels, etc. At some point I just couldn't pull off the same things. It becomes that whole "mutton dressed as lamb" phenomenon. We have all seen it done and know that the effect almost always is to make you look older rather than ageless or younger. (Some recent outfits from Madonna come to mind.)
Anyhow - so far I've gathered that we all want:
1. Clothes that are easy to take care of
2. Some defined personal style that can be used as a basis for purchasing clothing. Many of us are bad at figuring out what that personal style is.
3. Sometimes our idea of our personal style doesn't fit what we purchase or what is flattering or easy to take care of
4. Many of us are "bad at shopping."
Other universals in our struggle/quest for a workable small wardrobe?
I guess I should start my 10 year phase out of concert tees. Hopefully I'll be FI by then and won't need to care.
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Some things I've learned or been reminded of:
-I don't have any good long sleeved shirts. One is way too big, one is faded, and the other has an annoying collar situation. I'm going to try to get by with jacket/cardigan/scarf instead, and keep two for home/winter hiking.
-All black makes me feel blah. I need at least some color or a different neutral, preferably on top.
-I love my one outlier outfit, a flowy, patterned, faded green belted dress. I feel like a world traveler in it. This is a problem, since everything else I own is dark jewel toned and structured.
-T-shirts do not look good on me. I need something that shows I have a waist. I'll keep them around for errands and very informal hangouts, but I'm not going to replace any of them when they get worn out.
-My next, far in the future, purchase, should be a wrap dress that's appropriate for both work and travel. Minor weight changes won't be a issue, but I won't look like a box.
ETA: I used to hate scarves, and never even wore them during winter. I became a fan after encountering the joys of not needing to sweat on a long sleeved shirt when I'm chilly -throw a scarf over my shoulders and I can reuse it essentially forever without washing!
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I do think that the idea of a capsule wardrobe w/o enough clothing for 1 week (like complete changes of clothing) or even 2 weeks is simply unrealistic for many people. Even more so if you workout or ride a bike to work. I can re-wear something more than one time - but I absolutely don't have time during the week to deal w/ laundry and I'm likely to get really tired of only 2 shirts.
I personally hate accessorizing. I find scarves to be baffling and distracting - "What is this thing hanging on my chest." So - YMMY.
And I just have to have enough underwear so that I am not conserving and have absolutely no risk of running out. Its pretty nonnegotiable to me. They take up little space, last a long time, are critical for my comfort, and are relatively inexpensive (at least mine are).
I totally agree with your points (other than your attitude towards scarves - I absolutely love scarves and have a huge number of them :-).
I have read about project 333 and always felt that it would be too restrictive and impractical for me. Maybe once I FIRE, I can try something like it but for now, I have too many different needs: I need clothes I can wear to work Mon-Thu (business casual with the emphasis on business), clothes I can wear to work on Fridays (business casual with the emphasis on casual), occasional true business clothes that I need if I am doing client presentations or have meetings outside the office. Then I have exercise gear for working out, some hiking/skiing/biking clothes, lounging around the house clothes (I change into something comfortable when I get home from work) and casual weekend wear that's presentable enough to run errands, etc (I refuse to wear sweats outside the house). When I FIRE, I am hoping that I can completely do away with any work related clothes. I feel like a lot of advice on Project 333 is geared towards women who don't work outside the home and basically just have one category of clothing (what I call "presentable casual").
For now, I am focusing on getting rid of anything that doesn't fit and that I don't like to wear. Given that I have gone up 2 full dress sizes in the last 4-5 years, that means I had to replace all of my bottoms and dresses and a good number of my tops as well. All of the size 4, 6 and S size clothes were lingering in my closet in the hopes that I will get back to them, but recently, I have decided to just let them go. I have been purging and consigning anything that was still of value and donating anything not worth selling.
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I have read about project 333 and always felt that it would be too restrictive and impractical for me. Maybe once I FIRE, I can try something like it but for now, I have too many different needs: I need clothes I can wear to work Mon-Thu (business casual with the emphasis on business), clothes I can wear to work on Fridays (business casual with the emphasis on casual), occasional true business clothes that I need if I am doing client presentations or have meetings outside the office. Then I have exercise gear for working out, some hiking/skiing/biking clothes, lounging around the house clothes (I change into something comfortable when I get home from work) and casual weekend wear that's presentable enough to run errands, etc (I refuse to wear sweats outside the house). When I FIRE, I am hoping that I can completely do away with any work related clothes. I feel like a lot of advice on Project 333 is geared towards women who don't work outside the home and basically just have one category of clothing (what I call "presentable casual").
For now, I am focusing on getting rid of anything that doesn't fit and that I don't like to wear. Given that I have gone up 2 full dress sizes in the last 4-5 years, that means I had to replace all of my bottoms and dresses and a good number of my tops as well. All of the size 4, 6 and S size clothes were lingering in my closet in the hopes that I will get back to them, but recently, I have decided to just let them go. I have been purging and consigning anything that was still of value and donating anything not worth selling.
Just a note about Project333: exercise/lounge wear is excluded, and it's all about making it work for you (33 includes x and y, but not z for example). I have the same work environment you do and manage just fine :-) Tops are all inter-changable from nice casual (weekend) to business casual, heavy reliance on dresses, and a general smoothing of the business and casual lines.
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Just a note about Project333: exercise/lounge wear is excluded, and it's all about making it work for you (33 includes x and y, but not z for example). I have the same work environment you do and manage just fine :-) Tops are all inter-changable from nice casual (weekend) to business casual, heavy reliance on dresses, and a general smoothing of the business and casual lines.
Yes, I can see how someone could make it work, but as I said, I feel it would be too restrictive for me at this point. But it is a process and I will probably get there at some point. When I first started reading MMM, I was convinced that people with really low grocery budgets were liars - now I am one of them. However, it didn't happen overnight. It took me almost 2 years of slow changes in how I shop and what I eat. So with the slow purging of my closet (I have been at it for about 6 months now) and some changes in attitude and the way I dress, I have a good chance of getting down to 33 pieces in another 18 months or so :-)
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Replying to follow! I am still at the "too much clothing" phase but it's a dream of mine to pare it down. I love all the blogs and support - keep it coming!
One question: what pants do y'all buy that are not jeans and yet don't need to be pressed/dry cleaned? I work in a casual blue jean environment now so it's not a huge deal yet, but as I work my way up the corporate food chain I will have to shed my solid color t-shirt/jeans/flats work "uniform" for something nicer.
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Replying to follow! I am still at the "too much clothing" phase but it's a dream of mine to pare it down. I love all the blogs and support - keep it coming!
One question: what pants do y'all buy that are not jeans and yet don't need to be pressed/dry cleaned? I work in a casual blue jean environment now so it's not a huge deal yet, but as I work my way up the corporate food chain I will have to shed my solid color t-shirt/jeans/flats work "uniform" for something nicer.
Dockers, black and khaki. I wear men's because they fit better equally poorly on my weird body and have usable pockets, but the women's also come in no-iron, and they really are.
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I just line dry and make sure they are lying nicely. I never iron. My sister sometimes says I should, but no one at work has ever commented.
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Replying to follow! I am still at the "too much clothing" phase but it's a dream of mine to pare it down. I love all the blogs and support - keep it coming!
One question: what pants do y'all buy that are not jeans and yet don't need to be pressed/dry cleaned? I work in a casual blue jean environment now so it's not a huge deal yet, but as I work my way up the corporate food chain I will have to shed my solid color t-shirt/jeans/flats work "uniform" for something nicer.
I like some of the dress pants at Express. They are often on sale. They styles are called something like "Editor" and such (depending on the cut). They can be machine washed and hung to dry. I have some that I've had for years and other than becoming too small for me (damn them!) they have help up incredibly well. Regular price is about $70, but you can get them on sale so frequently that you shoudl never have to pay full price. http://www.express.com/clothing/studio+stretch+wide+waistband+flare+editor+pant/pro/9198452/cat920009
I'mma gonna post something about what capsule is vs. 'uniform vs. minimlaist but I have to get my kitten to stop climbing on me!
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I'mma gonna post something about what capsule is vs. 'uniform vs. minimlaist but I have to get my kitten to stop climbing on me!
This is a great idea, so I'll throw in my own distinctions for these terms. I think of a minimalist wardrobe as a Project333 type approach, where you limit the number of items you have. For me, I'm not quite at the minimalism of Project333, but I do have a one-in, one-out rule to keep my closet from growing. I probably have about 40 pieces, not counting loungewear, shoes, or accessories.
A uniform is a particular aesthetic that drives the pieces you own (rather than the number of pieces themselves). Thus, of the 40 pieces above, I veer toward dark-wash skinny jeans, knee-length A-line skirts and dresses, solid cardigans, and a handful of basic or slightly printed shirts to wear under the cardigans. These items come mostly in black, gray, and red.
A capsule wardrobe as a particular set of clothes for one area of of your life (i.e. you may have two capsule wardrobes--an in-office capsule and a in-the-courtroom capsule for lawyers, or at-the-office capsule and an on-the-road capsule for traveling business people). The most frequent capsule wardrobes I've seen are the in-office capsule (for varying fields), the at-home/weekend capsule, and the SAHM capsule. Because I have a very casual work environment and try to be fairly put together on evenings and weekend, I don't separate my wardrobe into work/play capsules.
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One thing that has helped me when I go shopping is to bring a list (I actually make an Excel spreadsheet) of my current clothes. One column is pants, another column is tops, the third is sweaters/jackets. This exposes the weak points and helps me buy things that will help fill the gaps.
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Funny how different personalities affect the way we deal with our wardrobes. It would never occur to me to count my clothes or put them in a spreadsheet. But I love to iron! Ironing is my meditation time, zen activity. I iron lots, including sweaters, pillowcases and duvet covers, tea towels ;-)
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Funny how different personalities affect the way we deal with our wardrobes. It would never occur to me to count my clothes or put them in a spreadsheet. But I love to iron! Ironing is my meditation time, zen activity. I iron lots, including sweaters, pillowcases and duvet covers, tea towels ;-)
Hah, in my entire life I've ironed one thing, and the process recommitted me to never buying clothes that require ironing.
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Jumping in to say that I tried project 333 about a year ago and it totally changed how I view clothes. I have actually found the process very freeing and not at all restrictive.
I now continue a modified version of project 333 for all of the clothes that I wear out of the house. For a season, I keep 21 items in my wardrobe that consist of 7 bottoms, 7 tops, and 7 extra misc items depending on the season (eg., these extra items consist of sweaters and jackets in the winter, skirts and dresses in the summer, some combo of these items in fall and spring). I then have 5 pairs of shoes per season (generally black boots, 1 pair of black or tan wedges/heels, 2 pairs of neutral flats and 1 pair of brightly colored flats), 1 jacket or coat (with one pair of black gloves and ear muffs in winter), 2 scarves to choose from in months other than summer, 3 pairs of earrings, 1 bag (currently alternate one for spring/summer one for fall/winter, but may get rid of the summer bag and only carry the one same bag year-round), 3 pairs of earrings, and 1 pair of prescription sun glasses. So, 34 items in the summer and up to 39 in the winter.
I do switch them out more often than every 3 months, though. I keep about another 5 pairs of shoes and 20 items in another closet and switch items out when the seasons change enough that I feel my current clothes are inappropriate (so, probably more like every 2 mos on average).
I also have a dresser with work-in-the-yard clothes, pj's, etc that I don't wear out of the house.
Dressing this way has really simplified my life. I never feel like I have nothing to wear anymore, I love my clothes more, I dress better when leaving the house, but am also more comfortable, I buy less, and I have a clearer idea of my style. Overall, I can't say enough good things about project 333. Seriously, love it.
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I highly recommend the blog Into Mind for help determining your personal style and building a functional wardrobe. Start here: http://into-mind.com/2014/11/03/10-step-wardrobe-revamp/
This is a great site. Thanks for the link!
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My minimalist approach:
- 6 dark dresses, one for each day of the week plus a spare;
- ballet flats and cardigan for the commute (plus a coat in winter);
- heels and smart jacket kept in the office to dress up for important meetings.
The dresses are machine washable and don't need ironing so last a long time. Mostly from Marks and Spencer's (they are based in the UK but deliver internationally, free to USA/Canada/Aus/NZ/some euro countries). Some are thin merino wool wrap dresses from Mac Pac in NZ - worn on really hot/humid days as they don't get sweaty.
Keeping the jacket and heels in the offices minimises the amount of time worn so they last longer.
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really late to this party/thread but clothes and budgeting on clothes is a thing i have spent a lot of time considering since i became a mmm or minimalist(my opion of my mmm lifestule).
POINT ONE:
95% of the people you work with daily dont even pay attention to what you wear as long as its not inappropriate. i have tested this many times by wearing the same thing two days in a row and have yet to have someone say that i wore that yesterday.
SO, i wouldnt worry about buying anything over your basic needs unless it means somethin to you.
POINT TWO:
as a part a of point one, since no one really notices what you wear, why spend more than you have to. i used to be a jos. a bank fan, but coming to this conclusion; i am now a stienmart and academy fan.
and since i'm beliving that no one really cares what i wear, i wear a lot of the same. i have several of the same brand of shirt from steinmart just different colors because they were $30 each and my pants and shorts are all the same brand also, just different colors. i figure i can basically wear the same shirts and pants repeatedly to work for 2 years before they wear out and will have spent less than $300 on all of them.
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Great thread! I started decluttering my closet and found multiple dark wash jeans in great condition, about ten. For my capsule wardrobe, I definitely need two, maybe three (I live in jeans). I'm not sure what to do with the rest. Should I keep them in storage or do I donate and rebuy when needed?
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Great thread! I started decluttering my closet and found multiple dark wash jeans in great condition, about ten. For my capsule wardrobe, I definitely need two, maybe three (I live in jeans). I'm not sure what to do with the rest. Should I keep them in storage or do I donate and rebuy when needed?
How much storage do you have? Is it humidity/bug safe? Will you be moving soon?
Ie, for me, I would HAVE to get rid of and rebuy. Very small apartment, no storage. If you live in a home and have a perfectly good place to put a box? And think you will stay the same size? Absolutely keep them and rotate in as the other wear out.
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Do you actually wear all 10? Or are there some that fit better, feel better and you always reach for those? If there are some you avoid because of some reason, get rid of those!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Great thread! I started decluttering my closet and found multiple dark wash jeans in great condition, about ten. For my capsule wardrobe, I definitely need two, maybe three (I live in jeans). I'm not sure what to do with the rest. Should I keep them in storage or do I donate and rebuy when needed?
I think the general idea would be to keep only 2-3 pairs that you like best - are the most comfortable, attractive, fit the best, etc. and let go of the rest.
I have been shifting my way through some blogs and it does seem that some writers use a "capsule" in the sense that they pick key items that they will wear for several months and store the rest. Then when the seasons change or whatever, they switch out the items in their collection for another capsule. So, they aren't aiming to keep a low inventory of clothes overall - they are just making a capsule of set outfits that they will wear for ease of daily wardrobe planning. In those cases capsule =/= minimalist.
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Still working on it, but I've downsized my wardrobe a LOT over the last couple of years. Right now it's basically:
Casual:
- 2 pairs of jeans
- 5 shirts (3 long sleeved and 2 short sleeved)
- 2 sundresses
- 1 hiking outfit
- 1 ballet leotard
- 1 set of workout clothing
Office:
- About a dozen tops
- Seven bottoms (3 skirts, 2 pants, 2 capris)
- One dress
- About 6 sweaters/wraps/cardigans in different colours/styles/thicknesses
I also have a tango gown, little black dress, and one other formal dress for fancy occasions.
I could probably get rid of a few more of my office shirts, but don't really have any pressing need - I'll probably just wait until things wear out and then not replace them.
One of the tips from "Life Changing Magic" that I quite liked was when she said NOT to have off-season clothing in storage, and to have everything available all the time. So if you get an unexpected cold snap in the spring, your sweaters and long sleeves are right there rather than in a box somewhere.
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I also feel I look better in classic styles but sometimes want something with an edge. One of favorite work outfits is a pencil skirt, with a rock T-shirt (usually greys and black colors), statement jewelry, blazer, and heels.
Yep, coppin' your style. That sounds like a kick-ass outfit, and totally would go over well in my library workplaces.
Thanks for the inspiration! (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, amiright?!)
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One of the tips from "Life Changing Magic" that I quite liked was when she said NOT to have off-season clothing in storage, and to have everything available all the time. So if you get an unexpected cold snap in the spring, your sweaters and long sleeves are right there rather than in a box somewhere.
This is what I do (partially because I don't have storage, also). Maybe it depends on climate, but I find there are VERY few items I go an entire season without wearing at least once. We don't really have extreme seasons here, so layering and mid-weight items constitute the bulk of my wardrobe.
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What about sewing? I'm not sure if that's been suggested yet?
I spent $60 on a basic clothing sewing course at my local sewing shop five years ago and it's saved me many hundreds of dollars since, even including the $400 sewing machine I bought in my pre-moustache days.
It's amazing how quickly you can learn this skill once you decide to do it. I always think sadly that if kids in a sweatshop can be taught, I can learn it too :( And also, at least I can avoid supporting sweatshop garment manufacture.
I've had three pregnancies so I've worn a wide range of sizes and my body shape has changed as well when I lost the weight again each time, but I've been able to make simple shirts, shirts, and dresses and then alter them to fit my current size when needed. I'm pretty busty so I love being able to make better fitting clothes than any I could buy in the store. And you can make your clothes as fancy and original as you like and no one will be wearing the same thing at the party.
Even though fashion fabric can be pricy, there are many ways to buy it on sale, and in the US I believe the free shipping deals are amazing (sadly not always available to Canadians). And you can wash the fabric first to make sure that it won't fall apart like so many garments that I have bought.
It's great for kids too. When my son started taking off his pajamas in the night and waving his diaper around in and hour and a half I was able to sew him some simple pajamas that he couldn't take off by himself.
It's a great hobby (as long as you can resist buying a huge pile of fabric you don't use), and you can even start a side job doing alterations for friends if you get good at it.
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What about sewing? I'm not sure if that's been suggested yet?
I love sewing, but anything I've made from scratch does not look polished to me- I'm just not good at it!
However, I'm ok with adjusting something already made and can do basic adjustments like hemming, taking things in, repairing holes, rips, etc.
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I will alway reject any notion of aging out of anything. I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm almost 40 and I hope I haven't aged out.
Ha, that's what I thought too when I was your age. I felt confident about my looks and rocked most any outfit I put on ;-)
Fast forward 8 years and I am now in the throngs of perimenopause: rapid weight gain, the deep wrinkles in my face and neck becoming more and more visible (genetic predisposition - they take on the same pattern as they do in a lot of women in my family), gray hair... I am as self-conscious about my body as a teenager and I have definitely aged out of a lot of styles that simply don't work for my, ahem, more stately silhouette. And, it's not like I've gotten really large but somehow all of a sudden I truly feel middle aged. I went from size 4 to a size 8 and I feel like an elderly elephant.
+1
I would have said the exact same thing as RunHappy at "almost 40" - but now I am "almost 50" (OMG.... Aughhh) and while it used to be that I could pull anything off - I was tall and thin - shifts in weight...uh... distribution, weight gain (and I am not overweight, just heavier), wrinkles, being physically unable to tolerate heels, etc. At some point I just couldn't pull off the same things. It becomes that whole "mutton dressed as lamb" phenomenon. We have all seen it done and know that the effect almost always is to make you look older rather than ageless or younger. (Some recent outfits from Madonna come to mind.)
Anyhow - so far I've gathered that we all want:
1. Clothes that are easy to take care of
2. Some defined personal style that can be used as a basis for purchasing clothing. Many of us are bad at figuring out what that personal style is.
3. Sometimes our idea of our personal style doesn't fit what we purchase or what is flattering or easy to take care of
4. Many of us are "bad at shopping."
Other universals in our struggle/quest for a workable small wardrobe?
I guess I should start my 10 year phase out of concert tees. Hopefully I'll be FI by then and won't need to care.
The above comment that I bolded reminded me of this awesome fashion blog:
http://www.notdressedaslamb.com/
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What about sewing? I'm not sure if that's been suggested yet?
I love sewing, but anything I've made from scratch does not look polished to me- I'm just not good at it!
However, I'm ok with adjusting something already made and can do basic adjustments like hemming, taking things in, repairing holes, rips, etc.
I talked to my sewing instructor about that issue as I've had it myself and she says that fabric choice can sometimes be the problem. Sewing shops often sell fabric as "fashion fabric" when really it's not the same quality as garment fabric that a clothing manufacturer would use. I've found that spending more money and/or time to get the really good stuff has made me much happier with the final result. My figure after three kids is a little "bumpy", if you know what I mean :) I've found that a thicker fabric with good body and a colourful pattern has worked the best for me to hide figure flaws and give a more professional (less homemade) look.
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I have been shifting my way through some blogs and it does seem that some writers use a "capsule" in the sense that they pick key items that they will wear for several months and store the rest. Then when the seasons change or whatever, they switch out the items in their collection for another capsule. So, they aren't aiming to keep a low inventory of clothes overall - they are just making a capsule of set outfits that they will wear for ease of daily wardrobe planning. In those cases capsule =/= minimalist.
I finally realized that also after googling capsule wardrobe - I had been equating capsule wardrobe with minimalist. I have a very small closet and no extra storage space, so I have to go minimalist, with maybe some kind of overlapping seasonal capsules. I have so many things crammed into a small space that I no longer know what I really have! My home was constructed in the 1940's, when most people owned a lot less clothing.
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There are some great comments in the thread! A few of the posts pointed out things that hadn’t occurred to me for dealing with my massive, messy pile of clothing, and I have a much better idea of how be more intentional in what I wear while actually spending less time (and money) thinking about clothes. My takeaway so far:
-As suggested, pull out everything in my closet and drawers, and sort into keep, maybe, donate, and toss piles.
I suspect I can put together an entire functional wardrobe with the things I already have, and won’t need to shop for more clothes. It will be a small wardrobe, but that is the goal! At most I may need one or two light-weight tops for summer.
-Recently ran across the concept of “sunk costs” in regards to items we own. I periodically purchase colorful, patterned clothing in an attempt to brighten my habitually dark, monotone wardrobe. I wear each piece once or twice, and they get relegated to the further recesses of my closet. They fit and are comfortable, but they aren’t the things I reach for every morning. I hold onto them out of guilt and a concern for wastefulness, yet keeping them won’t recover the money I spent. I need to accept the sunk cost, and get rid of them – or at least relegate them to a maybe pile while I figure out if/how they will fit into the streamlined wardrobe.
-More sunk costs – the recently purchased clothing that would have worked well with my body of a few years ago, but is not suitable for my now middle-aged body. This is a hard one. My proportions are different now, and I don’t yet understand how to dress this body. My attempts are frumpy and dreary; or too young and ridiculous. If someone else can wear and enjoy them, it is less wasteful than my hoarding of them.
-Black, gray, blue and white is boring, but it is a simple color scheme that I can handle. As one poster pointed out, no one notices what you wear anyway. I want to enjoy my clothing, but I seem to be most comfortable in simple, plain styles in a limited color range. Clothing is not the area where I will “express” my personality.
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Great thread! I started decluttering my closet and found multiple dark wash jeans in great condition, about ten. For my capsule wardrobe, I definitely need two, maybe three (I live in jeans). I'm not sure what to do with the rest. Should I keep them in storage or do I donate and rebuy when needed?
How much storage do you have? Is it humidity/bug safe? Will you be moving soon?
Ie, for me, I would HAVE to get rid of and rebuy. Very small apartment, no storage. If you live in a home and have a perfectly good place to put a box? And think you will stay the same size? Absolutely keep them and rotate in as the other wear out.
Thanks everyone! I decided to keep my favorite three and move the rest to storage box. I can shop the storage box when I have a need to 'shop' for jeans. Again, this is only the first pass of closet decluttering and the box may get tossed in second or future passes.
I experimented with the idea of capsule wardrobe for the past two days. Dark jean, flats and white cami with different tops - made it super easy to get ready and I'm loving the look :) I also cleaned up the formal wear part of my closet and found a few more pieces I like to wear.
Weekend plan: clean out casual wear part of closet.
I'm between sizes and losing weight. So I am going to box up clothing that is too small for me and revisit them a month from now. My target for a completely clean closet is Memorial Day weekend.
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Jumping in because this is my current project! I wear scrubs for work and jeans/t-shirts the rest of the time, which does simplify things a lot. This week I pulled everything out of my closet and dresser and started sorting it out. I want my clothes to be simple and reasonably minimal. I need some barn clothes and some "out" clothes, and just a couple nice pieces. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about professional dress.
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Jumping in to say that I tried project 333 about a year ago and it totally changed how I view clothes. I have actually found the process very freeing and not at all restrictive.
Same here. There were lots of things I was keeping around for silly reasons (like "my mother bought this for me"--my mother has impeccable taste but a completely different style from mine, and thinks I'm two sizes smaller than I am). Donating them directly was too difficult, but putting them in a box and waiting to see if I'd use them? Easy. I did this over the winter and as of three weeks ago when it warmed up, that whole box of unused winter gear went to the donation box.
Summer is a little trickier for me because I feel like I need "overflow" items and less-loved pieces as sweat backups (eg in a hot week, I might go wear 14 shirts instead of 7 and need extras so I'm not doing laundry constantly) but I'm working on paring down the other stuff in my wardrobe--I don't need extra sundresses that don't fit me, or sandals that hurt my feet (regardless of how cute they are).
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Jumping in to say that I tried project 333 about a year ago and it totally changed how I view clothes. I have actually found the process very freeing and not at all restrictive.
Same here. There were lots of things I was keeping around for silly reasons (like "my mother bought this for me"--my mother has impeccable taste but a completely different style from mine, and thinks I'm two sizes smaller than I am). Donating them directly was too difficult, but putting them in a box and waiting to see if I'd use them? Easy. I did this over the winter and as of three weeks ago when it warmed up, that whole box of unused winter gear went to the donation box.
Summer is a little trickier for me because I feel like I need "overflow" items and less-loved pieces as sweat backups (eg in a hot week, I might go wear 14 shirts instead of 7 and need extras so I'm not doing laundry constantly) but I'm working on paring down the other stuff in my wardrobe--I don't need extra sundresses that don't fit me, or sandals that hurt my feet (regardless of how cute they are).
You're inspiring me to try. I just added up in my head what I actually wear over summer and it's less than 33 items (not counting undergarments and work out clothes/shoes)
10 dresses (I hate laundry ... and this is what I wear during the work week).
3 cardi's
1 trouser
2 shorts
2 tanks
2 tees
3 sandals
2 flats
I think the dresses are helping my numbers despite the high number, if these were separates, it would be 20 items.
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Has anyone come across any blogs with real life examples (pictures) of capsule wardrobes created using someone's existing clothing? A lot of the blogs I see have beautiful assemblies of color coordinated pieces that are great to look at but my immediate reaction is 'oh, that's so nice but there is nothing like that in my closet so I need to go shopping".
I really like Mrs Peacock's real life pictures and would love to see more examples of that kind of thinking in this thread. Real life inspiration not some aspirational collection of pictures from Pinterest.
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ZiziPB, I started on building my capsule wardrobe with things I have in my closet. As of now, I have only jeans, some skirts, a few cardigans and some t-shirts/camis. It is not restricted to 33 items (I currently have 16) but I try to wear from the capsule everyday (its been just a week now). However as I wear the clothes, I'm identifying weak spots (for example, I need a black jacket, a good black top, etc). These are on my list to shop when I go next. I'm sure as I wear clothes from my capsule, I can add the missing pieces either from my existing clothes or buy them as needed.
Right now, the things I dont use in my closet are boxed up so I can retrieve them when I truly need a piece. Also I haven't restricted my shoes or accessories. I might in future, but one step at a time. Hope this approach helps!
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ZiziPB, I'm with you on the blogs posting pretty pictures of stuff I don't own. Not helpful. In the interest of anonymity, I'm not going to post pictures of my own pieces, but my general method has been to identify stuff that looks good on me now (not a past or future version of my body), is comfortable to wear, and doesn't have any special requirements, like, I can only wear this dress with this belt and these shoes, this skirt only looks good with one tank top, I can only wear this shirt to work on Fridays with a ribbon tied around one wrist, etc. Bottoms need to work with anything (jeans or plain black), dresses and tops ideally can go from the office to general use, and accessories/shoes are basic so I don't worry about matching.
Maybe if you post pictures of what you have, or list out every piece, we can offer advice on how to choose a capsule?
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Has anyone come across any blogs with real life examples (pictures) of capsule wardrobes created using someone's existing clothing? A lot of the blogs I see have beautiful assemblies of color coordinated pieces that are great to look at but my immediate reaction is 'oh, that's so nice but there is nothing like that in my closet so I need to go shopping".
I really like Mrs Peacock's real life pictures and would love to see more examples of that kind of thinking in this thread. Real life inspiration not some aspirational collection of pictures from Pinterest.
I will post more pictures. I'd like to see what others are doing too. I agree about the online pictures -taken from shopping websites or something (they aren't the bloggers photos from the looks of it). I'd have to go out and purchase 20 things to create the capsule.
My weekend clothes need reducing too - but since they just sit in the dresser rather than occupying limited closet space I feel less pressured about this. However, this whole minimize/decluttering thing has really got me going and I decluttered my cosmetics (many unopened boxes of fancy face stuff that I received at various times - some purchased, some GWP, etc.). I will pass along to a friend and her daughters and they can pass it along further. Went from three plastic tubs of stuff (shoebox size) down to one. I am eyeing my bookshelves.... and I have been a lifelong book lover with a ton of books - but do I really need them? (And they are sooooo dusty).
I am going to peel a few more things out of my closet this weekend. Not too much more that I want to take out - but a few more things can go. I have bought a few things to round out the uniform (e.g. another white shirt).
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I am loving this thread. I don't have a uniform as such but am working on creating an extended capsule wardrobe. Not too strict but pieces with purpose that actually go together. i am currently trying to figure out a colour scheme... I'm thinking tan and navy for neutrals... but am really struggling with accent colours. I always get compliments in plum and think forrest green looks good but feel out-of-date in both. Maybe I need to find a more current way to wear these. I used to love mustard and sky blue but have none in my wardrobe... why? I have no idea. I also but lots of coral and white but I am not sure these suit me... so many colours. Still a lot of narrowing down to be done.
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Went and bought new slacks today and a blouse for an interview. I feel like this thread really helped me get my game plan in place and approach with a goal in mind. It still sucked immensely, but I succeeded, and that's what counts!
(Thank you whoever suggested Express- I ended up not getting my pants there, but it was a great starting point to get an idea of fit and drape to look for).
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This thread is really helping me think through my closet/any new purchases. I hate shopping with a passion, and therefore tend to rush in, buy whatever I can find that fits, and get the hell out. This has definitely created a situation in which I don't have things that work together, I actively hate about 70% of my clothes, and I wear the same 5-7 things over and over again.
I can wear fairly casual clothes to work, but I tend to push it and wear really casual things. My goal (using this thread as inspiration) is to figure out five work-appropriate outfits that can also be worn on weekends. I'm excited about the purging the closet part, but dreading the shopping bit that will have to happen on the other end.
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Here is a blog I forgot to mention before -
http://www.puttingmetogether.com/p/building-remixable-wardrobe-series.html
I tend to ignore the blog stuff, but her remixable series and wardrobe from scratch series have some good ideas in them that have made me think.
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It's so interesting to read all the different takes on this.
I've done a lot of reading of minimalist sites (like project 333) and what I've decided for myself is the following.
1. I'm definitely happier with less stuff around.
2. I don't like the idea of "having" to have a certain number of things although counting what you do have can provide you with interesting information.
3. I like "interesting" clothes. The idea of a basic uniform holds no appeal at all. I don't do accessories (apart from earrings) but I love bright colors and weird cuts that certainly wouldn't appeal to everyone.
4. I buy nearly everything 2nd hand (because I love shopping at thrift shops - it's a hobby!) and I've got some really expensive dry clean only stuff that way... and I've never had anything dry cleaned in my life. It all goes into the washing machine. I don't believe in separating clothes and I only know how to use one cycle on the machine (it's not in English so I don't really have any idea what the buttons do) and yet the amount of things I've ruined is surprisingly tiny. As someone else mentioned if you got something cheap you're much more likely to deal with the risk of ruining it. (I don't ever use the drier though). Clothes are often much tougher than the label would indicate.
The key for me seems to be to regularly go through my wardrobe and anything that doesn't make me happy is removed. I want to be able to grab out any piece of clothing and know that it fits, I like it and that it's wearable. I try not to keep clothes that are just "ok", if I don't love them I get rid of them. That's the goal anyway - it's not always as easy at it sounds when I type it!
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Here is a blog I forgot to mention before -
http://www.puttingmetogether.com/p/building-remixable-wardrobe-series.html
I tend to ignore the blog stuff, but her remixable series and wardrobe from scratch series have some good ideas in them that have made me think.
Great blog. Thanks!
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I second Putting Me together, it is really very helpful. She makes discussing clothing interesting and I realised it was easier to have a capsule wardrobe where you can make different outfits with quite a small number of clothes.:) It takes the effort out of getting dressed everyday.
You can also go on Pinterest and see what season you are by your colouring and that helps you look at colours that suit you. I realised I had been buying clothes in the correct colours because I liked them and hopefully they do suit me. It's winter, spring, autumn, summer but you have different versions within that season. I think it is clear, soft and warm as I remember.
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3. I like "interesting" clothes. The idea of a basic uniform holds no appeal at all. I don't do accessories (apart from earrings) but I love bright colors and weird cuts that certainly wouldn't appeal to everyone.
My uniform is not boring ... here is a selection of my summer dresses. It's still a uniform because I minimize on the cover up (cardigans normally) and shoes. And the color palate either has a black or navy background.
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I did the big closet/dresser pull and inventory, and totaled up 132 items. That includes scrubs, scarves/shawls, dressy clothes, pajamas and bathrobes, shirts, pants, shoes, riding breeches and boots, coats, and workout clothes. Of those items, 9 are t-shirts I don't wear but have kept for sentimental reasons because I plan to make a t-shirt quilt. With that in mind, they've been removed from my closet and bagged into the sewing closet. I have some things that I wear regularly, but I have too many duplicates right now (scrubs, socks, and yoga pants/tanks). Those are being tucked away for me to pull from as my others get too worn out.
I pulled out one plastic tote and packed away 25 seasonal items and "extras" -
8 heavy sweaters
3 underscrub shirts
2 pr thin wool layering leggings
1 pair yoga pants
2 tank tops
6 scrub tops
3 scrub pants
Big bag of extra socks
That leaves 98 items.
10 pants - 2 jeans, 3 farm pants, 1 dress slacks, 2 yoga pants, 2 hiking pants
7 camisoles/tanks
7 short sleeved shirts (2 are dressy)
7 long sleeved shirts
6 light spring/summer/fall sweaters, worn over a tank or shirt
4 dresses
2 skirts
8 outerwear - coats, sweaters, sweatshirts
9 scrubs - 4 tops, 4 bottoms, 1 jacket
10 scarves/light shawls
14 pr shoes
6 riding clothes - breeches and riding boots
8 nightclothes/bathrobes
I do need farm clothes (pants, shirts and outerwear) separate for clothes I can wear out, or everything will be destroyed in short order. All my pants fit in one drawer with a ton of extra space, ditto for my shirts, and I have other clothes hanging in one small section of the closet. The shirts are almost all identical Target cotton shirts, long or short sleeved, in an assortment of colors. I'm considering adding some of those to my extras bin, since it still has room.
My goal for trimming down now is scarves/shawls (which I love but rarely wear), outerwear, and shoes.
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Coming back to add a few more photos. Today breaks from the uniform a bit because I have a patterned shirt on and my cardigan in on my chair because it is too hot in my office (something that almost never happens). Same Lands End soft elastic waist dress pants (Navy) as per usual. There are a few pictures from other days. Love these Lands End pants (they feel like sweatpants but look acceptable for the level of professional dress for my office) and the HM pants w/ the cargo pockets.
I didn't get more weeded out of my closet this weekend. I'm going to run w/ the uniform for a few weeks and then reevaluate what I have. Putting a hold on any additional clothing spending for now to let the dust settle.
RE: The uniform = boring. I don't think a uniform has to be boring. I will say, that I really struggle with prints. I have almost no clothing with any sort of pattern on it at all. Today's shirt is a very rare exception and I mostly look at it and feel a real struggle w/ "matching" it to something. I like solid color tops, bottoms, classic looking shoes,.... So, that may be very boring. However, I also love clothing that is well cut and fit appropriately (not that all mine achieve this). I think boring is one of those things that is subjective - and a uniform doesn't have to mean monochromatic or solid colors or no accessories, or only dreary colors. I do think it means having a fairly narrow definition of what you will wear and sticking to it in order to make dressing easier, limit clothing purchases, and having a collection of clothing that you really like, feel comfortable in, suitable for your activities, and attractive.
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Coming back to add a few more photos. Today breaks from the uniform a bit because I have a patterned shirt on and my cardigan in on my chair because it is too hot in my office (something that almost never happens). Same Lands End soft elastic waist dress pants (Navy) as per usual. There are a few pictures from other days. Love these Lands End pants (they feel like sweatpants but look acceptable for the level of professional dress for my office) and the HM pants w/ the cargo pockets.
I didn't get more weeded out of my closet this weekend. I'm going to run w/ the uniform for a few weeks and then reevaluate what I have. Putting a hold on any additional clothing spending for now to let the dust settle.
RE: The uniform = boring. I don't think a uniform has to be boring. I will say, that I really struggle with prints. I have almost no clothing with any sort of pattern on it at all. Today's shirt is a very rare exception and I mostly look at it and feel a real struggle w/ "matching" it to something. I like solid color tops, bottoms, classic looking shoes,.... So, that may be very boring. However, I also love clothing that is well cut and fit appropriately (not that all mine achieve this). I think boring is one of those things that is subjective - and a uniform doesn't have to mean monochromatic or solid colors or no accessories, or only dreary colors. I do think it means having a fairly narrow definition of what you will wear and sticking to it in order to make dressing easier, limit clothing purchases, and having a collection of clothing that you really like, feel comfortable in, suitable for your activities, and attractive.
Can you tell me about the black shoes you're wearing in photo number three? Love em!
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Coming back to add a few more photos. Today breaks from the uniform a bit because I have a patterned shirt on and my cardigan in on my chair because it is too hot in my office (something that almost never happens). Same Lands End soft elastic waist dress pants (Navy) as per usual. There are a few pictures from other days. Love these Lands End pants (they feel like sweatpants but look acceptable for the level of professional dress for my office) and the HM pants w/ the cargo pockets.
I didn't get more weeded out of my closet this weekend. I'm going to run w/ the uniform for a few weeks and then reevaluate what I have. Putting a hold on any additional clothing spending for now to let the dust settle.
RE: The uniform = boring. I don't think a uniform has to be boring. I will say, that I really struggle with prints. I have almost no clothing with any sort of pattern on it at all. Today's shirt is a very rare exception and I mostly look at it and feel a real struggle w/ "matching" it to something. I like solid color tops, bottoms, classic looking shoes,.... So, that may be very boring. However, I also love clothing that is well cut and fit appropriately (not that all mine achieve this). I think boring is one of those things that is subjective - and a uniform doesn't have to mean monochromatic or solid colors or no accessories, or only dreary colors. I do think it means having a fairly narrow definition of what you will wear and sticking to it in order to make dressing easier, limit clothing purchases, and having a collection of clothing that you really like, feel comfortable in, suitable for your activities, and attractive.
Can you tell me about the black shoes you're wearing in photo number three? Love em!
They are from Kohl's and about 4 years old - maybe 5 even. The sole have been replaced once and is peeling off again. I love them too - wish they would last forever. Zappos might have a close approximation.
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Another photo - and I would say this is very much the "uniform" - I have several of these Lands End sweaters in a variety of colors and 3 pairs of these pants (black, navy, gray) and white shirts. Plan to rotate some variation of this for the most part.
My challenge this week - assuming the pants remain presentable - is to wear them all week and just change out the tops. Same as next week. Being able to do so would let me cut a few "extra" pants out of the closet.
How is everyone else doing w/ weeding down, streamlining, identifying a style, or any of the other minimalist/capsule/uniform goals?
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Another photo - and I would say this is very much the "uniform" - I have several of these Lands End sweaters in a variety of colors and 3 pairs of these pants (black, navy, gray) and white shirts. Plan to rotate some variation of this for the most part.
My challenge this week - assuming the pants remain presentable - is to wear them all week and just change out the tops. Same as next week. Being able to do so would let me cut a few "extra" pants out of the closet.
How is everyone else doing w/ weeding down, streamlining, identifying a style, or any of the other minimalist/capsule/uniform goals?
I posted my summer wardrobe (with a quick photo) in the project 333 thread.http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/project-333-summer-2015-clean-your-closet-and-choose-your-items/msg665533/#msg665533
I've had it out a couple of weeks and overall it's working. We'll see how well it continues to work over the next few months. I'm traveling out of state this weekend for a memorial service and I've already mentally packed from it with no issues.
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RE: The uniform = boring. I don't think a uniform has to be boring. I will say, that I really struggle with prints. I have almost no clothing with any sort of pattern on it at all. Today's shirt is a very rare exception and I mostly look at it and feel a real struggle w/ "matching" it to something. I like solid color tops, bottoms, classic looking shoes,.... So, that may be very boring. However, I also love clothing that is well cut and fit appropriately (not that all mine achieve this). I think boring is one of those things that is subjective - and a uniform doesn't have to mean monochromatic or solid colors or no accessories, or only dreary colors. I do think it means having a fairly narrow definition of what you will wear and sticking to it in order to make dressing easier, limit clothing purchases, and having a collection of clothing that you really like, feel comfortable in, suitable for your activities, and attractive.
I don't think you've ever looked boring! I think you look put-together, and a lot of that is fit (and your awesome haircut).
You could definitely add in pattern really easily with some patterned cardigans, since you wear a white shirt under them anyway! Or scarves... though I see to be in the minority who can't get enough of them.
I'm moving back to the US in about a month and part of packing up to leave here will include getting rid of whatever clothes and shoes are worn out and ratty (lots) or don't fit right or I just don't wear. It's always been hard for me to throw away well-worn clothes not because I get attached to them but because I'm frugal and it's hard for me to find clothes that fit right anyway (I'm a giant). The next step will be finding new stuff and ruthlessly rejecting whatever doesn't fit for any reason. Marie Kondo will be shopping with me in my mind :)
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How is everyone else doing w/ weeding down, streamlining, identifying a style, or any of the other minimalist/capsule/uniform goals?
I have gone through my closet again this morning and put away a few items for donation and several items for consignment. I am also getting rid of 5 pairs of summer shoes. I also moved around some items so now I have a clearly designated section where my summer "work uniform" pieces are located.
The closet is starting to look quite empty and I really like it. Most of the items I have gotten rid of so far either didn't fit or were worn out, so my options for outfits have not been really limited as I still have plenty of clothes that do fit.
This years summer uniform for work consists mostly of narrow/fitted pants in a neutral color (black (3 pairs), white (1), beige (1)), with a longer sleeveless shell (mostly patterned, some solid) and a long cardigan. For accessories I wear a watch, earrings and some sort of a necklace. In addition, I have 2 pencil skirts (one black, one patterned) and 1 jacket that I can wear in place of a cardigan. The skirts are a bit dressier than the pant based outfits. Since today I have to go out to lunch with some vendors, I am wearing the black and white patterned skirt with a black shell and a dark orange fitted cardigan.
I have to have my beige pants shortened but otherwise I'm going to give this set a go and see if I can stick to it until the end of the summer. I may post some pictures once I figure out how to do it.
ETA: I have noticed that I am a lot more effective at weeding out stuff from my closet in the mornings. I have all these grand plans of organizing and doing things when I get home from work, but in reality I am too exhausted to do anything or be effective at it. I look at the stuff in the closet and I just feel overwhelmed to the point of being paralyzed and unable to try anything on or make any decisions. But it's a totally different story in the morning - my mind is clear and I can try things on and make decisions whether to keep or toss.
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I read that wearing patterns on your bottom half is an easy way to add more prints/colour to your outfits just as long as you have enough neutral and plain coloured tops and jackets.:) Apparently people notice prints more if they are on the top half of your body.
I made the mistake of buying two patterned dresses and then wondered why I couldn't make many outfits as all the people on Project 333. I got a plain black dress and it is much simpler to coordinate now.
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Another photo - and I would say this is very much the "uniform" - I have several of these Lands End sweaters in a variety of colors and 3 pairs of these pants (black, navy, gray) and white shirts. Plan to rotate some variation of this for the most part.
My challenge this week - assuming the pants remain presentable - is to wear them all week and just change out the tops. Same as next week. Being able to do so would let me cut a few "extra" pants out of the closet.
How is everyone else doing w/ weeding down, streamlining, identifying a style, or any of the other minimalist/capsule/uniform goals?
Fantastic necklace. I wish I could wear statement pieces like that... I always feel self-concious if I do. I think that's why I go for scarves instead. I can appreciate it on someone else though!
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Fantastic necklace. I wish I could wear statement pieces like that... I always feel self-concious if I do. I think that's why I go for scarves instead. I can appreciate it on someone else though!
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Thank you - I would say I feel exactly the same way about scarves are you do about necklaces. I can wear this necklace w/ just about every outfit (it is the only one I leave out on my dresser). I'm thinking that I will actually give away my remaining scarves - which is only 3 or 4 right now. I may hang onto one grey one that is pretty nice and less bulky than the others. I think I am also going to purge my costume jewelry - probably some ladies at work will be willing to take the better pieces off my hands.
Loving getting rid of stuff and being able to *see* in my closet!
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I looooove your sweater MrsPeacock!
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Replying to follow! I am still at the "too much clothing" phase but it's a dream of mine to pare it down. I love all the blogs and support - keep it coming!
One question: what pants do y'all buy that are not jeans and yet don't need to be pressed/dry cleaned? I work in a casual blue jean environment now so it's not a huge deal yet, but as I work my way up the corporate food chain I will have to shed my solid color t-shirt/jeans/flats work "uniform" for something nicer.
Ponte knit. It looks pulled together, is heavy enough to be flattering on any lumps or bumps, yet feels pretty similar to sweat pants. It wouldn't work in most environments where suits are required, but for anything else, it is appropriate. There actually are suiting pieces--jackets, skirts, and pants-- in ponte, but the fabric looks every so slightly less casual than traditional suiting materials so in offices where a true suit is required, it might fall short.
In addition to pants, skirts, and blazers/jackets, ponte dresses are also easy to find.
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I looooove your sweater MrsPeacock!
Thank you!
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Pulled out all but two scarves and brought them to work to give to my friend who wears scarves. (She also basically does a minimalist wardrobe and keeps all her work clothes in her file cabinet.)
Today's photo - same pants all week, another cardigan (same style, different color), and an old blouse with a pattern (! one of very few). I kept the blouse because it goes w/ all my colors (blue, tan, grey, black).
Trying to do some silly fashion pose - obviously not cut out to be a model :P
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MsPeacock, I like the consistency in your uniform. Do you feel it makes it easier to get dressed in the morning or is it too early to tell yet?
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MsPeacock, I like the consistency in your uniform. Do you feel it makes it easier to get dressed in the morning or is it too early to tell yet?
I think it makes it a lot easier. I actually always put my clothes out the night before because I get up super early. I just find myself expending a lot less mental energy and actual time. I know that what is in my closet 1) fits 2) matches pretty much everything else (with some exceptions because I didn't entirely rid myself of my old clothing). I've also migrated towards entirely machine washable clothes and I think that will also save me time and money since I won't have to deal w/ the dry cleaners.
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I have also switched over to mostly machine washable clothing and am loving the freedom from dry cleaners. The only exception is that I do like lined wool pants and skirts for winter so I still have a few of them. And they definitely need to be professionally cleaned. The other change I have made is moving away from high heels. For a number of years I wore high heeled shoes but have been finding them increasingly uncomfortable so I have mostly switched over to loafers and flats.
Here is another blog that I found interesting and inspiring. I especially like the Personal Style posts and the fact that she is showing almost exclusively real life examples of outfits from her own closet.
http://recoveringshopaholic.com/start-here/
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I did a clothing count and purge this year and wrote about it on my blog.
Then soon after that I moved and quit my job, so I got rid of my least favourite work clothes, but bought a few new things as well. I need to go through everything again. I'm so confused about clothes and what I should be wearing. The hardest part for me is having the extreme seasons and having to wear so many layers. So in the summer I go through shirts quickly from sweating and in the winter I'm wearing 3 or 4 layers before my winter coat. And I may have to go back to laundromat washing so then you need more clothes. But I yearn to be a minimalist.
http://www.moneytipscanada.ca/clothing-count-2015/
Here's my blog post if you're interested.
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I moved my "do not wear" items into the hard to reach corners of my closet (which is half of my closet…). I'm questioning how much I should keep right now, because almost everything is getting too big on me. History would tell me that in about 6-12 months, it will fit me again, and do I really want to buy new clothes when that happens? And then what about the clothing in my main capsule that doesn’t fit me so well? For example, my tan jacket that doesn’t have a good alternative.
I've drafted a 333 wardrobe, and I'll list that tomorrow with a picture. I made a pivot table, guys. Get excited.
I read part of the remixable wardrobe series on Putting Me Together, and decided to try belting a baggy but cute patterned shirt on Monday. It.. looked weird.
I've identified one essential piece that I can get rid of: my black work skirt. I got doggie paw prints all over it last week (WORTH IT), and switched temporarily to my casual black cotton skirt. I don't think anyone noticed, and I felt more comfortable. Cotton skirts all the way!
I also identified two holes in my wardrobe.
1) “Picnic on the grass” attire. I intend to do plenty of cross-legged sitting in the near future. Pants are too hot, my shorts are for hiking, my dresses are too short. I could use one of the following: a pair of "nice" shorts, a breezy maxi skirt, or breathable shorts to wear under dresses that don’t make me feel gross and sweaty which defeats the purpose of wearing a light summer dress in the first place. Or I could get over it and wear my ugly shorts.
2) Camisoles that aren’t themselves inappropriate.
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There have been mention of "work horses" for your wardrobes - the pieces you go to over and over - maybe the most comfortable, or basic, or match everything - What are the pieces for you?
For me it is a black cardigan - it is long and swingy. I don't actually love it, but it is warm and "goes with everything." It is getting a bit ragged now because it is 5 or 6 years old. I'd like to replace it with something warmer this winter.
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This is for my winter wardrobe: For years I've always had a basic, black, cashmere jewel-neck pullover sweater. It seems to go with everything…from jeans to "good" bottoms for dressy occasions. I never dry clean it--when needed, I hand wash it and dry flat, or put it in the washer on a delicate cycle with Woolite. I've probably bought four of the same sweater over the years…when they pill too much, or get a hole or whatever, or just start looking too grungy from use, I recycle them into use as a long underwear top. Super comfortable under long tunics or casual dresses, or under bulky-knit sweaters if I am in really cold weather. I've even been known to sleep in the old ones, if the night is really cold. Definitely a work horse garment.
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There have been mention of "work horses" for your wardrobes - the pieces you go to over and over - maybe the most comfortable, or basic, or match everything - What are the pieces for you?
For me it is a black cardigan - it is long and swingy. I don't actually love it, but it is warm and "goes with everything." It is getting a bit ragged now because it is 5 or 6 years old. I'd like to replace it with something warmer this winter.
-Dark wash jeans with a little stretch in them. Not quite skinny enough to be skinny jeans, but narrower than straight leg.
-Black leggings.
-A lemon yellow cardigan. Sounds like an odd color to be a work-horse, but it seems to really go with everything. Maybe I pair odd color combinations, but lemon yellow and pink, lemon yellow and green, lemon yellow and bright blue, lemon yellow and white, lemon yellow and navy...all great to me.
I just noticed that none of these items are in my summer wardrobe (although they all three are usually in spring, winter and fall). Hmmm, I'm not sure if I have any summer work-horses.
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+1 to dark jeans and black leggings. They take care of most of my pant needs throughout the year.
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I moved my "do not wear" items into the hard to reach corners of my closet (which is half of my closet…). I'm questioning how much I should keep right now, because almost everything is getting too big on me. History would tell me that in about 6-12 months, it will fit me again, and do I really want to buy new clothes when that happens? And then what about the clothing in my main capsule that doesn’t fit me so well? For example, my tan jacket that doesn’t have a good alternative.
I've drafted a 333 wardrobe, and I'll list that tomorrow with a picture. I made a pivot table, guys. Get excited.
I read part of the remixable wardrobe series on Putting Me Together, and decided to try belting a baggy but cute patterned shirt on Monday. It.. looked weird.
I've identified one essential piece that I can get rid of: my black work skirt. I got doggie paw prints all over it last week (WORTH IT), and switched temporarily to my casual black cotton skirt. I don't think anyone noticed, and I felt more comfortable. Cotton skirts all the way!
I also identified two holes in my wardrobe.
1) “Picnic on the grass” attire. I intend to do plenty of cross-legged sitting in the near future. Pants are too hot, my shorts are for hiking, my dresses are too short. I could use one of the following: a pair of "nice" shorts, a breezy maxi skirt, or breathable shorts to wear under dresses that don’t make me feel gross and sweaty which defeats the purpose of wearing a light summer dress in the first place. Or I could get over it and wear my ugly shorts.
2) Camisoles that aren’t themselves inappropriate.
Under summer dresses and skirts, I wear Jockey Slipshorts. They are kind of like biker shorts, but a lighter, stretchier fabric. Light and cool but provide modesty as well. I tend to wear nude but if you want them to look intentional, rather than like your under garments are showing, they have some colored versions as well, which might work better for cross-legged picnicking. The Jockey website periodically has sales. I think they are $20, but you can get them for less and while I don't usually put them in the dryer, they wash well.
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Those look like a good option, thanks Villanelle! I saw them on the Target website for $12, so I'll head there.
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re: workhorses for me
Summer: black linen v neck cardigan (J crew). Its light enough to throw in my handbag and I can pull it out in over air-conditioned environments. I've had the current one for 5 years and it's starting to get holes as well as being two sizes to big (fitted 5 years ago but I lost weight). So I'm going to buy another one this year in a neutral color (probably change it up from black).
Winter: Black trousers and Dark Jeans - I wear these every day from late fall through to early spring.
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My main workhorses are definitely my tank tops. They're appropriate on their own on sunny days, but more than anything, they go under everything. I'm tall, so most shirts can't be worn alone unless I want a little gap above my pants. So I wear these tanks under scrubs, sweaters, certain t-shirts, blouses, etc. I recently had to get some new ones- I was down to 3 and they're getting pretty worn down. I've been shocked how well they've held up though!
My other main workhorse is probably my black jeans- sorta skinny, so they work well alone or under boots.
And then of course my scrubs are my TRUE work horses, in that they are what I wear to work.
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Workhorse clothes:
Under it all - the right bra and underwear. Can't stress enough how lovely it is to love your undergarments! My undies are all black cotton, cause it breathes well and black doesn't stain. I just hate yellowed underwear!
Dark blue and black boot cut jeans with a slight stretch.
A grey cardigan. It's scoop neck and has a satin tie at the waist, I just love it with everything! It will be a super sad day when it wears out!
Bright colored scoop neck t-shirts.
Comfortable plain shoes. I have bone spurs in my feet, and if my feet aren't comfortable then I'll be grouchy all day.
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Under it all - the right bra and underwear. Can't stress enough how lovely it is to love your undergarments! My undies are all black cotton, cause it breathes well and black doesn't stain. I just hate yellowed underwear!
Never underestimate how miserable dysfunctional bra or panties can make someone! I agree that this may be the most important pieces in your wardrobe.
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Wool V-neck Ts in my three basic colors - mine are dying, they don't make that shirt any more (Icebreaker), and I'm lamenting searching for a replacement. I wear them in all seasons and they are the core of my non dress clothing options.
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Really liked this today because I love pink - it is one of the best colors on me. Basically, I look best in colors you would find in an Easter basket. I wish that grey and tan looked better on me - I still wear them but tend towards washed out.
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There have been mention of "work horses" for your wardrobes - the pieces you go to over and over - maybe the most comfortable, or basic, or match everything - What are the pieces for you?
For work, a few high-quality (but not too expensive) suits look like a much larger wardrobe when I wear different bright colours of cotton shells underneath. Jewelry helps there, too--I've worn the same pearls for three years, and they really make the difference between "business" and "you should give me your business." ;)
At home, I also go the cardigan route, though brown for me. I have one to dress down and one that's fairly nice, so the same dark jeans + tee can either be very casual or, with jewelry and flats, a bit nicer.
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The change of seasons really affects our wardrobes. I have winter clothes, summer clothes, in between clothes, spring/fall jackets, winter coats, and then the back of the closer items for the -35C times. Plus dress winter boots (for public outings), winter boots (regular life) and the Sorels (real winter boots).
And then 6 months later I can go through 3 tops in one day, because I am so hot and sweaty. I don't know how pioneer women survived summers here.
I did a clothing count and purge this year and wrote about it on my blog.
Then soon after that I moved and quit my job, so I got rid of my least favourite work clothes, but bought a few new things as well. I need to go through everything again. I'm so confused about clothes and what I should be wearing. The hardest part for me is having the extreme seasons and having to wear so many layers. So in the summer I go through shirts quickly from sweating and in the winter I'm wearing 3 or 4 layers before my winter coat. And I may have to go back to laundromat washing so then you need more clothes. But I yearn to be a minimalist.
http://www.moneytipscanada.ca/clothing-count-2015/
Here's my blog post if you're interested.
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The change of seasons really affects our wardrobes. I have winter clothes, summer clothes, in between clothes, spring/fall jackets, winter coats, and then the back of the closer items for the -35C times. Plus dress winter boots (for public outings), winter boots (regular life) and the Sorels (real winter boots).
And then 6 months later I can go through 3 tops in one day, because I am so hot and sweaty. I don't know how pioneer women survived summers here.
They stank, of course. :-)
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Thought I'd jump in since I've been working at this for almost three years now. It's been a slow process since I've gone through two pregnancies in that time, but the more you work at it the easier it gets. I've done several closet clear-outs and purges, and still find I have something to get rid of after every season. But instead of it being 5 or 6 things, it's now maybe 1 or 2.
I saw a few mention not being ready to try Project 333, so I thought I'd offer the solution of trying a 30 in 30. A lot of fashion bloggers do them so it's easy to find examples of how to make it work for you. You get to pick 30 pieces to wear for 30 days. Everything else is off limits (so box it up and/or move it out of sight) until the 30 days are over. Some people include shoes, undershirts, workout clothes etc. some don't. The idea though is that you create 30 different outfits from the pieces you've chosen. It definitely will test your current wardrobe and help you figure out pieces that do/don't work for you. I've done it a couple of times and it helped me figure out how to wear certain items "better" and that some items I thought I loved really were not for me.
I've combined doing a 30 in 30 with a Pinterest board, and will pin items I wished I had while doing the 30 in 30. If I see reoccurring items on the board, then that's when I start looking for the pieces in stores. Nothing gets bought unless it's been on the board several times! (or if I'm looking for a replacement piece) It's been a good rule for me :)
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I did a mondo session yesterday with a camera timer and my three top layers mixed with each base outfit. I made an Excel crosstab for all of the combinations to identify any top layers that were poor team players. I still need to take photos with my alternates. I tried to attach some of the photos but they wouldn't go through, so in lieu of those, I wrote out the details below.
Lessons (re)learned:
- I look best in dresses with defined waists
- My green belted dress looks surprisingly fantastic with a maroon sweater
- My standard work tops are the least flattering things in my capsule (no defined waist, hint hint)
- I need a free/cheap alternative to the tan jacket that goes with everything in theory, but is baggy and shapeless in reality. Maybe I'll arrange a clothing swap among friends.
Primary Capsule (26 items):
- 6 dresses: 2 summery, 4 that can go work and casual
- 1 skirt: work and casual
- 8 tops: 3 work tops, 5 casual/camisoles/work tops only in emergencies
- 2 pairs of shoes: sneakers, blue flats kept at work
- 3 top layers: tan jacket, polka dot cardigan, maroon sweater
- 1 scarf kept at work
- 1 pair of black tights
- 1 backpack
- 2 pairs of sunglasses for work and home
- 1 bathing suit
Alternates (5 items):
- 3 dresses: 1 that can be work and casual, 2 that are fancy and will never be worn unless I get a last-minute wedding invite
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 top: fancy-ish, could use in the office if needed
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I am finding all this very interesting. I have always had trouble with owning too many patterns. I really like patterns, top and bottom. But obviously they are not a great choice for a capsule wardrobe. I find solid summer skirts tend to get stains etc and so prints hide that sort of thing. Has anyone dealt with this problem? I am veering towards print skirts only but under duress.
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Another vote for Into Mind. I herd of the site on these forums and I find her tools very helpful. There are lots of helpful bits in the posts about silhouettes and signature style.
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I was thinking more of fainting from the heat. At least they had summer kitchens.
I'm sure everyone stank after working in the heat! And the ladies more so, since they probably had more difficulty jumping in the nearest creek/farm pond to cool off.
I actually find a loose dress cooler than shorts and a T, but at Upper Canada Village the women have very snug bodices and sleeves, not cool at all. Snug sleeves are probably a good idea, so they don't catch their sleeves on fire while cooking.
The change of seasons really affects our wardrobes. I have winter clothes, summer clothes, in between clothes, spring/fall jackets, winter coats, and then the back of the closer items for the -35C times. Plus dress winter boots (for public outings), winter boots (regular life) and the Sorels (real winter boots).
And then 6 months later I can go through 3 tops in one day, because I am so hot and sweaty. I don't know how pioneer women survived summers here.
They stank, of course. :-)
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I do medieval reenactment. In August in Pennsylvania. It can often get close to 100 degrees and 90% humidity, and we're wearing full length skirts and long sleeved shirts, often 2 or more layers! I can tell you that it's not really much hotter in all that than it is in shorts and a halter top, plus you don't have as much skin exposed to get sunburned. The key is fabrics. Cottons and linens breathe well. Skirts, even up to medium weight, have very good airflow so your legs remain reasonably comfortable.
I will admit that a bodice can get pretty uncomfortable in the heat because sweat builds up under it. Loose tunics are better for days like that.
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Today's uniform - sweater (previously seen), white shell under sweater (its going to be in the 90s today), patterned pants - new to this thread. They go w/a lot of different colors. As with last week I am going to try to wear the same pants all week w/ different tops. I feel this is a bit harder than w/ solid color pants.
Pretty happy w/ how this came together - mostly because I like pink sweaters :P
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Nice outfit MsPeacock.
I do agree, however, that it may be difficult to wear the same pair of pants all week - they are very nice but rather distinctive. Would it make sense to do it on a 2 week basis and have two pairs of pants to switch back and forth instead?
I am also wearing my "uniform" look today. Black narrow pants, black flats, patterned shell and a longish cardigan. Very comfortable and easy.
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Nice outfit MsPeacock.
I do agree, however, that it may be difficult to wear the same pair of pants all week - they are very nice but rather distinctive. Would it make sense to do it on a 2 week basis and have two pairs of pants to switch back and forth instead?
I am also wearing my "uniform" look today. Black narrow pants, black flats, patterned shell and a longish cardigan. Very comfortable and easy.
My work week is only 3 days this week... otherwise, yes - I'd have to alternate or something.
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Monkey Jenga, let me know if you arrange a swap!
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Monkey Jenga, let me know if you arrange a swap!
You spurred me to action. I'll be hosting a swap sometime in June. Fill out your availability in this doodle poll so I can nail down a date: http://doodle.com/eiv57wqf345c634g
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Work outfit - day 2 on the pants. Old denim shirt and dressy necklace. Works well enough.
I have to "dress up" more tomorrow because I am getting a very important recognition certificate (or something). So I have to be extra presentable. I'll probably have to swap out my plan to wear these pants all week for something a little dressier.
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First - I love you ladies and have been following this thread religiously. I also read the Put Me Together remixable wardrobe and Into the Mind blog, which has given me a lot to think about. I was stressing over which color palette to choose for the last week, but now I think I just need to stop analyzing and start doing! Putting together a capsule like I'm packing for a trip (since I always pack light) has been a helpful way for me to think about it. I now have my Friday off task - wish me luck! Any advice on color choice for skin tone etc would still be appreciated though :)
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I sewed my first button today! And now I have another usable dress. Why I put off for months something that took 4 minutes to do, I'll never know.
I made an album out of my capsule basics (and a thrilling array of poses) for anyone who's curious: [Removed for paranoid privacy reasons]
The blue dress with the flap hanging off one shoulder was photographed before I discovered my secret reserve of sewing amazingness.
First - I love you ladies and have been following this thread religiously. I also read the Put Me Together remixable wardrobe and Into the Mind blog, which has given me a lot to think about. I was stressing over which color palette to choose for the last week, but now I think I just need to stop analyzing and start doing! Putting together a capsule like I'm packing for a trip (since I always pack light) has been a helpful way for me to think about it. I now have my Friday off task - wish me luck! Any advice on color choice for skin tone etc would still be appreciated though :)
Luck! What is your skin tone? Not that I'm any sort of expert.
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Why I put off for months something that took 4 minutes to do, I'll never know.
I know right?
I made an album out of my capsule basics (and a thrilling array of poses) for anyone who's curious: http://imgur.com/a/pFtwh
You're right about the purple sweater and green dress! Looks awesome.
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You're right about the purple sweater and green dress! Looks awesome.
Yesss.... Thank you, and thank you to this thread for catalyzing this discovery. You're the Rosalind Franklin to my Crick and Watson.
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I am also wearing my "uniform" look today. Black narrow pants, black flats, patterned shell and a longish cardigan. Very comfortable and easy.
That definitely sounds like an outfit I would wear. I am thinking about buying some grey basics as well as I wear so much black.:D
I need some more flats, I bought a couple of pairs but they were a pinky colour and the other pair was gold. I don't know what I was thinking with those colour choices! Lol. I think I need a brown and a black pair as they would go with everything.
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I sewed my first button today! And now I have another usable dress. Why I put off for months something that took 4 minutes to do, I'll never know.
I made an album out of my capsule basics (and a thrilling array of poses) for anyone who's curious: http://imgur.com/a/pFtwh
The blue dress with the flap hanging off one shoulder was photographed before I discovered my secret reserve of sewing amazingness.
First - I love you ladies and have been following this thread religiously. I also read the Put Me Together remixable wardrobe and Into the Mind blog, which has given me a lot to think about. I was stressing over which color palette to choose for the last week, but now I think I just need to stop analyzing and start doing! Putting together a capsule like I'm packing for a trip (since I always pack light) has been a helpful way for me to think about it. I now have my Friday off task - wish me luck! Any advice on color choice for skin tone etc would still be appreciated though :)
Luck! What is your skin tone? Not that I'm any sort of expert.
Lovely! Thank you for posting. I agree - the green dress and purple sweater combo is awesome.
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Another day, same outfit from last week or so, but with dressier shoes. I love these pants - very comfortable and a little 'edgy' to my eyes.
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As we are making progress forward on our capsule/minimalist wardrobes:
What items did you use to love that you've now parted ways with?
Anything you used to swear by and maybe love that you've let go of - for whatever reason? Any particular items or style of items?
For me I think, it is letting go of some of the aspiration of fashionista or something. Not that I was an actual fashionista - but the idea of putting energy and time into having a wide variety of clothing and having something 'interesting' to wear every day. It required a lot of shopping and a lot of time thinking about my clothing. And, frankly, I do look better in these simple pieces - I feel more comfortable and they suit me. Physically I got rid of a lot of clothing, although I still have a ton of stuff (and I suspect about another 50% will ultimately go once I accept that I am really not going to wear those items again - something about the remaining pieces still calls to me). I would say I am also working on letting go of a lot of my costume jewelry. I plan to go through it this weekend and then bring it into work and see if anyone would like to claim any of it (which is what I did with all my scarves and they all quickly found new homes).
I am still *firmly* attached to navy blue long sleeved shirts with white stripes. I think I have 4 w/ some variety of buttons. They look great on me and good w/ jeans or dress pants.... I should give away all my other 'casual' shirts and just stick w/ these.
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Just now joining this thread. Love what I'm reading. Just yesterday I took some items to Goodwill that I had hung on to for way too long One was a lovely but conservative blouse that required dry cleaning. Gone. Also a pair of boots that I loved but hurt my feet. They were burgundy and I always got compliments but I can't face putting them back on again.
I did look around after dropping off my stuff and found a couple of items to pick up. A black and gray sweater that is an exclusive Nordstrom brand (would retail for well over $100) and a Banana Republic black jeans skirt. I got both of them for $13.48.
My basic uniform is skirts. The only pants I have are jeans or exercise type. I also have a bunch of tank tops in various colors so I can then layer a sweater or jacket over the top. Things that I no longer buy or keep are sweater tops (too hot) and nice pants.
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As we are making progress forward on our capsule/minimalist wardrobes:
What items did you use to love that you've now parted ways with?
Anything you used to swear by and maybe love that you've let go of - for whatever reason? Any particular items or style of items?
I am also working on letting go of a lot of my costume jewelry.
I can't seem to let go of costume jewelry either. I would say I wear half of the 40 pieces I have, but I can't seem to let go of the 20 pieces I don't wear that often, but they "still give me joy". My number of pieces are considerably downsized from when I "Kondo'd" late last year. I'm not too concerned, it doesn't take up that much physical space, but it's weird considering I've been able to easily minimize in other areas.
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You're the Rosalind Franklin to my Crick and Watson.
I just keep loving this thread more and more.
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I'm bringing in another batch of clothes for consignment. It feels really good to have these items out of the closet and to give myself permission to wear what I really like and feel comfortable in, instead of feeling obligated to wear the other stuff just because I bought it and it's there.
I think the next step for me is trying to combine my remaining pieces in some new ways. I tend to have set outfits and rarely mix and match, so I'm going to try doing that more.
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Although I consider myself an "anti-hoarder" (mostly) I have realized the hardest things to get rid of for me are clothes that at one time were my favourites but the last year or so I have moved onto other items. I think in my head I think "can't get rid of this item as I wear it all the time", when in fact I USED to wear it all the time but no longer do. After this light bulb moment I now find it easier to get rid of these items I no longer wear frequently.
My other weakness is sandals. Lord love a duck, how many sandals can someone have living in a climate where at most I wear them for four months. I own more sandals than shoes, much, much more. 6 pairs of blue sandals, 4 gold, 4 silver, etc. etc. I am officially cut off, no more buying sandals! I was at the mall the other day and found myself looking at sandals and almost had to slap myself (or punch myself) to stop looking at sandals!!!
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Margarita, you are making me laugh. Mostly because I see myself in your comments. I too have way too many sandals. They are all adorable, but reality is I too can only wear them about 4 months of the year. No more sandals for me!
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I brought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store yesterday and I think I will return a cardigan I bought last weekend. I have been searching for the right summer weight black cardigan for a couple years now and I finally found it last weekend. I wore it earlier this week with the patterned skirt (another meeting that required dressing up) and am very pleased with it - it's a keeper. However, I also picked up another cardigan while I was in the store. It is my favorite color (lime green), fits well and it was on super sale ($12), but when I look into my closet, I already have 3 other cardigans very similar to it (not this exact shade and shape, but similar). So I think I will bring it back. I like it a lot, but I simply DO NOT NEED IT!
Wearing another version of my uniform today. Dark wash straight jeans, striped shell and a longish linen cardigan, this time with sandals, not flats.
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I brought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store yesterday and I think I will return a cardigan I bought last weekend. I have been searching for the right summer weight black cardigan for a couple years now and I finally found it last weekend. I wore it earlier this week with the patterned skirt (another meeting that required dressing up) and am very pleased with it - it's a keeper. However, I also picked up another cardigan while I was in the store. It is my favorite color (lime green), fits well and it was on super sale ($12), but when I look into my closet, I already have 3 other cardigans very similar to it (not this exact shade and shape, but similar). So I think I will bring it back. I like it a lot, but I simply DO NOT NEED IT!
Alternately, if it's in better shape, easier care, or more versatile than those other 3, you could replace one of those cardigans.
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I brought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store yesterday and I think I will return a cardigan I bought last weekend. I have been searching for the right summer weight black cardigan for a couple years now and I finally found it last weekend. I wore it earlier this week with the patterned skirt (another meeting that required dressing up) and am very pleased with it - it's a keeper. However, I also picked up another cardigan while I was in the store. It is my favorite color (lime green), fits well and it was on super sale ($12), but when I look into my closet, I already have 3 other cardigans very similar to it (not this exact shade and shape, but similar). So I think I will bring it back. I like it a lot, but I simply DO NOT NEED IT!
Alternately, if it's in better shape, easier care, or more versatile than those other 3, you could replace one of those cardigans.
Yes, that's true. One of the 3 cardis has been tentatively on the chopping block for a while (it is at least 10 years old but has held up amazingly well) - I used to wear it a lot, but haven't worn it that much recently. I will try out some different outfits with all of them and decide.
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A great blog post on capsule wardrobes I happened upon this morning:
http://grechenscloset.com/capsule-wardrobes/
A lot of it resonated strongly with me.
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I brought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store yesterday and I think I will return a cardigan I bought last weekend. I have been searching for the right summer weight black cardigan for a couple years now and I finally found it last weekend. I wore it earlier this week with the patterned skirt (another meeting that required dressing up) and am very pleased with it - it's a keeper. However, I also picked up another cardigan while I was in the store. It is my favorite color (lime green), fits well and it was on super sale ($12), but when I look into my closet, I already have 3 other cardigans very similar to it (not this exact shade and shape, but similar). So I think I will bring it back. I like it a lot, but I simply DO NOT NEED IT!
Alternately, if it's in better shape, easier care, or more versatile than those other 3, you could replace one of those cardigans.
Yes, that's true. One of the 3 cardis has been tentatively on the chopping block for a while (it is at least 10 years old but has held up amazingly well) - I used to wear it a lot, but haven't worn it that much recently. I will try out some different outfits with all of them and decide.
You can go all, "Magic art of tidying up" and thank your cardigan for it's service and let it go =) I've been trying to work on this- I feel bad getting rid of clothes I've worn to death. My poor SO usually has to intervene and tell me I'm starting to look homeless and I should probably get rid of the shoes/shirt/pants/whatever that is dingy and filled with holes.
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Haven't posted much - sorry it's long. But I got so much inspiration from this thread.
I was rained in over a 4-day Memorial weekend, and ended up donating two packed car-loads of clothing and other things to Goodwill. I pulled out all my clothes from closets and drawers, piled them on the bed; and sorted them into keep, donate, and rag/toss piles. I spend almost an entire day going through my jewelry – mostly costume, and most of it unworn for years. Took me hours to untangle chains and necklaces.
I didn’t think to count until after the first carload of stuff went to Goodwill, but I got rid at least 150 things (jewelry and clothes). I’m still shocked that I had that much. I also haven’t counted what’s left, but I kept about 6 pairs of pants, several knit skirts, and assorted sweaters and tops that go with all of the bottoms. Most everything is solid colors – no patterns except for lots of Breton stripes – guess that’s my uniform. More than what’s needed for a capsule wardrobe, but a lot of the stuff spans seasons, and is enough that I shouldn’t need to shop for clothes for a long time.
I was ruthless in what I got rid of – I had some beautiful, quality things that are now 2 sizes too small. I’ve held on to them for years because it felt wasteful to let go of things that I might be able to wear someday. I also got rid of a lot of newer things that fit, but don’t suit my middle-aged self – I was buying things that worked for the younger me. That was kind of painful – money thrown away, and facing the middle-aged spread. Hopefully, someone else will enjoy them.
My color palette is now very limited (black, blue, white, gray, and a little pink), the stuff I kept is very basic, simple, and comfortable – the things I reach for every morning while bypassing trendier things. I won’t be as stylish as I would like, but for now that works. I’ll have to look into scarves to add a little interest – I worry a little that I’m settling into a kind of comfortable frumpiness that will make me invisible, but whatever. It's only clothes, and I can change what doesn't work long-term.
Best of all - I love opening drawers and closets in the morning and seeing what I have, and finding what I want right away – everything is nice, neat and organized instead of crammed into overstuffed drawers. It no longer takes 5 minutes rummaging through the jewelry box to look for the earrings I want – I only kept the 6 pair that I always wear.
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I brought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store yesterday and I think I will return a cardigan I bought last weekend. I have been searching for the right summer weight black cardigan for a couple years now and I finally found it last weekend. I wore it earlier this week with the patterned skirt (another meeting that required dressing up) and am very pleased with it - it's a keeper. However, I also picked up another cardigan while I was in the store. It is my favorite color (lime green), fits well and it was on super sale ($12), but when I look into my closet, I already have 3 other cardigans very similar to it (not this exact shade and shape, but similar). So I think I will bring it back. I like it a lot, but I simply DO NOT NEED IT!
Alternately, if it's in better shape, easier care, or more versatile than those other 3, you could replace one of those cardigans.
Yes, that's true. One of the 3 cardis has been tentatively on the chopping block for a while (it is at least 10 years old but has held up amazingly well) - I used to wear it a lot, but haven't worn it that much recently. I will try out some different outfits with all of them and decide.
You can go all, "Magic art of tidying up" and thank your cardigan for it's service and let it go =) I've been trying to work on this- I feel bad getting rid of clothes I've worn to death. My poor SO usually has to intervene and tell me I'm starting to look homeless and I should probably get rid of the shoes/shirt/pants/whatever that is dingy and filled with holes.
I have been on the library waiting list for this book forever now! I think I will just buy it instead. I saw it at Target for something like $11.
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Best of all - I love opening drawers and closets in the morning and seeing what I have, and finding what I want right away – everything is nice, neat and organized instead of crammed into overstuffed drawers. It no longer takes 5 minutes rummaging through the jewelry box to look for the earrings I want – I only kept the 6 pair that I always wear.
I agree! Mornings are so much easier for me. I actually know where things are and what I actually have.
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I brought a bunch of clothes to the consignment store yesterday and I think I will return a cardigan I bought last weekend. I have been searching for the right summer weight black cardigan for a couple years now and I finally found it last weekend. I wore it earlier this week with the patterned skirt (another meeting that required dressing up) and am very pleased with it - it's a keeper. However, I also picked up another cardigan while I was in the store. It is my favorite color (lime green), fits well and it was on super sale ($12), but when I look into my closet, I already have 3 other cardigans very similar to it (not this exact shade and shape, but similar). So I think I will bring it back. I like it a lot, but I simply DO NOT NEED IT!
Alternately, if it's in better shape, easier care, or more versatile than those other 3, you could replace one of those cardigans.
Yes, that's true. One of the 3 cardis has been tentatively on the chopping block for a while (it is at least 10 years old but has held up amazingly well) - I used to wear it a lot, but haven't worn it that much recently. I will try out some different outfits with all of them and decide.
You can go all, "Magic art of tidying up" and thank your cardigan for it's service and let it go =) I've been trying to work on this- I feel bad getting rid of clothes I've worn to death. My poor SO usually has to intervene and tell me I'm starting to look homeless and I should probably get rid of the shoes/shirt/pants/whatever that is dingy and filled with holes.
I have been on the library waiting list for this book forever now! I think I will just buy it instead. I saw it at Target for something like $11.
I broke down and bought the eBook on Amazon. It was about $7, and I had a few $1 off things piled up for shipping things slow (Prime). The book is amazing. I'm so happy I purchased it. I read the whole book in 3 days. I'm going to reread the clothing chapter and rewatch the folding videos tonight. I'm tackling my clothing tomorrow. Wish me luck!
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So I broke down too and got the Marie Kondo book as well. I opted for a paper version over an e-book. I'm excited to read it this weekend!
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I just put in a request at my library for the Marie Kondo book. There are 391 waiting ahead of me but apparently they have 71 books so I'm hoping I can get it by end of summer.
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So I broke down too and got the Marie Kondo book as well. I opted for a paper version over an e-book. I'm excited to read it this weekend!
Half way through it and I love it! So glad I decided to buy it. I was vastly skeptical about this book when I read all the enthusiastic reviews. But it speaks to me on so many levels! And the seemingly hokey advice to thank your items for their service and serving their purpose? That is truly the best part :-) - very effective for saying goodbye to various items kept for sentimental reasons.
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I had a long black skirt with a blue flower pattern and I used fabric dye to make the flowers purple to match my vest tops. I'm wearing the skirt and a vest top under a pink cardigan today with a gold pendant necklace and my pink flats.:)
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I put the decluttering book on request at the library.
Looking at my closet now and working on pulling at least a few more things out. Struggling because I am down to things I like but that don't work all they well for one reason or another. Anyone else getting stuck at that point?
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Lovely! Thank you for posting. I agree - the green dress and purple sweater combo is awesome.
Thank you!
In response to your question about things we've given up on, I'm reconsidering my entire previous strategy of dark jewel-tone clothing with black as the primary neutral. Maybe it's the season, but that seems depressing now. I've also gotten rid of some standards (work tops, dresses) that I realized were not flattering.
Overall I'm pleased with how simple my closet is, even with items shoved in the back in preparation for donation/swapping/selling.
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I put the decluttering book on request at the library.
Looking at my closet now and working on pulling at least a few more things out. Struggling because I am down to things I like but that don't work all they well for one reason or another. Anyone else getting stuck at that point?
I think reading the book may help with that. She advises on doing it the other way: decide what to keep not what to discard.
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I put the decluttering book on request at the library.
Looking at my closet now and working on pulling at least a few more things out. Struggling because I am down to things I like but that don't work all they well for one reason or another. Anyone else getting stuck at that point?
I think reading the book may help with that. She advises on doing it the other way: decide what to keep not what to discard.
Ah! Like packing a suitcase! Very interesting. I hadn't thought of it that way. But I am a very light packer with the goal of taking only things maximally useful and repeating things several times. I will turn fresh eyes to some of my clothing with that in mind.
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I put the decluttering book on request at the library.
Looking at my closet now and working on pulling at least a few more things out. Struggling because I am down to things I like but that don't work all they well for one reason or another. Anyone else getting stuck at that point?
I think reading the book may help with that. She advises on doing it the other way: decide what to keep not what to discard.
Ah! Like packing a suitcase! Very interesting. I hadn't thought of it that way. But I am a very light packer with the goal of taking only things maximally useful and repeating things several times. I will turn fresh eyes to some of my clothing with that in mind.
Yes, I like your analogy. Like packing a suitcase for your life. So pick the things you truly love and that make you happy and bring you joy.
I did another purge this morning and let go of some things that I liked but that weren't quit right for various reasons. I'm almost done with the book and highly recommend it!
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As we are making progress forward on our capsule/minimalist wardrobes:
What items did you use to love that you've now parted ways with?
Anything you used to swear by and maybe love that you've let go of - for whatever reason? Any particular items or style of items?
I am also working on letting go of a lot of my costume jewelry.
I can't seem to let go of costume jewelry either. I would say I wear half of the 40 pieces I have, but I can't seem to let go of the 20 pieces I don't wear that often, but they "still give me joy". My number of pieces are considerably downsized from when I "Kondo'd" late last year. I'm not too concerned, it doesn't take up that much physical space, but it's weird considering I've been able to easily minimize in other areas.
Yup, me too. I used to be all about the "statement necklace." I'd wear the same earrings each day, but then a chunky brightly colored necklace even with a t-shirt and jeans. I don't think it was a bad look, but I'm over it.
I still have my necklaces hanging on hooks though. I almost never wear them. And there are a few I didn't even used to wear when I did wear necklaces. But they don't take up much room, and I feel like I *might* neeeed them one day. Hmmmm, I should go through and give away at least half. I really should.
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I'm the opposite with jewelry - I own almost none, because I never wear it. My ears are stretched/gauged, so I have tunnels or plugs in them all the time, and a cartilage piercing in the right one that I couldn't take out if I wanted to (no idea how). That and my wedding ring is all I ever wear.
Day-to-day, it doesn't matter, as I'm pretty much exclusively a jean & t-shirt kind of girl (+ scrubs for work and gym clothes for the gym), but on the rare occasions I do dress up, I'd like to have jewelry to wear. I just don't know what to get or how to wear it.
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I read the book, and while I thought that some things were silly (her assertion that she's been studying the art of tidying since she was five years old and she used to look at her mom's lifestyle magazines, even though she couldn't read), I read with an open mind. And I'll admit to thanking things for their service, no matter how uncomfortable I felt about it. And you know what? It did help me get rid of things that I would have otherwise felt too guilty to donate.
Clothes were hard for me, because I have never cared about them, so literally the only piece of clothing that I own that sparked joy is a five year old pair of sweatpants that I bought at Target. It's not practical for me to get rid of EVERYthing else, because unfortunately my boss would frown upon me wearing them every day, so I had to use the parameter of "does this fit me well?" (most things don't) and "is it comfortable?" (which is really my main clothing criteria). I was able to get rid of massive amounts of stuff, and my closet is so flipping clean that it's a joy to look inside it.
But probably the most helpful part about the whole thing is that now that all of the noise is gone, I can easily see what the gaps are in my closet, what kinds of things I tend towards, and can make a list of what to buy in the future. I also won't make the mistakes of buying certain things that I got rid of, because I'm not really aware of which things I don't like/aren't comfortable enough.
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Today I'm wearing the long purple patterned skirt again with the pink flats and a three quarter length sleeve top in the same shade of purple. I dyed the top at the same time as the skirt. :) I'm adding a silver necklace with a pink pendant.
But probably the most helpful part about the whole thing is that now that all of the noise is gone, I can easily see what the gaps are in my closet, what kinds of things I tend towards, and can make a list of what to buy in the future. I also won't make the mistakes of buying certain things that I got rid of, because I'm not really aware of which things I don't like/aren't comfortable enough.
+1. I know I won't just buy clothes randomly again as I know what I'm looking for if I need to buy a certain item of clothing.
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Another week - another uniform. Standard blue pants. Blue and white stripped shirt - this one has little gold buttons on the sleeves and shoulders. I love these shirts and have 4 very similar shirts.... it is my weakness. I think they flatter me and are classic and preppy. I love them w/ jeans and w/ dress pants and in the summer w/ shorts and in the winter over a turtleneck.... So, maybe I should see if I can part with one or two of them, but I would rather give up (and have) other long sleeved shirts in favor of these.
This weekend I culled about 80% of my costume jewelry - got rid of 3 bins worth of stuff (plastic bin for jewelry, not a giant Rubbermaid tote or anything). Took another bag of clothing out of my closet. Probably have a few pairs of pants to part with that I just haven't quite come to terms w/ yet.
Getting back in the saddle for no clothes buying for at least 3 months, but hoping to make it to years end. I'll evaluate at 3 month mark if there is anything I need.
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Another week - another uniform. Standard blue pants. Blue and white stripped shirt - this one has little gold buttons on the sleeves and shoulders. I love these shirts and have 4 very similar shirts.... it is my weakness. I think they flatter me and are classic and preppy. I love them w/ jeans and w/ dress pants and in the summer w/ shorts and in the winter over a turtleneck.... So, maybe I should see if I can part with one or two of them, but I would rather give up (and have) other long sleeved shirts in favor of these.
This weekend I culled about 80% of my costume jewelry - got rid of 3 bins worth of stuff (plastic bin for jewelry, not a giant Rubbermaid tote or anything). Took another bag of clothing out of my closet. Probably have a few pairs of pants to part with that I just haven't quite come to terms w/ yet.
Getting back in the saddle for no clothes buying for at least 3 months, but hoping to make it to years end. I'll evaluate at 3 month mark if there is anything I need.
Love the look today. Very timeless. I feel like the shoulder structure on that shirt lends a very 'statuesque' appearance. Well done =)
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Somewhat relevant:
I created a new thread about Clothing Swaps. http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/90-of-my-wardrobe-is-$0-new-to-me-and-changes-every-6-months!/
Essentially it could go hand-in-hand with creating a capsule wardrobe. As you pare down your clothing and get rid of stuff, a clothing swap might allow you to fill some gaps (if you have any).
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I really like my fairly new pink cardigan. :) Today I'm wearing a knee length black skirt, black vest top with the cardigan, sandals and a long chunky grey, black and silver necklace.
Another week - another uniform. Standard blue pants. Blue and white stripped shirt - this one has little gold buttons on the sleeves and shoulders. I love these shirts and have 4 very similar shirts.... it is my weakness. I think they flatter me and are classic and preppy. I love them w/ jeans and w/ dress pants and in the summer w/ shorts and in the winter over a turtleneck.... So, maybe I should see if I can part with one or two of them, but I would rather give up (and have) other long sleeved shirts in favor of these.
I like striped tops like that.:) It looks good on you.
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I'm with Bracken_Joy, I think that outfit works very well on you.
I had a friend over on the weekend to drop off clothes for the swap and evaluate some of my question marks. She is solidly anti-tan jacket, as expected. She has much more of a hoarding tendency than I do, though, and encouraged me to hang on to other pieces, because why not? I think I need to ignore other people's advice for now and go by what the mirror/camera tells me.
Psyched that you're hosting a swap!!
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@mspeacock - love the striped top. Keep the four tops - they give you joy (you'll understand when you read Marie Kondo!). Don't minimize just for the sake of it, if you know you're going to wear all four of them. Some of them are bound to wear out quicker than others.
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Ladies - thank you for the complements today! Fortunately, these shirts are pretty easy to find (H&M always seems to have some) so I can keep up my blue/white striped shirt habit. :)
Here is a recent article about Kondo from the NYT.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/garden/home-organization-advice-from-marie-kondo.html?_r=0
The lovely pictures of her organized kitchen drawers make me want to tackle the 3(!) junk drawers in my kitchen. I'm sure that I don't need the 200 or so pencils/pens that seem to live there.
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I think Marie Kondo is a bit like Mr. MMM, in that they are both extremists and use language we might not be familiar with (flowery/cutesy or badass and swear-y) but that it works well that way, so that people can take away major ideas and water it down to their own level.
Someone explained this aspect of MMM elsewhere, and I'm finding I can't do it justice. Hopefully you know what I mean.
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I think Marie Kondo is a bit like Mr. MMM, in that they are both extremists and use language we might not be familiar with (flowery/cutesy or badass and swear-y) but that it works well that way, so that people can take away major ideas and water it down to their own level.
Someone explained this aspect of MMM elsewhere, and I'm finding I can't do it justice. Hopefully you know what I mean.
Absolutely agree. They are caricatures. I feel like if you met either one of them, they would be a much more subtle and complex person. But subtle and complex doesn't convey ideas as quickly or memorably. No one likes taking ideas from middle of the road people. We like extreme representations. Love it or hate it, they stick with us.
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I think Marie Kondo is a bit like Mr. MMM, in that they are both extremists and use language we might not be familiar with (flowery/cutesy or badass and swear-y) but that it works well that way, so that people can take away major ideas and water it down to their own level.
Someone explained this aspect of MMM elsewhere, and I'm finding I can't do it justice. Hopefully you know what I mean.
Absolutely agree. They are caricatures. I feel like if you met either one of them, they would be a much more subtle and complex person. But subtle and complex doesn't convey ideas as quickly or memorably. No one likes taking ideas from middle of the road people. We like extreme representations. Love it or hate it, they stick with us.
Thank you! Very nicely explained.
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Lovely! Thank you for posting. I agree - the green dress and purple sweater combo is awesome.
Thank you!
In response to your question about things we've given up on, I'm reconsidering my entire previous strategy of dark jewel-tone clothing with black as the primary neutral. Maybe it's the season, but that seems depressing now. I've also gotten rid of some standards (work tops, dresses) that I realized were not flattering.
Overall I'm pleased with how simple my closet is, even with items shoved in the back in preparation for donation/swapping/selling.
That's pretty much my color scheme as well, and I agree with you that it doesn't always work for summer! What I've been adding in is more white, light grey (which goes along with the black I think), and yellows and greens. I just got a sweater (for free) that is 3/4 sleeve and is white with a yellow and black floral print on it. Actually there's more yellow than white showing. This over a white tank top is very summery and cheerful!
So, add in some white to lighten up for the summer. Everything that looks good with black will look good with white, and the jewel colors will look brighter.
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I think Marie Kondo is a bit like Mr. MMM, in that they are both extremists and use language we might not be familiar with (flowery/cutesy or badass and swear-y) but that it works well that way, so that people can take away major ideas and water it down to their own level.
Someone explained this aspect of MMM elsewhere, and I'm finding I can't do it justice. Hopefully you know what I mean.
Absolutely agree. They are caricatures. I feel like if you met either one of them, they would be a much more subtle and complex person. But subtle and complex doesn't convey ideas as quickly or memorably. No one likes taking ideas from middle of the road people. We like extreme representations. Love it or hate it, they stick with us.
Thank you! Very nicely explained.
I like both of your explanations. Very true.
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I think Marie Kondo is a bit like Mr. MMM, in that they are both extremists and use language we might not be familiar with (flowery/cutesy or badass and swear-y) but that it works well that way, so that people can take away major ideas and water it down to their own level.
Someone explained this aspect of MMM elsewhere, and I'm finding I can't do it justice. Hopefully you know what I mean.
I'm still on the waiting list for the Kondo book but I've read excerpts. It reminds me very much of Japanese culture, particularly the obsession with "kawaii" (which means cute, but is taken to en extreme). There a sort of precociousness to it, for lack of a better explanation. Grown women wear pink, frothy lace dresses with bows and kittens. I attributed her cutesiness to simply a cultural thing, which would not be at all out of place in Japan, but to Americans and maybe westerners in general, it feels bit it overly twee.
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I think Marie Kondo is a bit like Mr. MMM, in that they are both extremists and use language we might not be familiar with (flowery/cutesy or badass and swear-y) but that it works well that way, so that people can take away major ideas and water it down to their own level.
Someone explained this aspect of MMM elsewhere, and I'm finding I can't do it justice. Hopefully you know what I mean.
I'm still on the waiting list for the Kondo book but I've read excerpts. It reminds me very much of Japanese culture, particularly the obsession with "kawaii" (which means cute, but is taken to en extreme). There a sort of precociousness, to it, for lack of a better explanation. Grown women where pink, frothy lace dresses with bows and kittens. I attributed her cutesiness to simply a cultural thing, which would not be at all out of place in Japan, but to Americans and maybe westerners in general, it feels bit it overly twee.
When I read the book, it seemed more like "Muji" in thinking, but written in "Hello Kitty" style - both very much loved by the Japanese!
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That's pretty much my color scheme as well, and I agree with you that it doesn't always work for summer! What I've been adding in is more white, light grey (which goes along with the black I think), and yellows and greens. I just got a sweater (for free) that is 3/4 sleeve and is white with a yellow and black floral print on it. Actually there's more yellow than white showing. This over a white tank top is very summery and cheerful!
So, add in some white to lighten up for the summer. Everything that looks good with black will look good with white, and the jewel colors will look brighter.
I like this method in theory, but in reality I ruin everything white. That actually may be the ultimate source of my dark color scheme. I'll open my mind to white if I come across something free/ultra-cheap, though.
Psyched that you're hosting a swap!!
I am too! After reading your other thread, I'm planning on having this twice a year, with more advance notice next time. (Assuming it goes well, of course.)
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Today I'm wearing the same black skirt and sandals as yesterday with a blue and white long sleeved striped top. I didn't use to wear stripes but I think they can be flattering. I'm also wearing a long silver and blue necklace.
I want to buy a few more necklaces, I used to wear earrings, rings and bracelets but I donated them all and I just stick to necklaces now. I think they can really make a difference to an outfit and people tend to notice them.
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Another day, same pants, old shirt - the one I sort of struggle with. It stayed through the last purge. I like it - color, cut - but I find it hard to match to anything. I think it works pretty well w/ these pants. So, so far it has made the cut.
IDK WTH is going on w/ my hair today. I should have blocked out my entire head. :P
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MsPeacock, I like your top a lot and love the shoes you are wearing. As to the hair, if your weather is anything like my weather today, the conditions are ideal for a bad hair day ;-)
I have been sticking to my uniform for the last couple of weeks and it's been working well. I picked up my beige pants from the tailor this morning. Hopefully this is the last clothes related expense for the summer.
I saw that you have recommitted to "no clothes shopping" and I feel that I need to do the same. I had a legitimate need to replace some items (no summer pants or shorts from last year fit me and some T-shirts were looking ratty) but once I started shopping for needed items, I ended up buying other stuff and that is no good! I need a shopping fast :-)
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I saw that you have recommitted to "no clothes shopping" and I feel that I need to do the same. I had a legitimate need to replace some items (no summer pants or shorts from last year fit me and some T-shirts were looking ratty) but once I started shopping for needed items, I ended up buying other stuff and that is no good! I need a shopping fast :-)
It is very easy for me to slide into shopping! Too easy. I think that having a 'uniform' will help slow that down a lot because it sets very specific parameters for what I will buy for work (vs. looking for something 'cute,' looking for something that I have some vague idea will suit my 'style,' buying something trendy because it catches my eyes, or (most commonly) emotional shopping. I made a few wrong turns during May but overall came out w/ pieces which will get a lot more use and really got rid of a lot of excess. I also feel better, on average, about what I am wearing, because it all fits and it all comfortable and looks decent (sometimes very good to great).
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Been on my uniform for three weeks now and I'm loving it. I'm half way through my closet cleanup but I can already see the back of my closet :) Yay!!
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Another day, same pants, white sweater, teal button down blouse (recent purchase because it fits w/ the general uniform of blouse/sweater/pants).
And Awesome Sauce to everyone who is cutting back their clothes habits, cleaning out their closets, working on streamlining their lives, etc.!!!!!
Question: Should I keep posting pictures?
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Yes! Please keep posting photos. I keep meaning to comment as I read all the posts and really enjoy the photos. I love your classic style.
I am not sure how old you are (maybe you said) but I think you have nailed the look for most women (not too young and trendy and not too old and frumpy).
My favourite outfit to date is the second last one with the blue top and the blue ballet flats, it looks great.
I keep wondering who takes the photos?
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That's pretty much my color scheme as well, and I agree with you that it doesn't always work for summer! What I've been adding in is more white, light grey (which goes along with the black I think), and yellows and greens. I just got a sweater (for free) that is 3/4 sleeve and is white with a yellow and black floral print on it. Actually there's more yellow than white showing. This over a white tank top is very summery and cheerful!
So, add in some white to lighten up for the summer. Everything that looks good with black will look good with white, and the jewel colors will look brighter.
I like this method in theory, but in reality I ruin everything white. That actually may be the ultimate source of my dark color scheme. I'll open my mind to white if I come across something free/ultra-cheap, though.
Psyched that you're hosting a swap!!
I am too! After reading your other thread, I'm planning on having this twice a year, with more advance notice next time. (Assuming it goes well, of course.)
I'm pretty rough on white too, but bleach still works! And the thrift store will always have more basic white things.
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Commenting to follow
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Yes! Please keep posting photos. I keep meaning to comment as I read all the posts and really enjoy the photos. I love your classic style.
I am not sure how old you are (maybe you said) but I think you have nailed the look for most women (not too young and trendy and not too old and frumpy).
My favourite outfit to date is the second last one with the blue top and the blue ballet flats, it looks great.
I keep wondering who takes the photos?
Thank you! I will keep it up w/ the photos then for the time being.
I just prop my phone against a tissue box and use the timer on it to take the photos (with the camera reversed so I can see the screen and know I am positioned right).
I am closer to 50 than I am to 40. ;) I have transitioned from high heels and more complicated (?) outfits to flats and elastic waist/stretchy clothing because I have started having pretty significant joint problems. I do feel a bit frumpy (comparative to my wardrobe 5 or 10 years ago) - so thank you for saying I'm hitting the mark pretty well being in a happy middle ground.
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Popping back in to add that it would welcome if anyone else feels comfortable posting pictures - even if it is just the outfits hung up or laid out or whatever.
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MsPeacock, I like that you do upload the photos....let me see if I can figure it out. Though I don't yet have a capsule, maybe it would nudge me that way. (For now I like keeping more once in a while pieces).
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Same blue pants, old shirt from Kohl's Vera Wang, and new blue cardigan purchased as part of the ongoing uniform project.
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Just wanted to chime in and say that I love your photos and would love for you to keep posting them.
I posted my wardrobe in the other thread that I linked earlier, and I'd post my daily outfits, except that I don't work out of the house over the summer and considering I haven't left the house in 3 days (other than in the yard) they'd all consist of black yoga pants and a t-shirt.
I wear the stuff in my wardrobe anytime I leave the house for an occasional work-type meeting, to go to the store, or have something social. But, it would probably be slightly different choices if I were working FT (like my fall wardrobe will be).
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Same blue pants, old shirt from Kohl's Vera Wang, and new blue cardigan purchased as part of the ongoing uniform project.
MsPeacock, your outfit today is very similar to what I consider my uniform look. Just some very minor differences in the fit (I prefer longer cardigans and more fitted/shorter pants). I like it a lot.
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I'm voting for you to keep updating us, too!
I've been lurking in this thread, but I've recently *had* to buy quite a few new items of clothing and took the opportunity to try to create a bit of a uniform for myself. I'm loving it! Workdays I wear a fitted, knee-length shift dress with a cardigan and flats, weekends I wear flowy, stretchy (comfy!) knee-length dresses with cardigans and flats :-)
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I can't remember if I mentioned this before but there are meant to be four universally flattering colours, eggplant purple, teal, true red and rose. I have bought tops in these colours.
Yesterday I wore my knee length black skirt with sandals and a purple and black striped top. Today it is the same bottom but with a teal fitted t-shirt. :)
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I sign up for the email specials at places i shop a lot at. I'll wait until they'll have a 20, 30 or even 40-50% off certain items, usually planned ahead of time. I wear a lot of jeans, so when they come on sale i stock up, and i'm good for months then. I needed dress pants, waited and caught them on sale. I only need one pair but i have lots of different tops to go with them. If you keep the pants/skirts selection simpler, its easy to spice it up with different tops. Black pants can go with a ton of different outfits
A trick i heard was to take ALL your hangers and reverse them on your clothes bar so they hook in backwards. If after 4 or 6 or 8 months some are still reversed on your hangers, it means you have not worn it once in that time. Probably time for it to go out the door then.
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What items did you use to love that you've now parted ways with?
I wore a green-and-purple (with cream) leaf-patterned skirt into the GROUND. It was pretty much unwearable by the time I finally threw it out. I own a great deal of green and purple (tops, jackets, jewelry), so it was actually an invaluable multi-use item of clothing, and on those rare occasions when I'm in a clothing store, I always poke around to see if there's something that might serve as a replacement.
In terms of things I actively gave up despite loving them in the past ... hmm. A few jackets; boiled-wool jackets always call out to me and I love them, but they just don't fit well in my wardrobe unless they're fancy enough to replace a suit jacket at work, which is rare. I donated a bunch this year, and have promised myself not to buy any more, much as I love them in theory.
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I still have a massively large wardrobe, but after some significant purging, I can better see everything that is left, and I am again aware of some pieces that had gotten forgotten. I'm finding getting dressed to be much easier.
My next step is to get rid of pieces that I really like (and even wear) but that don't really go with my personal style. There are the kind of things I buy because I see them and think how elegant and regal they are. Except I am not elegant and regal, and almost nothing in my wardrobe is elegant and regal. I think my test will be, "If someone see this, would they think, 'that looks like something Villanelle would wear?'" If the answer is "no", it needs to go. That's also a test for future shopping. Something I shop as though I'm playing dress up, and I end up with one item that I could wear to tea with the queen, the next to a punk rock show, and a third to a hippy love-in. All great pieces. But sticking more to one style will cut down on number of pieces, and also make it so everything is more mix and match, with fewer closet orphans.
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There are the kind of things I buy because I see them and think how elegant and regal they are. Except I am not elegant and regal, and almost nothing in my wardrobe is elegant and regal.
Yep, this is me. I wish I would've found this thread a week ago. I have so much stuff like this and it all gets pushed to the side.
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Something I shop as though I'm playing dress up, and I end up with one item that I could wear to tea with the queen, the next to a punk rock show, and a third to a hippy love-in. All great pieces. But sticking more to one style will cut down on number of pieces, and also make it so everything is more mix and match, with fewer closet orphans.
I still keep some outlier items, but I used to have way more of the above than I do currently. Like 'this is my dress for if I need to go to a Germanic themed event in the summer'. I did use that one in germany and also for the world cup, but still. Hyper specific.
Things I'm still holding onto: the holiday vest for thanksgiving that I wear maybe three times a year, the theme shirt for a friend's family's annual thanksgiving (which I wear when I go back), the vests I use at christmas, the Mets shirt I wear once a year at a Mets game. I still have some work to do in this area though some pieces do give me joy (specifically holiday outfits). Others are relics of the past (pink sequined shirt, I'm looking at you).
Part of my issue with buying clothes was that I just became so enamored of them. I still feel this way about much of what's in my closet. Other stuff is still lurking 'just because'/'in case'.
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I'm mainly uniform for work. I'm not game to go fully capsule as there are times when you want situation appropriate clothing.
Examples are the following that I'm holding on to because I would rather have it when needed, than have to shop for a new item:
1. formal dresses - I have 4 but only need 1 in my wardrobe but I can't decide which 1 one to get rid of.
2. suit jacket - only worn once this year, but it's good to have one on hand.
3. skimpy summer dresses only suitable for the beach (14 times a year?) - I have 3 of these, probably only need 2.
4. @norabird - I too have a Met's tshirt that I wear 4 times a year!
I like the uniform for work as it has definitely saved me money ... and time (less thinking in the morning about what to wear!).
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I just did my first capsule wardrobe! I followed the instructions from here:
http://www.un-fancy.com/capsule-wardrobe-101/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe/
I exempted my formal gowns from the capsule as they are rarely worn, but I do need them because we go on a free cruise once a year, which requires formal attire. They can hang in the back of the closet where they won't bother anyone.
I really love the idea of it, and it makes me absolutely not want to go shopping at all, which is great.
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I can't remember if I mentioned this before but there are meant to be four universally flattering colours, eggplant purple, teal, true red and rose. I have bought tops in these colours.
Yesterday I wore my knee length black skirt with sandals and a purple and black striped top. Today it is the same bottom but with a teal fitted t-shirt. :)
I like these colors, so I will have to remember this -I have no understanding of what colors look good on me, which is why my wardrobe is mostly black & gray.
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I can't remember if I mentioned this before but there are meant to be four universally flattering colours, eggplant purple, teal, true red and rose. I have bought tops in these colours.
This is really interesting, I hadn't heard/read it before, but the inclusion of true red makes me wonder. True red is on my don't-even-think-about-it list, along with all true (or pure or clear) colours. Most flattering for me are dusty or muddied or burnt colours, at least around my face. Eggplant & teal are definitely favourites though and I find rose (and dusty coral) is particularly flattering in the summer when most other colours seem to accentuate my pastiness.
Edited for extra words
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^I'm not so keen on the rose shade but I bought a vest top in that colour. I looked on Pinterest and they have pictures of four very different looking women (different colourings and hair) wearing the four colours and they did seem to suit all of them.:)
http://www.lovelyish.com/2008/11/13/the-4-most-universally-flattering-colors-for-clothing/
Today I'm wearing my black knee length dress, my bright pink cardigan and my usual sandals with a blue and silver statement necklace.
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I've been following and had to jump in here ;-)
I always had trouble finding clothes that flattered until I had my colours done - I am a Spring and my mother was a Winter, so no wonder the clothes she bought when I was a child looked so bad - well, really I looked unhealthy in them. No black, ever, I look like the guest of honour at a funeral. Navy and most greys, the same. It does limit the choices, but at least things I buy do look good on me.
My basic colour (pants, skirts, shoes) is chocolate to dark brown in winter and tan/beige in summer, with tops for colour. I have nice tops in eggplant (didn't know that was the name for that purple) and the Indian Teal is my best winter colour, to the point that I get teased about it. Paler in summer. The true red and mellow rose, nope, I need more orange for both of those. I wouldn't look awful in them, just not great.
It is interesting to see what colour can do to an outfit, the fabric, style, everything can be wonderful, but if the colour is not flattering - forget it.
^I'm not so keen on the rose shade but I bought a vest top in that colour. I looked on Pinterest and they have pictures of four very different looking women (different colourings and hair) wearing the four colours and they did seem to suit all of them.:)
http://www.lovelyish.com/2008/11/13/the-4-most-universally-flattering-colors-for-clothing/
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I've been following and had to jump in here ;-)
I always had trouble finding clothes that flattered until I had my colours done - I am a Spring and my mother was a Winter, so no wonder the clothes she bought when I was a child looked so bad - well, really I looked unhealthy in them. No black, ever, I look like the guest of honour at a funeral. Navy and most greys, the same. It does limit the choices, but at least things I buy do look good on me.
My basic colour (pants, skirts, shoes) is chocolate to dark brown in winter and tan/beige in summer, with tops for colour. I have nice tops in eggplant (didn't know that was the name for that purple) and the Indian Teal is my best winter colour, to the point that I get teased about it. Paler in summer. The true red and mellow rose, nope, I need more orange for both of those. I wouldn't look awful in them, just not great.
It is interesting to see what colour can do to an outfit, the fabric, style, everything can be wonderful, but if the colour is not flattering - forget it.
^I'm not so keen on the rose shade but I bought a vest top in that colour. I looked on Pinterest and they have pictures of four very different looking women (different colourings and hair) wearing the four colours and they did seem to suit all of them.:)
http://www.lovelyish.com/2008/11/13/the-4-most-universally-flattering-colors-for-clothing/
I agree. :)
It was a bit of a challenge for me with making a capsule wardrobe as I'm very pale with blue grey eyes but since I've been a teenager I have always coloured my hair either blonde or a very dark brown and I've only had my natural hair colour for the last three or so years. It's reddish light brown naturally and so I wasn't sure if the colours I wore before would still suit me.
I think I made some mistakes buying the wrong colour clothing for a while but I'm starting to get the hang of it.:)
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How does one get their colors done?
I'm not sure about the universal colors - eggplant makes me look corpse-like.
Navy is best on me, black often is bad, grey is iffy, and tan is challenging (although I continue to wear black, tan, and grey because they are universally *useful* wardrobe colors). I know i look good in pink, light green, light blue, etc. Terrible in orange - orange might be worse on me than anything. I also look bad in "heathered" colors - and they seem to represent almost all the clothes available for fall/winter - which means I have lots of great summer sweaters and few winter sweaters.
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I paid to get my colors "done" at a local boutique that offered the service. That was over 10 years ago, but I think it was worth the money at the time, about $125. I really helped me focus and stop wasting money. They also helped me figure out my overall style which further helped me not make mistakes.
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Another day - more Lands End pants, blouse (old), and cardigan (new, Lands End, purchased for uniform purchases).
I've tried a couple weeks of wearing the same pants for 4 days - I feel too grungy. Will try a 2 day cycle now and see how that goes. I have enough pants that I don't need to wear any of them for 4 days. All the pants are machine washable, so it isn't such an issue to get several wearings out of them before they have to go to the dry cleaners.
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I'm wearing a knee length patterned dress with some black exercise shorts underneath with sandals and no jewelry. Not my best look but I couldn't be bothered this morning.:P
I need to get a more dressy pair of shorts or short leggings to wear underneath some of my dresses as I have to go out in the garden with my dogs and sometimes I worry my dress will blow up if it's windy weather.
I'm not too keen on the dress either so that might be the latest thing to purge and replace with something I like to wear. Through doing this minimalist thing with my clothes I've realised I'm not that fond of patterned or printed clothing.
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How does one get their colors done?
I'm not sure about the universal colors - eggplant makes me look corpse-like.
Navy is best on me, black often is bad, grey is iffy, and tan is challenging (although I continue to wear black, tan, and grey because they are universally *useful* wardrobe colors). I know i look good in pink, light green, light blue, etc. Terrible in orange - orange might be worse on me than anything. I also look bad in "heathered" colors - and they seem to represent almost all the clothes available for fall/winter - which means I have lots of great summer sweaters and few winter sweaters.
I think the biggest thing is to check out whether you are warm or cool toned. Google it to see if you think you look better in crisp white or an ivory color. There are a TON of articles out there to figure out. I am cool, so I have weeding through my wardrobe looking for the cool colors. Whatever the color, red, purple, blue, etc.....if the tone of the color is cooler (for me) my skin, eyes, hair look stunning. If I put on a warm shade of red, purple, blue, etc (wearing the EXACT same makeup/hair style) then I look drabby, worn out, terrible (all in my opinion). Even for my daughter and son, I steer towards their shades.
The best example is if you have cool shade of pink and a warm shade of pink, depending on your undertone, you will look awesome in one shade and less favorable in the other.
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How does one get their colors done?
I'm not sure about the universal colors - eggplant makes me look corpse-like.
Navy is best on me, black often is bad, grey is iffy, and tan is challenging (although I continue to wear black, tan, and grey because they are universally *useful* wardrobe colors). I know i look good in pink, light green, light blue, etc. Terrible in orange - orange might be worse on me than anything. I also look bad in "heathered" colors - and they seem to represent almost all the clothes available for fall/winter - which means I have lots of great summer sweaters and few winter sweaters.
I think the biggest thing is to check out whether you are warm or cool toned. Google it to see if you think you look better in crisp white or an ivory color. There are a TON of articles out there to figure out. I am cool, so I have weeding through my wardrobe looking for the cool colors. Whatever the color, red, purple, blue, etc.....if the tone of the color is cooler (for me) my skin, eyes, hair look stunning. If I put on a warm shade of red, purple, blue, etc (wearing the EXACT same makeup/hair style) then I look drabby, worn out, terrible (all in my opinion). Even for my daughter and son, I steer towards their shades.
The best example is if you have cool shade of pink and a warm shade of pink, depending on your undertone, you will look awesome in one shade and less favorable in the other.
One thing to note is that if you do any drastic changes to your hair color, your actual coloring may change significantly. I experienced this when I stopped coloring my hair about 5 years ago. I started my life as a blonde who got progressively darker as years went by. In my 30s, I started getting warm blond highlights and for years, I wore this standard hair color (at least here in the NE, every woman in her 30s and 40s seems to have the same hair - light brown with golden highlights ;-). With hazel eyes, my coloring was warm and I looked my best in various shades of orange, warm red, warm brown, black, etc with yellow gold jewelry. That is all I had in my closet. About 5 years ago I decided to stop coloring my hair and to go natural. I am over 50% gray and the remaining hair is now a cool ashy brown, so all of sudden I went from warm to cool. Brown, cream and beige are completely out. Blue and light cool gray are in. Black makes me look deathly and sad. Yellow gold jewelry makes me look about 20 years older. The only color that looked great on me before and still looks great is chartreuse - in-between yellow and green.
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Missed a day w/ photo yesterday - too Monday or something.
Anyhow - today it is the real thing uniform - white shirt, sweater, pants (love these from HM - got a second pair because they are going to get a lot of use). They wash and dry really well and I love the style.
Working on getting my shoes down to 2 hanging organizers in my closet - including my flip flops and sneakers. I am maybe 5 pairs over right now. I tried to wear a pair of low heels (1.5") this week and it just killed me - so painful now that my knees and hips are shot. So I have some pretty shoes that I have been loathe to part with (and I got rid of many of them already) - just the favorites are holding on. Emptied one shelf of my bookshelf (unrelated to clothing, but related to minimizing in general).
I am enjoying hearing about everyone's progress and outfits.
Re: Colors. I am yellow-toned in my skin, at least according to Sephora. Most definitely not pink-toned. Does this relate to being "warm" or "cool" in terms of clothing colors? I am transitioning my hair from platinum to a neutral blonde about level 8 (about the color of Taylor Swift's hair).
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Wore two things yesterday that I confirmed I want to get rid of. Just felt unflattering all day, and ran into two friends on the street of course!
I've been realizing how little black is in my wardrobe as I look around and see it increasingly becoming a default around me. Lots of black/black, black/grey, black/white pairings. I live in NY so people are sort of culturally assumed to wear a lot of black but I feel the minimalism in outfits is ramping up. I am not a minimalist and my closet is full of colors and to a lesser extent patterns. Also been seeing lots of solid colored jewel tone dresses. I don't want to buy more black/grey/white pieces or solid jewel tone dresses (no shopping challenge, plus they don't excite me), but maybe I'll try looking out for if they drop into my life. The very restrained palette just doesn't feel me, though. I was out at a bar last week where almost no one was wearing color (and I was wearing pink on pink! with sequins in the jacket!), and it just made me feel depressed to have so little of visual interest in the outfits around me. But my wardrobe is also a little schizo, since I have just picked up whatever catches my eye without a thought to cohesion, and tend to move through extremely different stages (all vintage dress! No, all plaid skirts!). I like having a variety of choices but am interested in eventually moving towards more of a simplified look.
A friend whose clothing *does* make me feel happy inside (she is so fashionable and mixes up some wonderful statement pieces) is moving and says she will have some clothing to get rid of, so looking forward to that.
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I don't think a minimalist closet means that you have to be w/o color. I like color - I don't like pattern! Black is not a good color on me, and gray and tan are iffy - so they are better for me as bottoms and stick to colored tops. I think the idea in general is to have a relatively small wardrobe w/ many things working together. That can be accomplished w/ color and patterns - just requires more skill (or at least, skills that I don't have). I would get very bored w/ just a black/grey wardrobe.
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I don't think a minimalist closet means that you have to be w/o color. I like color - I don't like pattern! Black is not a good color on me, and gray and tan are iffy - so they are better for me as bottoms and stick to colored tops. I think the idea in general is to have a relatively small wardrobe w/ many things working together. That can be accomplished w/ color and patterns - just requires more skill (or at least, skills that I don't have). I would get very bored w/ just a black/grey wardrobe.
Same here! Alot of the minimalist wardrobe blogs are all black, grey, white and tan but I know I look best in colour. I wear alot of black on the bottom but like colour near my face. I may have the same colouring and Ms. Peacock and I find all black can be harsh and have starting wear more navy (the only downside is it is impossible to match navy with navy, they are always a shade different.
I feel great in cobalt blue and is probably the number one "colour" in my closet now. It looks great with black or white bottoms or jeans.
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I don't think a minimalist closet means that you have to be w/o color. I like color - I don't like pattern! Black is not a good color on me, and gray and tan are iffy - so they are better for me as bottoms and stick to colored tops. I think the idea in general is to have a relatively small wardrobe w/ many things working together. That can be accomplished w/ color and patterns - just requires more skill (or at least, skills that I don't have). I would get very bored w/ just a black/grey wardrobe.
You're right, although my wardrobe is very minimalist in terms of color - black, gray, blue and white. I can see getting tired of it at some point My bottoms are all black, gray or navy - I think most colors go with those three. I think I can get more colorful in my tops, and still keep it small and simple. I don't really need to buy clothes for awhile, so I'll wait on that. There was a post in this thread about 4 colors that are universally flattering - all were colors I like, so I will look for those when it's time for me to buy more tops, because I've never understood which colors are right for me.
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I'm wearing my favourite outfit again today. Black pencil skirt, black vest and pink cardigan with a blue and silver statement necklace. I want to get a blue cardigan in the same style but every time I look for one they are sold out in the shade of blue I want!:P
I don't think a minimalist closet means that you have to be w/o color. I like color - I don't like pattern! Black is not a good color on me, and gray and tan are iffy - so they are better for me as bottoms and stick to colored tops. I think the idea in general is to have a relatively small wardrobe w/ many things working together. That can be accomplished w/ color and patterns - just requires more skill (or at least, skills that I don't have). I would get very bored w/ just a black/grey wardrobe.
Same here! Alot of the minimalist wardrobe blogs are all black, grey, white and tan but I know I look best in colour. I wear alot of black on the bottom but like colour near my face. I may have the same colouring and Ms. Peacock and I find all black can be harsh and have starting wear more navy (the only downside is it is impossible to match navy with navy, they are always a shade different.
I feel great in cobalt blue and is probably the number one "colour" in my closet now. It looks great with black or white bottoms or jeans.
I love that colour too. I have a floaty blouse in that colour but I want to get a couple of other tops in that colour.
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This is a goal I've been working on for about a year now. I had WAY to many clothes and am adopting the minimalist mindset. Last summer I got rid of about 200 clothing pieces! Right now my "uniform" is tshirts and jeans and it will stay that way for the next two years.
I had thought I had found the perfect tshirt last year and bought them in several colors, but I already have to replace some because they are thin so they get holes easily (thanks cats). I am managing right now, but in the next few months I will need one or two more. I am planning on getting some linen ones from j. crew. I hear linen is great at temperature control so it will be perfect for summer and winter (I walk to work, so experience extreme temperature changes).
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Just found this thread and loving it! I've been trying to pare down and focus on what clothes I wear a lot and why I wear them (fit, colour, type of fabric) etc. I've come up with a list of 'ideals': fabric choice, silhouette neutral colours and accent colours. It's been very helpful in guiding my purchasing choices (for me it's fabric and patterns, rather than ready to wear clothes, but the same idea).
I also had my colours done years ago and it made a huge difference. It's not about which -colours- suit you, but which -shades-. Everyone will have a pink that looks nice on them, for me it needs to a hot pink, not pastel. If I do want pale pink it needs to be an icy shade with blue undertones (I'm a winter). The pink recommended in that 'universally flattering' article would make me look awful. The lady I saw did say that 'cornflower blue' looks good on everyone though. Maybe it's subjective.
The best thing about it for me is that I geniunely do limit my wardrobe to those colours as I know I love them, and it means I need far fewer choices in the thread department for dressmaking!
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I don't think a minimalist closet means that you have to be w/o color. I like color - I don't like pattern! Black is not a good color on me, and gray and tan are iffy - so they are better for me as bottoms and stick to colored tops. I think the idea in general is to have a relatively small wardrobe w/ many things working together. That can be accomplished w/ color and patterns - just requires more skill (or at least, skills that I don't have). I would get very bored w/ just a black/grey wardrobe.
Same here! Alot of the minimalist wardrobe blogs are all black, grey, white and tan but I know I look best in colour. I wear alot of black on the bottom but like colour near my face. I may have the same colouring and Ms. Peacock and I find all black can be harsh and have starting wear more navy (the only downside is it is impossible to match navy with navy, they are always a shade different.
I feel great in cobalt blue and is probably the number one "colour" in my closet now. It looks great with black or white bottoms or jeans.
Check out the capsule wardrobes on the blog Wardrobe Oxygen. Her's are generally smaller than an entire wardrobe (like what to pack for a trip to X, or a stay at home mom capsule that is meant to be the foundation of a wardrobe, not the entire thing). But she loves color and uses a ton of it. She even has a link at the top of her blog that takes you straight to all her capsule posts.
Honestly, most people worry way to much about color when putting together an outfit. Most colors, especially of either the same family (pastel, jewel tones, pure tones, etc.) tend to look good with one another. A yellow pastel cardigan and pale purple dress look great together. No need to anchor it all with a neutral. If you have a yellow necklace, that can really help pull it together and make it look even more intentional, but if not, it's still a perfectly fine outfit.
My closet it like a crayon box. I'm trying to pick a few colors on which to focus, to limit things a bit more, and it feels a bit like Sophie's choice. I love all the colors! That said, while technically I am a winter (so I am told), I think that colors with red in them tend to bring out the ruddiness in my face. Any pink or red, no matter the shade--cool or warm and pale or saturated--does this. So I am going to get rid of most of my reds. I adore yellow, but I know it isn't the best color for me, so most of my yellow will go. Green doesn't really speak to me, so I can commit to avoiding green purchases in the future, though you'll pry my favorite green stretch jeans from my cold, dead legs! (By the way, I most often wear them with a cobalt blue shirt with white polka dots, or a yellow shirt with white breton stripes. Another example of mixing color with color.) That still leaves a lot of colors, but it is a start.
Teal, OTOH, is my favorite color and also happens to look great with both my skin and my eyes. A deep, rich peacock teal makes my heart sing!
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I am planning on getting some linen ones from j. crew. I hear linen is great at temperature control so it will be perfect for summer and winter (I walk to work, so experience extreme temperature changes).
@cookie - check out the linen t's on everlane.com. The one I have is better quality than the jcrew one I had (which only lasted a year). And slightly cheaper (unless you can get them on sale at jcrew). The cut is also more flattering on me.
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Another day, same clothes :) I think this outfit may have made an appearance before, with the exception of the shoes. I am really enjoying the mental space that has been freed up by not having to think much about my clothing for work. I also ran my weekly load of wash last night, including my work clothes - easy peasy. Much less time consuming then going to the dry cleaners. I just whipped everything out of the dryer when it was done and put it on hangers.
I also think that having a "uniform" has helped curve my desire to go clothes shopping. Retail therapy used to be a very much real thing for me. I just feel much more "meh" about clothing in general, which is a good thing.
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I find it so much easier to get dressed now. I usually hang the next outfit on a hanger on the door at night so I don't even have to open the wardrobe when I wake up.:P It reminds me of being at school as I had to wear a uniform and I would keep it hanging up at night so I had more time in the morning.
I just found the cardigan I wanted had been put back in stock online! Yay. I bought the blue cardigan, a blue top, a lighter blue vest, a pink vest and a necklace. It was only £50 and I got cashback as well.
No more shopping for the year now although I might need nightwear and underwear. I will let myself buy that if I have to. :)
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@cookie - check out the linen t's on everlane.com. The one I have is better quality than the jcrew one I had (which only lasted a year). And slightly cheaper (unless you can get them on sale at jcrew). The cut is also more flattering on me.
Thanks for the tip! How does their sizing run? I have a problem finding clothes that are petite enough.
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Honestly, most people worry way to much about color when putting together an outfit. Most colors, especially of either the same family (pastel, jewel tones, pure tones, etc.) tend to look good with one another. A yellow pastel cardigan and pale purple dress look great together. No need to anchor it all with a neutral. If you have a yellow necklace, that can really help pull it together and make it look even more intentional, but if not, it's still a perfectly fine outfit.
+1
Due to this thread, I went down a rabbit hole of colour on the weekend. I am apparently a soft autumn edging into soft summer, and luckily about 75% of my closet works in that respect. I tend to be fairly boring when it comes to combining colours though, partly because I don't trust my eye, and so I did some reading on different ways to mix and match. Sometimes a person just gets into a rut of thinking this only goes with that and you need to learn to see differently.
I recommend taking 15 or 20 minutes to google colour combining if you feel like you always choose the same combinations. (I am especially going to work in some analogous and/or split complementary combos to my daily wear.)
Also in the rabbit hole I came across this great website where a woman takes beautiful photographs and separates out all the individual colours like paint chips beside it. It is a lesson in colour combining right there. It also seems to have increased my awareness of colour out in the world although I expect that will wear off. design-seeds.com
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@cookie - check out the linen t's on everlane.com. The one I have is better quality than the jcrew one I had (which only lasted a year). And slightly cheaper (unless you can get them on sale at jcrew). The cut is also more flattering on me.
Thanks for the tip! How does their sizing run? I have a problem finding clothes that are petite enough.
@cookie - I would say Everlane T's are true to size. I'm a medium at gap and got medium at everlane in the T's. Sizing start at XXS.
I'm chesty (D) and I love the t's, my friend is as flat as pancake (AA) and also love's them - so they seem to be flattering on all chest sizes.
I also got a cardigan but had to size up to large for it be flattering in the boobage area.
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One more thing about combining color:
I mentioned that colors in the same families pretty much always go. That isn't to say that it is *only* colors in the same family. In reality, almost any 2 colors can be combined. There are truly very few colors that clash enough not to work.
However, the less similar the colors, the more difficult. In my example I mentioned yellow cardi and purple dress. If they are both pastels, that is 100% all you need in the outfit. However, if it is a pastel yellow cardi and a deep purple dress, the outfit is going to look better if you then have a yellow necklace hanging in the middle of that expanse of purple (or a yellow scarf), maybe yellow shoes, and/or other yellow accessories. Also, the more neutral the shoe (assuming you don't have yellow), the better, and in this case, a flesh colored ballet flat is going to be less harsh than a black shoe.
So, I find it helps to own scarves, necklaces, bracelets, belts, shoes, or other accessories in the colors of my secondary pieces. (Thats how I think of things like cardigans or blazers, tights, and even sometimes skirts or pants--secondary pieces). That way, you grab the secondary piece and the coordinating accessory, and suddenly a couple disparate pieces become an outfit. Purple dress, yellow cardigan and yellow necklace. Teal top, rich pink skirt, and a rich pink scarf. Cobalt dress, turquoise tights (or shoes) and a turquoise belt or blazer.
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Happy Monday - I think I look droopy in the photo - but the fit is better in person and at a better angle. It's hard to get my phone set up just right.
Anyhow - still loving the uniform approach and the general avoidance of the dry cleaners (and clothes shopping).
Pulled a few more things out of my dresser. I also realize that the sweaters I have are pretty summery and I may need a couple warmer sweaters when winter gets here. Nothing that I need to do about it right now.
Trying to figure out how to get a swimsuit and try swimming laps w/o buying anything new. My current suit isn't really suitable for lapswims and I am a bit sguigged out by the thought of a used swimsuit. I need some sort of long-torso, D-cup, wondersuit (w/o fat squinching). However, I said no clothes shopping until the end of August - but this summer schedule presents some opportunity to try it w/ fewer logisitical problems (kids are w/ their Dad 1/2 time in the summer)... Totally unrelated to a capsule wardrobe.
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MsPeacock, I love the pink!
If you're truly looking for a suit to swim laps in, then I would opt for a Speedo Endurance suit. I wore one for two workouts/day for 6 months. However, I wouldn't want to wear one to the beach.
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MsPeacock, I love the pink!
If you're truly looking for a suit to swim laps in, then I would opt for a Speedo Endurance suit. I wore one for two workouts/day for 6 months. However, I wouldn't want to wear one to the beach.
I broke my no buy and ordered a speedo long torso. Hopefully it fits. I swear I have an extra vertebrae or something. I am not that tall but one pieces suits always pinch.
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^I know what you mean as I have a long torso too.:P I
Today's outfit is my teal top and black skirt with sandals and a long necklace.
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Same grey pants, old blue blouse, no sweater (it is almost 100 outside and my office for once is not over cooled). I have nothing exciting to say about this outfit - I like this top - it looks good w/ jeans, the colors suit me, and it can go to work. It is very light cotton and I've had it about 6 years or so.
Purged my kid's sock drawers this weekend - so that is something out of the closets, even if it isn't my closets. Somehow they have 500 pairs of socks. They keep growing (the 8 year olds feet are the same size as mine - he is going to be a giant, and the 12 year old is several sizes larger than me now) and somehow the old socks just never moved along. I have a giant shopping bag of socks now for Goodwill. I hardly have to "purge" the kids clothing since they outgrow it on such a regular basis.
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MsPeacock, I'd be curious how many items you have in your work capsule. I am planning to do a count at some point this summer and will post the results here. One thing that is clear to me since I started this capsule approach is that while I have gotten rid of number of things, I still have a lot more than I really need. When I first read about Project 333, I thought it was crazy. Now I'm starting to think that getting down to 33 items is quite doable and may be enjoyable.
As to my lime-green sweater, it's still in my closet with the tags on. I can't bring myself to return it (I tried a couple of times!) but I haven't worn it yet, either!
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MsPeacock, I'd be curious how many items you have in your work capsule. I am planning to do a count at some point this summer and will post the results here. One thing that is clear to me since I started this capsule approach is that while I have gotten rid of number of things, I still have a lot more than I really need. When I first read about Project 333, I thought it was crazy. Now I'm starting to think that getting down to 33 items is quite doable and may be enjoyable.
As to my lime-green sweater, it's still in my closet with the tags on. I can't bring myself to return it (I tried a couple of times!) but I haven't worn it yet, either!
I haven't counted - I have too many to qualify as a capsule. For me the goal was to have less and to streamline my routine w/ clothing for work. I had gotten to the point where a significant portion of my clothing no longer fit or was out of style/uncomfortable, required dry cleaning, and I was out of closet space (which is admittedly very limited in my house). Sorting out the clothing situation seemed to inevitably involve me purchasing *more* clothing and being unhappy almost every day w/ whatever I was wearing. I am in a much better space now in regards to all of those issues - got rid of many many things and purchased a few things w/ specific goals in mind (some machine washable white dress shirts, LandsEnd pants). I would guess that more than 10 things went out of my closet for every item I purchased. I would say that I have more than I strictly need, but my goal wasn't to get down to the bare minimum - but to have a more manageable approach and to largely stop buying clothing (other than for replacement purposes)
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I had a fun, productive clothing swap over the weekend. Norabird brought a friend who happened to be the same year in my small college, yet we never met there. I kept two dresses, three belts, which will replace my two existing ones, a scarf, a cardigan, a long-sleeved shirt, two workout tops, and two slips.
I'm already considering getting rid of a belt, a dress, and the scarf. I'm having minimalism anxiety over so many function-less accessories. The belts look nice, and save two work tops that are otherwise baggy, but do I need three? Or any more dresses? I've gone my entire life without a slip, and now I have TWO?
I'll get through this trying time somehow.
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I had to break down and register so I de-lurk in this thread. This has been fascinating and I'm really enjoying the conversation. My background is in fashion (designer), and I recently decided to go the capsule wardrobe route. I used to buy things because I HAD to support my industry and keep up with all my designer friends. Well, now I don't care about that. I had several jobs where there was an unspoken "all black only" rule, so I really love wearing black. But whenever I design, I design with crazy colors. So I would go several days wearing all black them BAM all-the-colors-at-once! I've been gradually getting rid of clothes that don't bring me joy and replacing them with pieces that I feel comfortable in. I'm also in the middle of losing a great deal of weight (about 50lbs down with another 30 to go), so I am trying to find pieces that will fit now and I can tailor myself when I lose more.
I am trying to go with classics that have a slight edge. examples: I have a great olive blouse that has little bronze studs on the shoulder, a simple black sweater with leather patches on the lower arm, and I just bought this striped shirt: http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1579150/dana-buchman-striped-pieced-top.jsp
I think I will have about 30 items once I'm done piecing together my wardrobe. Thankfully, I have all my bottoms and blazers- just need a few more tops and shoes!
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I think I will have about 30 items once I'm done piecing together my wardrobe.
I am so impressed with people who actually pare down. Today I'm trying out a strapless cotton black and white print J Crew dress I've had for a while, maybe I got it at a clothing swap or thrift store..? It has tons of fabric in the skirt so it's good for picnicking (which I'm doing tonight), but then I feel like, well, it's just too *much* fabric. I'll probably re-wear it tomorrow using a different cardigan (picnic with someone else) and then perhaps on Sunday as it would be good for home/bus travel. I keep almost wanting to get rid of this but then it really can be so useful. I think I could easily pack it for some upcoming travel next month, it doesn't wrinkle, it's lightweight for summer...or I could keep it for a potential pregnancy dress not that I'm planning to get pregant...argh! I have gotten rid of a ton but a lot that's left has this lengthy mental argument behind keeping it. Maybe I'll see if the local thrift shop would want to buy it.
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I think I will have about 30 items once I'm done piecing together my wardrobe.
I am so impressed with people who actually pare down. Today I'm trying out a strapless cotton black and white print J Crew dress I've had for a while, maybe I got it at a clothing swap or thrift store..? It has tons of fabric in the skirt so it's good for picnicking (which I'm doing tonight), but then I feel like, well, it's just too *much* fabric. I'll probably re-wear it tomorrow using a different cardigan (picnic with someone else) and then perhaps on Sunday as it would be good for home/bus travel. I keep almost wanting to get rid of this but then it really can be so useful. I think I could easily pack it for some upcoming travel next month, it doesn't wrinkle, it's lightweight for summer...or I could keep it for a potential pregnancy dress not that I'm planning to get pregant...argh! I have gotten rid of a ton but a lot that's left has this lengthy mental argument behind keeping it. Maybe I'll see if the local thrift shop would want to buy it.
Would love to see a picture of it! It sounds like a really cool piece.
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Posting to follow/contribute.
I started decluttering my closet last fall and got into the whole Capsule wardrobe concept. Honestly though, I don't think I can ever feel content limitatig myself to 30 items (I know it's not an absolute number, but just as an example).
My whole winter capsule wardrobe was built according to this concept, with a limited color palette and many neutral basics and a few color accents, where everything goes with everything. While it definitely made dressing up in the morning SUPER EASY (uniform approach), by the end of March I was really bored with my entire wardrobe. Wearing the same clothes over and over again felt redundant, like I was trapped in my lack of options. Especially in Spring, I felt like wearing brighter colors, but failed to find any in my wardrobe because they ''didn't fit'' the color palette. Conclusion: I need to make adjustments and allow myself some exceptions for pieces that I love, that are good quality and that I can wear often, but don't necessarily match with everything I own.
Another difficulty besides living in Canada and having 3 distinct season capsules (winter, summer and ''in-between'' pieces), is that I also need a professional capsule vs. a casual one/housedress. I won't wear short shorts in the office, but enjoy wearing them on weekends in summer. Same for anything with a cleavage : absolute no for the office, totally fine in other settings. Office is not jeans-friendly, I like to wear jeans at home. etc.
Overall, it's still a work in progress!
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Posting to follow/contribute.
I started decluttering my closet last fall and got into the whole Capsule wardrobe concept. Honestly though, I don't think I can ever feel content limitatig myself to 30 items (I know it's not an absolute number, but just as an example).
My whole winter capsule wardrobe was built according to this concept, with a limited color palette and many neutral basics and a few color accents, where everything goes with everything. While it definitely made dressing up in the morning SUPER EASY (uniform approach), by the end of March I was really bored with my entire wardrobe. Wearing the same clothes over and over again felt redundant, like I was trapped in my lack of options. Especially in Spring, I felt like wearing brighter colors, but failed to find any in my wardrobe because they ''didn't fit'' the color palette. Conclusion: I need to make adjustments and allow myself some exceptions for pieces that I love, that are good quality and that I can wear often, but don't necessarily match with everything I own.
Another difficulty besides living in Canada and having 3 distinct season capsules (winter, summer and ''in-between'' pieces), is that I also need a professional capsule vs. a casual one/housedress. I won't wear short shorts in the office, but enjoy wearing them on weekends in summer. Same for anything with a cleavage : absolute no for the office, totally fine in other settings. Office is not jeans-friendly, I like to wear jeans at home. etc.
Overall, it's still a work in progress!
I feel that we northern residents with extreme climates need more like 30 summer and 30 winter pieces. Or maybe 20 or 25 for each. I'm probably around 50 not counting socks/undergarments, which I don't think were counted in the 30. I have to count again.
What I did do this year though is hide my winter only stuff so my clothes feel less cluttered. And I'll reverse that of course.
And of course it's easier too if you can wear the same clothes at home and work or are retired. I've been trying to dress a bit less slovenly at home too, so that I reduce the number of really old T-shirts I have. I've reminded myself that there's nothing wrong with wearing good T-shirts at home and just replacing them when needed.
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I'm very happy with my winter/fall clothes, save maybe a new crew neck sweater. However my spring/summer clothes are seriously lacking! I only have clothes for when it's super hot, so this past week of rain I've been wearing fall colors (like maroon) which is annoying. Especially since I want a break from those clothes.
It's not the end of the world, but I'd like to get some spring color shirts and maybe a cotton dress that's a solid color. I love dark colors, but I feel silly wearing them all summer.
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I started decluttering my closet last fall and got into the whole Capsule wardrobe concept. Honestly though, I don't think I can ever feel content limiting myself to 30 items (I know it's not an absolute number, but just as an example).
I don't think I could do only 30 items either - and I think a lot of people who blog about it (at least so far that I've seen) do a bunch of capsules for seasons/purpose/etc. that end up being a lot more than 30 items. I'm really focused only on my work clothing - my casual clothing is actually much less of a problem (only a couple pairs of jeans).
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I get the sense that many of the capsule wardrobes I love the most are from creative freelancer types--designers or something along those lines who don't work in an office. They also (many of them) seem to live in CA, which is maybe no coincidence: less extreme weather, more of a casual vibe in general. NYC has both dressier norms and more extreme weather though I'm sure people . A lot of my clothes aren't professional per se but I do have work dresses/blazers that I use at conferences and which are separate from my more personal style. I also think the capsule appeals more to people who like simplicity and neutrality in their clothes though I know there are some exceptions. I love the concept, I just think I would miss the choice and variety of my current options (not that they can't stand always to get further pared down).
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I get the sense that many of the capsule wardrobes I love the most are from creative freelancer types--designers or something along those lines who don't work in an office. They also (many of them) seem to live in CA, which is maybe no coincidence: less extreme weather, more of a casual vibe in general. NYC has both dressier norms and more extreme weather though I'm sure people . A lot of my clothes aren't professional per se but I do have work dresses/blazers that I use at conferences and which are separate from my more personal style. I also think the capsule appeals more to people who like simplicity and neutrality in their clothes though I know there are some exceptions. I love the concept, I just think I would miss the choice and variety of my current options (not that they can't stand always to get further pared down).
For me I never thought id have a capsule wardrobe. I have always loved clothes, so never thought I could live with that much. Last summer I got rid of 60% of my wardrobe and am finding that I can get rid of even more. I think you have to peel back the layers, so to speak, to find the capsule wardrobe for you. I love my outfits much more than I did before, because I only kept what I love the most and wear most often. I live in a place of extreme weather and it works well, but if I worked in an office I would have two capsule wardrobes.
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Definitely agree with all that's been said. Whenever I look up for winter capsule wardrobe ideas on Google, I shake my head because all I see are CA ladies wearing tights and a light denim jacket. It's a process that requires major adaptations for those who live where there are extreme weather variations. It also makes sense to create multiple capsules to reflect your lifestyle (office, home, ''date night'', outdoor activities).
I also store other seasons' clothes in a box. Not only does it declutter my wardrobe, it also makes me forget what I own after 4-6 months. Whenever it's time to switch season wardrobes, I'm all excited to ''discover'' what's in the box. The feeling of novelty is similar to the one I feel when I purchase a new item that I love, except I didn't have to spend a dime. It's great!
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MsPeacock, I love the pink!
If you're truly looking for a suit to swim laps in, then I would opt for a Speedo Endurance suit. I wore one for two workouts/day for 6 months. However, I wouldn't want to wear one to the beach.
I broke my no buy and ordered a speedo long torso. Hopefully it fits. I swear I have an extra vertebrae or something. I am not that tall but one pieces suits always pinch.
Woah, wait. Speedo makes long torso suits? ee! [opening website]
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How does one get their colors done?
Ms. Peacock, try to find the book Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson at the library. It's a pretty user-friendly approach to figuring out what your colors are.
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I've never really been good at picking colors for myself - can you guys give me some feedback on what colors work and what doesn't? I took a bunch of pictures of stuff from my closet:
http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE (http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE)
Can you tell what season I am and what other colors would suit me?
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I've never really been good at picking colors for myself - can you guys give me some feedback on what colors work and what doesn't? I took a bunch of pictures of stuff from my closet:
http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE (http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE)
Can you tell what season I am and what other colors would suit me?
You appear to have cool, soft coloring, so you look like a summer to me:
http://www.colormebeautiful.com/seasons/summer/
That link just gives you a little overview of summer; beyond that it's a kind of annoying shopping site. But a quick search turned up this Pinterest page that might be helpful:
https://www.pinterest.com/andrea409/color-me-beautiful-summer/
I think you look especially good in all of the shades of blue that you wore. Here are some other ideas from that same Pinterest page:
"Basic colors for Soft summer: Sky Blue, Lt Periwinkle Blue, Muted Turquoise, Turquoise, Pastel Blue Green, Jade Green, Burgundy, Soft Fuchsia, Mauve, Orchid, Rose Pink, Muted Pink, Muted Apricot, Rose Brown, Dark Taupe, Olive Green"
Having said all that, it's hard to be sure about colors on the screen. If your coloring is actually warmer than it appears to me, then you're a spring:
http://www.colormebeautiful.com/seasons/spring/index.html
and
https://www.pinterest.com/brittwhitradhun/color-me-beautiful-spring/
Similar colors, just in warmer tones.
Hope that helps!
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I've never really been good at picking colors for myself - can you guys give me some feedback on what colors work and what doesn't? I took a bunch of pictures of stuff from my closet:
http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE (http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE)
Can you tell what season I am and what other colors would suit me?
The blues & purples were my favs. Great idea :-)
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I've never really been good at picking colors for myself - can you guys give me some feedback on what colors work and what doesn't? I took a bunch of pictures of stuff from my closet:
http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE (http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE)
Can you tell what season I am and what other colors would suit me?
I'm terrible in advising on colors since I think anything goes!
But I will say you look much better in the cowl/v necks than high necks and the button down.
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I've never really been good at picking colors for myself - can you guys give me some feedback on what colors work and what doesn't? I took a bunch of pictures of stuff from my closet:
http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE (http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE)
Can you tell what season I am and what other colors would suit me?
The only colors that really struck me as 'not suiting' were the royal purple and the black(?maybe dark brown?). Which isn't to say you look bad, it just wasn't as flattering as the other colors. Those two made you look 'tired' in a way I can't really explain. This would be in keeping with the other poster who said either summer or spring... Depends on how much gold tone there is to your skin really, which is very hard to determine 1- via web and 2- in artificial light.
I agree though, the lower and cowel necklines were very flattering on you.
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Thanks for the tips! I'll be needing some new clothes within the next year, so I think I'll be sticking with the lower necklines, cowl necks, and blues. It definitely seems like I'm a summer person, which is great because I love those colors.
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I was keeping some other clothes in a drawer in case I "needed" them but I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and let them go out of the house. I have two winter coats but I don't like either of them so I'm keeping one just in case we are struck by a seriously bad winter but I want to replace it with one I truly like. I've a few months to find one as it's summer here.:P
Today I'm wearing a teal top, one of my black pencil skirts and sandals with a heart shaped pendant necklace.
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I just went through one of the "color" websites, and it looks like I accidentally stumbled on a palette of colors that match my color type. I'm a "clear winter", and my wardrobe is about 3/4 colors from that category.
It wasn't always that way, but when I simplified my color choices a few years back I must have gotten lucky! Well that and I kept things in colors that I got the most compliments about.
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Zikoris, the coral zip up and bright blue blouse look way too big for you!! The black also looks huge. Out of the colors I don't love the animal print. Everything else looked nice. B
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Zikoris, the coral zip up and bright blue blouse look way too big for you!! The black also looks huge. Out of the colors I don't love the animal print. Everything else looked nice. B
I don't wear the big ones done up - I just did them that way to show the colours better. I leave them completely open with a shell or tank top underneath. The dark brown shirt is snug around the waist and sort of loose and floppy elsewhere - it's the style.
The consensus seems to be to get rid of the animal print shirt - good riddance! It hasn't fit me very well since I lost about 10 pounds, and it's getting pretty worn out.
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I came to this thread late, but I just had to pop in and share my path to a sort of "capsule" wardrobe.
See, I had bought a big set of work clothes all at once when I started my first job out of school. 10 years later, I was still wearing many of those shirts and pants. This was fine for a staff engineer, but when I became a professor I needed something different. More blazers and jackets. Less monotonous. More stylish and edgy.
The first blazer I got was a lovely navy blue cashmere one. I wore it so often that I decided to build my new work wardrobe around it: I would buy nothing that wouldn't match this blazer. Eventually I ended up getting some dresses whose shapes don't quite line up with the blazer, but the colors are still in the right group.
I made a Google spreadsheet of which items I needed and how many, with comments to list the colors I planned. I color-coded the spreadsheet to show how urgently I needed to acquire each thing. Here it is:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_IEOBRFrz8AKjQ_fLbsXVXCxOjC1ng7ecArT2Gz1Chg/edit?usp=sharing
I also made a Pinterest board to keep track of how things look together and make sure it all matches:
https://www.pinterest.com/kkerbypatel/strategic-wardrobe-planning/
This capsule thing is actually working pretty well for me.
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I've never really been good at picking colors for myself - can you guys give me some feedback on what colors work and what doesn't? I took a bunch of pictures of stuff from my closet:
http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE (http://imgur.com/a/s4UYE)
Can you tell what season I am and what other colors would suit me?
The only colors that really struck me as 'not suiting' were the royal purple and the black(?maybe dark brown?). Which isn't to say you look bad, it just wasn't as flattering as the other colors. Those two made you look 'tired' in a way I can't really explain. This would be in keeping with the other poster who said either summer or spring... Depends on how much gold tone there is to your skin really, which is very hard to determine 1- via web and 2- in artificial light.
I agree though, the lower and cowel necklines were very flattering on you.
As I understand it the way to determine whether you are warm or cool toned is to look at the veins on the back of your wrist. If they appear blue, you are cool, if they appear more green you are warm (I think that's the gold Bracken Joy is talking of).
I am decidedly blue and a winter. I don't know if that helps or confuses you more, but thought I would chime in.
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Extremely standard today.. tan pants (old, these I like to have pressed at the cleaners but can wear 3 times or so before they have to go - super comfortable), white shirt, white sweater. It is 100 outside today but cold in the office.
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I'm experimenting with accessories to give some variety to my capsule wardrobe. My first today was to add a belt to my top. This is the first time ever I'm wearing a belt and I should say the result is good. I feel more chic than dowdy :)
Go capsule wardrobe and decluttering!
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Today: tan pants (same as yesterday), orange/pink shirt that has survived the purge because the color is good on me. I have a grey sweater to put on should I need it. It is going to be 100 today + heat index - so I think the a/c at work might actually not keep up.
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Bagged up 18 things for Twice today but most of them I just lifted from my parent's house.
Also decided to pull out all my black short sleeved tops since I just acquired a few via the clothing swap/my mom, and oh my god I have so many, yet rarely wear them. I've been talking about all the monochromatic looks I've been jealous of lately, so maybe this is a sign. I think I'm keeping them all for now (my tshirt drawer has the room), but I know it's more than I need!
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Next Tuesday my best friend and I have a "date" to declutter our closets. I will bring all of the things from mine that I don't want to her house and we will go through both of our stuff together.
Bonus is we are about the same size, so a good deal of trading will occur. At the end of the day anything left over will go to charity or consignment.
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I decided to organise all my tops by colour instead of type (previously it was jackets - jumpers (in the British sense) - long sleeve - short sleeve - tank. I thought that made it easier to chose a weather-appropriate item.
But with fewer things in the wardrobe I know what I have, so by colour is fine, and IT LOOKS SO PRETTY! I am embarrassed by how excited this made me (and how much thought I put into deciding whether to do the same with my dresses, because, hey, if I don't like it... I can just switch it back).
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theadvicist, I've done the same color coding before and felt unjustifiably satisfied with myself. In college, my floor may have been covered in paper and cast off clothing, but by gum did my closet look pretty!
In other news, I put on a grey dress this morning (in my pictures from way back) and it felt a little itchy. Even though it looks good, I've lost my patience with even slightly uncomfortable clothing. It's getting sold.
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I have all my tops organized by color too - I think it helps me find stuff more quickly. I am still eyeing paring down some more items, but haven't made much progress. I think it may take a change in seasons to get me moving a bit on that.
Donation pick-up is coming on Friday morning - I have some household things to go, and should do another scrub of the closet to see if I have even one or two more things that I could toss in.
Thank you everyone for all the posts and photos and comments - nice to see this thread rolling along.
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In a measure of how neurotic I can be, I have had a color-coded closet since I was 15 years old. Although I organize by type and THEN by color- ie, all long sleeves and sweaters are together and organized by color, then short sleeves, then tanks. Being able to do this probably indicates I have too many tops- work in progress.
I am making no progress on a capsule, mainly because my life is so uncertain right now. Also because much of my clothing is getting pretty worn down and needs replacing, and I can't justify the expense until we're settled in a new place and I start working. I am doing better at wearing the dresses I own though. Yay one step outfits.
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I organise my wardrobe by colour too.:) My wardrobe is very cobalt/true blue heavy at the moment but I like it that way.
I am wearing my pink cardigan, mauve vest and long purple and black skirt today.
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I too organize by type--long sleeved shirts, short sleeved, blazers, cardigans, dresses, pants, skirts. And within each category they are by color.
My wardrobe is still giant, but less so. And already I'm finding it easier to figure out what to wear, and I'm wearing pieces I really like but that were forgotten and shoved in a corner. I'm actually wearing more different pieces now than I was when I have probably 20% more items.
And I had to pack for a 12 day trip and it was so much easier. I'm not at capsule level yet, but I'm getting closer. Which meant it was pretty easy to come up with pants, a skirt, tops of varying warmth and which can be layered in various ways, shoes, and scarves that are all or nearly all interchangeable, with almost no effort.
Which just reaffirms the plan to narrow my color palette.
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I'm wearing a black pencil skirt with a sleeveless dark blue top and sandals today. I like this top because it has lacy detail at the front so it makes it look a bit more dressy.
It's so warm today which is unusual for the UK. It's going to be hotter later in the week so I will just be wearing my other knee length skirt with a vest top and I'm at home so maybe bare feet.:P
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Skipped a few days posting since I was on repeats. This is very standard - all old clothing (pre-purge) that met the requirements to remain in the closet.
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I've been cheating on my capsule. I wore an unflattering tank from the clothing swap because of heat and laziness, but I decided I will donate it. I donated a bunch of other clothes this week, including a swap dress that I had been kidding myself into keeping. I want to get down to under 50 items total by the end of the year.
I have been finding a few additional thing to donate too. I think as the quality of my wardrobe went up on average (due to purging) my tolerance for near misses has gone down.
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In a measure of how neurotic I can be, I have had a color-coded closet since I was 15 years old. Although I organize by type and THEN by color- ie, all long sleeves and sweaters are together and organized by color, then short sleeves, then tanks.
^That's how I organize as well. Especially helpful when trying to decide between 4 different purple blouses. (They're different styles and shades, I swear!)
Joining late but have just read this whole thread and enjoyed it immensely. SO much of what you all have said has resonated with me. I've been working on this as well for the past few months, and along the way I've learned oodles about color theory, figured out which colors, styles, and contrasts work best for me, ditched nearly everything black (as someone mentioned, almost heresy around NYC), and purged a ton of unused, unloved, loved-but-unflattering, not-me/wishful-thinking/another-life clothing. On my first massive purge a couple months ago, I sent 83 items to consignment plus untold items to donation (so maybe 130-150 total). Yesterday I packed up another 15 items for consignment (including a dress that sparks a ton of joy on the hanger but makes me feel like a poseur while wearing). All this from someone who doesn't even like clothing.
I'd actually done a purge months before that massive purge, but because I hadn't had a plan in mind, it was not terribly productive. What helped me the second time was to work things out on paper first, especially when it came to narrowing down color options. A lot of capsules suggest 4 colors (2 neutrals, 2 accents), but I just couldn't make it work. I didn't want the whole rainbow, but human cannot live on purples alone. So I worked at it by trying everything on, noting what colors and color groups worked best (and may have been complimented in the past), and playing with color combinations (on paper and thrown together on the bed) until I found the right combo and number. I also gave myself a pass on a small handful of outliers/outlying but still complementary colors so I can't get possibly get bored.
My results:
Uniform: jeans/slacks + tee/blouse + blazer/cardigan
Personal coloring: soft summer
Clothing neutrals: grey and navy
Clothing accents: red-purples/eggplant/wine, blue-purples/violet, teal green, teal blue/peacock blue/dark turquoise/petrol blue
Acceptable outliers: 1 dark cobaltish blue sweater, 1 burgundy t-shirt, 1 burgundy tank top, 1 taupe sweater, 1 heathered taupe t-shirt, 1 damask-pattern purple/black dress
Value contrast (http://www.polyvore.com/value_contrast/set?.mid=embed&id=4527849): Medium/low
Other color properties: Dusky and/or muted = good, bright, clear, and/or icy = bad; medium shades = good, too dark or light = bad
Patterns: Mostly avoided; must be minimal/subtle
The patterns that work best for me are subtle, like tone-on-tone pinstripes or tiny polka dots. The one exception here is that dress mentioned above, which is a bit brighter and more patterny than I would prefer, but it's my one formal outfit and I absolutely love the thing so I just go with it. I work much better with texture, though, so while obvious stripes look jarring on me, ribbed textures work great.
It's still a work in progress (who isn't?), but like many others have said, the process has been quite freeing. Figuring out what does and doesn't work for me and coming up with a plan to keep emphasizing the first and eliminating the second has been one of the best things I've done for myself, both for my mental and my financial health.
Thanks for this thread, MsPeacock. And btw, I especially loved that blue and white horizontal striped shirt from a few pages back on you.
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So even though I've been purging since January, I got rid about 30 more items of clothing this weekend! I don't know where it's all coming from, I would have told you I didn't have that much left.
I just read Marie Kondo's book, and it has given me immense clarity. Before I was justifying things with, "Well, it's useful, I can wear it with lots of other things", or, "I don't like much but I do wear it, so I should keep it”.
I went with simply, do I love it? And I was surprised by both how many items I wear a lot I dislike, and how many things I own I truly love, and want to WEAR OUT, instead of saving for ‘best’. The problem with saving things because I love them is that I go off them or they go out of style before they’re worn out. I have one pair of shoes like that in particular I’m keeping in mind. The stuff I love I now want to wear to the point of fraying or breaking, and know that I squeezed every ounce of joy out of it.
And it does feel totally different to look at far fewer items, all of which I adore. Can’t recommend the book highly enough (I’m sounding like a broken record, I know).
Also I folded everything (including underwear!) and arranged it all dark - light as she said, even though I thought it was pointless. So far, I'm loving it, but we'll see if I stick with it.
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So even though I've been purging since January, I got rid about 30 more items of clothing this weekend! I don't know where it's all coming from, I would have told you I didn't have that much left.
I just read Marie Kondo's book, and it has given me immense clarity. Before I was justifying things with, "Well, it's useful, I can wear it with lots of other things", or, "I don't like much but I do wear it, so I should keep it”.
I went with simply, do I love it? And I was surprised by both how many items I wear a lot I dislike, and how many things I own I truly love, and want to WEAR OUT, instead of saving for ‘best’. The problem with saving things because I love them is that I go off them or they go out of style before they’re worn out. I have one pair of shoes like that in particular I’m keeping in mind. The stuff I love I now want to wear to the point of fraying or breaking, and know that I squeezed every ounce of joy out of it.
And it does feel totally different to look at far fewer items, all of which I adore. Can’t recommend the book highly enough (I’m sounding like a broken record, I know).
Also I folded everything (including underwear!) and arranged it all dark - light as she said, even though I thought it was pointless. So far, I'm loving it, but we'll see if I stick with it.
I just read her book this weekend too! I folded by dresser contents the way she recommends - so nice to see everything and it is causing me to reevaluate some of the things I've kept so far.
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So even though I've been purging since January, I got rid about 30 more items of clothing this weekend! I don't know where it's all coming from, I would have told you I didn't have that much left.
I just read Marie Kondo's book, and it has given me immense clarity. Before I was justifying things with, "Well, it's useful, I can wear it with lots of other things", or, "I don't like much but I do wear it, so I should keep it”.
I went with simply, do I love it? And I was surprised by both how many items I wear a lot I dislike, and how many things I own I truly love, and want to WEAR OUT, instead of saving for ‘best’. The problem with saving things because I love them is that I go off them or they go out of style before they’re worn out. I have one pair of shoes like that in particular I’m keeping in mind. The stuff I love I now want to wear to the point of fraying or breaking, and know that I squeezed every ounce of joy out of it.
And it does feel totally different to look at far fewer items, all of which I adore. Can’t recommend the book highly enough (I’m sounding like a broken record, I know).
Also I folded everything (including underwear!) and arranged it all dark - light as she said, even though I thought it was pointless. So far, I'm loving it, but we'll see if I stick with it.
I just read her book this weekend too! I folded by dresser contents the way she recommends - so nice to see everything and it is causing me to reevaluate some of the things I've kept so far.
Both my DD and I read the book and we "Konmaried" her closet, dresser and the rest of her room last weekend. She got rid of a huge pile of clothes and some other miscellaneous items. Her closet and dresser are looking great.
I find that folding the recommended way uses a lot less drawer space. I've had my dresser drawers organized that way for a few weeks now and love it. It takes no effort at all to keep it up and I love seeing everything at a glance.
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Ha, no wonder we keep bumping into each other in the decluttering threads, MsPeacock!
I must admit I'm still hanging all my tops. I have the space and I find they wrinkle less. But everything in my dresser is folded and arranged in colour order her way. I did a couple of loads of laundry over the weekend and still took time to fold/roll my tights, but I'm not sure if it's a long term thing yet.
ZiziPB I was surprised too at how much less space folded/rolled things take. I'd always rolled stuff for suitcase packing, but it didn't occur to me to do it the rest of the time.
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Ugh, fine, FINE, I'll read the dang book!
Just as soon as 1,019 people are done with it first.
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Ugh, fine, FINE, I'll read the dang book!
Just as soon as 1,019 people are done with it first.
I was number 224 or something on the library wait list - and then walked in and found 2 copies on the shelf. I guess someone didn't pick up their copies on hold??? I have no idea - but I snagged it. It is a quick read.
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The library has a hundred copies, so it's not as bad as it seems. I'm also doing pretty well on my own, and I have a million and one business books to read, so I may wait it out. If I get impatient, I'll sneak over to a Barnes and Noble and read it on a lunch break.
One thing I can guarantee: I will not fold my clothes! She can't make me! Also, I don't have a dresser.
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The library has a hundred copies, so it's not as bad as it seems. I'm also doing pretty well on my own, and I have a million and one business books to read, so I may wait it out. If I get impatient, I'll sneak over to a Barnes and Noble and read it on a lunch break.
One thing I can guarantee: I will not fold my clothes! She can't make me! Also, I don't have a dresser.
She might make you fold your clothes... I am going to post pictures of my drawers now. They look so lovely!!!!!
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When I was working f.t. outside the house I bought 5 pairs of solid color dress pants & then an assorted amount of tops/sweaters that went with them. I could wear the pants year round & tops were by season. It sure made it easy to get dressed in the am. I have a habit of not wanting to wear anything nice in the house but then need to change if I go out. Decided this was silly as I would never wear out the nicer stuff so got rid of the junky stuff. I have a huge closet so hang my tops. I loved her book & it helped. I got rid of a ton of clothes. It was amazing that I had a bunch of stuff that didn't fit right or feel good when I wore it. Much happier with a smaller wardrobe.
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The library has a hundred copies, so it's not as bad as it seems. I'm also doing pretty well on my own, and I have a million and one business books to read, so I may wait it out. If I get impatient, I'll sneak over to a Barnes and Noble and read it on a lunch break.
One thing I can guarantee: I will not fold my clothes! She can't make me! Also, I don't have a dresser.
Haha, I didn't fold my clothes either, but I folded my underwear and socks and they do look so pretty. I have a large walk in closet so everything else I own is on hangers.
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The library has a hundred copies, so it's not as bad as it seems. I'm also doing pretty well on my own, and I have a million and one business books to read, so I may wait it out. If I get impatient, I'll sneak over to a Barnes and Noble and read it on a lunch break.
One thing I can guarantee: I will not fold my clothes! She can't make me! Also, I don't have a dresser.
Haha, I didn't fold my clothes either, but I folded my underwear and socks and they do look so pretty. I have a large walk in closet so everything else I own is on hangers.
I'm exactly the same. I thought ha ha ha folding underwear, who has time for that? But she somehow instills in you an appreciation for your clothes, and suddenly I wanted to take the 30 seconds to fold them nicely and care for them. And decluttering has saved me so much time anyway - not that I couldn't find things, but everything is quicker and simpler now, even though I didn't think it was an issue before.
Cassie, I also have 'home' and 'out and about' clothes. I am working on replacing all of the home ones to 'comfy but presentable' so that I don't have to stop what I'm doing and get changed just to go to the post office (or, more likely, not want to get changed so not going). Love things to the point they wear out, is my new motto.
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Next Tuesday my best friend and I have a "date" to declutter our closets. I will bring all of the things from mine that I don't want to her house and we will go through both of our stuff together.
Bonus is we are about the same size, so a good deal of trading will occur. At the end of the day anything left over will go to charity or consignment.
Our date went okay. My friend wasn't feeling well, but since it was at her house at least I was able to go through all of my clothes. She pulled probably 15 things from her closet, so we did get a bit started on her stuff as well. Hopefully we will be able to do this again soon and tackle the rest of her stuff.
Funny thing is, I just went through all my clothes a few months ago. I was surprised that I was able to find 3 reusable grocery bags of clothes to get rid of still!
I'm off to consignment with some things today. The rest needs to be ironed before I take it in.
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OK - Kondo'ed drawer photos attached. Sorry I don't have any before pictures. I will also be purging some more pants because there are way too many in the drawer (and several pairs that don't really fit or I don't really like or whatever). Same with gym clothes. Amazed at how much neater everything is and how much easier it is to see what is in the drawer.
ETA - this process has helped me see more clothes to purge. I also have a box of 'winter' clothes under my bed which I plan to get out and get into the dresser/closet so I can see everything at once. I only have 3 pairs of regular (non-workout) shorts and that has been totally adequate. So, why do I have 7 or something pairs of jeans? And why do I have that green t-shirt - it doesn't go w/ anything!
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OK - Kondo'ed drawer photos attached. Sorry I don't have any before pictures. I will also be purging some more pants because there are way too many in the drawer (and several pairs that don't really fit or I don't really like or whatever). Same with gym clothes. Amazed at how much neater everything is and how much easier it is to see what is in the drawer.
Beautiful MsPeacock! Now go back and organise them darkest at the back and lightest at the front! It sounds mad, but why not give it a try as Ms Kondo would say? (I'm just kidding. She may have got to me a bit too much...)
I agree that it is so much easier to see what you have. Arranging by type made me happy to throw out a lot more because I could see how much of each 'item' I had, when I couldn't before.
And I haven't done my jeans yet, you've just reminded me! I've definitely got more than 7 pairs, uh oh. Off to take some of my own medicine.
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That looks very organized, MsPeacock, and also like something I'm not going to do myself.
I have to admit that I've made the jump into the KonMari method. I never thought I would be into folding my clothes and keeping my drawers organized, but I am and I do. It's really easy. It's also easier to keep things organized because you don't have to pull out something from the bottom of a stack.
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That looks very organized, MsPeacock, and also like something I'm not going to do myself.
I admit that I tend to be pretty organized - and the clothes were folded before. It was just a matter of rearranging them. But I am one of those people that gets increasingly anxious w/ disorganization. The more organized I am the happier.
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OK - Kondo'ed drawer photos attached. Sorry I don't have any before pictures. I will also be purging some more pants because there are way too many in the drawer (and several pairs that don't really fit or I don't really like or whatever). Same with gym clothes. Amazed at how much neater everything is and how much easier it is to see what is in the drawer.
ETA - this process has helped me see more clothes to purge. I also have a box of 'winter' clothes under my bed which I plan to get out and get into the dresser/closet so I can see everything at once. I only have 3 pairs of regular (non-workout) shorts and that has been totally adequate. So, why do I have 7 or something pairs of jeans? And why do I have that green t-shirt - it doesn't go w/ anything!
Beautiful drawers!
Seeing these pics inspired me to fold my stuff in a similar way (although I haven't read the book; I just copied your pics). And folding my things like this made my drawers look like they're only 1/3rd full! I was then able to move the last of my sweatshirts and lounge pants that I had on a closet shelf into my one chest of drawers
I now have 100% of my lounge clothes in one medium-sized chest of drawers! This includes all of my socks, undies, tights, athletic stuff, painting/yardwork stuff, lounge clothes, sweatshirts, and PJs for all seasons in dresser! Amazing! Prior to starting this process a year or two ago, I used to only fit the athletic clothes for one season in it and has at least two large tubs of out-of-season stuff (and this was only lounge clothes and PJs).
Oh, and even with all of this my drawers aren't at all crammed. Not only can I see everything, but there's still a good amount of empty space.
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My go-to top is a long sleeve, good quality T, either V or crew neck. I had them stacked and folded on a closet shelf until last week when I decided to fold them and put them in lovely rows a la MsPeacock in a drawer. Wow! Does take less space, easy to see and no messing up the whole bunch of them to get to one shirt. Hope I can keep this up!
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OK - Kondo'ed drawer photos attached. Sorry I don't have any before pictures. I will also be purging some more pants because there are way too many in the drawer (and several pairs that don't really fit or I don't really like or whatever). Same with gym clothes. Amazed at how much neater everything is and how much easier it is to see what is in the drawer.
Still on the wait list for the book. Have to admit I don't quite understand how you folded your clothes. Do you roll each item? Or do a traditional fold and then place upright instead of stacking like pancakes?
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Has anyone used shelves to store clothing ala konmari? My closet is full of open shelves and I have my clothes stacked one over another.
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OK - Kondo'ed drawer photos attached. Sorry I don't have any before pictures. I will also be purging some more pants because there are way too many in the drawer (and several pairs that don't really fit or I don't really like or whatever). Same with gym clothes. Amazed at how much neater everything is and how much easier it is to see what is in the drawer.
Still on the wait list for the book. Have to admit I don't quite understand how you folded your clothes. Do you roll each item? Or do a traditional fold and then place upright instead of stacking like pancakes?
Basically you just fold them into a square or rectangle of adequate size and stick them in the drawer. I just folded the jeans in half (legs against each other) and then in quarters. Shirts were left and right folded towards center, arms folded in, then in quarters. Nothing elaborate. It isn't any more complicated that regular folding - just easier to see and access.
Regarding shelves - which i also have in my closet. I am looking for some solution - my sweaters are stacked and it doesn't work very well (for the same reason it doesn't work well in a drawer). Has anyone tried rolling clothes and putting them on shelves?
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Not a clothes roller or Konmarier but I'm wearing a top I used to really like that's been unworn for ages, and hm, I don't like it on me anymore! Another for the possible re-sale/swap pile.
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MsPeacock- thank you for this great topic. Purged 22 items from my dresser today. This included 2 swimsuits that were over 30 years old! Not sure when I thought my teenage body was going to reappear..
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I really need to convince my husband to fold his clothes that way. Currently he is still in the "ball it up and shove it in a drawer" phase, carried over from his bachelor years... :P He always complains that he can't close his drawers. Grr.
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I really need to convince my husband to fold his clothes that way. Currently he is still in the "ball it up and shove it in a drawer" phase, carried over from his bachelor years... :P He always complains that he can't close his drawers. Grr.
My children do that. Frankly I just have to allow myself to be happy that their clothes are put away rather than on the floor or in the laundry basket with the cat sleeping on top of them. Boyfriend is equally hopeless but he keeps his mess at his own place.
Loving this thread so much!
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Regarding shelves - which i also have in my closet. I am looking for some solution - my sweaters are stacked and it doesn't work very well (for the same reason it doesn't work well in a drawer). Has anyone tried rolling clothes and putting them on shelves?
I have seen pictures on the internet of people attempting the Konmari method by folding clothes and putting them like books in a row on shelves (sort of standing on the side edge). I think it may work for stiffer items like jeans but I don't think it would work well for sweaters. If you scroll through these pictures, you will see some examples of that http://karenkaminski.com/category/life-changing-magic/
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Frankly I just have to allow myself to be happy that their clothes are put away rather than on the floor or in the laundry basket with the cat sleeping on top of them.
Very good point. Although DH still does have a semi permanent "hamper wardrobe" too. Then he throws his dirty clothes in the closet because there's no room in the hamper.
We're making progress, though. Baby steps! :P
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Frankly I just have to allow myself to be happy that their clothes are put away rather than on the floor or in the laundry basket with the cat sleeping on top of them.
Very good point. Although DH still does have a semi permanent "hamper wardrobe" too. Then he throws his dirty clothes in the closet because there's no room in the hamper.
We're making progress, though. Baby steps! :P
I had a magical hamper that magically repelled all dirty clothing from males - all dirty clothing from a certain man was magically ejected from the hamper and strewn all over the floor. Years. Years of this. ugh. (Now divorced from that person and the hamper has resumed working correctly.)
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DH used to leave piles of unfolded clothes on the closet floor or shelves. Finally I asked him, so why do you leave clothes on the floor, and is there another solution that would accomplish the same goal? He said, I throw clothes on the floor if I've worn them (so I don't want to put them back in the drawer with the clean clothes) and want to wear them again (so I don't want to put them in the hamper). So now we have a whole bunch of hooks attached to the closet shelves so he can hang his once-worn clothes there. This actually seems to be working.
Admittedly, he was probably more willing to listen to me since we just suffered through a thoroughly disgusting moth infestation. Piles of dirty clothes DO NOT HELP.
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My husband also uses the laundry basket as a dresser. Drives me CRAZY. And I refuse to put his stuff away for him. I used to do it, all neat and organized, and he would have it in a mess within a few days. I felt like that showed a lack of appreciation for the effort I was putting in, so I stopped doing it.
MY drawers, however, and my half of the closet, are beautiful! I have everything in one drawer, and it's not even half full. Skirts, jeans, and scrubs are hanging up.
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I got rid of my laundry basket and now just put stuff straight into the washing machine. We don't have any white clothing so it saves time.:P
I'm wearing a black punk slogan type vest, black knee length skirt and a heart shaped pendant. It's quite warm here today.
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Loving this thread so much! Im leaving for a several months long road trip in one week, so I have streamlined my wardrobe because, besides a small storage unit, if it doesn't fit in he Honda Fit, I'm not keeping it.
This process has been so much fun! I got rid of bags and bags of clothes and shoes that I never wore, and I've organized my remaining clothes into A-team, B-team, and C-team.
A-team clothes are going in one carry on bag. These are the items that I wear all the time. Lately my uniform has been tunic + crazy leggings + Chaco sandals so that's all mostly filling up the first carry on, along with 2 pairs of jeans and 5-ish tops, pjs, and a week's worth of underwear.
B-team clothes are in my second carry-on size bag. These are clothes that I will need when it gets chillier or if I need to dress up for some reason or if I run out of underwear :)
C-team clothes are in one of those Rubbermaid plastic bins and include a fancy coat, some more tops and skirts, and some sweaters. I may end up bringing this bin or I may end up putting it in our storage unit ...
Finally I have one more bin that is mostly sentimental clothes -- my wedding dress, an awesome fancy Hawaiian maxi dress, my threadbare Ramones t-shirt from back in the day -- things I don't wear but still want to keep.
So I'm down to 2 carry ons and 2 bins. It is a FANTASTIC feeling.
And we are doing this with everything -- kitchen stuff, hobby stuff, everything. Every load of crap I take makes me feel happier. Our apartment is looking rather empty and both my husband and I are like "the less stuff we have in here, the more I like it!" Good thing to know for when we settle down in future ...
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Has anyone used shelves to store clothing ala konmari? My closet is full of open shelves and I have my clothes stacked one over another.
I think Marie Kondo would recommend that you get some boxes or baskets to store your clothes in on the shelves. This way you can stack the vertically like she suggests and you can slide the box or basket out like a drawer to get what you need. She's a huge fan of shoeboxes for underwear and socks.
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Has anyone used shelves to store clothing ala konmari? My closet is full of open shelves and I have my clothes stacked one over another.
I think Marie Kondo would recommend that you get some boxes or baskets to store your clothes in on the shelves. This way you can stack the vertically like she suggests and you can slide the box or basket out like a drawer to get what you need. She's a huge fan of shoeboxes for underwear and socks.
Oh! Great idea! I have some plastic bins and can give that. A try today.
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Has anyone used shelves to store clothing ala konmari? My closet is full of open shelves and I have my clothes stacked one over another.
I think Marie Kondo would recommend that you get some boxes or baskets to store your clothes in on the shelves. This way you can stack the vertically like she suggests and you can slide the box or basket out like a drawer to get what you need. She's a huge fan of shoeboxes for underwear and socks.
Awesome idea! I'll give it try and report back results!
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Over 100 items (I stopped counting) bagged for donation today. A lot of it was stuff that is several sizes too small, so it was time to be realistic. I was tempted to save it and move it to the States where I could consign the higher end items, but I knew that might not happen. It needed to Just Go. Also out went a lot of the wash and wear dresses I used to wear to work, and many of the shoes (30 pairs!) that went with them. Heals are great for desk sitting; not so much for casual living and walking to trains. Time to accept reality that, like it or not, the life of a professional woman is no longer mine, and won't be for some years.
Great progress for me.
I also finally got the Kondo book from the library.
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Tried the plastic bins w/ the sweaters - which worked fine. Then decided that I wanted to take my bedding out of my dresser and put it in the closet. Folded the sweaters Kondo style and put them in the drawer. Bedding moved to closet shelves. I also got rid of another 2 garbage bags full of clothing. Emptied by under-bed winter storage bin and put all the clothes w/ my summer clothes. Everything foldable is now in the dresser. YAY!
I've progressed to getting rid of expensive clothing that still fits but that I don't love - which is why it is still in fabulous condition. I'm sure someone will be very happy at Goodwill when they find this stuff. I am determined that the things I have will fit in my available space and bring me "joy" as Kondo says.
Still loving the uniform system for work. I haven't been posting pictures because it would be pretty heavy on repeats.
I have a pile of stuff to take to goodwill tomorrow - more clothing, the under-bed bin, the huge wicker basket that used to hold some of the bedding. Very happy w/ this weekend's purging and reorganizing.
I also Kondo'd all my kid's dresser drawers. They have way more clothing than they need (hard to keep up when they keep growing and getting hand-me-downs.). Hoping I can get them to at least pcik 5 or so t-shirts to get rid of and maybe a couple pairs of pants.
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I've progressed to getting rid of expensive clothing that still fits but that I don't love - which is why it is still in fabulous condition. I'm sure someone will be very happy at Goodwill when they find this stuff. I am determined that the things I have will fit in my available space and bring me "joy" as Kondo says.
I've had exactly this feeling. I've even donated nice things that I NEVER wore because they just didn't quite work. The money's already spent - just let someone else get use out of it. Totally agree.
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I also Kondo'd all my kid's dresser drawers. They have way more clothing than they need (hard to keep up when they keep growing and getting hand-me-downs.). Hoping I can get them to at least pcik 5 or so t-shirts to get rid of and maybe a couple pairs of pants.
My youngest is actually pretty impressed w/ his drawers now. We were both exclaiming over how many long sleeved shirts he has and that maybe we can pick 5 to get rid of. He likes that I folded his underwear and disappointed that I didn't do his jammie drawer.
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I've progressed to getting rid of expensive clothing that still fits but that I don't love - which is why it is still in fabulous condition. I'm sure someone will be very happy at Goodwill when they find this stuff. I am determined that the things I have will fit in my available space and bring me "joy" as Kondo says.
I've had exactly this feeling. I've even donated nice things that I NEVER wore because they just didn't quite work. The money's already spent - just let someone else get use out of it. Totally agree.
I *finally* let go of some lovely clothes items yesterday, because I just don't wear them. Why am I keeping them if they're not actually adding value to my life?! No point. I keep reminding myself that somebody else will be THRILLED to own them next.
I have about 50cm of hanging space now, which holds all my dresses, tee shirts, cardigans etc. Then two drawers that hold sleepwear, underwear, and pants. I pretty much wear identical outfits to work everyday (dark coloured shift dress, with a blue, purple, grey or black cardigan) and I'm loving it. Super easy AND work appropriate. Having a uniform works well for me :-)
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Has anyone tried out the online consignment shops like Twice or ThredUp? I cleaned out about 2/3 of my closet and I have quite a few items that are well known brands that are in good condition. I know they don't pay much, but it would still be something.
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Has anyone tried out the online consignment shops like Twice or ThredUp? I cleaned out about 2/3 of my closet and I have quite a few items that are well known brands that are in good condition. I know they don't pay much, but it would still be something.
The brand constraints of ThredUp surprised me. I didn't see as full a list on their website as they include on their bag insert. But they send the bag to you for free, so it may be worth ordering it anyway. No loss there. (You send it back for free too). Also worth noting, ThredUp doesn't take mens clothes, only women and children's, "In style", brand name, excellent condition. I didn't bother sending the bag back- I have never owned any of the brands they listed on the card! I can't speak to Twice though, no experience there.
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I have 14 trash bags (medium sized) in my basement. And a deep sense of shame. I had no idea how mad I'd gotten.
I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it's difficult. And it is affecting my progress because I don't want to wade through any more excess. Truthfully, I'm not even make especially severe cuts.
The only thing I can hope is that I remember this feeling and it prevents me from ever getting that bad again.
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I have 14 trash bags (medium sized) in my basement. And a deep sense of shame. I had no idea how mad I'd gotten.
I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it's difficult. And it is affecting my progress because I don't want to wade through any more excess. Truthfully, I'm not even make especially severe cuts.
The only thing I can hope is that I remember this feeling and it prevents me from ever getting that bad again.
Villanelle - do you have to go through the bags - or can you just donate them? Do you have what you need already in your closets and dresser? If so, I'd say just move the bags along. The shame isn't helping you and only making you feel bad about something that it sounds like you are working very hard at changing.
I also find it helpful to get the stuff out of the house on a regular basis - I will never be one for having a garage sale or selling things online. Once I'd sorted I need the stuff OUT as quickly as possible.
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I recommend Twice--they take lots of brands, and while they're careful about condition, I figure I shouldn't own something in iffy condition anyway, so at least it gets stuff out of the house. I got $60 back from them last week. It definitely prompts me to discard extra stuff thinking there might be money in it.
Thinking of a few more clothes I can part with. I tend to be slow at this--lots of thinking about it first, making peace with the idea of having fewer options. Traveling right now with clothes for three weeks (work plus vacation), and realizing that I can wear one large backpack's worth of clothes for that long makes me feel like I don't really need to hold onto as much. Also probably leaving a pair of shoes behind when I return home--they are a little pinchy, and the suede has become dirty. I think I may do a big dump of the summer shoes I own after this season and start again next year with two nicer new (or gently used) pairs. Lots I just don't wear and then a feeling of 'ugh' about my choices.
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Has anyone tried out the online consignment shops like Twice or ThredUp? I cleaned out about 2/3 of my closet and I have quite a few items that are well known brands that are in good condition. I know they don't pay much, but it would still be something.
The brand constraints of ThredUp surprised me. I didn't see as full a list on their website as they include on their bag insert. But they send the bag to you for free, so it may be worth ordering it anyway. No loss there. (You send it back for free too). Also worth noting, ThredUp doesn't take mens clothes, only women and children's, "In style", brand name, excellent condition. I didn't bother sending the bag back- I have never owned any of the brands they listed on the card! I can't speak to Twice though, no experience there.
I use Threadup all of the time. They are picky, but I own a lot of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Crocs, which they take as long as in good condition. I have no problem finding Ann Taylor etc at Goodwill, so I'll often buy things for $2-$4 there and then sell it to Threadup if I decide it doesn't work. My daughter also often has Osh Kosh (from Grandma), and Lands End and Gap Kids (from Goodwill), which they seem to take.
When I'm going through closets, I just put anything in the bag that there's a chance of them taking, and while they often only pay me for maybe 30% of what I put in, I'm getting rid of it anyway, and they donate the rest. I've even had them pay me for some brands from Kohls that I wouldn't have guessed they'd take. Overall, I rarely get more than $10 a bag, often as little as $3-$5 a bag, but they've paid me a total of around $200 in the last 2 years for things I'd just donate anyway, so overall, it's been worth it to me.
Tl;dr Threadup doesn't pay a lot and is picky, so I wouldn't send anything you feel strongly is worth any real money, but if you're just going to donate it anyway, might as well put it in the bag and ship it off for free to see.
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Did a big purge on the weekend. It's still a long way from being a capsule wardrobe (which I doubt I could ever make work for me as my personal style could never be adapted into a work style resulting in needing more clothes) but it is at least now a well edited wardrobe of stuff that makes me smile when I wear it with nothing damaged in it. Now if I let natural attrition do it's thing and cap the number of new purchases I will eventually own less and less.
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Has anyone tried out the online consignment shops like Twice or ThredUp? I cleaned out about 2/3 of my closet and I have quite a few items that are well known brands that are in good condition. I know they don't pay much, but it would still be something.
The brand constraints of ThredUp surprised me. I didn't see as full a list on their website as they include on their bag insert. But they send the bag to you for free, so it may be worth ordering it anyway. No loss there. (You send it back for free too). Also worth noting, ThredUp doesn't take mens clothes, only women and children's, "In style", brand name, excellent condition. I didn't bother sending the bag back- I have never owned any of the brands they listed on the card! I can't speak to Twice though, no experience there.
I use Threadup all of the time. They are picky, but I own a lot of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Crocs, which they take as long as in good condition. I have no problem finding Ann Taylor etc at Goodwill, so I'll often buy things for $2-$4 there and then sell it to Threadup if I decide it doesn't work. My daughter also often has Osh Kosh (from Grandma), and Lands End and Gap Kids (from Goodwill), which they seem to take.
When I'm going through closets, I just put anything in the bag that there's a chance of them taking, and while they often only pay me for maybe 30% of what I put in, I'm getting rid of it anyway, and they donate the rest. I've even had them pay me for some brands from Kohls that I wouldn't have guessed they'd take. Overall, I rarely get more than $10 a bag, often as little as $3-$5 a bag, but they've paid me a total of around $200 in the last 2 years for things I'd just donate anyway, so overall, it's been worth it to me.
Tl;dr Threadup doesn't pay a lot and is picky, so I wouldn't send anything you feel strongly is worth any real money, but if you're just going to donate it anyway, might as well put it in the bag and ship it off for free to see.
I know it's silly, but I don't want to inconvenience them with clothes I feel for sure they won't want to take =\ But then, I have been told I feel too much personal responsibility for the wellbeing of others, lol.
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I use Threadup all of the time. They are picky, but I own a lot of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Crocs, which they take as long as in good condition. I have no problem finding Ann Taylor etc at Goodwill, so I'll often buy things for $2-$4 there and then sell it to Threadup if I decide it doesn't work. My daughter also often has Osh Kosh (from Grandma), and Lands End and Gap Kids (from Goodwill), which they seem to take.
When I'm going through closets, I just put anything in the bag that there's a chance of them taking, and while they often only pay me for maybe 30% of what I put in, I'm getting rid of it anyway, and they donate the rest. I've even had them pay me for some brands from Kohls that I wouldn't have guessed they'd take. Overall, I rarely get more than $10 a bag, often as little as $3-$5 a bag, but they've paid me a total of around $200 in the last 2 years for things I'd just donate anyway, so overall, it's been worth it to me.
Tl;dr Threadup doesn't pay a lot and is picky, so I wouldn't send anything you feel strongly is worth any real money, but if you're just going to donate it anyway, might as well put it in the bag and ship it off for free to see.
Nice. Yeah, I have a lot of those brands from thrift stores as well, especially Ann Taylor. I'll have to give it a shot and see how it goes. I know that some of the brands that Twice and Thredup take don't overlap, so I might be able to split up clothes between the two...
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I also Kondo'd all my kid's dresser drawers. They have way more clothing than they need (hard to keep up when they keep growing and getting hand-me-downs.). Hoping I can get them to at least pcik 5 or so t-shirts to get rid of and maybe a couple pairs of pants.
My youngest is actually pretty impressed w/ his drawers now. We were both exclaiming over how many long sleeved shirts he has and that maybe we can pick 5 to get rid of. He likes that I folded his underwear and disappointed that I didn't do his jammie drawer.
My 5 yo son and I did this to all his clothes in his dresser a few weeks ago. I was just going to do one drawer, but he really liked the results and insisted that we do all four. When we were done, he wanted to go do his sister's dresser too! He loves this system because it makes it easy for him to dress himself, which is important to him.
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Loving this thread so much! Im leaving for a several months long road trip in one week, so I have streamlined my wardrobe because, besides a small storage unit, if it doesn't fit in he Honda Fit, I'm not keeping it....So I'm down to 2 carry ons and 2 bins. It is a FANTASTIC feeling.
You might like this - traveling light & stylish: http://gigigriffis.com/how-to-stay-stylish-while-living-out-of-a-bag-part-i/
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I haven't uploaded anything in a while - this is the standard Lands End black pants, old blouse which I like the colors and cut, and a spectacularly unflattering grey sweater things. I don't have a grey cardigan and really need one. I also don't have a full length mirror at home and didn't realize just how awful this sweater thing looks. Yuck. (I also don't know how to pose). It hits me weird, the cut - awful. Going into the donation bin when I get home. I will not be wearing it again. My no-buy ends fairly soon so I will be on the lookout for a cardigan after that.
Ugh, just ugh on the top - but I am posting the picture anyhow and I am untying the sweater to try to make it less awful. I guess this is the benefit of taking photos of myself.
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I've pretty much stuck with my capsule. The goal now is to get other clothes out of my house. I started taking pictures of some nicer items, but I'm never going to go through with eBay. To Housing Works they go.
I haven't uploaded anything in a while - this is the standard Lands End black pants
I say this with all respect and hope you don't get offended: those pants look a little big/droopy. These tan pants (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/spin-off-creating-a-minimalistcapsule-wardrobe/msg704363/#msg704363) are much more flattering. I get that the phone is at a bad angle, but I think there's still a difference.
These are the sort of pants that are comfort over style, for sure. I think the photo angle from more or less crotch level doesn't do them much justice - but they are for sure loose and soft rather than structured pants. I do like how the tan pants, for instance, look, but they require pressing - so I don't wear them as often (they are in the hamper for the dry cleaners right now). I sit all day and get really uncomfortable in restrictive clothing, which has meant the trade off for some droopy looking stuff. However, the combo of the pants, that god awful grey top yesterday - tragic.
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I've pretty much stuck with my capsule. The goal now is to get other clothes out of my house. I started taking pictures of some nicer items, but I'm never going to go through with eBay. To Housing Works they go.
I haven't uploaded anything in a while - this is the standard Lands End black pants
I say this with all respect and hope you don't get offended: those pants look a little big/droopy. These tan pants (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/spin-off-creating-a-minimalistcapsule-wardrobe/msg704363/#msg704363) are much more flattering. I get that the phone is at a bad angle, but I think there's still a difference.
These are the sort of pants that are comfort over style, for sure. I think the photo angle from more or less crotch level doesn't do them much justice - but they are for sure loose and soft rather than structured pants. I do like how the tan pants, for instance, look, but they require pressing - so I don't wear them as often (they are in the hamper for the dry cleaners right now). I sit all day and get really uncomfortable in restrictive clothing, which has meant the trade off for some droopy looking stuff. However, the combo of the pants, that god awful grey top yesterday - tragic.
It's not your usual trim and tidy silhouette, but you still look fine :)
Also, slouchy pants are quite in fashion now!
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MrsP., when you decide it is time for a replacement, I can't say enough great things about ponte pants. They look fairly refined and yet are soft and flexible. If you aren't familiar with it, ponte is like a super thick jersey (like a tee shirt). They are thick enough that there's structure to them, making them flattering and dressy enough, but they feel a lot like pajamas. And they are machine wash, no iron. And they can be found in many price ranges.
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^I can't speak to ponte pants specifically, but ponte dresses and top/skirt separates are great multipurpose pieces. I wore a charcoal grey ponte tank/skirt combo to death a few years ago and have been trying to find the perfect replacement ever since. I've kept an old purple ponte dress that isn't a perfect color or size but works in a pinch until I find that perfect replacement.
Last week I packed up another 31 items for consignment, plus another half-box to Goodwill and a few bags of trash. (ETA: Have another 5 items to send but ran out of bag space.) I'm guessing I've purged ~200 pieces of clothing at this point; just posted 65 plastic hangers to freecycle.
My closet is down to 30 items, and all told -- including various season coats/jackets and shoes but excluding underwear and socks -- I'm down to about 90 items total. A few of those will eventually go away as I'm currently losing weight but in the middle of sizes, so I'm expecting the balance point to be around 75. It feels good, and so much more manageable. I still can't believe how much I owned considering how little interest I have in clothing and fashion.
Has anyone tried out the online consignment shops like Twice or ThredUp? I cleaned out about 2/3 of my closet and I have quite a few items that are well known brands that are in good condition. I know they don't pay much, but it would still be something.
The brand constraints of ThredUp surprised me. I didn't see as full a list on their website as they include on their bag insert. But they send the bag to you for free, so it may be worth ordering it anyway. No loss there. (You send it back for free too). Also worth noting, ThredUp doesn't take mens clothes, only women and children's, "In style", brand name, excellent condition. I didn't bother sending the bag back- I have never owned any of the brands they listed on the card! I can't speak to Twice though, no experience there.
I use Threadup all of the time. They are picky, but I own a lot of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Crocs, which they take as long as in good condition. I have no problem finding Ann Taylor etc at Goodwill, so I'll often buy things for $2-$4 there and then sell it to Threadup if I decide it doesn't work. My daughter also often has Osh Kosh (from Grandma), and Lands End and Gap Kids (from Goodwill), which they seem to take.
When I'm going through closets, I just put anything in the bag that there's a chance of them taking, and while they often only pay me for maybe 30% of what I put in, I'm getting rid of it anyway, and they donate the rest. I've even had them pay me for some brands from Kohls that I wouldn't have guessed they'd take. Overall, I rarely get more than $10 a bag, often as little as $3-$5 a bag, but they've paid me a total of around $200 in the last 2 years for things I'd just donate anyway, so overall, it's been worth it to me.
Tl;dr Threadup doesn't pay a lot and is picky, so I wouldn't send anything you feel strongly is worth any real money, but if you're just going to donate it anyway, might as well put it in the bag and ship it off for free to see.
I know it's silly, but I don't want to inconvenience them with clothes I feel for sure they won't want to take =\ But then, I have been told I feel too much personal responsibility for the wellbeing of others, lol.
For my clothes, I actually find the opposite: for me, Twice is more picky brand-wise, while ThredUp is more likely to take the brands Twice won't. I find Twice's payout prices higher per item, though, so I try to send as much to them as their parameters will allow, then send what's left to ThredUp.
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Can someone link to ponte pants that they like?
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Can someone link to ponte pants that they like?
I actually have a Target pair that I really like, but they are a couple years old. I also have a Vince camuto pair. I don't know if these are the same pants as mine are about 3 years old, but here's a link to some. Here (http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/vince-camuto-ponte-knit-ankle-pants-regular-petite/3242815?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=2375500&fashionColor=Dark+Heather+Grey&resultback=334)
A blogger I follow speaks very highly of Talbot's ponte stuff, including their pants.
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Can someone link to ponte pants that they like?
http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-fit-2-slim-leg-ponte-pants/id_272926
I got two pairs of these last winter and like them a lot. Very comfy and look decent enough to wear to work with a long cardigan.
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Well, I'm done. All clothing sorted. Everything that doesn't fit by more than one size, gone. Everything from my old professional life, gone.
I'm getting rid of so much. Some of it is 12+ years old, and 4 sizes too small. Despite the aforementioned shame, I feel really, really good now. Everything feels so manageable. And as I look at what I'm getting rid of, some of that shame is subsiding. I really wasn't bringing in all that much unnecessary stuff. It's just that I never got rid of anything that I no longer wore or that no longer fit.
I feel really relieved to have it all done.
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Well, I'm done. All clothing sorted. Everything that doesn't fit by more than one size, gone. Everything from my old professional life, gone.
I'm getting rid of so much. Some of it is 12+ years old, and 4 sizes too small. Despite the aforementioned shame, I feel really, really good now. Everything feels so manageable. And as I look at what I'm getting rid of, some of that shame is subsiding. I really wasn't bringing in all that much unnecessary stuff. It's just that I never got rid of anything that I no longer wore or that no longer fit.
I feel really relieved to have it all done.
Congratulations Villanelle - that is a big task and a huge relief I'm sure. I have bags of books that I need to get out of the house (the latest topic of purging). And a mystery box of cables. I"ve also been getting rid of clothes here and there as I wear things and am reminded that I don't *love* a particular item. It has become much easier to part with it.
Welcome karaishere - I've done the opposite of putting things in storage. I got rid of my underbed box and pared down until everything fits in the space that I have. I find it helps me a lot because many items cross seasons and I can see everything I have at one time. It has definitely helped to pare way way down on the amount of clothing I own (my estimate is that I got rid of about 80% of my clothing).
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I've done the opposite of putting things in storage. I got rid of my underbed box and pared down until everything fits in the space that I have. I find it helps me a lot because many items cross seasons and I can see everything I have at one time. It has definitely helped to pare way way down on the amount of clothing I own (my estimate is that I got rid of about 80% of my clothing).
This has been my experience too. It's definitely due to living in a climate where my outfits don't need to change much over the seasons - especially since I don't feel the cold as much as most people seem to. In cooler weather I just add tights and a cardigan to the same dresses I wear in warm weather.
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One outfit from last week (Lands End black pants that sometimes look droopy, old blouse, old jacket).
Outfit from this week - tan pants (old, require pressing), blue blouse (old, but fits the 'uniform' other than color). Blue cardigan that is not pictured because it is almost 100 outside today.
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It looks like I'm breaking the rules by wearing black though. It's just so convenient as a bottom color!
From what I understood from my consultant Karaishere, the 'rules' only applied to clothing near to the face, so bottom colours could be whatever. Was anyone else told this? I do naturally stick to 'my' colour of navy rather than black for the most part anyway, but it's the stuff near the face that counts, I believe.
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Lands End black pants that sometimes look droopy
I think the Lands End pants are really cute.
I've fallen into a rut. I wear the same thing to work everyday. Instead of getting stressed out, I've decided to have a work uniform. I also broke my shopping ban (13 months strong) to buy 8 new tops (same style, different colors) that were on sale (~$11 each from Madewell). I have set jewelry (watch, wedding band, necklace, and rotate two pairs of earrings) too.
Outside of work, I look forward to getting dressed and wearing different clothing. My appearance at work doesn't matter, so I've streamlined the process. Now I can get dressed extremely quickly. More time to pack my lunch!
Although it is hard to tell from the last two pictures - I did much the same thing. Bought 5 white shirts and some sweaters. I still have some of my "old" clothes, so I don't only wear my uniform. It is so much easier though! I'm sure as things wear out or get donated to Goodwill my whole work wardrobe will evolve to being mostly white shirt, sweater, pants.
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FYI: Twice sent out an email today that they've sold themselves to eBay and are no longer paying out for clothing. Which is extra annoying since I recently sent them 2 bags that they're now not going to process. :/
If you have a credit with them by any chance (which I did from a sale bonus), you need to use it before month's end, I believe. I just hopped onto their site and bought 3 purses for 85 cents (total out of pocket after the credit), for the express purposes of selling at a profit to ThredUp. Just be sure to grab something on ThredUp's approved list.
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Thank you karaishere for the season color swatch idea. I used the website and like the color range it came up with for me (Autumn). It's nice to have a color palette to help with choosing any new clothes. I especially like the idea of having more warm browns.
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One outfit from last week (Lands End black pants that sometimes look droopy, old blouse, old jacket).
Outfit from this week - tan pants (old, require pressing), blue blouse (old, but fits the 'uniform' other than color). Blue cardigan that is not pictured because it is almost 100 outside today.
You have a great figure. The blue is very pretty, and I love the shoes with that outfit. The other outfit is also very pretty, but I don't love the shoes quite as much.
On that gray droopy cardigan, wear a lower cut top underneath it, maybe a black or red scoop neck??
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One outfit from last week (Lands End black pants that sometimes look droopy, old blouse, old jacket).
Outfit from this week - tan pants (old, require pressing), blue blouse (old, but fits the 'uniform' other than color). Blue cardigan that is not pictured because it is almost 100 outside today.
You have a great figure. The blue is very pretty, and I love the shoes with that outfit. The other outfit is also very pretty, but I don't love the shoes quite as much.
On that gray droopy cardigan, wear a lower cut top underneath it, maybe a black or red scoop neck??
Thank you - I love those shoes!
That grey cardigan is GONE - no room in my closet for things I don't love. :) The way it tied under my breasts was *not* flattering and its only redeeming characteristics is that is was warm.
I am having terrible - and first time - problems w/ planter facitus (sp?) and will have to get some ugly supportive shoes to wear until it gets better. Right now I am wear Birkenstocks at work - which I consider borderline unacceptable but they are the only shoes that don't hurt right now aside from tennis shoes (which look worse - the Birks are at least a 'dressy' style). Have to break my clothing no-buy for this one, unfortunately. I have to be able to walk.
I used to skip around in 3" heels (cute!) all day with no problem- and not that long ago. Now a 1" heel and cushioning and I am still hobbled w/in an hour or so. Of course, this has helped eliminate a lot of shoes from my wardrobe as I come to terms w/ never being able to wear them again.
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I'm wearing my "uniform" again today. Black vest top, black pencil skirt, sandals and heart shaped necklace.
It looks like I'm breaking the rules by wearing black though. It's just so convenient as a bottom color!
From what I understood from my consultant Karaishere, the 'rules' only applied to clothing near to the face, so bottom colours could be whatever. Was anyone else told this? I do naturally stick to 'my' colour of navy rather than black for the most part anyway, but it's the stuff near the face that counts, I believe.
Yes, that is what I read. It makes sense if the colours that suit you are mostly to do with your hair and eye colour. :)
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"Uniform" - tan pants, printed blouse, cardigan. All of these clothing items are old and survived the closet purge. Ultimately I will probably be purging most of this outfit but for now it stays.
Feet are killing me - ordered two pairs of least-hideous orthotic shoes last night. Ugh.
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Let's talk about plantar fascists and shoes!!
I teach fitness classes, and I have PF. In the rest of the time, I stay at home and I don't put a lot of effort into the clothing, so I can get away with athletic shoes most of the time.
Are you going to go to physical therapy for your PF? You might want to. I have, but I have also sucked at the maintenance care for PF.
What I learned from my therapist.
1. Always wear shoes. Do not go barefoot, ever. Wear crocs in the shower (I do not do this, but I should!)
2. Get a foam roller and a golf ball. Roll your foot on the golf ball. Roll your legs out on the foam roller.
3. Do calf stretches.
You can get massage, and ultrasound and even more in depth things from a specialist to help with PF. You an also get inserts for your shoes. I would recommend a physical therapist who works with runners / legs / feet.
For shoes.
1. For athletic shoes, I wear almost exclusively Asics Gel Nimbus. They have been the best for my feet. You may also want to try Saucony. You want padding in the heel.
2. My therapist did not like the Birks I had. He said the heel was too low. You want to keep your heel a little higher so you don't pound on it. (I don't' think this means high heels though!!!!)
3. I have found these sandals for this summer that I like that have some arch support, and they are affordable (casual). I would like to find one pair of something like ballet flats or wedge flats. Bonus, they are not crazy expensive
Skechers Reggae:
http://www.amazon.com/Skechers-Womens-Reggae-Rockfest-T-Strap-Sandal/dp/B005FZPFPU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1437567833&sr=8-4&keywords=skechers+reggae+sandal
http://www.amazon.com/Skechers-Womens-Reggae-Jammin-Sandal/dp/B001OQBTS6/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1437567893&sr=8-15&keywords=skechers+reggae+sandal
I would like to try more of this Reggae group, but I only really need 2 sandals for summer. I might look at the ones with straps rather than the slides. I have been looking at Chacos sandals but have not gotten into them so much.
4. I am willing to spend BUCKS on shoes if it saves my feet. I need to use these feet for YEARS! I have not spent a lot of time with expensive brands though because it's a PITA to try to find something. I really need to go to a department store because going back and forth with Zappos is a lot of work. But they have so many styles!!
Let me know if you find something you like.
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Also, I think you would utterly rock sheath dresses. But which shoes? Not sure!
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The problem just started. I talked to my neighbor who is a physical therapist and she told me the stretches to do. I am wearing shoes at home all the time (which I hate). Tennis shoes and my hiking boots feel fine - the problem is my shoes for work. Here is what I ordered:
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-ailie-black
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-antonia-mid-wedge-pump-black
Ultimately I'll need some slippers and some sandals if this doesn't clear up - but I can only cough up so much and the shoes for work were top priority. This may become in inadvertent way to really reduce my shoe wardrobe.
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I *almost* kept these Clarks sandals earlier this summer, but I don't need to dress up. They were comfortable. The tan was a little bit of a strange color but oh, the leather was soft!!! You might like to explore the Clarks brand and offerings for shoes:
http://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Womens-Black-Rosamund-Dune/dp/B00NAREJQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437568240&sr=8-1&keywords=clarks+rosemund+dune
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The problem just started. I talked to my neighbor who is a physical therapist and she told me the stretches to do. I am wearing shoes at home all the time (which I hate). Tennis shoes and my hiking boots feel fine - the problem is my shoes for work. Here is what I ordered:
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-ailie-black
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-antonia-mid-wedge-pump-black
Ultimately I'll need some slippers and some sandals if this doesn't clear up - but I can only cough up so much and the shoes for work were top priority. This may become in inadvertent way to really reduce my shoe wardrobe.
Report back on how you like the pumps. The flats…. um, ah… let us know. :)
Yes, my shoe wardrobe is tiny. But my works shoes are athletic shoes. It is nice to not have a lot of shoes to mess with!
I've always liked Anne Klein shoes. Hmmm… But I don't really need dressy shoes, except for church. I'm eyeing up these (and similar form AK)
http://www.zappos.com/anne-klein-aksport-wisher-black-fabric?zlfid=191&ref=pd_sims_p_ab_1
Wait, is this a blog about saving money? :)
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Those shoes are both cute I think.
I put a high priority on having my feet not hurt. At 11 years old both of my feet sprouted bone spurs, so essentially for my whole life I've had to be super careful about wearing shoes that don't leave me in agony. Brands that I've had some luck with are Naturalizer (these lasted over 1.5 years of 6+ hours a day on my feet), Sketchers (generally get 9 months out of each pair), and Crocs (believe it or not Crocs makes fashionable dress flats now, just got these so I don't know lifespan yet).
If I have to decide between looks and being pain free, I choose pain free. Yes, I end up wearing old lady shoes. No, I don't let it bother me. It's worth it to be able to stand and walk.
Sandals are the worst, women's sandals tend to be cute and hurt. I buy boy's sandals, the ones with tennis shoe type soles. Ugly, but I can go camping and wear them for the entire week with no pain other than sunburn (if I'm not careful).
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Also, I think you would utterly rock sheath dresses. But which shoes? Not sure!
Thanks! I decided no dresses and no skirts for my work wardrobe. I have to sit all day, hate the feeling of skirts/dresses being too short. I saved a couple "just in case." My work is often cold and I freeze when I wear a skirt.
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I *almost* kept these Clarks sandals earlier this summer, but I don't need to dress up. They were comfortable. The tan was a little bit of a strange color but oh, the leather was soft!!! You might like to explore the Clarks brand and offerings for shoes:
http://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Womens-Black-Rosamund-Dune/dp/B00NAREJQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437568240&sr=8-1&keywords=clarks+rosemund+dune
Those are cute! I have one pair of Clarks (the blue shoes that I wore earlier this week w/ tortoise shell looking toes). They are comfortable but I think ultimately do not have enough support for current feet issues.
I am seriously sad about the shoe situation. I have held onto only a few pairs of high heels - just the cutest most awesome ones that I can't stand to part with. I need to find someone w/ the same size feet who can wear them and bequeath them to her.
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For PF, husband had great luck with sleeping in a weird boot thing that kept his foot flexed while he slept (found on Amazon), and with Happy Feet inserts. The inserts won't work in slimmer shoes, but DH wore them every day for a while and now he doesn't need them all the time and has no PF issues, though he still uses the inserts in some shoes as a precaution.
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Oh yes! You can use a strassburg sock. I should get mine out!!
http://www.amazon.com/Strassburg-Sock-Regular-Size-Around/dp/B00JB2UDTQ
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Anyone else finding that weight loss is taking care of excess clothes? My work wardrobe lost a pair of capris last month and skirt this morning. Now my office clothing is down to two pairs of pants, one pair of capris, two skirts, one (adjustable) dress, about 8-10 tops, and about four or five sweaters.
I'm going to see if I can convert the skirt from this morning into a sleeveless dress. It's ankle length, so it shouldn't wind up too short.
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Anyone else finding that weight loss is taking care of excess clothes? My work wardrobe lost a pair of capris last month and skirt this morning. Now my office clothing is down to two pairs of pants, one pair of capris, two skirts, one (adjustable) dress, about 8-10 tops, and about four or five sweaters.
I'm going to see if I can convert the skirt from this morning into a sleeveless dress. It's ankle length, so it shouldn't wind up too short.
I wish! I have the opposite problem (weight gain) and have a hard time getting rid of anything that becomes too small because I hope I can go back to my prior size :-(
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The problem just started. I talked to my neighbor who is a physical therapist and she told me the stretches to do. I am wearing shoes at home all the time (which I hate). Tennis shoes and my hiking boots feel fine - the problem is my shoes for work. Here is what I ordered:
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-ailie-black
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-antonia-mid-wedge-pump-black
Ultimately I'll need some slippers and some sandals if this doesn't clear up - but I can only cough up so much and the shoes for work were top priority. This may become in inadvertent way to really reduce my shoe wardrobe.
Back with feedback on the shoes. The wedge heels were super UNcomfortable. The shape of the footbed was very odd. Lots of good cushioning, but then a ridge that ran lengthwise from mid-foot to the front, right down the center. The reviews suggest that some people find these shoes comfortable. I've never experienced a foot bed like this and found it unbearable. The shoes were cute, ran a little small, the leather was soft.
The flats are fine - very basic. Comfortable - very nice footbed. I'm going to use them as my go-to shoes for a few weeks.
My feet are feeling better. I've been super careful about wearing sneakers or my supportive sandals. I also realized that my flip flips (3 pairs) are all between 20-12 years old. Maybe time to cough up for a new well-made pair and bid adieu to these worn out one.
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Can someone link to ponte pants that they like?
Here are some from Banana Republic:
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=3&pid=980175002
I can't vouch for these specific pants, but I bought the same or similar pants at BR three or four years ago, and they are great.
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How about a pair of nice ankle boots if you are wearing pants most days anyway? I find my to be almost as comfortable as a sneaker. They have a very small (maybe half inch) heel and look smart with a skirt suit, pencil skirt etc and can be dressed down with jeans etc, perfect for a capsule wardrobe.
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The problem just started. I talked to my neighbor who is a physical therapist and she told me the stretches to do. I am wearing shoes at home all the time (which I hate). Tennis shoes and my hiking boots feel fine - the problem is my shoes for work. Here is what I ordered:
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-ailie-black
http://www.zappos.com/vionic-with-orthaheel-technology-antonia-mid-wedge-pump-black
Ultimately I'll need some slippers and some sandals if this doesn't clear up - but I can only cough up so much and the shoes for work were top priority. This may become in inadvertent way to really reduce my shoe wardrobe.
I have horrible feet, knee, and lower back problems and have found Crocs to be miracle shoes. While the ugly classic clogs with the holes may have a bad rep, there really are some cute ones out there, IMHO. And, you can watch the website to find reasonably priced ones. I seriously now own 100% crocs and have yet to find any other brand that keep my feet from hurting like Crocs do. Here are links to some that I own and wear (or very similar to those I own):
http://www.crocs.com/p/crocs-womens-mammoth-flat/12465.html?cgid=women-best-sellers&cid=22Z#start=12
http://www.crocs.com/p/crocs-sanrah/12187.html?cgid=women-collections-sanrah&cid=060#start=8
http://www.crocs.com/p/crocs-womens-a-leigh-wedge-leather/11848.html?cgid=women-footwear-heelsWedges&cid=204#start=22cgid=women-footwear-heelsWedges
http://www.crocs.com/p/crocs-alice-work/11050.html?cid=206#q=mary%20janes&start=12
http://www.crocs.com/p/crocs-womens-rainfloe-boot/12424.html?cgid=women-footwear-boots&cid=641#start=2
I also realized that my flip flips (3 pairs) are all between 20-12 years old. Maybe time to cough up for a new well-made pair and bid adieu to these worn out one.
In this case, I highly recommend the slides in the second link for use as a flip-flop type shoe. I am wearing them all day every day in the summer (including in the house) and they are super duper comfortable and sturdy for a flip-flop type shoe. They can be worn with a skirt as a little dressier than your every day flip-flop, or just around the pool. I just got back from a week with my family at the beach and after my mom noticed me wearing them 24-7, she commented on how nice they looked, tried them on when I told her they were crocs and super comfortable, and then immediately ordered herself a pair.
ETA: I just noticed that the Crocs website is almost sold out of the slides and only has a size 4 left. If you're interested and not a size 4 you can google "Sanrah Crocs" and probably find them elsewhere. I actually got mine from Kohls online and my mother got hers from 6pm.
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I managed to fill in one of the office wardrobe gaps - I really wanted a second dress for work, and found one... in my own closet! I had a black dress that for some reason had thought was too dressy for my office, but pulled it out due to having nothing else clean, and it was perfect! A little nicer than my usual stuff, but still totally appropriate. I got a ton of compliments as well, surprisingly. Glad to have solved that problem.
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OK, I found a robust and fun corporate dress blog that I love, although the prices are very high for the items they are talking about. The looks are good though -- check it out if you like. If I were a lawyer I would buy these things. As it is I am thinking of getting into real estate part time. I will look for bargains that may be in the same themes… I live in a cold weather area though!!
http://corporette.com/category/features/summer-associate-series/
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Nice articles thanks.
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I've been away a bit but here is today's uniform - very much in line w/ the stated plan (white button down, sweater (which isn't in picture because for reasons mysterious to me the heat was on in my office over the weekend - it is AUGUST and 90+ outside), black pants, and my orthopedic sort-of-ugly shoes that are helping with foot pain.
Nothing spectacular to see here. I did break out a blingy necklace for today in hopes that no one notices my shoes. :P
Working on a list of a few items of clothing for the winter. I am on no-buy for clothing until the end of August. Also planning to week out some more not-worn-often items out of the dresser and closet. Overall amount of clothing continues to shrink.
Winter list:
1. Less ratty looking black cardigan (replacement)
2. Less ratty looking white cardigan (replacement)
3. Navy V-neck sweater (new)
4. Shoes - maybe - with which I can wear warm socks (new, but some shoes are going away)
5. One light color pretty cardigan w/ long sleeves (maybe light green or pink) to replace the summery ones w/ 3/4 sleeves. I want to ditch the 3/4 sleeve ones because they don't work w/ long sleeved shirts or in the winter. (1 replacement for several sweaters)
6. Maybe a pair of those ponte pants that everyone is going on about. Provided I can find a pair of pants to take out of my closet and give to Goodwill.
That's it. I don't need any casual clothes. I have 2 pairs of jeans that I got at the thrift store that fit well and are super comfortable. My aspirational jeans are going in the Goodwill bin after I try them on one more time to remind myself that I need to be able to bend my legs when I sit down. I probably have too many long sleeved tops but I need a couple weeks of cold weather and wearing them to sort out which ones I will jettison.
As a side note I continue to shift through books and other household things and to be on a no-buy/low-buy for everything.
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Loving this thread everyone!
I've been focussing on quality not quantity, and really paying attention to things, so I've started buying one decent pair of tights (hose) a time, and (god, I sound like a nutjob) making notes on how I like the thickness, appearance, colour, fit, level of shine etc.
I used to buy tights whenever and wherever, in multiple packs or single pairs for a special event. I'd have some I loved, and some which drove me batty (slipping down at the crotch, wrinkling at the ankles, narrow waistband which digs in etc), but I never knew which ones were bought from where! (no labels in tights, obviously).
I also am on the border of sizes, so it was constantly a guessing game which size I bought last time, because they weren't quite right, but did I chose S/M or M/L etc.
Anyway, I have been taking a photo of the packet, saving it to Evernote, and making notes as the day goes on.
Already ruled out one supplier. Hoping Pretty Polly will be the one as they are made in England, but I see a lot of tights made in Italy, so that will satisfy me in a pinch. I feel just having one supplier and one type will simplify my life a lot - disproportionately to the amount of effort I have to exert just this once. The end of the ongoing, 'do i like these ones? And if do do I like 'nude' or 'tan', in S or M?' will be amazing.
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Loving this thread everyone!
I've been focussing on quality not quantity, and really paying attention to things, so I've started buying one decent pair of tights (hose) a time, and (god, I sound like a nutjob) making notes on how I like the thickness, appearance, colour, fit, level of shine etc.
I used to buy tights whenever and wherever, in multiple packs or single pairs for a special event. I'd have some I loved, and some which drove me batty (slipping down at the crotch, wrinkling at the ankles, narrow waistband which digs in etc), but I never knew which ones were bought from where! (no labels in tights, obviously).
I also am on the border of sizes, so it was constantly a guessing game which size I bought last time, because they weren't quite right, but did I chose S/M or M/L etc.
Anyway, I have been taking a photo of the packet, saving it to Evernote, and making notes as the day goes on.
Already ruled out one supplier. Hoping Pretty Polly will be the one as they are made in England, but I see a lot of tights made in Italy, so that will satisfy me in a pinch. I feel just having one supplier and one type will simplify my life a lot - disproportionately to the amount of effort I have to exert just this once. The end of the ongoing, 'do i like these ones? And if do do I like 'nude' or 'tan', in S or M?' will be amazing.
A lot of fashion bloggers rave about Wolford tights, but at upwards of $65 a pair, I just can't.
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Loving this thread everyone!
I've been focussing on quality not quantity, and really paying attention to things, so I've started buying one decent pair of tights (hose) a time, and (god, I sound like a nutjob) making notes on how I like the thickness, appearance, colour, fit, level of shine etc.
I used to buy tights whenever and wherever, in multiple packs or single pairs for a special event. I'd have some I loved, and some which drove me batty (slipping down at the crotch, wrinkling at the ankles, narrow waistband which digs in etc), but I never knew which ones were bought from where! (no labels in tights, obviously).
I also am on the border of sizes, so it was constantly a guessing game which size I bought last time, because they weren't quite right, but did I chose S/M or M/L etc.
Anyway, I have been taking a photo of the packet, saving it to Evernote, and making notes as the day goes on.
Already ruled out one supplier. Hoping Pretty Polly will be the one as they are made in England, but I see a lot of tights made in Italy, so that will satisfy me in a pinch. I feel just having one supplier and one type will simplify my life a lot - disproportionately to the amount of effort I have to exert just this once. The end of the ongoing, 'do i like these ones? And if do do I like 'nude' or 'tan', in S or M?' will be amazing.
A lot of fashion bloggers rave about Wolford tights, but at upwards of $65 a pair, I just can't.
I'm in the UK so Wolford are a well known brand here, and I've had them, I've never paid anywhere near that though! I'm thinking about £10? They are more fashion tights, I'm talking about nude 10 denier ones to wear with suits to work, but I'll check Wolford out and see if they do anything like that, thanks.
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One of my fashion bloggers loves DKNY tights and I believe those are the ones she claims are truly opaque, which I like in my tights. I bought a couple pairs on sale at the a Nordstrom semi-annual sale and not only are they actually truly Opaque, they stayed put and were comfortable. She also likes some of the Spanxz tights, though I don't know if those are uncomfortably tight like their foundation garments.
We are having an unusually hot summer and it's making me miss a few items I purged. I'd like one more generic solid (black or Navy, probably) jersey cotton skirt. I had a black one but I didn't *love* it as it was a high low hem, so I ditched it, but several times in the last few weeks I wished I still had it. I am going to keep my eyes peeled at end of season sales, especially because next summer I am going to be living in a super hot, humid place and will probably need more really cool clothes, and be unable to buy them in-person since I am not Japanese-sized.
After getting rid of probably 3/4 of my wardrobe, much of which admittedly no longer fit, that's the only item I've missed. Not too bad.
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Midweststache, I've just checked and Wolford do do the kind I'm after, they're £15 but with free shipping and I can get 5% cashback. Might be worth a try - I'm paying about £5.50 a pair at present. I don't go through tights that much, in fact annoyingly slowly when I have pairs I don't like but need to ladder before I feel justified in throwing them away! Thanks for the tip.
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Today's uniform - again keeping w/ the specific plan.
The thought of tights is making me feel itchy and claustrophobic - it is so hot here right now and my recent experiences w/ tights in the past few years is that I couldn't find any that didn't make me feel like I was being strangled. This is part of the reason I've gone the no dresses/skirts route for my uniform.
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you look so great in that shade of pink! it really lights up your complexion.
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sigh, I just had all of my clothes rejected for re-sale...tear. I guess I will switch them over to clothing swap items. Worse case scenario I keep them and remember not to buy anything again! they are mostly items I like but do not really need as staples.
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you look so great in that shade of pink! it really lights up your complexion.
Thank you! I do love pink. I wish it was easier to find winter sweaters in spring shades of pink and light green and such.
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And today:
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Today's uniform - again keeping w/ the specific plan.
The thought of tights is making me feel itchy and claustrophobic - it is so hot here right now and my recent experiences w/ tights in the past few years is that I couldn't find any that didn't make me feel like I was being strangled. This is part of the reason I've gone the no dresses/skirts route for my uniform.
Friends often query my love of dresses and skirts, but honestly, I find trousers to be very uncomfortable! I love wearing leggings or tights (as long as they're not too tight), with just the right level of 'compression' I feel like I'm getting a hug all day long! Trousers, on the other hand, I have to adjust the crotch every time I stand up and sit down as they give me constant wedgies. I think it may have something to do with my body shape. Funny how one persons 'Ah, comfortable' is another's 'I can't wait to take this off!'
I agree that shade of pink is perfect on you! It's hard to find the right shades once you know what you are looking for isn't it? If something isn't in fashion but you love the colour and it looks good on you it's frustrating not being able to find it.
I'm also working on a 'capsule' makeup bag (is that a thing?) I guess I'm just paring down but looking for products that can do more than one thing. A forthcoming trip has a strict luggage allowance so I'm minimising my toiletries as much as possible as well.
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I'm also working on a 'capsule' makeup bag (is that a thing?) I guess I'm just paring down but looking for products that can do more than one thing. A forthcoming trip has a strict luggage allowance so I'm minimising my toiletries as much as possible as well.
Oh I think it is for sure a think to have capsule or minimalist make-up. Along w/ donating clothing I got rid of a ton of make-up. I really only like about 2 of my lipsticks, and I hate gloss - but had a ton. So into the garbage it went, along w/ various eye shadow pallets, etc. I dumped all my face potions into one big tub and mixed them together. I really wear the same basic make-up every day and, like my wardrobe, the "collection" was out of control.
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Today's uniform - again right w/ the exact uniform plan:
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another great color for you!
it's funny, i have dark hair and eyes, and yet my best colors seem to be very similar to your best colors ...
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another great color for you!
it's funny, i have dark hair and eyes, and yet my best colors seem to be very similar to your best colors ...
My coworker who looks good in the same colors as me has very very dark skin. Funny how flattering colors work out - I think it has more to do w/ undertones than how light or dark your skin or hair might be. I am very "yellow" in my undertones.
(One of the reasons I found that 'seasons' color website weird was that it only asked what hair color I have and then showed me like 50 colors that I supposedly look good in. That doesn't seem reliable and many of the colors are not the best on me.)
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another great color for you!
it's funny, i have dark hair and eyes, and yet my best colors seem to be very similar to your best colors ...
My coworker who looks good in the same colors as me has very very dark skin. Funny how flattering colors work out - I think it has more to do w/ undertones than how light or dark your skin or hair might be. I am very "yellow" in my undertones.
(One of the reasons I found that 'seasons' color website weird was that it only asked what hair color I have and then showed me like 50 colors that I supposedly look good in. That doesn't seem reliable and many of the colors are not the best on me.)
I agree - I'm a winter and have very pink undertones. Hair colour seems kind of irrelevant to me too.
I can so relate to the makeup collections getting out of control - I try something, don't really like it, but regret the money spent and hate throwing it away. No more. I am going to be very deliberate about trying out new colours before buying (that's what the testers are for, right?).
Although last time I tried that I felt so guilty about the time and effort the salesgirl spent on me I bought a foundation that really didn't work for me, ugh. Need to work on saying a heartfelt 'Thank you' and walking away to consider whether something really works.
I seem to be decluttering so much more than junk thanks to these threads!
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I remember when I was a teen reading one of those "teen" magazines. There was an article on colors and determining if you had yellow undertones or blue undertones in your skin. I remember being so very frustrated because neither of those seemed to fit!
It was years later when I discovered that it's because I have pink undertones, and that crappy article didn't even mention that as a possibility.
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I got color matched for foundation at Sephora - had it done a couple times w/ varying results. But the foundation that was best of my is super yellow. I have sort of flushed areas and if they matched there it would say pink, but it didn't really match my skin. Finally one of the make-up artists used skin not only on my face, but also neck and chest - and perfect match. They basically figure out your tone (yellow or pink - and how much of each) and shade (how light or dark your skin is). So, for the first time I knew that I am yellow. :)
The color matching is free at Sephora and you shouldn't feel obligated to buy anything. (The clerks there do not get commission, so it really doesn't matter.) The hold a little scanner thing (made by Pantone - similar to waht Home Depot would use to match paint colors) to your skin in a few spots to get a reading. It takes just a couple minutes. Then you get a code that tells you your skin color/tone/undertone/whatever.
Prior to this - I had no idea. I'd read those things that said look at the inside of your wrist and compare it to a piece of paper and you'll be able to see if your undertones are yellow or pink. Or look at the veins if you arm and if they look green then you have X undertone and if they look blue you have Y undertone. I could never tell.
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I got color matched for foundation at Sephora - had it done a couple times w/ varying results. But the foundation that was best of my is super yellow. I have sort of flushed areas and if they matched there it would say pink, but it didn't really match my skin. Finally one of the make-up artists used skin not only on my face, but also neck and chest - and perfect match. They basically figure out your tone (yellow or pink - and how much of each) and shade (how light or dark your skin is). So, for the first time I knew that I am yellow. :)
The color matching is free at Sephora and you shouldn't feel obligated to buy anything. (The clerks there do not get commission, so it really doesn't matter.) The hold a little scanner thing (made by Pantone - similar to waht Home Depot would use to match paint colors) to your skin in a few spots to get a reading. It takes just a couple minutes. Then you get a code that tells you your skin color/tone/undertone/whatever.
Prior to this - I had no idea. I'd read those things that said look at the inside of your wrist and compare it to a piece of paper and you'll be able to see if your undertones are yellow or pink. Or look at the veins if you arm and if they look green then you have X undertone and if they look blue you have Y undertone. I could never tell.
I did this too! I was using a tinted moisturizer, but I decided to switch to something with more coverage. My foundation is a perfect match. I also tried out a few other foundations that matched my coloring, and the sales clerk wrote down my favorites. I did buy a foundation, an eyeliner, and a primer.
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karaishere, it's not quite the same, but last week I really wanted to buy some essential oils (I make my own skincare stuff). I did all my research, visited a ton of sites, picked what I wanted, priced it up, put it in the basket, worked out how to get a good deal on shipping etc.
I actually couldn't buy because there was no room in the budget (YNAB devotee here), but I actually found I got all the satisfaction from the 'shopping' rather than the buying.
So as long as you have the willpower not to buy, and only to look, I think it can be quite a fun way to spend an hour! Especially if you're just gathering data for something you will be buying when the seasons change.
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I have been wearing the same "capsule" to work since spring and, honestly, I am kind of bored and becoming impatient for the weather to cool off so that I can start wearing my fall clothes.
Anyone else feeling the same? How do you avoid boredom when following a capsule approach? Especially if your capsule is rather small, like project 333 (mine is not!)?
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I have been wearing the same "capsule" to work since spring and, honestly, I am kind of bored and becoming impatient for the weather to cool off so that I can start wearing my fall clothes.
Anyone else feeling the same? How do you avoid boredom when following a capsule approach? Especially if your capsule is rather small, like project 333 (mine is not!)?
My capsule is project 333 size, but I break the last 3 in the rules in that I switch it out more often than every 3 mos. The weather changes here often enough, and I get bored enough that I change it out: (1) about right now-late Aug for the beginning of the academic year to still warm weather stuff, but stuff with more of a fall feel and maybe some booties and cardigans, (2) when it turns to pants weather, so around Oct, pulling out pants and lighter sweaters (3) in Jan for my serious cold weather stuff, (4) around April for spring stuff, including some skirts but still a few cardigans and pants, (5) around May I switch into my serious summer stuff, which includes shorts and tanks, and I keep this out until the Aug switch.
I find that I'd rather have fewer things that I switch out more often to keep me from getting bored and making sure I always have things the most appropriate for the weather.
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I'm definitely not obsessing about my clothes. I like most of the pieces I have worn so far this summer and I feel comfortable in them, but I'm just feeling kind of "blah". After you wear a piece that seemed special for 8 or 9 weeks in a row, it stops being special...
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Can you change up the accessories or outerwear like jackets to avoid boredom?
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I am finding it very helpful to discover the things that don't work in my pared down wardrobe. Because everything that I kept was held on to with the belief that it worked for me in some way. And yet, there are things that I have worn to work and come home and immediately dumped the item into the donation bag (after washing, because ewwww). I pulled four more pairs of pants out last week. I am going to try them on again, but I think they are all going to be donated. I know few sweaters are going. I have a short list of purchases for the fall that I will need to either replace worn out items or to fill in some corners for some thing that is missing.
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A few pages back, I wrote about how my husband and I are going on a several-months-long road trip (with a few flying trips in between), and how I'd gotten rid of everything except 1 bin for storage and 2 carry-ons that came with me.
Now, a month into the trip, both my husband and I are saying "Wow, we brought way too much stuff."
We basically brought as much as we could fit in our Honda Fit ... and probably stressed ourselves out much more than necessary with having to unpack/repack/fit everything back in there several times.
I'm going back to Pittsburgh next month for work and bringing a huge duffel bag with me, to put back into our storage unit. Should make the next leg of the road trip easier to deal with.
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More of the same w/ the uniform.
I swear these pants don't look as droopy in person - something about the camera being slightly below waist level isn't doing them any favors. In either case, they are comfy!
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Filled in/replaced some items in my wardrobe last night.
Purchases:
Underwear (Costco - replacement)
Hoodie - replacement (Costco). Old one was 6 years old and fine except that I got a big bleach stain on the back about a year ago and it just felt so grungy w/ the stain.
White cardigan - replacement. Found one on sale at JC Penny. Old one is now greyish and pilled.
Black cardigan - replacement - same as above
Sea foam green crewneck. Replacement for one pulled from current rotation.
Blue crewneck - new, planned addition to the collection
white sleeveless turtleneck - for layering.
I took a bunch of sweaters out of my drawer - maybe 8 or 9, and a few other things (pair of pants, expensive Luluemon jacket I never wear). Shopping was *a lot* easier w/ a "uniform in mind. I wasn't so distracted with trying to figure out if something would work with other things in my closet, etc.
A few of the things I purchased:
I love the buttons on the blue sweater. The green sweater is actually a lighter color.
Anyone else scanning their wardrobe for deletions/additions/replacements?
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Anyone else scanning their wardrobe for deletions/additions/replacements?
I'm hoping to hold off through the end of the year, but I'm going to need some undergarment updates (underwear, bras) real soon. I'm looking at sustainable pieces, so I'm intrigued by the Frugalwoods's ExOfficio underwear (http://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/11/10/10-shockingly-expensive-things-we-own/) even though it's pretty pricey. I'm looking at bras from NICO.
I'm also on the look out for new black heels, but these are not a current necessity, since I teach and commute in flats, and black dress pants, although finding these stylish and also fair trade/made in the USA has been an arduous task, to say the least. (I'm open to suggestions!)
I received some Everlane shirts for my birthday and I'm very pleased; I will order more as my shirt/tank stash wears out (not until at least 2016).
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I love that blue sweater!
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I love that blue sweater!
I do too! The sweater is gorgeous.
I was forced to buy new work shoes (hole in the toe). I did acquire a few new items from a friend who was cleaning out her closet. I have mixed feelings about taking so many items that I'm not sure I'll wear because I just spent a month cleaning out my stuff (KonMari method). I received the items on Sunday. I wore one item yesterday and another one today. I'll give the items about a month in my closet. I'll donate anything that I don't wear.
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Anyone else scanning their wardrobe for deletions/additions/replacements?
I'm hoping to hold off through the end of the year, but I'm going to need some undergarment updates (underwear, bras) real soon. I'm looking at sustainable pieces, so I'm intrigued by the Frugalwoods's ExOfficio underwear (http://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/11/10/10-shockingly-expensive-things-we-own/) even though it's pretty pricey. I'm looking at bras from NICO.
I'm also on the look out for new black heels, but these are not a current necessity, since I teach and commute in flats, and black dress pants, although finding these stylish and also fair trade/made in the USA has been an arduous task, to say the least. (I'm open to suggestions!)
I received some Everlane shirts for my birthday and I'm very pleased; I will order more as my shirt/tank stash wears out (not until at least 2016).
I was wondering about Everlane. They seem to have nice basics, and the prices are reasonable. I always get wishy-washy about buying clothing online because it is such a hassle if it doesn't work out. Have you been happy w/ the quality?
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Anyone else scanning their wardrobe for deletions/additions/replacements?
I'm hoping to hold off through the end of the year, but I'm going to need some undergarment updates (underwear, bras) real soon. I'm looking at sustainable pieces, so I'm intrigued by the Frugalwoods's ExOfficio underwear (http://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/11/10/10-shockingly-expensive-things-we-own/) even though it's pretty pricey. I'm looking at bras from NICO.
I'm also on the look out for new black heels, but these are not a current necessity, since I teach and commute in flats, and black dress pants, although finding these stylish and also fair trade/made in the USA has been an arduous task, to say the least. (I'm open to suggestions!)
I received some Everlane shirts for my birthday and I'm very pleased; I will order more as my shirt/tank stash wears out (not until at least 2016).
I was wondering about Everlane. They seem to have nice basics, and the prices are reasonable. I always get wishy-washy about buying clothing online because it is such a hassle if it doesn't work out. Have you been happy w/ the quality?
I have been happy so far (only about a month in). I will say they run a tad small, so my large shirts fit a little tighter than I like. This is not to say they run a full size smaller, but rather I like a little more give than they give me (I'm a size 8-10 on top). Their women's sizes only go to large (which means I won't be ordering bottoms there anytime soon).
Everything I've ordered so far (two shirts, two tanks, a long-sleeve linen shirt) are hand wash or cold wash, and obviously hang dry. Not a problem for most Mustachians, but something to be aware of if you do a lot of laundry.
I wouldn't normally do this, but here's a referral link if you happen to order something through them: https://www.everlane.com/r/spolen
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Ugh - well, I try to avoid things that require special handling. Just because there will be at least once when I slip up and then the item is ruined. I wish they also offered a bit more in terms of color. If I order anything I will use your link!
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Today's uniform: new white cardigan, and otherwise clothing you all have seen before. The black cardigan that I purchased is exactly the same. Nothing too exciting here - very easy to get myself organized last night and hang up my clothing for the next day.
Trying to figure out if there is anything I want to add or subtract from the wardrobe as I go into fall. I think one pair of aspirational jeans (slightly too small) will be going now that I found two pairs at goodwill that fit pretty well. Undecided about other stuff, but surprised to find myself still purging. I probably need 2 or three more long sleeved blouses - white or similar that work w/ the sweaters.
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I'm looking at sustainable pieces, so I'm intrigued by the Frugalwoods's ExOfficio underwear (http://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/11/10/10-shockingly-expensive-things-we-own/) even though it's pretty pricey.
I have some Ex Officio underwear for hiking. It's very light and comfortable and wicks sweat well. They have it at Sierra Trading Post, which is usually a good discount from retail.
I also just got the Ex Officio Give-n-Go bras, which I ordered from Title 9. Wow, are they comfortable! (Only for small-busted women, though.) $26.
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Chiming in on the Ex Officio underwear, I have two pairs (so does DH) and we LOVE them. It's exclusively what we wear for exercise/hiking/camping. Honestly it's so comfortable I kind of want to splurge and buy a couple more pairs to wear day to day. Yes, it's pricey, but I would say it's definitely worth it.
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I have some Ex Officio underwear for hiking. It's very light and comfortable and wicks sweat well. They have it at Sierra Trading Post, which is usually a good discount from retail.
I also just got the Ex Officio Give-n-Go bras, which I ordered from Title 9. Wow, are they comfortable! (Only for small-busted women, though.) $26.
Chiming in on the Ex Officio underwear, I have two pairs (so does DH) and we LOVE them. It's exclusively what we wear for exercise/hiking/camping. Honestly it's so comfortable I kind of want to splurge and buy a couple more pairs to wear day to day. Yes, it's pricey, but I would say it's definitely worth it.
Good to know! Again, I'll be holding out for the year, but I'm glad to get more perspectives. (And more than one person's glowing recommendation!)
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I've tried the synthetic underwear, and for me cotton is the only way to go. I'm just not comfortable in the synthetics against my skin. The ones that are my current favorites are plain Jockey bikini underwear, they are holding up very well. I think these ones will last me at least a few more years.
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It's getting a bit more chilly here and I'm wondering how well my autumn/winter wardrobe is going to work.
Two black cardigans.
One red cardigan.
One wine coloured cardigan.
Grey jumper with a heart pattern.
Argyle pattterned jumper.
Long black skirt.
Black warm hat and two pairs of warm gloves.
Red coat.
I will wear my two black summer skirts but with leggings or tights (pantyhose) underneath. I will wear my summer tops but under warmer tops.
Hmm, I don't have any trousers (pants) at all.
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I was wondering about Everlane. They seem to have nice basics, and the prices are reasonable. I always get wishy-washy about buying clothing online because it is such a hassle if it doesn't work out. Have you been happy w/ the quality?
I have been happy so far (only about a month in). I will say they run a tad small, so my large shirts fit a little tighter than I like. This is not to say they run a full size smaller, but rather I like a little more give than they give me (I'm a size 8-10 on top). Their women's sizes only go to large (which means I won't be ordering bottoms there anytime soon).
Everything I've ordered so far (two shirts, two tanks, a long-sleeve linen shirt) are hand wash or cold wash, and obviously hang dry. Not a problem for most Mustachians, but something to be aware of if you do a lot of laundry.
I wouldn't normally do this, but here's a referral link if you happen to order something through them: https://www.everlane.com/r/spolen
Interesting. I'd say that their shirts (or at least their tank tops) run big. I ordered two cotton tanks and one ryan tank in smalls and ended up returning them to order extra smalls instead. (And yes, they don't do exchanges right now. You have to return and re-order which means tying up extra money on your credit card temporarily.) My tanks are wearing great after 2 months of weekly wear washing on cold (even the hand wash item) and tumble dry low/hang dry.
Yeah, I was talking about the t-shirts, which are more fitted than the tanks (you're right on the tanks--the Ryan tanks are billowy-er, and I think they're great). I'd be interested to hear if you order t-shirts or button-downs if you still order down a size. But this may have to do more with me being on the other side of the size spectrum :)
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Welp, I decided to return the cardigans to JCPenny. I wore the white one and it was totally stretched out and baggy looking by the end of one day. I should have known better because they were something like $20 on sale. I've honestly had better luck w/ clothing from H&M and Forever21 then I have from Kohls and JCPennys. None of this is exactly high end clothing, but I expected better.
I think I may try the black cardigan from Everlane, even though it is $80 or so. I'd rather get something that will hold up for years. I will have to find another source for a white cardigan.
I'll use your referral link when I get to the point of ordering.
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Outfit of the day - standard black pants, button down blouse. Its warm so no sweater. The shirt is new - part of fall wardrobe updates. I also got a plain white blouse. Both are from Express, where I have had remarkably good luck w/ pants and blouses (but not the trendy junk they sell). Blouse, although not plain white, goes w/ all the sweaters and fits the uniform rules in all other aspects. I saw in 2 weeks ago and thought about it since then, went back last night to purchase it after trying it on. It also fits the rule of having things that I "love" vs. making due.
I am finding shopping much easier - harder to find specifically what I want (which isn't really a new problem) - because I can just get past all the other stuff that would have previously tempted me for impulse buys.
Send a few things to thread-up later. I have some nice cashmere sweaters that are a little small and really too warm - off they will go, plus a few other things. Still weighing my options.
It is still in the 90s here so I am having somewhat of a hard time thinking at all about sweaters. I returned the white and black cardigans and looking for better options.
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I used midweststache 's everlane reference. Here's mine - we can have a chain if anyone is interested. I ordered a black cardigan and a sky blue t-shirt. Eager to see how the items are. I really wish they offered more colors - because, in general, grey, tan, and black, are awful colors for tops for me.
https://www.everlane.com/r/annekevandenbroek
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I used midweststache 's everlane reference. Here's mine - we can have a chain if anyone is interested. I ordered a black cardigan and a sky blue t-shirt. Eager to see how the items are. I really wish they offered more colors - because, in general, grey, tan, and black, are awful colors for tops for me.
https://www.everlane.com/r/annekevandenbroek
Keep us posted on how the items hold up. I've been interested in Everlane, but I don't know anyone who has experience with the items.
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The Everlane order should come sometime this week and I will definitely post pictures and feedback on the items once I have them.
Today's outfit: blue pants that I have had for 4-5 years. I'd actually set them aside because I thought they were maybe too small. Yesterday I went through my "maybe too small" pile and kept 3 pairs and sent one pair to Thread Up (along with a bunch of sweaters). These pants were something like $19 at Forever 21, machine wash, tumble or line dry - and look great w/ tons of stuff. Standard white shirt, blue navy sweater posted earlier (recent purchase from H&M).
Ordered a white cardigan, a pink V-neck (droopy cotton one from H&M was $5 is on the get rid of list - and further reminder not to buy disposable clothing), and light blue V-neck from Blue Fly this weekend. That should finish out all my fall shopping, assuming the white cardigan is suitable. I would like to find one pair of shoes that are dressy but can be worn w/ warm socks. Once winter is more underway I will determine if I am going to wear any of the very few skirts I kept or if I should donate them and be done. Leggings often make me too hot and itchy - although I love the look of skirts with boots. I will also be purging out a few summer t-shirts that I don't really like and didn't wear this summer. I'd rather have 2 and keep an eye out for something better than to have 5 and dread wearing 3 of them.
Very curious to see how things go w/ Thread Up. I was very careful about what I sent to them. My only other option for selling the clothing is a consignment shop, but it isn't near my house (in fact, quite inconvenient to get , although I think they are a little less picky and pay slightly more).
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Very curious to see how things go w/ Thread Up. I was very careful about what I sent to them. My only other option for selling the clothing is a consignment shop, but it isn't near my house (in fact, quite inconvenient to get , although I think they are a little less picky and pay slightly more).
Curious to hear how it goes. Returns for my stuff on ThredUp are pretty low: Twice paid me way better, but alas, is now gone. My nearest consignment shop is really far away, though, so I'm okay with getting less for the convenience of just walking over to the post office. Just a few dollars is still more than the $0 the clothes were making in my closet.
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I have a $12~ thred up offer waiting to be cashed out (you have to wait two weeks now) There's also something on consignment, so if that sells it will be more. Twice sometimes was much better (sometimes even worse depending on what I sent). Oh well, at least they make it easy on you, and it is good to keep clothes in the secondary market. Not exactly a huge windfall however. Others in a higher tax bracket would probably be better off just donating and itemizing.
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Very curious to see how things go w/ Thread Up. I was very careful about what I sent to them. My only other option for selling the clothing is a consignment shop, but it isn't near my house (in fact, quite inconvenient to get , although I think they are a little less picky and pay slightly more).
Curious to hear how it goes. Returns for my stuff on ThredUp are pretty low: Twice paid me way better, but alas, is now gone. My nearest consignment shop is really far away, though, so I'm okay with getting less for the convenience of just walking over to the post office. Just a few dollars is still more than the $0 the clothes were making in my closet.
I'm curious to see how this goes. I moved to a rural area and have been trying to figure out how to sell some of my more higher-end, professional clothes since I don't need them all anymore. I know they are a sunk cost at this point, but I really don't want to throw a DVF dress into the Goodwill pile. I've tried Tradesy with no luck, maybe I'll try ThredUp.
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I know they are a sunk cost at this point, but I really don't want to throw a DVF dress into the Goodwill pile. I've tried Tradesy with no luck, maybe I'll try ThredUp.
RunHappy I am trying to get my hands on the DVF dress pattern from years ago (they can't re-release it because the company won't relicense it). Anyway, because of searches for this, I know that DVF dresses (wraps especially, of course) sell well and at good prices on Ebay (here in the UK at least). With high end labels Ebay could be a solid bet.
Also, I used to work in a charity shop, and we had a list of labels we looked out for that we were required to charge more for, so don't necessarily assume that they will sell them for cheap. This was in a relative backwater, and the list was decided centrally, so they weren't relying on individual knowledge of designers and names.
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For the next 7 weeks, I am living out of 2 suitcases and for various reasons, I need a huge variety of clothing in both season and type. No super heavy sweaters or winter boots, but everything else from swimsuits and coverups to winter sweaters, and from lounge wear and flip flops to fairly dressy dress and heals.
Should be an interesting experiment for me, and I hope to learn a lot about my perception of what I need vs. what I can get by with just fine.
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My clothing situation has improved a lot since it's gotten cooler and I've been able to add a few long sleeved shirts to the mix. I really just need one more pair of casual pants (something good for hiking and travel), one more sports bra, and I'm good to go at this point.
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Reading all these posts about Thread Up and how little they take and how little they pay, I would encourage everyone to find a local consignment store instead. I have two I use. One is high end and more selective in what they take. I used it to sell my collection of handbags. The other takes pretty much any major brand as long as the items are in good condition. I have sold about half of my closet through them (mostly office attire that was too small). Yes, my large walk-in closet is about half empty now!!!
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I got a message from Thread Up that they got my bag earlier this week and they will process it October 6 - so quite a slow turn around for finding out what they will pay. I will post back.
I received my Everlane package earlier this week. I ordered a medium t-shirt and a large cardigan. The quality of the cardigan is very very good. I think I paid $80 for it and I am very impressed with it. It is very fine merino wool, not itchy at all (which is how it should be), very well put together. It is a little big for me - I was worried that their sizes would run small. I think they list their large as being size 8-10 - I think this is accurate. I would normally wear a medium in a sweater (which is size 8-10 from Lands End). I think if anything this sweater is a bit bigger (in size large), but not by too much, then a medium (from Lands End).
I also ordered a t-shirt in medium. It fits great. Nice soft cotton, lightweight but not see through. Soft and silky feeling. Lovely blue color. I wore it today. I love how the v-neck is cut. It is narrow, but a bit lower opening than other v-necks. I think it looks great. Medium fits true to size. I think it was $10 and is much better quality than the $10 t-shirts at Target.
I am 5'8" and about 130 pounds - to put the size in perspective. I will post pictures of the items when I wear them and have a chance.
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I can't get over the fact that one of the Everlane models looks like the boys from Hansen... Pretty sure they have her in shirts that are like 3 sizes too big for her.
Do their tees fit in a more flattering way than the pictures, or are these pretty true to fit? It doesn't look like they would be particularly flattering?
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I can't get over the fact that one of the Everlane models looks like the boys from Hansen... Pretty sure they have her in shirts that are like 3 sizes too big for her.
Do their tees fit in a more flattering way than the pictures, or are these pretty true to fit? It doesn't look like they would be particularly flattering?
Don't you hate it when the models are all slouchy and tipped over? I just can't figure out how the clothes fit. Stand up straight! What is with the 1/2 tucked in shirts - does anyone actually walk around like that in real life. The t-shirt is cut feminine, but not close fitting. It isn't boxy (this particular shirt: https://www.everlane.com/collections/womens-tees/products/womens-v-neck-tee-sky) - the cotton v. It also isn't tight fitting. The photo from the back of the model probably gives the best sense of how the shirt fits. It was $15, not $10 - I still think a good value (having not yet seen how it will wash and wear).
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I can't get over the fact that one of the Everlane models looks like the boys from Hansen... Pretty sure they have her in shirts that are like 3 sizes too big for her.
Do their tees fit in a more flattering way than the pictures, or are these pretty true to fit? It doesn't look like they would be particularly flattering?
Don't you hate it when the models are all slouchy and tipped over? I just can't figure out how the clothes fit. Stand up straight! What is with the 1/2 tucked in shirts - does anyone actually walk around like that in real life. The t-shirt is cut feminine, but not close fitting. It isn't boxy (this particular shirt: https://www.everlane.com/collections/womens-tees/products/womens-v-neck-tee-sky) - the cotton v. It also isn't tight fitting. The photo from the back of the model probably gives the best sense of how the shirt fits. It was $15, not $10 - I still think a good value (having not yet seen how it will wash and wear).
Thanks! Dang, wish these shirts were for me, but I would probably look as "boyish" as the models do with it on =( So far the best shirts I've found that flatter my figure are Banana Republic basic tees- they're affordable the rare times I'm down at their outlet store, but it's a good 45 minutes away.
Honestly, I've decided my current plan is to try and limp all my clothes along until we start trying for kids next year. From what I've heard/seen, even if you lose all the weight post-pregnancy your body can be totally different dimensions, so it seems silly to buy new clothes now. That being said, we'll see how well what I have holds out!
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Want to follow this. :)
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Here are the photos of the Everlane t-shirt (please excuse the chaotic kitchen behind me - I had to take this picture 5 or 6 times before I could keep the kids, dog, and cats out of the frame for 10 seconds). It is a size M.
I am wearing the black Everlane cardigan today. I really like it. Very fine wool. I prefer it unbuttoned - took a few photos to show how it fits. I think the arms are a little long on me, but the shoulders are the right width. It is a size L. I also took a photo of my hand through the fabric so you can see how sheer it is. It is incredibly soft for a wool sweater. I love it.
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Oh, the T-shirt is far more flattering than I expected! And I love the color on you.
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Today's uniform - same pants (H&M), same shirt (Forever 21), new sweater (Forever 21). I like how the colors turned out.
I am going to try to be more consistent for a couple weeks w/ posting daily work photos, as the seasons change and I've purged a few things out of my closet again.
Anyone else want to post so photos of their capsules/wardrobe/uniform?
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MsPeacock, I like your outfit today - it has a youthful vibe but it certainly is age appropriate!
I am very happy that fall is almost here. I put away most of my summer clothes and can finally enjoy wearing my fall clothes. Fall is my favorite season! I decided to buy a "jean button" at work. For a $20 donation to United Way I can wear jeans to work every day until mid-November. That greatly expands my options for bottoms which were limited due to weight gain. I bought a couple of pairs of dressy jeans during the summer so I'm excited about being able to wear them now! Normally, we can wear jeans on Fridays only.
I am also wearing a new pair of shoes today that I got in Edinburgh at the beginning of the summer. They are lace up oxfords and I've been looking for a perfect pair for a couple of years now. I finally found these in the Clarks store on Princes Street and they are super comfortable and look great. Definitely a good purchase, and they remind me of Scotland whenever I look at my feet ;-)
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My capsule wardrobe is working well! I've just ordered "my" cardigan in a fourth colour (all bought second hand on ebay) and yesterday received in the mail my favourite smart casual dress in a second colour (grey). Sticking to a very limited colour palate and keeping styles consistent really seems to work for me.
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I have to say I'm getting a little bored with my clothes.:P I was looking for a couple of new jumpers (sweaters) and I realise I am relying far too much on the cobalt blue colour. I didn't notice how many blue cothes were in the shops compared to other colours.
I'm going to keep looking for another colour until I find something I really like. I can't seem to find the shade of green I want.
On the plus side I saw someone I hadn't seen for a while and he said that my top really suited me and asked me if I had recently coloured my hair as it looked pretty (which I hadn't) so at least I know the new colours I'm wearing do actually suit me.:)
Fall is my favorite season!
I love it too.
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OTD - Outfit of the day. This sweater was actually the one that started it all for me - comfortable, looks good. I wish I'd purchased it in more colors. I got it at JC Penny's (Joe Fresh). It is such a basic item that I really hope they offer it again this year so I can get other colors. I got it on clearance for about $11 last year and there were very few in my size, so I think I was stuck w/ grey. Lands End pants, white shirt from Forever 21, comfortable unattractive shoes.
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OTD - Outfit of the day. This sweater was actually the one that started it all for me - comfortable, looks good. I wish I'd purchased it in more colors. I got it at JC Penny's (Joe Fresh). It is such a basic item that I really hope they offer it again this year so I can get other colors. I got it on clearance for about $11 last year and there were very few in my size, so I think I was stuck w/ grey. Lands End pants, white shirt from Forever 21, comfortable unattractive shoes.
I can't put my finger on why I like this so much- it should come across as monochromatic, but instead, it really lights up your complexion.
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OOTD - outfit of the day. Same black pants, same white shirt, tan sweater (also from Forever 21). This is as basic as it comes, same as yesterday. I put on bright lipstick because grey and tan are generally not my friends and I would otherwise look washed out.
Happy to be having some fall weather!
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General question relating to a capsule wardrobe idea: how do you go about putting together outfits? Do you actually spend the time to try on all the possible combinations of the pieces you have? Or do you just put the outfits together mentally? Or some other method (arranging the outfit on the bed or on a hanger)?
I am asking this question because I often find myself thinking that a certain combination of my pieces would look good together but in practice when I actually put it on, it doesn't work. It may work well in theory, or one aspect of it may work, but there is something else wrong. For example, it may be the right color combination but the shape is wrong, or it's too bulky together, or the length is wrong, or the textures don't work together, or I feel overdressed, etc. When I buy a new piece, I try it on for size and fit, but I don't go to the next step of actually trying it on with every other thing in my closet that I think may go with it. As a result of this, I tend to have set outfits and combinations and I don't do a lot of mixing and matching.
So what is your process and what method works for you?
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OOTD - stripey shirt of the type that I like, tan pants (old). Both items are from H&M.
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General question relating to a capsule wardrobe idea: how do you go about putting together outfits? Do you actually spend the time to try on all the possible combinations of the pieces you have? Or do you just put the outfits together mentally? Or some other method (arranging the outfit on the bed or on a hanger)?
I am asking this question because I often find myself thinking that a certain combination of my pieces would look good together but in practice when I actually put it on, it doesn't work. It may work well in theory, or one aspect of it may work, but there is something else wrong. For example, it may be the right color combination but the shape is wrong, or it's too bulky together, or the length is wrong, or the textures don't work together, or I feel overdressed, etc. When I buy a new piece, I try it on for size and fit, but I don't go to the next step of actually trying it on with every other thing in my closet that I think may go with it. As a result of this, I tend to have set outfits and combinations and I don't do a lot of mixing and matching.
So what is your process and what method works for you?
My wardrobe is much larger than capsule-size. But if I buy an item, I won't keep it unless I can find 4 distinct outfits. Well, I'm a little more forgiving with dresses since really they are the outfits, and and of themselves (adding different cardigans or scarves doesn't feel like it counts). That doesn't mean I'm capturing every possibility, but it has to do that much in order to earn a place in my closet. But I also periodically try to look at a handful of items and try to think of different ways to use them, and then I'd try those on to see if they work. Similarly, if I am inspired by a fashion blog or an outfit I see somewhere, I'll go to my closet and try to create it.
I know some people go so far as to keep outfit books or spreadsheets that basically list every possible outfit. Then they an search on "blue Gap shirt with bracelet length sleeves" and see a list of every single combination that includes that. This would include trying on each outfit, or at least all the ones that aren't basically the same, like swapping gray and black pants in a similar shape. TO much work for me though. I find I'm pretty good at mentally putting together outfits, and I only try them on if I'm not sure.
But if you are in a rut, it might make sense to set aside an hour or so and just play with different combinations. Perhaps you could invite a friend over for a second set of eyes, and another brain to try and come up with additional possibilities.
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General question relating to a capsule wardrobe idea: how do you go about putting together outfits? Do you actually spend the time to try on all the possible combinations of the pieces you have? Or do you just put the outfits together mentally? Or some other method (arranging the outfit on the bed or on a hanger)?
I am asking this question because I often find myself thinking that a certain combination of my pieces would look good together but in practice when I actually put it on, it doesn't work. It may work well in theory, or one aspect of it may work, but there is something else wrong. For example, it may be the right color combination but the shape is wrong, or it's too bulky together, or the length is wrong, or the textures don't work together, or I feel overdressed, etc. When I buy a new piece, I try it on for size and fit, but I don't go to the next step of actually trying it on with every other thing in my closet that I think may go with it. As a result of this, I tend to have set outfits and combinations and I don't do a lot of mixing and matching.
So what is your process and what method works for you?
Putting me Together is a very helpful place to look.
http://www.puttingmetogether.com/p/building-remixable-wardrobe-series.html
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General question relating to a capsule wardrobe idea: how do you go about putting together outfits? Do you actually spend the time to try on all the possible combinations of the pieces you have? Or do you just put the outfits together mentally? Or some other method (arranging the outfit on the bed or on a hanger)?
I am asking this question because I often find myself thinking that a certain combination of my pieces would look good together but in practice when I actually put it on, it doesn't work. It may work well in theory, or one aspect of it may work, but there is something else wrong. For example, it may be the right color combination but the shape is wrong, or it's too bulky together, or the length is wrong, or the textures don't work together, or I feel overdressed, etc. When I buy a new piece, I try it on for size and fit, but I don't go to the next step of actually trying it on with every other thing in my closet that I think may go with it. As a result of this, I tend to have set outfits and combinations and I don't do a lot of mixing and matching.
So what is your process and what method works for you?
I would say that I think about this significantly less now that I've switched to a "uniform" for work. I didn't entirely get rid of all my old clothes, so there are still some outfits to be made. However, for the most part I wear the same basic pieces every day - pants, white (occasionally other colored) button down shirt, sweater. Any shopping I've done recently for work clothes has been only for items that match those specific criteria. I can grab just about anything 3 items out of my closet and they will 'go.'
I think this approach is pretty different from a capsule - at least in what I've seen capsules seem to involve a smaller number of pieces of clothing, mix up patterns more (I don't really do patterns), and have more multi-use items (work and weekend and going out clothing, for instance). I would find that much more challenging than what I'm currently doing.
Previously I definitely did what you are doing - buying things w/o considering how they might work w/ other items, spending time putting together outfits (usually I hang everything up together in my bathroom the night before - so this was where I'd see if it all worked), being frustrated because various items did not work together or didn't fit right or something else. I arrived at my particular uniform because it is one outfit type that very consistently works for me. It may be a bit boring, but it has been pretty much foolproof in regards to working.
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Thank you Villanelle and Londoner38 and MsPeacock. This is very helpful. Especially the link. I think I will set aside some time on Saturday to do some trying on and figuring out outfits from my closet. It's supposed to rain anyway so I'm not going hiking...
I bought a few items recently and I really need to make sure that they are versatile enough or they will need to go back.
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OOTD - very much "uniform" today. Pants old from H&M (paid $5 for them 4 or 5 years ago - love these pants), Old Navy sweater (also old and inexpensive - $15 maybe 5 years ago), Kohl's white shirt ($20 1 or 2 years ago). Payless shoes that are actually comfortable.
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Thank you Villanelle and Londoner38 and MsPeacock. This is very helpful. Especially the link. I think I will set aside some time on Saturday to do some trying on and figuring out outfits from my closet. It's supposed to rain anyway so I'm not going hiking...
I bought a few items recently and I really need to make sure that they are versatile enough or they will need to go back.
I've got better at mixing things up lately, but I've found the only way to judge things is to try them on together.
Things that I thought would work, ended up not, eg tucked in silk top with a gathered skirt ending up being too voluminous around the middle. But since I was determined to try every top on with that skirt I tried a button up shirt, which i thought would be way too much fabric on one body, and it looked great. I need to add belt loops to that skirt though, it just wouldn't stay put and it looks much better with a belt on.
Other people may have more imagination than me, but to see if the silhouette worked (rather than just the colours / prints) trying on was the only way to go for me.
Also, today I am wearing a nice top which I thought, hmmm, why do I never wear that with that suit?! Well, I got my answer when I took my coat off - the top is long-sleeved, the jacket is 3/4. I've been tugging my sleeves up a lot today... so take my wardrobe advice with a big pinch of salt!
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Mrs. Peacock - I saw your request for other people to post photos too. I'm afraid that I don't know how you do that photoshop thing to cover your face! I'm not sure my outfits are all that interesting either since I dress casually.
I am far from a computer whiz. What I do is email the photo to myself from my phone. I then open the photo from the attachment in MS Paint (which is part of the MS Office suite, I think). It has a option for drawing shapes, and I choose "fill" rather than outline, and that's it. I save it to my desktop and then use the attachment option when I post.
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I also go with the uniform approach to work clothes, as opposed to a capsule. I have about 12 pencil skirts, some year-round, a few for just summer or winter, that i wear everyday. Top is either a wool crew sweater, a button down shirt or a cardigan twin set. Skirts are navy, black, gray with a couple of florals. Tops almost all match almost skirts, so the mix and match combos are extensive. I have three or four pair ballet flats that also match most of the outfits. Dressing is a snap. Shopping is even easier, as I know exactly what brand and styles and sizes I love, so when somethings need replacing, I just watch for a sale. I admit out of a little boring, but in a conservative setting, with safety issues that prevent me from wearing heels, scarves or necklaces, its a good solution.
Now... For casual clothes, I'm more capsule. 2 jeans, 2 leggings, 1 cord pants. Could sweaters, button downs, tees and a handful of scarves. Flats, booties and tall boots and I'm set. I love all the mix and match combos. I have a couple pair heels and necklaces that dress up my pencil skirts for church. Overall it's a relatively small closet that works for me. Not 33 small, but small enough that I always look great, never have to think or worry about clothes and easily fits in my half of our tiny closet.
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OOTD - Lands End pants (clearance) and sweater (I have 3 or 4 of these in different colors), white shirt from Kohls.
Does anyone know of a good brand/source for bras that are actually comfortable. Maybe mostly cotton? Lined. Possibly pull-over rather than hook (although I could deal with either). I'd like to find a few that don't dig into my skin or make me want to have a temper tantrum and tear them off by the end of the day.
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Shopping is even easier, as I know exactly what brand and styles and sizes I love, so when somethings need replacing, I just watch for a sale. I admit out of a little boring, but in a conservative setting, with safety issues that prevent me from wearing heels, scarves or necklaces, its a good solution.
This +1. I am in and out w/ the shopping now. I found a blouse at Express that is about $50 but often on sale that is just perfect for me in terms of fit and style. They will be my go-to from now on. I have a go-to for style of pants and sweaters as well. I can just bypass 98% of the stuff in the store w/o a second glace and a moment wondering if it would go. It's awesome!
My casual clothes aren't quite to that point - but close. I just don't have much that is casual (a couple pairs of jeans and some long sleeve winter shirts...).
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OOTD: Lands End pants and sweater, white shirt.
Do you have "go to" items - a pair of pants from store X or a sweater from store Y that you know fits and works w/ your capsule or uniform - so you buy multiples of that item?
Also - ponte pants - highly recommended here by others - every single pair I see are like leggings. Very clingy and tight. This would not be appropriate in my work environment. Do they make any other style? Does the fabric work for a less fitted pant?
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MsPeacock, as to ponte pants, I have two pairs of these from Lands End. http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-slim-leg-ponte-pants/id_272926?sku_0=::F24 They are trim and slim but definitely not like leggings and I do wear them to work (business casual setting - large corporation). They are longer than what is shown in the picture. Also check JJill for ponte pants, I think they have several different cuts.
ETA: I am a solid size 8 and I got size M in the ponte pants from LE even though I normally wear size S in most of their clothes. When you are looking for ponte pants, try going up in size to avoid the tight look.
I spent some time last night trying things on. As a result, I am returning 3 tops I bought recently that I thought would complement my existing wardrobe. I also added a couple of items to the consignment pile. I realized that a couple of older sweaters I was considering replacing fit me quite well so I will keep them. Overall, I need to make a better effort to actually wear what I have because I do have a nice variety in my closet. Instead, I was falling into a very predictable pattern of wearing the same few combinations of clothes most of the time. While I like the idea of a uniform, I do get bored easily if I wear the same stuff over and over again. So I need to focus on building new outfits with what I have. Oh, and I really need to lose at least 5 pounds or I'm at risk of having to replace all of my winter pants!!!
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Do you have "go to" items - a pair of pants from store X or a sweater from store Y that you know fits and works w/ your capsule or uniform - so you buy multiples of that item?
Yes! I now own the same cardigan in four colours (one of the four is only 3/4 length sleeve, so a little different). If something looks good and wears well, I will haunt ebay until I've found it in at least a few different "me" colours.
I almost bought a second of my fave black casual dress because it's so versatile and easy to wear, and black is the base colour for my wardrobe. But I could only find it new, for $99. Eventually a grey one came up in my size on ebay, so I snagged it for I think $28 including postage. Glad I waited!
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Question: how is everyone finding the COST of setting up and maintaining a capsule wardrobe?
It occurred to me the other day that because I will mostly stick to brands that I know wear well and still look good after many many wash cycles, and because I mostly buy my dresses and cardigans secondhand on ebay*, I probably spend less than my peers to wear much better quality clothing.
I also feel like less of my clothing budget ends up wasted: I no longer buy things in colours that I will never wear, thanks to having put serious thought into which colours I want in my capsule. I limit myself to a narrow range of styles, so almost everything matches. It's rare now to buy something and have it fall apart quickly, as I choose better made clothing (no space for "fast fashion" in a capsule!).
But it's not cheap, either.
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Question: how is everyone finding the COST of setting up and maintaining a capsule wardrobe?
It occurred to me the other day that because I will mostly stick to brands that I know wear well and still look good after many many wash cycles, and because I mostly buy my dresses and cardigans secondhand on ebay*, I probably spend less than my peers to wear much better quality clothing.
I also feel like less of my clothing budget ends up wasted: I no longer buy things in colours that I will never wear, thanks to having put serious thought into which colours I want in my capsule. I limit myself to a narrow range of styles, so almost everything matches. It's rare now to buy something and have it fall apart quickly, as I choose better made clothing (no space for "fast fashion" in a capsule!).
But it's not cheap, either.
I think there is some up front cost - at least there was for me because I only had one white shirt, for instance. I had to buy another 4 or 5 to have enough to not do laundry more frequently than I like. Same with some pants. However, I think my long term costs will be much lower. I would guess that I actually haven't spent much more than I would have spent on other clothing, but this set should last me much longer and I will be less in the long run.
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OOTD: Lands End pants and sweater, white shirt.
Do you have "go to" items - a pair of pants from store X or a sweater from store Y that you know fits and works w/ your capsule or uniform - so you buy multiples of that item?
Also - ponte pants - highly recommended here by others - every single pair I see are like leggings. Very clingy and tight. This would not be appropriate in my work environment. Do they make any other style? Does the fabric work for a less fitted pant?
They definitely make ponte pants that are more trouser and less legging. They are likely going to be slim, but only because that's the style right now. I had a very wide-legged pair of ponte pants about 10 years ago. They draped beautifully. But I have a pair now that are not legging-tight and fit slighty loosely from thigh down to ankle. They are about 3 years old so I can't recommend them as something you could buy out there, but they do exist. I tried on a pair yesterday at Nordstom in fact, but I didn't note the brand.
For the question about cost, I'm not going full capsule or uniform, but I am converting to a smaller palette and overall style. I'm doing it very slowly. I'm eliminating yellow from my wardrobe, for example, since I don't think it flatters me and I don't love it. But I have a yellow breton style shirt that I still wear a decent amount, simply because I treat breton stripes like a neutral. It's a good quality shirt (Boden) and I live the fit. So I'm not going to get rid of it until it wears out, at which point I will either not replace it, or replace it with something more within my limited parameters. That helps keep the cost down because I'm slowly phasing out the outliers, rather than doing a full scale purge, with the resulting need to buy a lot more items.
If you have brands and specific pieces you know you like, ebay might be an option.
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My thread up bag was finally processed. It took more than a month since they received it. I sent 4 or 5 cashmere identical (other than color) sweaters, a pair of Express pants, a sweater and shirt from h&m, a lulu lemon jacket, possibly one or toe other things. I washed everything and went over it all extremely carefully to make sure it was in excellent condition. They accepted the pants, the stuff from h&m, and one sweater. I received 9.50.
Yeah, I will not be bothering with that again. First, the time to process was ridiculous. Secondly, I think all or nearly all of the items would have been accepted by the local shop (which is hard for me to get to, but I would have gotten the money upfront), I think I would have gotten more per item than I did from thread up. I basically sent them about $400 worth of clothing and got $10. I honestly would have rather given it to charity. Very glad I didn't pay their $12 fee to have my clothes so sent back to me since I would now be down by $2.
I am going to cash out and I'm done with them.
On a happier note I found a nice pink crew neck sweater on blue fly. I usually have bad luck with that site because the clothing fits weird or isn't photographed accurately or something. I actually ordered three sweaters that were on my due for replacement list. I sent two back right away and kept the pink. When I went to put it on I discovered a hole. Their customer service could not have been better. They fedex me a replacement immediately, paid for return shipping and picked up the old one at the door. I had the replacement sweater before I had sent the damaged one back.
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My thread up bag was finally processed. It took more than a month since they received it. I sent 4 or 5 cashmere identical (other than color) sweaters, a pair of Express pants, a sweater and shirt from h&m, a lulu lemon jacket, possibly one or toe other things. I washed everything and went over it all extremely carefully to make sure it was in excellent condition. They accepted the pants, the stuff from h&m, and one sweater. I received 9.50.
Yeah, I will not be bothering with that again. First, the time to process was ridiculous. Secondly, I think all or nearly all of the items would have been accepted by the local shop (which is hard for me to get to, but I would have gotten the money upfront), I think I would have gotten more per item than I did from thread up. I basically sent them about $400 worth of clothing and got $10. I honestly would have rather given it to charity. Very glad I didn't pay their $12 fee to have my clothes so sent back to me since I would now be down by $2.
I am going to cash out and I'm done with them.
Wow, what a racket! I am so glad that I have found a local consignment store to deal with! The store does not pay up front but they carefully look at the items you bring in and decide what they will take right there and then. You get a percentage of what the item sells for. The location is not very convenient for me but it's not that far from where I work so I can just get there during lunch. That reminds me that I have a few more items to bring in next week :-)
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I have not been active on this thread, but I am in the early stages of capsulizing.
Clothes shopping has always been a serious headache for me. I am tall and large breasted, but not heavy (women's large shirt, 5'9"). This project is making these challenges way worse, as I am trying to be pickier then I have ever been able to let myself be in the past.
So my current challenge: a basic tee shirt that is long enough for a tall person, looks similar to a cami when it is under a jacket or button down (wider neck then the default on a tee. Could be scoop neck or boat neck), does not show cleavage, cotton or cotton with a little bit of spandex, no rayon, and not $50 each. Nice to haves would be not see through and long staple cotton. Currently I use layers to achieve this list (one for the outer layer, one so that I don't flash my belly or boobs and you can't see through it. I want to get this down to one shirt at a time.
Do any of you have any ideas on where I should look?
Where I have checked so far:
Eddy Bower: wrong shape neck or too low cut
J Crew: too transparent
Gap/ Banana Republic / Old Navy: all either rayon or too high cut or too low cut in the neck.
H&M: promising, but do not come in tall sizes. I have an old one from them and it is very short on me.
I have found a good option for ~$60, but do not want to spend that on an undershirt: https://www.thewhitetshirt.com/
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H&M: promising, but do not come in tall sizes. I have an old one from them and it is very short on me.
I have found a good option for ~$60, but do not want to spend that on an undershirt: https://www.thewhitetshirt.com/
Fellow 5'9" here. I would encourage you to try H&M again- I find their cuts and lengths vary substantially over time. I usually visit a couple times a year (their shirts always fit DH for some reason, so we go to buy for him) and about every second year their shirts are the right length and weight. I buy a lot when they are, obviously.
Otherwise, I do share your struggle. I also end up layering. I have found some great, thickweight tanktops at target for very cheap (on sale often). JC Pennys as well. Both of these stores I have found some good long basic T's in juniors, but it's hit and miss on the fabric thickness- really depends on trends. But don't dismiss juniors departments out of hand, some decent basics can be found for cheap there if you're lucky.
Otherwise, sadly, it seems like $50 is where you end up for longer lasting, higher-end feeling items.
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I have not been active on this thread, but I am in the early stages of capsulizing.
Clothes shopping has always been a serious headache for me. I am tall and large breasted, but not heavy (women's large shirt, 5'9"). This project is making these challenges way worse, as I am trying to be pickier then I have ever been able to let myself be in the past.
So my current challenge: a basic tee shirt that is long enough for a tall person, looks similar to a cami when it is under a jacket or button down (wider neck then the default on a tee. Could be scoop neck or boat neck), does not show cleavage, cotton or cotton with a little bit of spandex, no rayon, and not $50 each. Nice to haves would be not see through and long staple cotton. Currently I use layers to achieve this list (one for the outer layer, one so that I don't flash my belly or boobs and you can't see through it. I want to get this down to one shirt at a time.
Do any of you have any ideas on where I should look?
Where I have checked so far:
Eddy Bower: wrong shape neck or too low cut
J Crew: too transparent
Gap/ Banana Republic / Old Navy: all either rayon or too high cut or too low cut in the neck.
H&M: promising, but do not come in tall sizes. I have an old one from them and it is very short on me.
I have found a good option for ~$60, but do not want to spend that on an undershirt: https://www.thewhitetshirt.com/
This may not be an option for you, but I frequently acquire shirts several sizes too large and tailor them to fit. Tshirts are the easiest. I like to leave the neck and shoulders seams intact but cut the sleeves out and the up the side seams then reshape everything from there. The larger size gives me the option to make it as long as possible. I am not tall but have an active lifestyle and am not a fan of crack!
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I recently found the "perfect" T and hopefully it might work for you as well. It's the Gap Fit Breathe V-neck. They come in black, grey, and white as well as the colors shown at this link. You might just have to poke around the website a bit to find them.
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=92363&vid=1&pid=142856212
I'm 5'10" and this T-shirt is definitely long enough. It might have a bit more stretch than you are looking for but I honestly love the stretch and it is sooooo comfy. I currently own 8 of them, all different colors. They are advertised as 29.95 but they go on sale all the time. I know my size now and I check their website regularly for when new colors go on sale. I wear them every day and they have held up well for 2 years! They do tend to stretch out a bit over time, but they get longer, not baggier, which is great for us tall women! I'm a C cup and the V-neck shows absolutely 0 cleavage. They look fantastic under a blazer too. Best of luck on your T-shirt quest!
I have not been active on this thread, but I am in the early stages of capsulizing.
Clothes shopping has always been a serious headache for me. I am tall and large breasted, but not heavy (women's large shirt, 5'9"). This project is making these challenges way worse, as I am trying to be pickier then I have ever been able to let myself be in the past.
So my current challenge: a basic tee shirt that is long enough for a tall person, looks similar to a cami when it is under a jacket or button down (wider neck then the default on a tee. Could be scoop neck or boat neck), does not show cleavage, cotton or cotton with a little bit of spandex, no rayon, and not $50 each. Nice to haves would be not see through and long staple cotton. Currently I use layers to achieve this list (one for the outer layer, one so that I don't flash my belly or boobs and you can't see through it. I want to get this down to one shirt at a time.
Do any of you have any ideas on where I should look?
Where I have checked so far:
Eddy Bower: wrong shape neck or too low cut
J Crew: too transparent
Gap/ Banana Republic / Old Navy: all either rayon or too high cut or too low cut in the neck.
H&M: promising, but do not come in tall sizes. I have an old one from them and it is very short on me.
I have found a good option for ~$60, but do not want to spend that on an undershirt: https://www.thewhitetshirt.com/
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I am nearly as tall and have a disproportionately long torso. I just got a few times-shirts at H&M last week. I also got a nice one amjcpennys over the summer (usually there stuff doesn't work for me). H&M has some "basics" or "dividend" items that usually do the trick. The challenging thing is that at any given time the store may have 20+ styles of t shirts and you have to root around until you find the right one.
It was this shirt, and the long sleeved version.
http://tablet.hm.com/us/product/83742?article=83742-K
Hope the link works. It is the 5.99 t.
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Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I placed an order of several options from h&m, and will return whatever does not work.
annajane83, I really like the idea of everlane, but so far I have been put off by how loose fitting all their tees are styled. With a US 34H bra size, loose tops make me look immensely overweight. Do you think it would be worth sizing down and trying them?
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OOD - Haven't posted in a while. The pants are about a size too bag and kind of stiff. I like the colors w/ the dark blue sweater. Pants were clearance from LandsEnd, sweater from H&M. I haven't been posting much because the outfits are basically repeats most days.
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OOD - Haven't posted in a while. The pants are about a size too bag and kind of stiff. I like the colors w/ the dark blue sweater. Pants were clearance from LandsEnd, sweater from H&M. I haven't been posting much because the outfits are basically repeats most days.
The joy of a true capsule wardrobe!
I was recently travelling and really limited myself luggage wise (one carry on for 18 nights), and it was perfectly doable! That said, I was really tired of some of my clothes by the end of the trip, and I also felt like I was putting a lot of strain on them (wearing them out more quickly).
My capsule toiletries / makeup really came into its own, and I am so happy with the limited selection and how neat it looks now.
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My capsule toiletries / makeup really came into its own, and I am so happy with the limited selection and how neat it looks now.
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I am working towards this too. I really only use two lipsticks and a couple eyeshadow. I have plans for tossing several pallets as soon as I get out of bed.
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I have what I consider to be a minimalist make up collection but it sounds like you guys are doing better than I am.:)
1 lipgloss
1 lipstick
1 foundation
1 powder
1 eyeliner
1 mascara
2 eyeshadow palettes
1 clear nail varnish.
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I am working towards this too. I really only use two lipsticks and a couple eyeshadow. I have plans for tossing several pallets as soon as I get out of bed.
I like your style MsPeacock! I felt terrible throwing things away (I get really bad green guilt and feel like I must punish myself for consuming the resource in the first by using up every last drop / speck). But, it taught me a valuable lesson - stick to the products I know and love. I'm much happier with fewer choices and it has really quelled my makeup shopping desires, weirdly.
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I might toss the blushes, or keep them for my sister's wedding next summer. However, I'm now thinking that they probably have bacteria built up and I don't want my cheeks breaking out. Hmm. Decisions.
Could you wipe them off with rubbing alcohol and allow to air dry? I think that would kill things, and if it didn't, oh well, you break out one time and then throw them away.
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http://theproject333.com/makeup/
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I feel like I've got my work wardrobe just about perfect. I have:
-Two pairs of dress pants
-Two skirts
-Nine shirts
-Four dresses
-About five or six sweaters and cover-ups to let me keep wearing my summery things year round.
That seems to do the trick pretty well. Losing weight has pared it down substantially.
I don't have a lot of casual clothes - in addition to my exercise/ballet/hiking/outdoors stuff, I've got one pair of jeans, two skirts, one summery dress, and four shirts. My exercise tank tops do seem to double nicely as casual tops, which is handy. I wear my pjs at home a lot as well :)
I have three fancy dresses - one tango gown for ballroom events, one simple black dress for any sort of formal thing, and one fabulous hot pink sparkly strappy thing.
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I actually bought two new items for my wardrobe for the winter, a dark pink knitted jumper with short sleeves and a long sleeved cobalt blue (my favourite colour!) jumper.:)
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Helllo - Just checking in and unearthing this thread to see how others are doing w/ their minimalist/capsule/simplified wardrobe plans. It has been almost a year into the plan at this point.
I have basically stuck w/ the plan (see photo below). Really enjoying the long-term benefits of having to not mess w/ clothing. I lost about 20 pounds so the droopy pants totally had to go, so I did spend some money on new pants and getting a few pairs altered down. I like the simplicity, looking forward to seeing how it carries into the fall. I don't see any need to make changes to what I'm doing at this point. I still have a few pairs of pants that probably should go just because I don't wear them much. Aside from the much needed pants I really haven't been buying any clothing in the past year other than an odd item here or there (e.g. a did find a blue and white stripped sweater on clearance that I purchased last week).
I've also simplified the non-work wardrobe down to a pretty particular set of jeans (one pair in particular) and the ubiquitous blue and white striped shirt.
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My two favourite capsule wardrobe spots right now:
http://www.paris-to-go.com/2014/08/10-pieces-1-year-project-333-zero-waste.html
http://www.savespendsplurge.com/principles-of-a-practical-minimalist-wardrobe/
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I'm actually using more of a capsule, given pregnancy size changes. :)
I'm down to 3 skirts and 6 sweaters for work, 1 pair jeans and 2 pair yoga pants for weekends. It's a little less then I would prefer, but I'm sure I will need a bigger size in another few weeks, so I'm holding off on any more for now.
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My two favourite capsule wardrobe spots right now:
http://www.paris-to-go.com/2014/08/10-pieces-1-year-project-333-zero-waste.html
http://www.savespendsplurge.com/principles-of-a-practical-minimalist-wardrobe/
These are great!
Yes! Thank you for the links.
Allsummerlong I also found I moved towards neutrals in my wardrobe with the simplification, but I was trending that way anyhow.
I found that the wardrobe followed a general pattern in my life for the past year to purge and simplify many aspects of my life, financial, clothing, routines around the house like cooking, getting rid of clutter, etc. it has been quite pleasing. I don't even really think about my work clothing any more, which is wonderfully freeing and I don't shop/try to find something to make some over piece work.
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I am still following a "uniform" style for my office clothes - pants or skirt/shell/cardigan. What I realized over the last year is that I really don't need that many pieces in my wardrobe. I was down to 2 skirts (navy and black) and 3 pairs of pants (one gray, two black) over the fall/winter/early spring and that was perfectly fine and sufficient. I wear jeans to work on Fridays so it's only 4 days each week when I have to wear "office clothes". So I think I'm at a good place with bottoms. But I still have too many tops and cardigans. I will try to weed out some over the weekend, especially because some of my shells seem to be too tight in the chest. Going through menopause is like puberty :-( My body keeps on changing and nothing seems to fit.
I also feel like I have too many casual clothes in general. It's like the quest for the holy grail - I keep on buying new stuff hoping it will be better than what I already have. But it very rarely is better and I end up with too much.
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I have too many sweaters. On the other hand, they all fit in the assigned drawer, so..... I guess the bottom line is that mnfirst goal was simplicity and then spend less money, followed by minamalism.
I know transitioning through summer will lead me to purge a few more things out of my closet.
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I have too many sweaters. On the other hand, they all fit in the assigned drawer, so..... I guess the bottom line is that mnfirst goal was simplicity and then spend less money, followed by minamalism.
I know transitioning through summer will lead me to purge a few more things out of my closet.
My "problem" is that I have a huge walk-in closet so using the criteria of fitting in its assigned space would lead me to having a wardrobe the size of that of Dutchess Kate :-) I am definitely striving towards minimalism but it's not easy.
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I have too many sweaters. On the other hand, they all fit in the assigned drawer, so..... I guess the bottom line is that mnfirst goal was simplicity and then spend less money, followed by minamalism.
I know transitioning through summer will lead me to purge a few more things out of my closet.
My "problem" is that I have a huge walk-in closet so using the criteria of fitting in its assigned space would lead me to having a wardrobe the size of that of Dutchess Kate :-) I am definitely striving towards minimalism but it's not easy.
I'm SO jealous! My closet is SO small (tiny, old house). However, the closet easily fits my hanging clothes because the majority of my wardrobe is casual or workout stuff.
I've been really happy with my smaller wardrobe (post Marie Kondo). I've been acquiring new items to replace old ones, and everything has been going well. EXCEPT I need a pair of nice black flats. I want something like this:
(http://i1.adis.ws/i/mgemi/00_1276_01_001?$large$&pecrop=300,0,300,0)
I've been struggling to find them, and my foot is difficult to fit. I really need to get rid of my current pair of black dress shoes because they're flaking and falling apart.
Those are nice shoes. I wear black flats almost exclusively. Have you tried Norsstom? They are known for being particularly good for the hard to fit foot.
I have tiny, nearly nonexistent closets, so space does nicely force limitations on my clothing.
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I have too many sweaters. On the other hand, they all fit in the assigned drawer, so..... I guess the bottom line is that mnfirst goal was simplicity and then spend less money, followed by minamalism.
I know transitioning through summer will lead me to purge a few more things out of my closet.
My "problem" is that I have a huge walk-in closet so using the criteria of fitting in its assigned space would lead me to having a wardrobe the size of that of Dutchess Kate :-) I am definitely striving towards minimalism but it's not easy.
I'm SO jealous! My closet is SO small (tiny, old house). However, the closet easily fits my hanging clothes because the majority of my wardrobe is casual or workout stuff.
I've been really happy with my smaller wardrobe (post Marie Kondo). I've been acquiring new items to replace old ones, and everything has been going well. EXCEPT I need a pair of nice black flats. I want something like this:
(http://i1.adis.ws/i/mgemi/00_1276_01_001?$large$&pecrop=300,0,300,0)
I've been struggling to find them, and my foot is difficult to fit. I really need to get rid of my current pair of black dress shoes because they're flaking and falling apart.
I have a pair of black flats that look almost identical to that! I got mine from Nine West. They fit once they stretched em for me. Definitely get leather, and get them stretched :)
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I'm not sure if the Vivienne Files has already been mentioned up-thread but she has a whole section of her blog devoted to building capsule wardrobe, one piece at a time.
http://www.theviviennefiles.com/2016/02/how-to-build-wardrobe-one-piece-at-time.html
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I'm not sure if the Vivienne Files has already been mentioned up-thread but she has a whole section of her blog devoted to building capsule wardrobe, one piece at a time.
http://www.theviviennefiles.com/2016/02/how-to-build-wardrobe-one-piece-at-time.html
I really liked that!!
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I'm not sure if the Vivienne Files has already been mentioned up-thread but she has a whole section of her blog devoted to building capsule wardrobe, one piece at a time.
http://www.theviviennefiles.com/2016/02/how-to-build-wardrobe-one-piece-at-time.html
Loved it!
Right now my maternity wardrobe is technically capsule size but I'm wearing many hand-me-downs so they aren't my style.
I've been following this thread and can't wait to work on a capsule wardrobe with my regular wardrobe.
I've Konmari'd my regular clothes and ended up with 2 dresses and a lot of work out clothes. So I will be starting from scratch there.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
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Planning to do a full Kondo of all my clothes this weekend. I've gotten rid of a lot over the last year but still have a ton left. Wish me luck :-)
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Thanks for all of the advice! I'm planning to go to Nordstrom and DSW in a few weeks. I went to Nine West a few weeks ago, but my size was too wide :(
Planning to do a full Kondo of all my clothes this weekend. I've gotten rid of a lot over the last year but still have a ton left. Wish me luck :-)
Good luck!
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@4alpacas - You might try on the Michael Kors Fulton flats. I found these to be wider and very comfortable.
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Thanks for all of the advice! I'm planning to go to Nordstrom and DSW in a few weeks. I went to Nine West a few weeks ago, but my size was too wide :(
Planning to do a full Kondo of all my clothes this weekend. I've gotten rid of a lot over the last year but still have a ton left. Wish me luck :-)
Good luck!
Thank you. The purge is done. I didn't get rid of as much stuff as I would like. As a matter of fact, I pretty much knew what would leave the closet before I even started. But I have probably a dozen pairs of pants (all in a size too small for me now), a few shorts (too small as well), six or so tops, a bag, a couple of scarves and a pair of shoes that will make it to the consignment store. I also have an unworn dress/tunic to return and I packed a bag of stuff for donation as well. Not too bad and it only took me about an hour. Still tons of stuff left but progress has been made :-)
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Thanks for all of the advice! I'm planning to go to Nordstrom and DSW in a few weeks. I went to Nine West a few weeks ago, but my size was too wide :(
Planning to do a full Kondo of all my clothes this weekend. I've gotten rid of a lot over the last year but still have a ton left. Wish me luck :-)
Good luck!
Thank you. The purge is done. I didn't get rid of as much stuff as I would like. As a matter of fact, I pretty much knew what would leave the closet before I even started. But I have probably a dozen pairs of pants (all in a size too small for me now), a few shorts (too small as well), six or so tops, a bag, a couple of scarves and a pair of shoes that will make it to the consignment store. I also have an unworn dress/tunic to return and I packed a bag of stuff for donation as well. Not too bad and it only took me about an hour. Still tons of stuff left but progress has been made :-)
You got rid of more than 20 items! That's impressive!
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Thanks for all of the advice! I'm planning to go to Nordstrom and DSW in a few weeks. I went to Nine West a few weeks ago, but my size was too wide :(
Planning to do a full Kondo of all my clothes this weekend. I've gotten rid of a lot over the last year but still have a ton left. Wish me luck :-)
Good luck!
Thank you. The purge is done. I didn't get rid of as much stuff as I would like. As a matter of fact, I pretty much knew what would leave the closet before I even started. But I have probably a dozen pairs of pants (all in a size too small for me now), a few shorts (too small as well), six or so tops, a bag, a couple of scarves and a pair of shoes that will make it to the consignment store. I also have an unworn dress/tunic to return and I packed a bag of stuff for donation as well. Not too bad and it only took me about an hour. Still tons of stuff left but progress has been made :-)
Good job! And if you are anything like me, in a few months you'll do another purge and more stuff will go.
It has been frustrating to me to change pants sizes a few times in the past years. It has necessitated me buying new pants - about 3 times now. I hope to stay where I am now. But at one point I got rid of all the 'small' because they were just not wearable and purchased 'bigger.' Then I lost weight again, back to 'small' - had to buy or alter pants again. This was over the course of 3 or 4 years - so not a monthly thing or anything. Now if I could just stay where I am!
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It has been frustrating to me to change pants sizes a few times in the past years. It has necessitated me buying new pants - about 3 times now. I hope to stay where I am now. But at one point I got rid of all the 'small' because they were just not wearable and purchased 'bigger.' Then I lost weight again, back to 'small' - had to buy or alter pants again. This was over the course of 3 or 4 years - so not a monthly thing or anything. Now if I could just stay where I am!
I have the same issue, just reverse. I have gone from a small size 4 to a solid 8 over the last few years. The pants I finally decided to get rid of are all size 6 and I haven't fit into them for well over a year now. Now I just want to stay where I am... I hate going through menopause!
We had a first truly warm day yesterday so I broke out one of my summer outfits from last year. Unfortunately, the cardigan will have to go. It started shedding like crazy so that I was covered in navy fuzz from head to toe. I've had this cardigan for a few years now and really like it but I think the repeated washing caused it to basically disintegrate... I also have another one of the same style in a different color that I suspect will do the same thing as I try it on. Since these cardis have been my summer office staples for a few years now, I ordered replacements (similar style) from Gap yesterday. They had a great sale going on. I hope I like them as much as I liked the old ones (which were from Banana Republic).
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I've maintained a minimalist wardrobe for years. It's embarassingly small my total clothing collection but I'll put forth what has allowed me to get so far down this road.
1. I dont give a shit what people think about me, especially coworkers. I do work in a semi-professional environemnt (pharmaceutical scientist), so I do have to look the part a bit.
2. I have no problem wearing the same article of clothing several times in a week, whether I have washed it or not (undergarments aside).
3. I will wear clothing until it literally falls off my body from deterioration
4. As clothing deteriorates, I play a game whereby I see how long I can go before replacing said item, letting my wardrobe dwindle down to ridicuous levels. This extra time gives me the opportunity to sniff out rockbottom sales to replace said item(s).
5. I resign that I will have to wash more frequently due to limited clothing
6. I try to buy QUALITY clothing that is durable with a longer lifespan. Yes, hard to do in todays world, but I still try. This is especially important with footwear.
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Discovering dresses were basically one choice in the morning was a life-changer for me, @allsummerlong! A few cardigans/wraps for the chill of the office, a sturdy pair of shoes, and voila.
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I am downsizing from a clown house (2200 sf) to a 350sf Fifth wheel trailer. We will have access to a W/D, but at the expense of invading someone's home when we do wash... so, I am looking to create a 2 week wardrobe for work. So far I'm down to 5 prs. pants: 3 jeggings, 2 pr nice jeans. Tops Im going with white tshirts for casual, 5 hoodies (this is going to be hard as I have so many) say 3 sweater layers with 3 to 5 nice under tops (cream or white)
I have a lifetime supply of scarves, not sure I want to have them as part of this rotation or not yet. I think for now I will box and store them all up at the main house and if I feel too drab, I will pull out a couple of colorful ones for summer.
This is going to be soooo hard for me as Im used to lots of options.
I only wear Frye boots(for the jeggings) and Georgie Boy pull ons (for the jeans), going to limit to 3 pair total work shoes over the summer, will see how that goes.
For exercising I need yoga pants (have many pair) say 2 pair, and one pair of sweatpants for walking. Tennies... Lets toss in a couple pair of shorts, khakis (don't own these yet).
gah, hope I can make this work! DH needs some room for his clothes too:)
Will be monitoring this thread as I ebb and flow through this process. We list our home next week, so very soon I will need to put my plan into action.
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Discovering dresses were basically one choice in the morning was a life-changer for me, @allsummerlong! A few cardigans/wraps for the chill of the office, a sturdy pair of shoes, and voila.
Exactly! so easy.
Interesting. One of my decisions in paring down was the get rid of all my dresses and skirts. My go to is black pants and a white blouse. I get so cold in the winter in dresses and legging drive me nuts because they never quite fit right.
I guess the moral of the story so find the one thing that works for you and do it over and over - be that dresses or black pants.
Total side note. We have denim day at work this Wednesday. This has never happened before and probably won't happen again. I a, so excited! White blouse and jeans instead of white blouse and black pants. Super exciting!
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Discovering dresses were basically one choice in the morning was a life-changer for me, @allsummerlong! A few cardigans/wraps for the chill of the office, a sturdy pair of shoes, and voila.
Exactly! so easy.
Interesting. One of my decisions in paring down was the get rid of all my dresses and skirts. My go to is black pants and a white blouse. I get so cold in the winter in dresses and legging drive me nuts because they never quite fit right.
I guess the moral of the story so find the one thing that works for you and do it over and over - be that dresses or black pants.
Total side note. We have denim day at work this Wednesday. This has never happened before and probably won't happen again. I a, so excited! White blouse and jeans instead of white blouse and black pants. Super exciting!
I have decided to get rid of my dresses as well. I don't really like wearing dresses that much and have a hard time finding dresses that fit me well. I mostly wear pants but I do like pencil skirts so I have 3 of them (worn with the same tops that I wear with my pants).
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Interesting how reducing wardrobe means not Judy picking out what you like, but categorically eliminating some pieces (no dresses!). Certainly helps with reducing the volume of clothing.
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I don't put anything away for the seasons - I layer or wear sweaters when I travel to offices (air conditioning gets me) so other than things that already live in the coat closet there isn't much of a change. With a small wardrobe it doesnt take up much closet space :-)
I am team skirt and team jegging. I went a winter without skinny jeans and while I like my regular jeans, they make my 5'4" self look even shorter. I love my floor length maxi dresses so much I am eyeing a floor length skirt for more variety with the same quality - breathes in the summer but keeps some warmth in the winter while looking fantastic. That was definitely a surprise to me: I bought my first because it was configurable and I planned on wearing it short most of the time, only to find that I liked it long.
I do not own non-athletic shorts. My last pair wore out years ago and never replaced them. I avoid dress pants if I can but prefer to wear them during travel days for comfort.
More capsule than uniform these days, but I did the uniform for a while - I got bored having the same shape all of the time. That being said, I don't have makeup, jewelry, or scarves to mix things up. I tried once - not me.
5 years in to a small wardrobe and I still try to keep it as optimised as possible! 40 items total for year round I think? New fancy job had an influx of Goodwill professional clothing, so maybe a bit higher than that now.
I will add Brass to the list of clothing manufacturers of quality, timeless, and decently priced (my price point is higher than some here - I vote with my dollars for transparency and ethics. Clothing and food see the bulk of that charity tax), Seamly.co and Icebreaker/Patagonia to the list.
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Interesting how reducing wardrobe means not Judy picking out what you like, but categorically eliminating some pieces (no dresses!). Certainly helps with reducing the volume of clothing.
I'm curious about how many clothes you all have in storage for other seasons? I have 1 large rubbermaid bin and an out of the way closet w/ a small amount of things like winter boots/coat/mitts, etc... I'm starting to feel like I can actually purge that down even more (I've already been through several purges). Some of the clothes I used to love when I was younger no longer feel "like me." Did you notice that your style changed as you aged?
None. I have no clothing in storage. Everything fits in my closet (about a 30" long closet rod) and dresser. I used to have bins under the bed, but they were eliminated in the general purge. I feel like I have a few too many long sleeved shirts and probably one or two redundant sweaters, a couple pairs of dress pants that might go. I am sure another purge will come along before too long. One of my hard limits on the clothing is everything has to fit w/o using bins.
I recently bought a couple pairs of short, one workout capri (like yoga pants I guess), and some new jog bras (purged many more out that were sad and elastic gone on them).
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I have a bunch of items out of rotation seasonally, but all of them in my large closet so not stored away. Currently my wool and cashmere sweaters, long sleeve t-shirts, flannel shirts, corduroy pants and wool pants are put away for the summer. In the winter, I have shorts, t-shirts, white jeans, lightweight cotton pants, lightweight cotton and linen sweaters folded and put away on a high shelf in the closet. With the climate I live in, we can have snowy winters with temps in single digits and sweltering summers with temps in the 90s, both for weeks at a time. It would be difficult to have one set of clothes that works for all seasons.
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I do rotate seasonally, even though Marie Kondo said not too. The reason for me is that in my climate I need sleeveless stuff for summer, and sleeves for winter. I know people say 'layer' but I can be bothered shaving my underarms without good reason in the winter, so I wouldn't feel presentable wearing something sleeveless even with a cardigan on top with stubble (ugh, sorry TMI. But I've always wondered whether 'layering' people are just very regular shavers?).
Also, warm dresses for winter etc just clutter the wardrobe in the summer. I prefer having space all year round, even though I could fit everything in at once. The extra items add to my decision fatigue if I keep them in the wardrobe, as I have to mentally rule them out every day. Better for me to have them stored elsewhere.
Elsewhere, btw, is just a drawer in my regular dresser. I put everything away (clean) at the change of the season. If we were to get unusual weather I can easily get something out, but they aren't hanging in my wardrobe, or in my 'shirt' drawer, so I can effectively forget about out of season items.
(Before Kondoing they were stored high up and out of reach and it was much drama to do the switchover. Now I have less stuff the drawer solution is brilliant, as I can add things over a few weeks as the seasons change instead of a big swap all at once). Everything that is single-season fits in one drawer (large Ikea malm).
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I love my capsule wardrobe. I have 42 pieces. I follow the unfancy.com 37 number. I can get to that number, but I really like having more shoe options. I have been working on mine for a few years. purging things that I didn't wear and finding things at the thrift store for a dollar to test out certain looks. I figured out what looks best on my body and I've been sticking with that. With all the cycling I've been doing lately I may have to buy some new pants soon. My old ones aren't fitting right anymore. I, unlike some of the people who have posted before, actually enjoy shopping a little bit. As long as I'm not going with someone who wants to stay all day or take me to the mall. I like to go places that sell quality things or to the thrift stores.
Does anybody here do their capsule wardrobe by their seasonal coloring? I do, and I feel certain colors look better on me. For example, I rarely wear black as I'm a light summer.
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Bumping again.
Still wearing the same stuff from when the thread started. A few of the white shirts are a bit grayish now. I am waiting until November to replace a couple because last year Express had BYGO sales around Black Friday.
I would post pictures but they would be exactly the same as earlier ones. :). Spending way way way way less on clothes than in previous years; arguably replaced by spending on triathlon equipment (defintely more bang for my buck). Still make occasional missteps on things I purchase in terms of wardrobe, but frequency is down like 90%.
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I still wouldn't call my wardrobe a capsule, but it's doing well. I have my rules, certain colors and shapes that I love and look good on me, and I've stuck to that. Yesterday I did a full on purge of every drawer and hanger, and what remains is fantastic! I might replace 1 or 2 sweaters that I loved but had worn out, but that's about all.
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Posting to follow. I don't have a capsule wardrobe for work, but would like to head that way for ease and frugality.
ETA: OK, just read through the thread! Ms P, I like your capsule, it looks very appropriate. Got MK on reserve at the library. Long waitlist!
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I am doing a few updates. Decided against cardigans (too fussy). Replaced a few white shirts that are more grey now. Decided to get the shirts from Express, and pants as well. Both fit me well and were on sale for 40% off this weekend. Got a few sweaters to replace the cardigans (v-neck or crew pullovers only now). Purging more stuff. Kind of change of seasons time to get rid of the most offensively stained sweatpants and get some winter running and cycling gear. My work clothes are more and more the same outfit every day, with slight variations in color. Two new pairs of warm shoes. I reached a new level of clarity in terms of what I am most comfortable wearing at work. I'll post a couple new photos over the next few days.
Irrationally in love with both pairs of shoes.
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Today's uniform. Pants and shirt are old. New shoes (pictured above) and sweater (standard crew neck).
Not a great photo, but you get the general idea.
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I'm in love with your shoes too! <3
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I'm in love with your shoes too! <3
They are super comfortable! Like all day right out of the box walk all over comfortable.
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So I actually have a few small wardrobes. :) Work clothes pencil skirt + sweater or dress), casual/church clothes and workout clothes. I also have a box of maternity clothes that I keep at the back of my closet but not out all the time. I just packed it away and am working today to purge the closet and see what fits and what can go. I have found while home on maternity leave, im perfectly content with 4 pair running shorts, 6 t-shirts and a couple of shirts for church. In the winter I'll swap that out for 2 pair yoga pants and 1 pair of jeans.
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Today:
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In a year or so I'm going to be flying the coop, so I will be doing extreme clothing downsizing. I've had renewed determination to ditch things I don't need. Likely result:
1-2 pairs running shorts
3-5 workout shirts
1 bathing suit
1 pair jeans
1 skirt
3-4 shirts
2 pairs leggings/tights
A few dresses (need to figure out which travel easiest) (oh god this is gonna be tough)
2 long-sleeved shirts/cardigans
1 sweatery thing
Pea coat or puffy coat (ideally would figure out a more compact cold-weather colution
1 pair sneakers
1 pair snow boots
1-2 scarves
1 set sleepytime clothes
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but this is my preliminary brainstorm.
Are you paring down in order to travel, to move to smaller digs, to save money? This is a very minimal list of clothing - which is neither good nor bad - I am just wondering the purpose.
One thought - do you need a pair of dress shoes? I only see sneakers and snow boots.
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In a year or so I'm going to be flying the coop, so I will be doing extreme clothing downsizing. I've had renewed determination to ditch things I don't need. Likely result:
1-2 pairs running shorts
3-5 workout shirts
1 bathing suit
1 pair jeans
1 skirt
3-4 shirts
2 pairs leggings/tights
A few dresses (need to figure out which travel easiest) (oh god this is gonna be tough)
2 long-sleeved shirts/cardigans
1 sweatery thing
Pea coat or puffy coat (ideally would figure out a more compact cold-weather colution
1 pair sneakers
1 pair snow boots
1-2 scarves
1 set sleepytime clothes
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but this is my preliminary brainstorm.
Are you paring down in order to travel, to move to smaller digs, to save money? This is a very minimal list of clothing - which is neither good nor bad - I am just wondering the purpose.
One thought - do you need a pair of dress shoes? I only see sneakers and snow boots.
Re bolded question: All of the above! Planning on an indefinite sabbatical and slow-travel, which will also involve living in smaller spaces and saving money.
Good call on the dress shoes. I'm mentally prepping for true backpacking, although that won't happen at first. In that case, I'm not lugging around fancy shoes for what might a quarterly occurrence. But while I'm in the US, it may be worth it.
The list isn't that much smaller than my current wardrobe, once you get rid of my work-only clothes. Already have one pair of jeans, one skirt, and wear my sneakers everywhere. The big change will be paring down dresses and around the house loungey stuff.
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I think that lit will evolve over time as you move and your needs change. You may need more long sleeved shirts in winter, for instance, or flip flops in summer. I find with packing that I have to carefully plan each outfit and coordinate all the parts such as a sweater that matches everything, in order to min one the stuff I am dragging with me. It is certainly possible to get by with much less than one would expect.
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MsPeacock- I really like that color of burgundy on you. Very flattering! Of course, it's one of my favorite colors, so that may be clouding my view. But I think we have similar coloring overall, so perhaps that's *why* it's one of my favorite colors. Anyway, lookin' sharp!
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MsPeacock- I really like that color of burgundy on you. Very flattering! Of course, it's one of my favorite colors, so that may be clouding my view. But I think we have similar coloring overall, so perhaps that's *why* it's one of my favorite colors. Anyway, lookin' sharp!
Thank you!
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How have I missed this thread for so long?
Posting to follow.
I've been slowly building a capsule wardrobe over the past couple of years. I currently have the least clothes I've ever owned as an adult, and I'm probably better dressed than ever.
I'm not really into clothes so anything that takes the headaches out of dressing myself is a win!
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http://www.theviviennefiles.com/p/starting-from-scratch_15.html
Posted this elsewhere.....can t remember where BUT love this plan.
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My updated work wardrobe, including some seasonal rotation, as below.
I have five dresses - two black, one purple floral, one blue floral (spring/summer), one pink/black floral (fall/winter).
Five bottoms - black pants, black capris (spring/summer), brown pants, grey skirt (fall/winter), black skirt (spring/summer).
Seven tops - teal knit long sleeve (really cold days only), mint green turtleneck (fall/winter), pink plaid long sleeve, teal sleeveless (spring/summer), brown elbow-length sleeve (fall/winter), blue/green short sleeve, teal print short sleeve.
Four sweaters - pink, blue, red (really cold days only), black/white print.
I don't use accessories because they irritate me, and have one pair of black work shoes, which I keep at work so they last longer and stay clean.
The system is pretty simple. I wear two dresses a week, Monday and Friday. For the rest of the week, I have all the bottoms in a row and all the tops in a row, and grab the first of each that match, plus a sweater if I need it. I tend to match up my clothes for the next week on Friday after I get home.
It's not perfectly matchy matchy like many capsules, but for that to happen I'd have to give up at least one of my favourite three colours of clothing - teal, blue, and bright pink.
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http://www.theviviennefiles.com/p/starting-from-scratch_15.html
Posted this elsewhere.....can t remember where BUT love this plan.
This is fantastic!
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My updated work wardrobe, including some seasonal rotation, as below.
I have five dresses - two black, one purple floral, one blue floral (spring/summer), one pink/black floral (fall/winter).
Five bottoms - black pants, black capris (spring/summer), brown pants, grey skirt (fall/winter), black skirt (spring/summer).
Seven tops - teal knit long sleeve (really cold days only), mint green turtleneck (fall/winter), pink plaid long sleeve, teal sleeveless (spring/summer), brown elbow-length sleeve (fall/winter), blue/green short sleeve, teal print short sleeve.
Four sweaters - pink, blue, red (really cold days only), black/white print.
I don't use accessories because they irritate me, and have one pair of black work shoes, which I keep at work so they last longer and stay clean.
The system is pretty simple. I wear two dresses a week, Monday and Friday. For the rest of the week, I have all the bottoms in a row and all the tops in a row, and grab the first of each that match, plus a sweater if I need it. I tend to match up my clothes for the next week on Friday after I get home.
It's not perfectly matchy matchy like many capsules, but for that to happen I'd have to give up at least one of my favourite three colours of clothing - teal, blue, and bright pink.
I really dislike accessories too. There is zero chance of me changing purses to match an outfi (and I would forget half my essential stuff if I tried to do this) I used to muck around with necklaces and earrings but I can't even bother any more. I got rid of at least 90% of that stuff by taking it to work. The other ladies were happy to dig in. And I don't understand scarves for decorative purposes at all - when I've attempted one I am so distracted by it and keep seeing it out of the corner of my eye and tugging at it and it drives me nuts.
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My updated work wardrobe, including some seasonal rotation, as below.
I have five dresses - two black, one purple floral, one blue floral (spring/summer), one pink/black floral (fall/winter).
Five bottoms - black pants, black capris (spring/summer), brown pants, grey skirt (fall/winter), black skirt (spring/summer).
Seven tops - teal knit long sleeve (really cold days only), mint green turtleneck (fall/winter), pink plaid long sleeve, teal sleeveless (spring/summer), brown elbow-length sleeve (fall/winter), blue/green short sleeve, teal print short sleeve.
Four sweaters - pink, blue, red (really cold days only), black/white print.
I don't use accessories because they irritate me, and have one pair of black work shoes, which I keep at work so they last longer and stay clean.
The system is pretty simple. I wear two dresses a week, Monday and Friday. For the rest of the week, I have all the bottoms in a row and all the tops in a row, and grab the first of each that match, plus a sweater if I need it. I tend to match up my clothes for the next week on Friday after I get home.
It's not perfectly matchy matchy like many capsules, but for that to happen I'd have to give up at least one of my favourite three colours of clothing - teal, blue, and bright pink.
I really dislike accessories too. There is zero chance of me changing purses to match an outfi (and I would forget half my essential stuff if I tried to do this) I used to muck around with necklaces and earrings but I can't even bother any more. I got rid of at least 90% of that stuff by taking it to work. The other ladies were happy to dig in. And I don't understand scarves for decorative purposes at all - when I've attempted one I am so distracted by it and keep seeing it out of the corner of my eye and tugging at it and it drives me nuts.
Yeah - since I've never been a jewelry wearer, I find that if I actually put something on, it's very hard for me to pay attention to anything else. It just feels so WEIRD to have something on my neck or wrist or head or wherever. I never got my ears pierced, so earrings are out as well - I've tried clip-ons and they're the WORST, so uncomfortable.
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http://maitaicollection.com/pages/tutorials
I am not a big accessory person either. No dresses/skirts either.
I thrifted some scarves , and am slowly experimenting with some of the simpler styles in the above link. I had my colours done in the 90s so I know I am a winter. Cool colours only!
Therefore my basics are black/navy/and jeans. Always.
My accessory colours are white/bright or icy red,blue,green,purple,pink.
When I pattern the major colour must be near my face and must be one or more of the above.
To make my life simple shoes and bags are black .
Socks too!
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DDD these links are absolutely amazing. I ended up down the rabbit hole of the Starting from Scratch wardrobe yesterday and ended up having all kinds of revelations. I've now identified that if I bought just a few specific pieces, my wardrobe options would multiply exponentially because everything would work with everything else.
And the scarf link! I love scarves, but wear large, pashmina-style ones that I wrap myself in. I've never really understood how the classic, smaller, lightweight French scarves worked. How inspiring! And so easy to find in nice thrift stores, because young people don't get them either! I'm so inspired.
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Does anyone have feedback on dress pants that are slim - but also easy to move around in? Like the feel of jeans but nicer material and a slim leg?
ETA also not just solid black or blue or navy - but in tiny patterns or heathering so they hide dirt better.
I want to get a few pairs and base my "back-to-work" after-maternity wardrobe on them and lab coats over simple shirts. (For my ultrasound work).
BUT I also have to lead events with 10-15 year olds - including crazy games and running around - some evenings during the week and I don't want a totally different wardrobe or to have to change into jeans for them. Ideally I could also wear these pants at home and not have to change into jeans either.
I looked at the Old Navy Pixie Pants and some of the "yoga pant dress pants" sold online but I'm not sure. I would like belt loops I think. And something that I can wear with flats or boots.
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Does anyone have feedback on dress pants that are slim - but also easy to move around in? Like the feel of jeans but nicer material and a slim leg?
ETA also not just solid black or blue or navy - but in tiny patterns or heathering so they hide dirt better.
I want to get a few pairs and base my "back-to-work" after-maternity wardrobe on them and lab coats over simple shirts. (For my ultrasound work).
BUT I also have to lead events with 10-15 year olds - including crazy games and running around - some evenings during the week and I don't want a totally different wardrobe or to have to change into jeans for them. Ideally I could also wear these pants at home and not have to change into jeans either.
I looked at the Old Navy Pixie Pants and some of the "yoga pant dress pants" sold online but I'm not sure. I would like belt loops I think. And something that I can wear with flats or boots.
My mom (chemo related discomfort) really likes these Gloria Vanderbilt pants that are almost a yoga pant material but look like jeans or slacks (depending on the design). I believe they do have belt loops, but I don't remember for sure. I know Fred Meyer sells them here, don't know about elsewhere.
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http://www.carriescloset.ca/blogs/news/16594221-the-most-comprehensive-definitive-guide-to-ponte-pants-ever
I have not found these pants yet.... but I ll keep looking.
It is not about the pants but the fabric that makes the pants.
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I really like the pants from Express. They have several cuts, including a slim leg design. They all have some stretch, but not as much as yoga pants or leggings. They are machine washable and have held up well for me. The inseams are long so I always have to get them hemmed. They look fairly dressy. They do have patterns (little checks, etc) on some of them.
I haven't tried pointe pants, but others here give them high marks.
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My wardrobe had gradually become standardised. My office is very casual, even to the extend of directors wearing blue jeans and t-shirts, so luckily I don't really need to have two different wardrobes between work and life. Having said that, I still prefer to wear smart casual to the office and I usually have the following wardrobe which I also wear outside of the office: 3 pairs of black jeans (skinny, mid-rise jeans from UniQlo), about 7 colourful/black blouses/tops (business section of H&M), and 3 blazers on top. I usually wear trainers for my commute as I need to walk a bit, and then have casual shows at work. I don't do accessories that much, but I think the blazer/blouse combination works well as its smart casual and I can even wear it for external business meetings.
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http://www.carriescloset.ca/blogs/news/16594221-the-most-comprehensive-definitive-guide-to-ponte-pants-ever
I have not found these pants yet.... but I ll keep looking.
It is not about the pants but the fabric that makes the pants.
I've heard Land's End has good ponte pants. I have a ponte dress from there that I like.
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Out with the old: Gathered my pile of donations.
Research: Reserved books at the library to help me organise and create a new wardrobe. Read this thread and internet resources. Asked a friend for help with colour palette.
What I need: some corporate pieces for special work events, a decent selection of business casual, and daily wear. (Business casual can overlap with daily wear depending on the item.) Be selective in how things fit together so I can do more with fewer items.
To do: Read the library books. Look at what other people are wearing here and IRL and gather ideas. Come up with a strategy for specific pieces within each wardrobe category, and make sure they fit my comfort preferences so nothing is wasted. Go shopping!?
MMM style: op shop to try new styles and see if I like them, op shop for cheap work wear.
Unsure: Go capsule (probably not) or just start honing my selections and see where that goes (I am in little danger of a wardrobe explosion)? Not sure if I will count pieces per category and clothing type (if that's your recommendation, go ahead and sell me on this?). I see the value of the colour palette, but it feels limiting to me...any advice?
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Today. Nothing too exciting here. Black pants (I have two of the same pair - from Express)), shirt w/ a print (one of the very few - from Express), land's end sweater.
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As of today, I'm doing this new thing where I'm getting dressed each morning, even though I work from home and it's totally fine for me to wear PJs all day.
My uniform is something like this:
- floaty sleeveless top or tunic
- skinny jeans or wide-legged trousers
- cardigan or blazer
- birkenstocks, chacos, kicks, or boots (depending on the weather)
Floaty sleeveless tops aren't super easy to find in plus sizes, but I just scored 3 for $30 on ASOS Curve. I love them because they have a high neck -- usually my floaty tanks have a deep enough neckline that I wear a scarf to cover up all the boobery.
My colors are mainly black, white, and gray, with some burgundy, teal, purple, and coral as accent colors. My wardrobe is super easy to travel with -- I grab a couple pairs of pants, a blazer/cardigan/coat, and a tunic for each day. Good thing cos I've been traveling a lot lately...
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Out with the old: Gathered my pile of donations.
Research: Reserved books at the library to help me organise and create a new wardrobe. Read this thread and internet resources. Asked a friend for help with colour palette.
What I need: some corporate pieces for special work events, a decent selection of business casual, and daily wear. (Business casual can overlap with daily wear depending on the item.) Be selective in how things fit together so I can do more with fewer items.
To do: Read the library books. Look at what other people are wearing here and IRL and gather ideas. Come up with a strategy for specific pieces within each wardrobe category, and make sure they fit my comfort preferences so nothing is wasted. Go shopping!?
MMM style: op shop to try new styles and see if I like them, op shop for cheap work wear.
Unsure: Go capsule (probably not) or just start honing my selections and see where that goes (I am in little danger of a wardrobe explosion)? Not sure if I will count pieces per category and clothing type (if that's your recommendation, go ahead and sell me on this?). I see the value of the colour palette, but it feels limiting to me...any advice?
It is not in the least bit limiting! I can quite literally grab any pair of my shoes and know that they will look at least okay with any clothes I choose to wear that day because all of my shoes are black and all of my clothes look good with black. (The day I went to work with my brown slippers on was not a good day lol!)
It's also freeing to go shopping and immediately know what colors will flatter you the most. Plus most of my shirts look good with most of my sweaters and at least half of my scarves.
So I think of it as more freeing than limiting. I always look and feel put together, shopping is so much faster when you have a specific set of criteria (such as color palette, preferred fabric, and/or style) to follow. Plus you are much less likely to buy something that you'll later look at and go "Why did I buy that?!"
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I don't think this photographed well - but I like this outfit. The pants wrinkle up a bit quickly however.\\
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Thanks Zaga. OK I get that. Like earlier this week I had to change clothes before going out because I didn't have matching shoes! The dress was a hand-me-down not in my colours.
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Thanks Zaga. OK I get that. Like earlier this week I had to change clothes before going out because I didn't have matching shoes! The dress was a hand-me-down not in my colours.
Ugh. Yes, shoes are my MAJOR limiting factor. I think I need to replace my skinny black jeans- I only have 1 pair and they're getting very worn/stretched out/bleached out at the knee. When I have good black leggings/jeans, I can wear them with boots (I have black and brown) and then I can match anything. The issue is when I have my only other jeans, which I'm pretty limited on footwear choice with because they're a bit too long and it's too wet here most of the year.
I'm honestly considering looking into black jeggings. Anyone had these before, have opinions/experience?
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I had a pair of jeggings from target and I didn't like them. Maybe a more pensive pair would be better. The elastic waistband sort of rolled down and got twisted inside the fabric. They were a bit more revealing than jeans, and not warm enough for winter. I have better luck with regular skinny stretch jeans. It can be so hard to find a pair of jeans that are just right in terms of how they fit and comfort.
I used to have a ton of shoes and have been thinning the herd over the years. I've gotten rid of almost all my heels because they are just so uncomfortable. I have one pair of three inch black shoes and one pair of nude heels both of which work with everything I own. I have a mix of black flats and black oxfords, brown boots and black boots, and a couple pairs of sandals. I think most wardrobes could get by with black or brown shoes, or even just black shoes. As my uniform look has become more clarified I've moved to getting rid of more and more stuff that doesn't fit into that fairly narrow look.
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I have a couple of pairs of what I think are jeggings from JAG Jeans. Same complaint as MsPeacock - the elastic waistband folds over when I sit so needs to be adjusted almost every time I get up. Kind of annoying. But other than that I like the fit, the fabric is thick and not too revealing and they are comfortable. Got mine from Nordstrom Rack for a good price. Not worth the full price in my opinion.
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Thanks for the jeggings feedback guys. I might just have to give them a try and see what I think- but will definitely start with 1 pair and see how bad the folding issue is. I have a *terrible* time finding jeans. As in, go to the store, try on 12+ pairs of jeans, have 0 that fit. This is a regular event for me. Hoping something elastic based will be more accommodating of my unusual proportions.
Definitely going to try ross/tj maxx/nordstroms rack type places.
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Bracken_Joy, I have jeggings and they are comfortable for me. I don't have the folding issue but agree they are less warm than regular pants. No special brand, something on super sale.
Shoes. Thanks MsP. I am going through mine now while I do the wardrobe thinking. What are everyone's strategies on matching up clothes and situations with fewer shoes?
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I work in a very casual environment. My work uniform is a pair of jeans (boot cut and slightly baggy) and a v-neck t-shirt (different colors of the Madewell slub tee). My offices are REALLY cold (~60*F). Right now, I just wear my fleece (Marmot, full on winter fleece) in the office. I am looking to find something a little more pulled together. Regular cardigans aren't warm enough.
Anyone have any advice?
Instead of layering on top of the t-shirt, first layer beneath.
I always wear a vest (as in, British vest, underwear, like a tank top but thermal material, do you know what I mean?).
My office gets very cold in winter. I wear a vest, then a thin t-shirt. I made is specially so that it has a ridiculously low scoop neck and wide shoulders and can't be seen poking out from the neckline of other things. Then I put on my dress or top.
It really barely adds any bulk, but it adds SO MUCH WARMTH. Way more than a cardigan on top. Even just the vest alone makes a huge difference, the second layer takes me from fine to toasty.
So seriously, stop adding on top, and start with warm base layers.
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I know a lot of people don't want to buy new clothes but that's what finally helped me build a functional wardrobe and at the same time pare down what I have.
I got my basics from a department store collection with a lot of variety in the different pieces while still matching. It also made shopping quick as I'm one of those people that hate shopping and gets overwhelmed easily. I think it took me an hour and a half.
From there anything that doesn't match the new set got tossed. Same goes for worn items I've been hanging on to because I didn't have replacements and didn't want to have to go shopping.
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Another uniform - same thing, different day. I'm quite happy, I've found, wearing quite literally the same thing every day. So easy - grab pants (any pair), grab shirt (any shirt - they are all the same), grab sweater (any color - they all work). DONE!
Loving my two new pairs of clarks shoes - so comfortable. The black ones in particular are spectacular. And no more cold feet from wearing skimpy flats.
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Another uniform - same thing, different day. I'm quite happy, I've found, wearing quite literally the same thing every day. So easy - grab pants (any pair), grab shirt (any shirt - they are all the same), grab sweater (any color - they all work). DONE!
Loving my two new pairs of clarks shoes - so comfortable. The black ones in particular are spectacular. And no more cold feet from wearing skimpy flats.
Looks great! Has anyone at work ever commented on your wearing the same thing (style wise) daily?
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MsPeacock, I have copied your style this fall :-) I'm usually a shell plus long open cardigan type person, but started wearing button up shirts and pullover sweaters recently. I really like it.
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Another uniform - same thing, different day. I'm quite happy, I've found, wearing quite literally the same thing every day. So easy - grab pants (any pair), grab shirt (any shirt - they are all the same), grab sweater (any color - they all work). DONE!
Loving my two new pairs of clarks shoes - so comfortable. The black ones in particular are spectacular. And no more cold feet from wearing skimpy flats.
Looks great! Has anyone at work ever commented on your wearing the same thing (style wise) daily?
Nope! No one has ever said anything. I even said something one day - basically stating I wear the same thing every day and no one said anything in response.
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MsPeacock, I have copied your style this fall :-) I'm usually a shell plus long open cardigan type person, but started wearing button up shirts and pullover sweaters recently. I really like it.
I am extremely,rly flattered! I think the look would work for just about anyone and I find it comfortable and easy to wear.
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Does anyone have feedback on dress pants that are slim - but also easy to move around in? Like the feel of jeans but nicer material and a slim leg?
ETA also not just solid black or blue or navy - but in tiny patterns or heathering so they hide dirt better.
I want to get a few pairs and base my "back-to-work" after-maternity wardrobe on them and lab coats over simple shirts. (For my ultrasound work).
BUT I also have to lead events with 10-15 year olds - including crazy games and running around - some evenings during the week and I don't want a totally different wardrobe or to have to change into jeans for them. Ideally I could also wear these pants at home and not have to change into jeans either.
I looked at the Old Navy Pixie Pants and some of the "yoga pant dress pants" sold online but I'm not sure. I would like belt loops I think. And something that I can wear with flats or boots.
Update: I took advantage of Old Navy's free returns + a good sale to try out a few pairs of the Pixie Pants. I tried on a few in-store for sizing (they fit snug, I sized up). Online I got three on a good sale, in the "long pant" style of black, mini black dot and heather gray
I've already worn them to a craft show, a speaking engagement, work, hanging out with my mother-in-law and doing housework. I think these will be the new base pant for my wardrobe.
Initial thoughts:
- I see why they're so popular. They feel nice and thick
- The stretch is incredible. They're really easy to move in.
- The waistband and belt loops are thin, but they will take a slender belt.
- The fake back pockets + real front pockets is very useful. They look like trousers, not jeans, while retaining a functional front pocket.
- They don't need a belt! The waist is high enough to prevent flashing anything, even with my super-long torso.
- Usually I take a 32-inch inseam. This gets a little confusing:
- The "ankle" pixie pant is designed to be worn above the ankles. It comes in Regular, Petite and Tall
- The "long" pixie pant is designed more like a regular pant, but it's cut higher than one would wear wider pants. It comes in Regular, Petite and Tall
- I ordered a "long" pixie pant in a Regular inseam which is 30". This style I think I should be wearing a 31" or so inseam
- It looks a hair short, but there is almost 2 inches of fabric that's been hemmed up. I will let it out and stitch up a tiny hem. With that, they will work well.
- In the future, I will order a "long" pant in "Tall" and that should be perfect. That size only comes online.
- They do stretch. After wearing twice, they get a little saggy in the rear and need a wash. I find that happens with most pants that work for me. Something about that skinny pant/stretch fabric/higher-waist combo.
- If these test pairs work out, I'll buy 2 more pairs at the after-Christmas sales and base my wardrobe off these + my usual jeans.
(For comparison, the jeans I wear often go down to $10 - the Lauren skinny from Bluenotes. Except for being a little lower in the rise and requiring a belt, they are a very similar silhouette to the Pixie pant and Bluenotes always has them).
Hopefully I'll have some pictures to add soon enough.
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I like the Old Navy pixie pants as well. I have short legs, and found the "regular" ankle-length ones were perfect normal-length on me, with no need to hem them. I have one black pair for work that I bought a year ago, and might pick up a navy pair as well sometime if there's a good sale.
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This is like the least-interesting, most-repetitive fashion posting ever. Here is today's outfit. :)
Express pants, Express white shirt, blue sweater (JC Penny's I think, from last year). Black Clark's shoes.
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I like this on you.
Black is a better colour than tan/beige for your pants.
The blue is a great pop of colour.
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Nope! No one has ever said anything. I even said something one day - basically stating I wear the same thing every day and no one said anything in response.
Interesting! I guess it's proof that people aren't thinking about us much, they're too busy worrying what we think of them!
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Nope! No one has ever said anything. I even said something one day - basically stating I wear the same thing every day and no one said anything in response.
Interesting! I guess it's proof that people aren't thinking about us much, they're too busy worrying what we think of them!
I think that is very true. Also, that in general, if you blend into the typical look of most people around you, no one pays any attention. If I were to start wearing something either very uncharacteristic of my usual self, or very uncharacteristic of the typical work clothing around here (which is a mix of people in military uniforms and others in professional but not super formal business wear), people would probably notice. I guess that would mean maybe really high heels and tight skirts (not my usual), or idk - workout clothing (too casual) or ponchos something along those lines.
Here is today's typical outfit: Express pants, express shirt, Clark's shoes, Forever 21 sweater.
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More of the same:
Black pants (Express), White shirt (Express), purple sweater (Land's End). Shoes: Clark's.
Express has occasional 40% off everything sales and - I think - last year they had 50% off everything after T-day (maybe all the way from Thanksgiving through Xmas, or maybe just the "black Friday" weekend). A good time to stock up if you wear their clothing.
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Okay! This thread may just save my life now. Pending final acceptance, I will have my first ever OFFICE/management job. Oh em gee. Can't get away with scrubs daily anymore, in other words.
I like this thread because it shows me I will be able to figure outfits out *without* high heels. I'm too tall already, plus it's got travel and site visits. And also I hate them, so there's that.
MsPeacock, VERY apt time to mention the upcoming sale!
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Okay! This thread may just save my life now. Pending final acceptance, I will have my first ever OFFICE/management job. Oh em gee. Can't get away with scrubs daily anymore, in other words.
I like this thread because it shows me I will be able to figure outfits out *without* high heels. I'm too tall already, plus it's got travel and site visits. And also I hate them, so there's that.
MsPeacock, VERY apt time to mention the upcoming sale!
Congratulations on the job offer!
I used to wear heels, then transitioned to flats - but my feet are cold without socks. Now I wear a more "men's" style shoe. The Clark's shoes are extremely comfortable.
Express pants have a pretty long inseam, and I think they offer tall sizing as well, if you are really tall. I am 5'7" and have to have them hemmed.
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Okay! This thread may just save my life now. Pending final acceptance, I will have my first ever OFFICE/management job. Oh em gee. Can't get away with scrubs daily anymore, in other words.
I like this thread because it shows me I will be able to figure outfits out *without* high heels. I'm too tall already, plus it's got travel and site visits. And also I hate them, so there's that.
MsPeacock, VERY apt time to mention the upcoming sale!
Congratulations on the job offer!
I used to wear heels, then transitioned to flats - but my feet are cold without socks. Now I wear a more "men's" style shoe. The Clark's shoes are extremely comfortable.
Express pants have a pretty long inseam, and I think they offer tall sizing as well, if you are really tall. I am 5'7" and have to have them hemmed.
Thank you! It's up in the air if moving the planned office from [planned town] to [my town] will happen, but I turned down their original offer, so they're considering it, and if it does, I'm hired.
I'm 5'9" and have pretty long legs proportionally, and believe it or not the one pair of express pants I have are too long to wear with flats! I will probably have to get the hemmed if I want to use them with flats.
Question, what do people wear under ballet flats with slacks? Nude stocking style socks I'm guessing?
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I wear off black or grey knee high nylons with flats and slacks. I wear tights with skirts and flats.
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Okay! This thread may just save my life now. Pending final acceptance, I will have my first ever OFFICE/management job. Oh em gee. Can't get away with scrubs daily anymore, in other words.
I like this thread because it shows me I will be able to figure outfits out *without* high heels. I'm too tall already, plus it's got travel and site visits. And also I hate them, so there's that.
MsPeacock, VERY apt time to mention the upcoming sale!
Congratulations on the job offer!
I used to wear heels, then transitioned to flats - but my feet are cold without socks. Now I wear a more "men's" style shoe. The Clark's shoes are extremely comfortable.
Express pants have a pretty long inseam, and I think they offer tall sizing as well, if you are really tall. I am 5'7" and have to have them hemmed.
Thank you! It's up in the air if moving the planned office from [planned town] to [my town] will happen, but I turned down their original offer, so they're considering it, and if it does, I'm hired.
I'm 5'9" and have pretty long legs proportionally, and believe it or not the one pair of express pants I have are too long to wear with flats! I will probably have to get the hemmed if I want to use them with flats.
Question, what do people wear under ballet flats with slacks? Nude stocking style socks I'm guessing?
I wear the no-show socklette things. I buy a multi-pack from American Apparel.
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Congrats! With flats I wear either stocking-style socks (dress-up situation) or no socks at all (most of the time).
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Congrats! With flats I wear either stocking-style socks (dress-up situation) or no socks at all (most of the time).
So is no socks okay then? I didn't know if you weren't supposed to do that. Like not wearing tights with a dress. Like I said, I've had very little exposure to even *seeing* business casual type outfits, much less assembling them myself.
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Congrats! With flats I wear either stocking-style socks (dress-up situation) or no socks at all (most of the time).
So is no socks okay then? I didn't know if you weren't supposed to do that. Like not wearing tights with a dress. Like I said, I've had very little exposure to even *seeing* business casual type outfits, much less assembling them myself.
Depends on your office. See what others are doing, particularly female upper management.
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Congrats! With flats I wear either stocking-style socks (dress-up situation) or no socks at all (most of the time).
So is no socks okay then? I didn't know if you weren't supposed to do that. Like not wearing tights with a dress. Like I said, I've had very little exposure to even *seeing* business casual type outfits, much less assembling them myself.
Depends on your office. See what others are doing, particularly female upper management.
I may only have a couple weeks of training in the main office (5 employees, all women, only one person will be over me), tops probably 4 weeks, and then it's just me and one much older woman in the satellite office. So not a lot of options for cuing off people so much. Hopefully it'll be enough for me to get a good sense while also training for the role itself.
All I remember from the work I *have* done with the people in the role I'll be in is a lot of statement necklaces, haha. Which sucks because I'm allergic to all fakey or lower quality metals. I do love scarves though, so maybe I can do them as an alternative? =\
ETA:
I'll just have to be proactive. What are some norms I should look for and take notes on? I'm gonna go full nerd with this, if you guys will help me.
-No stockings with slacks and flats, normal?
-Are bracelets ever worn? (Healthcare and site visits, so I'm guessing no)
uh... all I got so far
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I do not wear stocking or socks with pants and flats or heels. I work in a fairly conservative office in DC. I sometimes don't wear socks with my oxford type shoes. Some of the women in my office go bare legged with skirts, others wear tights or stockings. I personally don't want to keep up on shaving and lotioning my legs enough to go bare legged and I can't stand hose and most tights, so I no longer wear skirts to work.
Remember that no one even see,s to notice at all what I wear to work - most likely the issue of socks or not won't be noticed by anyone but you, and you should do what is comfortable.
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Congrats! With flats I wear either stocking-style socks (dress-up situation) or no socks at all (most of the time).
So is no socks okay then? I didn't know if you weren't supposed to do that. Like not wearing tights with a dress. Like I said, I've had very little exposure to even *seeing* business casual type outfits, much less assembling them myself.
Depends on your office. See what others are doing, particularly female upper management.
I may only have a couple weeks of training in the main office (5 employees, all women, only one person will be over me), tops probably 4 weeks, and then it's just me and one much older woman in the satellite office. So not a lot of options for cuing off people so much. Hopefully it'll be enough for me to get a good sense while also training for the role itself.
All I remember from the work I *have* done with the people in the role I'll be in is a lot of statement necklaces, haha. Which sucks because I'm allergic to all fakey or lower quality metals. I do love scarves though, so maybe I can do them as an alternative? =\
ETA:
I'll just have to be proactive. What are some norms I should look for and take notes on? I'm gonna go full nerd with this, if you guys will help me.
-No stockings with slacks and flats, normal?
-Are bracelets ever worn? (Healthcare and site visits, so I'm guessing no)
uh... all I got so far
My opinions.
For the socks/stockings, wear whatever is comfortable. Most wear thin stockings or no socks at all with flats where I work, but I always wear socks cause my feet are always cold. Nothing is worth being uncomfortable. Agree with someone else who suggested Clarks flat shoes, many of them are meant to go with socks and are super comfortable!
For statement necklaces, try strings of beads with no metal clasp, like the ones that on go over your head. Or scarves, tons of people wear scarves instead of necklaces, myself included many days. If you're a visiting nurse or similar I'd say no jewelry on your hands or wrists except maybe a plain wedding band if you wear one.
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Congrats! With flats I wear either stocking-style socks (dress-up situation) or no socks at all (most of the time).
So is no socks okay then? I didn't know if you weren't supposed to do that. Like not wearing tights with a dress. Like I said, I've had very little exposure to even *seeing* business casual type outfits, much less assembling them myself.
Depends on your office. See what others are doing, particularly female upper management.
I may only have a couple weeks of training in the main office (5 employees, all women, only one person will be over me), tops probably 4 weeks, and then it's just me and one much older woman in the satellite office. So not a lot of options for cuing off people so much. Hopefully it'll be enough for me to get a good sense while also training for the role itself.
All I remember from the work I *have* done with the people in the role I'll be in is a lot of statement necklaces, haha. Which sucks because I'm allergic to all fakey or lower quality metals. I do love scarves though, so maybe I can do them as an alternative? =\
ETA:
I'll just have to be proactive. What are some norms I should look for and take notes on? I'm gonna go full nerd with this, if you guys will help me.
-No stockings with slacks and flats, normal?
-Are bracelets ever worn? (Healthcare and site visits, so I'm guessing no)
uh... all I got so far
My opinions.
For the socks/stockings, wear whatever is comfortable. Most wear thin stockings or no socks at all with flats where I work, but I always wear socks cause my feet are always cold. Nothing is worth being uncomfortable. Agree with someone else who suggested Clarks flat shoes, many of them are meant to go with socks and are super comfortable!
For statement necklaces, try strings of beads with no metal clasp, like the ones that on go over your head. Or scarves, tons of people wear scarves instead of necklaces, myself included many days. If you're a visiting nurse or similar I'd say no jewelry on your hands or wrists except maybe a plain wedding band if you wear one.
Yeah, luckily my whole wedding set was designed with gloves and infection in mind (love my husband, haha). Plus does double duty with me not hurting myself with prongs, ahem.
Okay, glad no socks seems acceptable. I hate socks under flats. They always sit funny. Although I suppose if I'm in the car a million hours for site visits, I might want my compression socks, but those are never attractive =P
The string of beads is a really good idea!
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I don't work in a super-stuffy environment. If anything, people would notice if I *did* wear tights with a dress! Aside from which: I'm not comfortable wearing tights. So unless it's an interview or client meeting, not for me.
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I dunno... I see the mood in here is anti-tights and socks (which I totally get!).
But to the person going for their first job, I would advise definitely to overdress at first. Wait and see. In my organisation, tights are a MUST and shoes without socks would not go down well. You don't want your career scuppered because people in more casual offices gave you advice (totally valid) but based on their circumstances. It all hinges on context, and the organisation you will be working in.
I also, unfortunately disagree on the 'comfort first' mantra. It's sexist, it's wrong, but women get paid more if they wear makeup to work. High heels are uncomfortable. They were (sadly) necessary for me to make it to the position I am in now. I wish they weren't. But we don't live in a perfect world, we live in the real world, and if you want to FIRE, you need to chose which hill you die on, you know?
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I dunno... I see the mood in here is anti-tights and socks (which I totally get!).
But to the person going for their first job, I would advise definitely to overdress at first. Wait and see. In my organisation, tights are a MUST and shoes without socks would not go down well. You don't want your career scuppered because people in more casual offices gave you advice (totally valid) but based on their circumstances. It all hinges on context, and the organisation you will be working in.
I also, unfortunately disagree on the 'comfort first' mantra. It's sexist, it's wrong, but women get paid more if they wear makeup to work. High heels are uncomfortable. They were (sadly) necessary for me to make it to the position I am in now. I wish they weren't. But we don't live in a perfect world, we live in the real world, and if you want to FIRE, you need to chose which hill you die on, you know?
I agree with this assessment. I never wore heels higher than 3", though. How The Duchess of Cambridge does it is beyond me.
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I dunno... I see the mood in here is anti-tights and socks (which I totally get!).
But to the person going for their first job, I would advise definitely to overdress at first. Wait and see. In my organisation, tights are a MUST and shoes without socks would not go down well. You don't want your career scuppered because people in more casual offices gave you advice (totally valid) but based on their circumstances. It all hinges on context, and the organisation you will be working in.
I also, unfortunately disagree on the 'comfort first' mantra. It's sexist, it's wrong, but women get paid more if they wear makeup to work. High heels are uncomfortable. They were (sadly) necessary for me to make it to the position I am in now. I wish they weren't. But we don't live in a perfect world, we live in the real world, and if you want to FIRE, you need to chose which hill you die on, you know?
This is a very valuable perspective. Luckily, I think from what I *have* seen I can confidently say we're on the side of casual/comfortable overall. Probably a big part of that is being not-large-city west coast. We just don't *do* formal out here the way a lot of places do. Plus, every employee except 1 at the office has done the same thing I did- transition from being a bedside RN into nursing management. Interestingly enough, an all female office as well- although that's not too odd considering it's an underpaid nursing field, I suppose.
The interesting one is, since I have to go to the main office (2hrs from home) for my training, I will be staying in a hotel each week while I train. So I need to have enough clothes to make it the whole week without doing laundry, with the ability for some flex if I discover a major faux pas. Which will take a while to assemble from cheap sources, BUT, I don't officially know if I have the job yet (it will be me if they put the new office where I asked, otherwise I said I don't want the position, so up in the air in that respect), so I don't want to buy a bunch of office clothes if I'll be staying bedside after all! Oh my, the conundrums. Hopefully I hear soon and it solves that whole concern. I won't be starting until the new year, so they're not in a big rush to get back to me I'm sure.
(Isn't it interesting how a topic that should be pretty basic, like clothes, becomes a reflection of career trajectories?)
Okay, so can we put together my "uniform" for 5 days work?
Guidelines:
I will be sitting at desks a lot, walking quickly around hospitals, and going into people's homes. I will be riding in cars with coworkers or have them riding in mine. I live in the PNW so there will be giant puddles everywhere. Low dangle/drape factor a plus, because of infection risk.
-No heels
-Probably sticking with pants, as I'm most comfortable in them, but I haven't really given skirts or dresses a try- it's just a big category so I wouldn't know where to start
-5 days of outfits, no laundry, small chance children will vomit on me, so a high degree of inter compatibility is a plus
If I were to do slacks only, probably 3 pairs to get me through a week? I currently have 1 pair that need shortened that I could wear. And I have precisely 1 blouse that I can wear. That's... pretty much it. Even all my flats are pretty shot at this point. I'm a clean slate you guys.
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If I keep posting links to the Vivienne files website, people are going to think I'm getting paid a commission. LOL.
No, but really, spend some time over at her website, she's the queen of mix and match wardrobes. It's all she's been doing for years now. I had to redo my whole closet after losing weight and due to budget constraints, had to rethink the whole way I purchased clothes, as I had a lot of pretty items, but lots of "I don't have anything to wear!" sentiments at time. A good starting point is her 4x4 wardrobe, which consists of:
1.four pieces in the first neutral color ( she usually suggests, two bottoms, two tops - a short sleeve & a long sleeve or jacket / cardigan),
2.four pieces in the 2nd neutral color (likewise),
3.four piece to combine the neutrals (Ex. Long sleeve plaid shirt that mixes the colors, additional garments to supplement the above), and
4.4 accent items (Usually additional tops in some other neutral colors that fix in with your palette).
One thing to note is that I know some people don't like to dress in "blocks of color", which is fine though. The beauty of streamlining your color palette is that any shoes / accessories that you buy for one thing, will flow with the rest. And really, you can apply the above to dresses, pants, skirts, whatever floats your boat.
I personally like dark gray(pewter) and navy for my neutrals and those two go with a million other colors you can supplement with. On my closet its coral / purples / pinks for the most part with some additions, because those are the colors people always complement me on.
What colors look good on you, Bracken_Joy? How about we start there?
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Another day, another uniform. My back is killing me, thus the shoes today and the more relaxed pants. To me this looks less dressy, but it is fine for my office. I generally go slightly nicer than this - but whatever works was the mantra today.
White shirt (Forever 21), tan pants (Sears - I think, old ), sweater (H&M), shoes (TJ Maxx, I think)
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I dunno... I see the mood in here is anti-tights and socks (which I totally get!).
But to the person going for their first job, I would advise definitely to overdress at first. Wait and see. In my organisation, tights are a MUST and shoes without socks would not go down well. You don't want your career scuppered because people in more casual offices gave you advice (totally valid) but based on their circumstances. It all hinges on context, and the organisation you will be working in.
I also, unfortunately disagree on the 'comfort first' mantra. It's sexist, it's wrong, but women get paid more if they wear makeup to work. High heels are uncomfortable. They were (sadly) necessary for me to make it to the position I am in now. I wish they weren't. But we don't live in a perfect world, we live in the real world, and if you want to FIRE, you need to chose which hill you die on, you know?
I am not opposed to tights - I just find them uncomfortable and as a result I don't wear skirts (I also am cold in skirts and dresses). I used to feel that high heels were dressier and arguably necessary for professional dress. But the reality is that for most women they aren't something that can be worn as you get older. I am sure there are exceptions to that rule. I can say with great confidence that there isn't' a single woman in my office that wears heels, regardless of age or position. Its flats or maybe a 1" wedge sort of heel at maximum. I rarely see anyone in the entire workplace (large hospital) wearing heels. At least here the expectations isn't heels for women. (Thank goodness.)
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If I keep posting links to the Vivienne files website, people are going to think I'm getting paid a commission. LOL.
No, but really, spend some time over at her website, she's the queen of mix and match wardrobes. It's all she's been doing for years now. I had to redo my whole closet after losing weight and due to budget constraints, had to rethink the whole way I purchased clothes, as I had a lot of pretty items, but lots of "I don't have anything to wear!" sentiments at time. A good starting point is her 4x4 wardrobe, which consists of:
1.four pieces in the first neutral color ( she usually suggests, two bottoms, two tops - a short sleeve & a long sleeve or jacket / cardigan),
2.four pieces in the 2nd neutral color (likewise),
3.four piece to combine the neutrals (Ex. Long sleeve plaid shirt that mixes the colors, additional garments to supplement the above), and
4.4 accent items (Usually additional tops in some other neutral colors that fix in with your palette).
One thing to note is that I know some people don't like to dress in "blocks of color", which is fine though. The beauty of streamlining your color palette is that any shoes / accessories that you buy for one thing, will flow with the rest. And really, you can apply the above to dresses, pants, skirts, whatever floats your boat.
I personally like dark gray(pewter) and navy for my neutrals and those two go with a million other colors you can supplement with. On my closet its coral / purples / pinks for the most part with some additions, because those are the colors people always complement me on.
What colors look good on you, Bracken_Joy? How about we start there?
I tend to be drawn to turquoise, dusty purple, magenta, brick red, bright green (like spring green), royal blue- a lot of pretty bright clear colors. I tend to like black pants, I think because I like the contrast. My go to winter jacket for the last... decade (wow) is a bright red wool coat.
As far as the seasonal color palette stuff, I think I'm a "light spring"- more golden/warm undertones to my skin, I wear gold vs silver jewelry now, honey blonde hair with a some red undertones sometimes. But, I have grey-blue eyes, so...? I dunno, color stuff has always baffled me a bit, and I tend to grab colors that make me think of happy, nature-y things. I tend not to gravitate toward patterns. I don't dislike them per se, and I like patterns on scarves, I just have never really bought clothes with much for patterns. Except dresses. Maybe that's the problem- if I have to do more than one item to make an outfit to coordinate it, I don't buy patterns. Ah yes, I think we call that "laziness".
Ah. Instead of trying to describe everything, I will just attach a photo of the items I tend to wear the most. It's a low light day, so that's inside light, hopefully the colors come across well.
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Grey and black pants would work with everything. Get a blazer in one of your favorite brights for dress up.
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BrackenJoy, I think your colors look great! (I will assume they flatter your skin tone, I'm not great at that and took several years to determine what colors worked for me.) They all have a similar theme of bright clear solids and like pbkmaine says they all will go well with plain black or charcoal pants. It looks like they tend to be scoop and v neck knits, and I'd personally say that most of those can be dressed up for a work environment with pants, a nice sweater or blazer, and a scarf.
If you're going to be wearing jewel tone tops like that then your best bet for all the other bit pieces are neutrals like black, grey, and white.
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Wow, I didn't think wearing any of my t-shirts could be an option! They're in good shape fabric wise (new, actually, thanks to a commercial salvage from goodwill. Woo!). But it'll be awesome if I can use a base I already have.
My concern with blazers is that my arms are very long, and my shoulders very broad for a woman. I've never once found a blazer that fits. My winter jacket is about 2" too short on the wrists =\ I just gave up and learned to live with it. For Henleys or similar to fit, I buy men's. How on earth do I fit "tall and lanky" for items like jackets and cardigans? (That aren't extremely blocky/men's cut).
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Bracken Joy, I second the recommendation to read through the Starting from Scratch wardrobe series on the Vivienne Files. It's a bit of a rabbit hole, to be sure, but I learned a ton and am moving forward with confidence. The first thing that helped me was to think about--as others have already said--2 basic neutral colours that you prefer, and 2 accent colours. I looked at my current wardrobe and it became clear that charcoal and black would be my neutrals (oh the relief from considering whether I should buy camels, navy's, etc!). You also then add denim as its own category of neutral, which is also super-helpful as dressy denim is a big part of what's available for business-casual wear right now.
So charcoal and black for you would work: at least one of each in a pair of pants, plus a pair of dressier denim. Then, personally, I'm not comfortable in blazers, so I'm in cardigans all the way. These should be more forgiving with your arm length, as they can be worn at 3/4 (pushed up a bit) or in a looser style that the flowy shells have. One of each in black and charcoal, if that's what you're going with.
Then you have 3 colours for tops: whatever shade of white works on you (I can't wear pure white--too stark), and 2 accent colours. From your photo, I'd suggest green and red, but you could also go with whatever colours you prefer or like to wear most often. Again, I found it so freeing to just focus on every shade of blue and purple--from baby blue to navy, from lavender to indigo/violet--and to let go of all the others. In your case, you'd have every shade of green (for different seasons too) and red. Some of your current t-shirts could definitely work, and you can build from there.
The website also talks about thinking about your preferences for oxford, button-up shirts vs flowy, drapey blouses or tunics, or pattern, or whatever. Just recognizing that you should acknowledge what you feel comfortable in and stick to it; stop picking out things you think you *should* like, but that then you never really wear. What a thought! :)
So you would end up with an easy wardrobe and daily routine of a pair of pants, a comfortable/professional shirt, + a cardigan or whatever you decide you like as a shell. Every colour of each will work in an easy rotation, and you build accessories to change things up a bit more. I am not really a jewellry person, but I love scarves, so I have collected a few in different, plain colours (I'm a colour-blocker, not really a pattern person). Wouldn't that be easy? :-)
I wanted to add, too, that I'm working in that same west coast, laid-back, business-casual world. Socks are only an issue for you to decide around comfort. Some women like blazers, but there are no suits. No heels, although some women like that 1" that Mrs Peacock was talking about. Some women wear only pants, some are more comfortable in dresses. Totally up to you.
Personally, my uniforms for winter are a pair of blundstones (which I wear with wool socks, but I've done lots of Clark's shoes over the years and haven't done ballet flats precisely because I LOVE my wool socks in winter) and some not-too skinny charcoal pants, or boots and skinny dark denim, plus a camisole that I can tuck in for warmth, and then a merino wool sweater (I bought 3 this year from Costco! They had all my colours: black, purple and light blue!) and a more decorative scarf or sometimes a glass pendant. I am still looking for some lighter blouses and need to add a black cardigan. I have some lovely black trousers, but need some black shoes to go with them. Again, the Vivienne Files pages were so helpful for me to assess what I already had, and what gaps would be useful to fill.
I am also considering adding a dress or too: nothing to formal, but something I could wear either with tights or black leggings, and either my blunnies or my boots. I think that would be warm and comfortable for winter.
In thinking about your situation, I also think if I was going into people's homes, I wouldn't want to dress too formally. I would want to be professional, clean and tidy, but not so formal as to be dressed way above the way people dress in their own homes, as I would want to be able to put them at ease. I would also probably go with socks, as here at least most people take their shoes off when they enter someone's home, and I'm not really comfortable barefoot in that scenario for some reason! :) But YMMV on that one!
(is it too unmustachian to admit that I'm going shopping this weekend?! :) Honestly, it's a wonderful feeling to know what I need and know that when I find it I will wear it for years to come.)
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Oh man, BYF, THANK YOU. That is exactly what I needed outlined. (And as an aside, we never remove shoes. It is our workplace, and in the patient home's we're held to OSHA standards- close toed shoes required.)
Okay, slacks+shirt+cardigan I can totally do. That's actually pretty much what I wear daily now, just a cardigan instead of a zip up and slacks instead of jeans/jeggings/yoga pants.
Also, I realized I have never owned a white shirt. Or off white. Is that weird? I assume because I know myself well enough that wearing white seems like asking for trouble.
I will need to buy some new flats, too, as mine are getting *very* worn out, or are open toe. Do I just go with black for these? ...my flats right now are variations of: dusty purple, bright color splotches, and a (now deceased) pair of bright green ones. I think my style is best described as "oooooh I like that color!"
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Oh man, BYF, THANK YOU. That is exactly what I needed outlined. (And as an aside, we never remove shoes. It is our workplace, and in the patient home's we're held to OSHA standards- close toed shoes required.)
Okay, slacks+shirt+cardigan I can totally do. That's actually pretty much what I wear daily now, just a cardigan instead of a zip up and slacks instead of jeans/jeggings/yoga pants.
Also, I realized I have never owned a white shirt. Or off white. Is that weird? I assume because I know myself well enough that wearing white seems like asking for trouble.
I will need to buy some new flats, too, as mine are getting *very* worn out, or are open toe. Do I just go with black for these? ...my flats right now are variations of: dusty purple, bright color splotches, and a (now deceased) pair of bright green ones. I think my style is best described as "oooooh I like that color!"
Definitely a pair of black flats to start.
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Okay, current shopping/to-do list:
-get current black slacks hemmed so I can wear them with flats
-buy a charcoal pair
-possibly one other black pair
-2 cardigans: one black, one charcoal
-1 pair black flats
-decide which colors I'll target. Possibly coordinate with my scarves to determine. May take a trip back to post a general hair/skin against cloth photo, or send a couple key members actual pictures of me to see which colors get a thumbs up. Volunteers?
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Okay, current shopping/to-do list:
-get current black slacks hemmed so I can wear them with flats
-buy a charcoal pair
-possibly one other black pair
-2 cardigans: one black, one charcoal
-1 pair black flats
-decide which colors I'll target. Possibly coordinate with my scarves to determine. May take a trip back to post a general hair/skin against cloth photo, or send a couple key members actual pictures of me see which colors get a thumbs up. Volunteers?
Yay! I should add that how many days in a week you need to wear this wardrobe also influences how many pieces you need. This term I only need to look professional 3 days a week, so I've been managing with 2 pairs of pants and 3-6 tops just fine (I do wear some of the tops with more casual outfits). But come January I'm on campus 4 days/week, so I will likely want that pair of black trousers in rotation, or to find a skirt I'm comfortable in.
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Okay, current shopping/to-do list:
-get current black slacks hemmed so I can wear them with flats
-buy a charcoal pair
-possibly one other black pair
-2 cardigans: one black, one charcoal
-1 pair black flats
-decide which colors I'll target. Possibly coordinate with my scarves to determine. May take a trip back to post a general hair/skin against cloth photo, or send a couple key members actual pictures of me see which colors get a thumbs up. Volunteers?
Yay! I should add that how many days in a week you need to wear this wardrobe also influences how many pieces you need. This term I only need to look professional 3 days a week, so I've been managing with 2 pairs of pants and 3-6 tops just fine (I do wear some of the tops with more casual outfits). But come January I'm on campus 4 days/week, so I will likely want that pair of black trousers in rotation, or to find a skirt I'm comfortable in.
5 days per week minimum. Likely some 6. =\
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Sounds like you're on the right track!
My question regards how many of each item you'll need. What is the cleanliness level expected? Can you wear pants 2-3 days between washing? That's what I do but my job is definitely not concerned with personal care so your answer may be different. Have enough pants for 1 week of work. For me in your situation that would be 3 pairs I think.
Tops you'll want 6, and sweaters 2 or 3. Then 2-4 scarves or necklaces.
Oh, and yes, black shoes go with everything! You'd laugh to see my shoes, almost every pair is black, and I can grab whatever will be comfortable for that day and look put together.
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https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xy8osWAOvsk/U6ruGRqFZjI/AAAAAAAANPQ/6ODMFLwQVJ0/s1600/navy+and+grey+start+from+scratch+wardrobe+step+7.jpg
Congrats to B_Joy on the new job.
The above link is an idea for your week away. Insert your own clothes where you can.
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Thank you guys! Yeah, I'm thinking 3 pairs pants will be ideal. 2 cardigans (see if any of the ones I have now will work- one white, one black, one maroon, but they all fit a bit eh, we'll see how they do with slacks), the 1 blouse I already have, then I still need to play dress up with the tops I have and see what will look okay.
And then the black shoes.
Game plan in place! And packing list thanks to DDD.
Okay, I checked the slacks I currently have. I was wrong on two counts: 1, I can already wear them with flats, don't know why I thought they were too long? 2- they are NOT express, they are Calvin Klein. These ones: https://www.amazon.com/Calvin-Klein-Womens-Modern-Suit/dp/B00ESXF1EK?th=1&psc=1 (https://www.amazon.com/Calvin-Klein-Womens-Modern-Suit/dp/B00ESXF1EK?th=1&psc=1) Unfortunately, do not seem to come in grey anywhere. Mega sigh. This means I have to go somewhere and *try things on*.
Also checked, all cardigans are worn enough that I wouldn't be comfortable wearing them in a work setting. My scarf collection is on point though ;) 11! And that is after a lot of minimalism purges, haha.
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Taupe would work if you can't find grey.
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You don't have to have gray. You can wear all black slacks if you prefer.
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You have to have gray. You can wear all black slacks if you prefer.
Exactly! There's nothing at all wrong with having a basic work uniform. Black pants, colored top, sweater in 1 or 2 colors, scarf. Done.
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Your colors are great Bracken Joy and I could only echo the advice that others have given. I also have very broad shoulders relative to the rest of my frame. For blazers this almost always means having to size up and having them altered. I find cardigans generally softer and more comfortable anyhow.
The Portofino shirt from Express seems to have unusually long arms. It comes in tons of colors. If you are looking for button downs you might check it out. I have found the, to wash and dry well and hold up to regular wear. It is also long enough to stay tucked in!
I wear all my pants two days in a row - speaking of how many pairs of whatever are needed. I change shirts daily just because, and sweaters get reborn a bunch before wash since they are the outer layer.
If you need extra warmth you can layer a caminsole or tank under the other layers.
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So how do you guys handle dry clean only? My pants say they are. They were definitely an emergency, "I have a job interview in a week and need SOMETHING" purchase last year.
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So how do you guys handle dry clean only?
What is their fiber content? Any wool in the mix? Wool is the only thing I send to the dry cleaners because I've accidentally shrunk a few pieces. Everything else I wash in a very gentle cycle and haven't had any problems so far. I turn my pants inside out when washing as well to extend their life.
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So how do you guys handle dry clean only?
What is their fiber content? Any wool in the mix? Wool is the only thing I send to the dry cleaners because I've accidentally shrunk a few pieces. Everything else I wash in a very gentle cycle and haven't had any problems so far. I turn my pants inside out when washing as well to extend their life.
No wool. They are 63% Polyester/32% Rayon/5% Spandex.
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Wash gentle and hang dry.
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Thank you guys! Any benefit to sticking them in a lingerie/mesh bag for the wash?
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I don't. I do, however, only wash very dark clothes with black pants. Otherwise, the lint kills me.
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Good to know. Again, thank you guys!
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Wash gentle and hang dry.
Definitely. And as others have said, I also find I don't need to wash pants or sweaters very often. Your work environment may be different, but in an office setting, there's no need for dress pants to get particularly dirty. A lot of the modern fabrics spot clean easily and dry quickly; I just try to change out of mine right away when I get home.
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Reporting on my own quest to build up my capsule wardrobe, especially in light of increasing my days/week at work come January. :)
When I assessed via the Starting from Scratch wardrobe (which really has more clothes than I need, as I can spend a lot of days in jeans and yoga pants around here :-) ), I realized that my base neutrals were already black and charcoal, and although I thought my accents would be red and blue, when I actually pulled out all my tops, I realized that I had very little red (and a little green), but mostly blues and purples. I had almost no white tops (like you, Bracken Joy, I mostly wear colours!), 1 skirt (that I don't wear often) and a pair of dark skinny jeans. 1 charcoal cardigan and a few merino crew-neck sweaters.
So I have been on the hunt for a black cardigan (I do have a really heavy wool one for when it's really cold, but it's too heavy for most of the year), a black skirt, another white top, black shoes, and possibly a dress in one of my colours. I also have wondered about a cardi in one of the accent colours, as recommended by the Vivienne Files.
With some time to shop in the bigger city today, I had some success! I found a white top on deep discount at one store, a blue merino cardi 40% off at the Gap, and then closed my eyes and bit the bullet and bought the black skirt that I liked months ago and didn't buy because it was almost $70 (!!!!). After MONTHS of looking for an alternative, I am buoyed by the confidence that I will wear this regularly for years to come and that it will go with everything I own. Then I brought home a pair of black pants and a sparkly charcoal grey cardi for possible Christmas wear (to dress up everything else that I already own) from Costco. Will return if I don't like them.
Anyway, I'm really just sharing all this because I was SO pleased as I shopped because I could stay focused, ignore many items that might have otherwise tempted me, and best of all, I avoided the major angst and difficulty deciding to part with my money because I just wasn't sure if I would wear a given thing, or what it might go with in my wardrobe. I KNOW that everything will work and match. I'm also more confident spending a seemingly unmustachian amount on a particular item, because I know that I my costs per wear will be low and I won't have to shop again for a long time to come! I'd rather buy what I need and stay out of the stores to save money than buy cheaper things that I will always be trying to replace because I don't really like them or I can't wear them with enough of my basics.
DDD and others, I can't thank you enough for the resources you have shared!
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Another day, another same outfit again.
Today: black pants (Express), shoes (Clark's), white shirt (Express), white sweater (Forever 21).
I also wanted to follow on about the clothes I purchased last year from Everlane. They actually held up very poorly. The black sweater shrank progressively every time it was cleaned (cold water, line dry) until it was the size to fit an 8 year old. The t-shirt became sort of misshapen and half shrunk half stretched out (twisted maybe). Really disappointing because the sweater was very expensive. I was careful to follow the care instructions because the sweater was expensive - so it never went in the dryer or washed with anything other than cold water.
Has anyone else tried any of their other clothing items?
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I also wanted to follow on about the clothes I purchased last year from Everlane. They actually held up very poorly. The black sweater shrank progressively every time it was cleaned (cold water, line dry) until it was the size to fit an 8 year old. The t-shirt became sort of misshapen and half shrunk half stretched out (twisted maybe). Really disappointing because the sweater was very expensive. I was careful to follow the care instructions because the sweater was expensive - so it never went in the dryer or washed with anything other than cold water.
Has anyone else tried any of their other clothing items?
No, I haven't purchased anything from Everlane. However, I was thinking of buying some t-shirts, so I appreciate your feedback. I'll have to look elsewhere.
I've also been thinking about trying American Giant t-shirts (http://www.american-giant.com/classic-v-neck-t/W2-2M-3.html?dwvar_W2-2M-3_color=cardinal&cgid=womens-shirts-short-sleeve#start=1). My DH and I both have AG sweatshirts that are amazing. They've held up for ~2 years with almost daily wear (my DH).
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I also wanted to follow on about the clothes I purchased last year from Everlane. They actually held up very poorly. The black sweater shrank progressively every time it was cleaned (cold water, line dry) until it was the size to fit an 8 year old. The t-shirt became sort of misshapen and half shrunk half stretched out (twisted maybe). Really disappointing because the sweater was very expensive. I was careful to follow the care instructions because the sweater was expensive - so it never went in the dryer or washed with anything other than cold water.
Has anyone else tried any of their other clothing items?
No, I haven't purchased anything from Everlane. However, I was thinking of buying some t-shirts, so I appreciate your feedback. I'll have to look elsewhere.
I've also been thinking about trying American Giant t-shirts (http://www.american-giant.com/classic-v-neck-t/W2-2M-3.html?dwvar_W2-2M-3_color=cardinal&cgid=womens-shirts-short-sleeve#start=1). My DH and I both have AG sweatshirts that are amazing. They've held up for ~2 years with almost daily wear (my DH).
I have an American Giant hoodie and I love it. I asked for sweatpants from them for xmas. I agree that the quality is fantastic. I'd love to hear how the t-shirt are (they are kinda expensive, but if they are indestructible they will be worth it).
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That t-shirt is made in the USA and $24.50! Great find, thanks for sharing.
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This is from yesterday:
Pants (Express - 4? years old. Apparently hemmed when I wore heels. I need to have them taken up again to accommodate flats), white shirt (Express), blue sweater (HM). Clark's shoes.
I was complimented today on my outfit :) The pants have a subtle blue/black/red/green plaid to them. One of the very few articles of clothing that I wear that isn't just a solid color.
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Cool fabric, Ms P. Unique in a work-appropriate way.
I've taken a long look at my wardrobe. First items on the top-up list: black pants, neutral skirt. That will increase the combos I can make.
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Curious what you all wear when you aren't at work. Do you have a off work uniform as well?
I don't - but I am finding myself frequently frustrated by my casual clothing choices and never having what I want - or something. I'm not entirely sure WHAT the problem is that I am having, but I am frustrated and thus not sure how to fix it. Currently lusting after some American Giant sweatpants and sweatshirt.... I have a couple pairs of cheap sweatpants that I hate (from Target) because they are thin and just look sad and droopy. Should I cough up $75 or whatever for a more durable and comfortable pair that will last me forever?
In warmer months I have been tending to wear workout clothes (leggings or shorts, tank top) most of the time. I do spent a lot of time working out, so that sort of works. And in general it seems like gym clothes are acceptable for most venues (at least where I go - like the grocery store or helping at my kid's school, and the gym). Aside from that I have jeans, t-shirts....
American Giant also now has a pair of ponte' pants - the oft referred to wonder material on this thread.
So, thoughts?
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I sort-of have an off work uniform, yes.
What I actually have are three uniforms:
1. My corporate uniform (black or grey fitted work dress, black tights, black leather Mary Janes, cardigan in black, grey or blue).
2. My smart casual uniform, worn to work on Fridays and to leave the house / see friends and family on the weekend (black, grey or blue loose-fitting stretchy dress cinched with a black leather belt, tights, shoes and cardigan as above).
3. My ''at home'' clothes for hanging out in, gardening, going for walks etc (loose tee shirt - preferably stripey, track pants, sneakers).
Every item within a category must work with the others, so that I can pick ANY tee and ANY track pants, for example. I don't do patterns other than stripey tees and a single floral maternity dress I've just bought.
I'm now faced with the dilemma of maternity wear. Category 1 is very close to being unwearable with the growing bump (the downside to fitted clothes!). Category 2 is mostly okay at this stage. I think I'm likely to end up with mostly category 2 style maternity outfits even for work, because category 1 doesn't seem to exist to my taste/standard in maternity wear. I'm hopeful that my work will cut me some slack with dressing more casually for the remainder of my pregnancy, as I'm usually one of the better dressed women in the office.
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HappierAtHome: My three stepdaughters all bought pairs of black capris/leggings/yoga pants from Old Navy and Target and wore them with tops they "borrowed" from their husbands or got from formerly pregnant friends. Maternity clothes seem to be one of those things where, if you put the word out, the bounty of the heavens will descend upon you.
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HappierAtHome: My three stepdaughters all bought pairs of black capris/leggings/yoga pants from Old Navy and Target and wore them with tops they "borrowed" from their husbands or got from formerly pregnant friends. Maternity clothes seem to be one of those things where, if you put the word out, the bounty of the heavens will descend upon you.
That look sounds cute, but probably wouldn't fly at my work as it's quite a few steps more casual than the standard for us (maybe if the tops were a more formal tunic style though, so I'll think about that some more).
I've put the word out but I'm yet to receive the bounty ;-) my local relatives were done having kids years ago and my friends aren't even thinking of starting yet, so I think the timing is just a bit off for hand me down maternity wear. I've seen a few things on my Buy Nothing group but it's always for petite and / or very slim women, while I'm close to six feet tall and curvy. Oh well! I'll spend a little money to feel comfortable in my clothes during pregnancy and it'll be no biggie.
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My casual wardrobe is VERY minimal - two jeans, one pair of elephant-print pants from Malaysia, one floral skirt from Mexico, three shirts (black, gray, blue), and an assortment of tank tops that double as workout clothes. I also have a really lightweight dress that's good for hot weather, and a bright orange casual sweater It seems to do the trick..
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I am realizing that some of the issue is season changes. My work clothes are the same all year. My casual clothes vary by season - thus requiring a wider variety of pieces.
Otherwise still thinking on how a uniform approach might take shape for me.
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Non-work clothes: definitely seasonal for me.
Summer- shorts and tanktops mainly with sandals
Rest of the year- yoga capris and t shirts for home chores, work outs, etc; skinny jeans with boots and t shirts and scarves for grocery trips and other "leaving home" activities.
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I am realizing that some of the issue is season changes. My work clothes are the same all year. My casual clothes vary by season - thus requiring a wider variety of pieces.
Otherwise still thinking on how a uniform approach might take shape for me.
Could you develop two uniforms that would between them cover all seasons? Or some items that could be layered up for winter and down for summer?
All my uniforms are basically good for all seasons, with some layering up or down, but our weather isn't as variable as many places.
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My non-work wardrobe:
Going out (as in coffee with friends, dinner at their house etc, not clubbing), either:
- Skinny jeans / trousers, loose up top
- Jersey knit dress and leggings.
I alter things seasonally, but stick to these silohuettes eg the top with jeans will be short sleeved or sleeveless for summer, long sleeved and heavier for winter. Cardigan if necessary.
With the jersey dresses, I have sleeveless ones for summer, and I don't wear leggings, but I often have some with me, so as the sun sets and we're still out on the patio I can add them for warmth, it makes a huge difference. Long sleeved ones for winter, or add a base layer.
I wear both types of outfits with flip-flops (sandals?) in summer, and boots in winter.
My at-home wardrobe is leggings with essentially an oversized sweatshirt. We call them 'jumper dresses' but in the UK a jumper is a pullover, not a jump-suit, which is totally different. Basically this (I have three in different fabrics and colours, it's plenty, and I feel surprisingly put together if I have to answer the door, yet so comfy): http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/oversized-jumper-dress-5702264?geoip=noredirect&cmpid=ppc_pla_UK_ip&utm_medium=cpc&tsrc=vdna&istCompanyId=38aa0d7f-6514-4cb3-bbdc-df0d32d48b7f&istItemId=xtrarlimia&istBid=tztx&gclid=COb0-Lbcy9ACFUEcGwodA6IC8w&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Well I have made no progress on the casual clothes front.
However, here is today's work uniform. I found sweaters at Sears that exactly met my criteria in terms of fit (V-neck, fairly slender cut), fabric (a bit fuzzy w/ acrylic), and cost. I have similar sweaters that I got last year at Forever 21 and they have held up to my standard care (machine wash and tumble dry every few wearings). So, I got a couple sweaters this past weekend. The pants are at least a year old, I think. Same old white shirt from Forever 21 - also about a year old.
Most boring fashion thread ever: me wearing basically the same outfit every day. :P
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Well I have made no progress on the casual clothes front.
However, here is today's work uniform. I found sweaters at Sears that exactly met my criteria in terms of fit (V-neck, fairly slender cut), fabric (a bit fuzzy w/ acrylic), and cost. I have similar sweaters that I got last year at Forever 21 and they have held up to my standard care (machine wash and tumble dry every few wearings). So, I got a couple sweaters this past weekend. The pants are at least a year old, I think. Same old white shirt from Forever 21 - also about a year old.
Most boring fashion thread ever: me wearing basically the same outfit every day. :P
And yet that's exactly why we're all here! =D
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One person's boredom is another's consistency!
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One person's boredom is another's consistency!
+1
MsPeacock, I love your wardrobe. I think the subtle details are perfection. I also find it motivational that you have a uniform, but still have a variation. I wear the same thing...same style...same everything....every day.
My workplace is casual, so my off-work outfits are actually less casual (less t-shirts and fleece and more buttons and sweaters).
However, I think it's worth the money to splurge on lounge wear. I bought two pairs of fleece lined leggings and two oversized sweatshirts from Lou & Grey last fall, and I am in love. I look together enough to go out for brunch and cozy enough to curl up on the couch. I felt a little ridiculous spending money on stuff that I walk my dog in and wear around the house, but I'm a complete convert. It's also helped me purge items that I wasn't going to wear (KonMari) because I didn't have the fall back of wearing them around the house.
I'm still in the process of getting my wardrobe up to date, but I've been doing better. I need to find a tailor to hem all of my pants to wear with my flats (I donated all of my heels, so now I only need pants hemmed to wear with flats).
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One person's boredom is another's consistency!
+1
MsPeacock, I love your wardrobe. I think the subtle details are perfection. I also find it motivational that you have a uniform, but still have a variation. I wear the same thing...same style...same everything....every day.
My workplace is casual, so my off-work outfits are actually less casual (less t-shirts and fleece and more buttons and sweaters).
However, I think it's worth the money to splurge on lounge wear. I bought two pairs of fleece lined leggings and two oversized sweatshirts from Lou & Grey last fall, and I am in love. I look together enough to go out for brunch and cozy enough to curl up on the couch. I felt a little ridiculous spending money on stuff that I walk my dog in and wear around the house, but I'm a complete convert. It's also helped me purge items that I wasn't going to wear (KonMari) because I didn't have the fall back of wearing them around the house.
I'm still in the process of getting my wardrobe up to date, but I've been doing better. I need to find a tailor to hem all of my pants to wear with my flats (I donated all of my heels, so now I only need pants hemmed to wear with flats).
Thank you to everyone.
4alpacas - I realized as I was reading your post that I do need to spend money on casual clothing. I think the issue is much like the work clothing situation a year+ ago. To get my work wardrobe in order I had to ditch a lot of clothing, figure out what I most wanted to wear, and then acquire those items. All the white shirts were new purchases, as were the vast majority of sweaters. Thus far my casual clothing system has been scattered, disorganized, no consistent "look" - more or less. I need to figure out what I really want to wear and then get the appropriate pieces. No more sitting on the fence about the expensive sweatpants that I really really really want from American Giant. I know I'll wear them.
ETA - where does one find/buy fleece lined leggings? That sounds perfect.
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The fleece lined leggings can be found all over the place. I got one pair online and another pair from Walgreens.
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Good Morning, Happy Tuesday....
Today's uniform: Monochromatic. Express pants and Forever 21 white shirt (same items as yesterday). Clark's shoes (same). Grey sweater - new, from Sears. Same sweater as yesterday but in another color. I bought 3 - purple, blue, and grey. Tempted to go and get the pink, black, and white because I like them so much.... Also, these pants are awesome. So comfortable and they fit well and don't show any signs of wear for the past year (I bought them last November during Express's 50% off sale right after Thanksgiving). They are sort of heavy and thick and stretchy and seemingly largely wrinkle proof (and they still sell them).
Last night I ordered two pairs of pants from American Giant. I emailed them to confirm that they will be restocking a particular sweatshirt that I want from them.
I am going to Kondo/purge my casual clothes and get it sorted out. I have a ton of workout wear - some of which I don't like - so those pieces need to go. I need to find a better storage situation - maybe put the bike stuff in a bin away from the running stuff, separate from the swimming stuff, etc. Other stuff needs evaluation - t-shirts that wrinkle up badly or the neckline is all twisted - out. Then replace w/ better stuff in the right colors and fits. I am having *slightly* more clarity. I already have a few pairs of jeans that I like - so I am good there.
I would like to find some t-shirts that are good quality, slightly narrow women's cut (not boxy), not stupid cap sleeves - wide enough in the shoulder for an athletic build, won't shrink, and in good colors. ... Maybe American Giant - I am going to test order a t-shirt when I place another order.
If you are military or a vet American Giant gives a 20% discount - which is very nice because their clothes are pretty expressive (worth it - but expensive).
I am going to find a pair of those fleece lined leggings in person and check them out.
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I will be curious to hear your review of their t shirts. Don't love the everlane ones though the v neck is pretty good, especially in colors.
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I have several pairs of fleece lined leggings, but my favorite ones are from Lou & Grey.*
I look forward to your feedback about the American Giant t-shirts!
* I think these are the leggings (http://www.louandgrey.com/lou-&-grey-cozy-flipside-leggings/410633?skuId=22090461&defaultColor=6618&colorExplode=false&catid=cat1880002 (http://www.louandgrey.com/lou-&-grey-cozy-flipside-leggings/410633?skuId=22090461&defaultColor=6618&colorExplode=false&catid=cat1880002)), but I could be wrong. I bought two pairs in-store a year ago, and one pair is still in decent shape. My black pair lasted about 6 months (wore a few times/week).
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Thought of this thread today when my employer sent out a mass email letting the staff know that our webpage now had an apparel section with expanded options.
Excitedly went over to our website to price out work shirts with our logo to see if building a small work capsule was possible, alas, the outerwear and womens logo shirts were not mustachian in price. This is the part where I admit that thrifting has ruined me for life..
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Here I am today: tan pants (Express), blue sweater (old, H&M), white shirt (Express), Clark's shoes.
I received two polo shirts from American Giant yesterday - they are xmas gifts for my boyfriend. They are really nice - solid soft fabric. He always wears polo shirts to work and tend to get them on clearance at Target. They often don't hold up very well in terms of the fabric eventually sort of twisting and not hanging right, the collars getting bent, and the shirts shrinking. We'll see how these two hold up. He wears more or less the same thing to work every day also (khakis, polo shirt) and does not have one bit of interest in clothing at all.
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Just commenting to say that I bought those Clarks oxfords <3 <3 <3
I love them!
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Does anyone have a recommendation for where to purchase a formal dress? I'm going to try a local thrift shop tomorrow, but I haven't bought a formal dress since high school prom (borrowed dresses for formals in college).
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Madgeylou - Do you find them comfortable? I feel like I could wear them and walk all over NYC and have no problem.
I am going to post later today some shoes that I am totally lusting after.
Anyhow - today, tan pants (Express), purple sweater (Sears, new), white shirt (Forver 21, old0, Clark's shoes
Pants and sweater and both making their second appearance this week.
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Madgeylou - Do you find them comfortable? I feel like I could wear them and walk all over NYC and have no problem.
Yes I do find them comfy, which is unusual for me! I'm the queen of buying 3 different pairs of shoes from Zappos and sending them all back. When I first put them on, I was concerned they might be too narrow in the toes for me, but the wooly fabric seems to have warmed up and started to give. Very cute and comfy, I love them :)
Side note: I never understand why there aren't more shoes for people with wide toe areas and narrow heel areas. It seems to be a pretty common foot shape but no one seems to design for it.
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Ok - I have given some thought to my off work attire and what are the problems. I think I actually need more variability than for work. For instance, I want some nicer looking clothing for going out to dinner (not fancy, just not sweatpants), some sweatpants for running errands or hanging around the house, and workout clothing - plus a variety to account for temperature changes (shorts for summer, sleeveless tanks). The problem is right now I have a horrible mix of bits and pieces of things that fit in all three categories.
Category 1: nicer looking off-work clothing - going out to eat, meeting someone about something, etc. . This includes jeans, shirts, sweaters. My style tends to be preppy - pretty much similar to my work style. I think I am actually ok in terms of items I own in this category.
Category 2: comfortable more relaxed clothing for errands, sitting around the house, walking the dog, helping out at school. This category is a mess! I have too thin stretched out sweatpants from Target, shirts that really go w/ category 1 and aren't warm enough but are too dressy w/ sweatpants. Etc.
Category 3: workout clothing. I am also ok here. I don't care too much about what this clothing looks like, but functionality is extremely important. The nicer pieces for running can overlap into Category 2. I cycle (this clothing is very activity specific), run (just about anything 'active wear' works for this, and swim (activity specific again, of course). I plan to return to yoga and do more weights and stretching - running stuff will work fine for that.
So the problem is better defined. I ordered some American Giant sweatpants the other day - which are Category 2 items. Today I went to the Under Armor outlet and bought some fleece lined tops (OMG _ heaven) and those can be Category 2 or 3 items and some fleece lined leggings (yay) and fleece lined sweatpants. Everything matches and looks presentable.
Now I need to do the purge of the existing clothing that doesn't suit, I don't love, or it does't work for one reason or another. I'll probably need to do another round once hotter months are here. It is really an advantage to be able to wear the same weight clothing all year to work.
I'll post some day off clothing along the way here too.
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So I did not take the CCM position after all. They weren't willing to budge on location, and I wasn't going to budge on a 1hr 15min commute. So no work wardrobe changes after all! Thanks for all the help though everyone.
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So I did not take the CCM position after all. They weren't willing to budge on location, and I wasn't going to budge on a 1hr 15min commute. So no work wardrobe changes after all! Thanks for all the help though everyone.
That commute would have killed it for me too. Sorry it didn't work out Bracken Joy.
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This is a category 2 outfit. The pants are new from Under Armor and are fleece lined and super cozy. THe shirt is pretty new as well, from Costco, also fleece lined. I wear a target stretch tank under almost all casual clothes in the winter. I have about 10 of them. They wear well and have lasted me years without too much problem (a little pilling).
My companion is Penelope Clementine Pup-pup Plume 'de Pants.
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This is a category 2 outfit. The pants are new from Under Armor and are fleece lined and super cozy. THe shirt is pretty new as well, from Costco, also fleece lined. I wear a target stretch tank under almost all casual clothes in the winter. I have about 10 of them. They wear well and have lasted me years without too much problem (a little pilling).
My companion is Penelope Clementine Pup-pup Plume 'de Pants.
I adore your dog. Floofy Pants are the height of dog fashion anyway.
Also, I wear target stretch tanks as well. Under my scrubs, for one, but also under a lot of misc tops- I have a long torso, so I have to layer them, especially under sweaters.
I think my category 2 is the weakest as well. I wonder if this is universal? I think I just steal from category 3 for most of it.
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I think my category 2 is the weakest as well. I wonder if this is universal? I think I just steal from category 3 for most of it.
My category 2 is actually pretty good due to some pressure from my mother at a Lou & Grey store. I also frequently throw a tunic from category 2 on over category 3 outfits to look presentable for hanging out with friends post-workout.
My category 1 is a mess. I have one pair of black skinny jeans, and I just bought a new pair of black boots. I need tops though. I have one nice sweater...and then it's t-shirts. I also have a few nice tops in navy, which go with my brown riding boots (but I don't have a pants option). I'm struggling to spend money on this category because I usually wear category 2/3 to hang out with friends (grab coffee after a workout, etc). However, it would be nice to have category 1 options for date nights, nights out, etc.
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Work uniform today. The Sears sweater makes another appearance, in another color. I ended up buying - 4 - pink, burgundy, blue, and gray. Love this blue color. I've posted these gray pants a bunch before - Express, probably at least 4 years old. White shirt, Express.
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Does the 3 or 4 category break down work for others?
W - work clothes
Category 1 - nicer off-work clothing (nicer jeans, nicer tops)
Category 2 - comfortable and presentable off work clothing (e.g. sweats, t-shirts)
Category 3 - exercise and workout clothing?
Is there another category? I guess I have "dressy" clothing for a party or wedding - but that really comes down to two dresses (one that I bought for a high school reunion 10 years ago, the other from H&M 2 years ago). There hardly seems like enough items, or that I get enough use out of them, to justify another category.
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I also keep a separate yard work stash, because I hate to dirty up my workout stuff. I know it's vain but I'm more likely to run if I feel good in my running gear. So the sports bra crosses the categories, but if I'm weeding / pruning / stacking logs etc I wear different outer clothes because they are very likely to get snagged on branches, hedges etc.
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I also keep a separate yard work stash, because I hate to dirty up my workout stuff. I know it's vain but I'm more likely to run if I feel good in my running gear. So the sports bra crosses the categories, but if I'm weeding / pruning / stacking logs etc I wear different outer clothes because they are very likely to get snagged on branches, hedges etc.
Oh yes - I have a 20 year old paint spattered t-shirt, some old jeans (several sizes too large) and a few other things for yard work, painting, etc.
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Ugh, I sound so vain, but I have painting clothes as well! When I'm out stacking logs or pruning trees I'm likely to run into people, I live in a busy little neighbourhood and we're all quite friendly. Also, gardening is a big hobby, so I don't want to wear stuff 'crispy' from paint (do you know what I mean?!).
So I guess my category is 4) Old workout clothes used for gardening. But I realise this is pretty hobby specific!
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Does the 3 or 4 category break down work for others?
W - work clothes
Category 1 - nicer off-work clothing (nicer jeans, nicer tops)
Category 2 - comfortable and presentable off work clothing (e.g. sweats, t-shirts)
Category 3 - exercise and workout clothing?
Is there another category? I guess I have "dressy" clothing for a party or wedding - but that really comes down to two dresses (one that I bought for a high school reunion 10 years ago, the other from H&M 2 years ago). There hardly seems like enough items, or that I get enough use out of them, to justify another category.
I was lumping in the "dressy" clothes to category 1. I am super deficient in category 1, and the dressy portion of that category is abysmal.
So I guess my category is 4) Old workout clothes used for gardening. But I realise this is pretty hobby specific!
I actually use nicer clothes for my work clothes. I just opt for dark colors. I also paint very infrequently, but I usually have a free t-shirt from something to wear.
I'm struggling with undergarments. I was fitted for a bra, and I was wearing the wrong size by a long shot. I bought two new bras, but I probably need to pick up another regular bra and a strapless one. Anyone have any favorites? I just bought two Natori bras that are amazingly comfortable, which might be due to the fact that I'm finally wearing the right size bra, but are really expensive.
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Natori and Warcol both make nice bras. I wear a hard to find size and just give up and pay full price at Nordstrom. My size is never available at Kohls or Target or whatever. Recently I bought some pullover soft bras from herroom.com by Wacoal and Coobie and they are great. Underwire bras often make me homicidal, even when fitted correctly.
Ok so we have
Work clothes
Dressy clothes (overlap with work clothes for some, outlier for some)
Category 1 - dressier off-work clothing
Category 2 - casual off work clothing (may overlap with 1 and 3)
Category 3 - exercise clothing
Outliers - yard work clothing that won't embarrass you in front of neighbors but may or may not be ok for getting paint on or going to Home Depot. :p
Here is my category 2 for today. New America Giant sweatpants. As awesome as the hoodie. Under Armor sweatshirt - I like the v neck on this enough to tolerate a logo. Also nice and cozy. Both presentable enough to run to the grocery store or answer the front door. Ms. Penelope is hoping I will accidentally drop some food for her.
I have a $20 off $100 purchase coupon good for American Giant good through xmas. PM me if you'd like the code. I have two of them and they appear to be unique codes.
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I have to wear FRCs to work (I work in a plant) which my work provides so the only clothes I buy are away from work clothes. I love the categories you broke off-work clothes down into.
Here's where I'm struggling:
Category 1 - I don't have a lot of good quality clothes here since I don't need nice clothes for work. I need to get some high quality basics (silk shirt, casual but still dressy-ish blouses, bottoms other than jeans but more casual then suit pants, etc.) but I'm not sure where to start. Also, I would like to add more layers because I feel more put-together but its too warm outside for most of the year for cardigans/scarves/etc. Are there other "layers" that you can use to tie an outfit together but still survive when its 80 degrees out?
Category 2 - I have absolutely no bottoms in this category. I live in Houston and 80% of the year its too warm in my house to even wear leggings or maybe I just haven't found the right leggings (maybe like really light, breathable, stretchy, but non-see through capris ones)? All the ones I've had in the past are kind of tight and make my legs a little too warm for above 75-80+ degree weather. So do comfortable/casual but also presentable shorts exist? What is the leggings version of shorts (casual, comfortable, can look nice when paired with nicer shirts)? I feel like all of my category 1 shorts (jean shorts, khaki shorts) are too tight or uncomfortable for lounge wear but look great/feel great with my "going out" clothes. The only other shorts I own are athletic/work out shorts which I have plenty just don't feel nice enough to fit into category. What type of materials or styles should I be looking at for shorts?
Any advice?
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I've broken down my non-work clothing into:
1. home (comfortable)
2. social (comfortable, slightly nicer)
3. occasions (dressy)
4. outdoors (comfortable, not precious about dirt and rips)
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I have to wear FRCs to work (I work in a plant) which my work provides so the only clothes I buy are away from work clothes. I love the categories you broke off-work clothes down into.
Here's where I'm struggling:
Category 1 - I don't have a lot of good quality clothes here since I don't need nice clothes for work. I need to get some high quality basics (silk shirt, casual but still dressy-ish blouses, bottoms other than jeans but more casual then suit pants, etc.) but I'm not sure where to start. Also, I would like to add more layers because I feel more put-together but its too warm outside for most of the year for cardigans/scarves/etc. Are there other "layers" that you can use to tie an outfit together but still survive when its 80 degrees out?
Category 2 - I have absolutely no bottoms in this category. I live in Houston and 80% of the year its too warm in my house to even wear leggings or maybe I just haven't found the right leggings (maybe like really light, breathable, stretchy, but non-see through capris ones)? All the ones I've had in the past are kind of tight and make my legs a little too warm for above 75-80+ degree weather. So do comfortable/casual but also presentable shorts exist? What is the leggings version of shorts (casual, comfortable, can look nice when paired with nicer shirts)? I feel like all of my category 1 shorts (jean shorts, khaki shorts) are too tight or uncomfortable for lounge wear but look great/feel great with my "going out" clothes. The only other shorts I own are athletic/work out shorts which I have plenty just don't feel nice enough to fit into category. What type of materials or styles should I be looking at for shorts?
Any advice?
Trapped - I had some pants like these (I don't recommend this particular $98 pair - there have to be cheaper options) which sort of did that slightly nicer than shorts Category 2 stuff.
https://shop.lululemon.com/p/women-crops/Studio-Crop-II-Unlined/_/prod4850104?rcnt=12&N=7yr&cnt=17&color=LW6ABYS_8353
I also like light sweatshirt material shorts - and those are the ones I reach for most often in the summer. They are relaxed and comfortable w/o being to stiff. I'll probably order a pair from American Giant once summer gets here. I also wear some super cheap short from Kohl's:
http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1318379/soffe-fold-over-shorts-juniors.jsp?color=Kelly
They are soft, loose. They don't look great, but they are passable in the same way that sweatpants are.
In terms of category one layers - could you wear a dressy tank and use a button up silk blouse as the layer?
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Today's non uniform outfit. I have to sit in a conference all day. I find it extremely uncomfortable for my back. So. These are new American Giant jogger style sweatpants (lighter weight fabric), sparkle shoes from Target in and attempt to dresss them up, , and uniform shirt from express and forever 21 sweater. I think it is passable.
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Coming out of lurkdom for this thread :] Hi everyone!!
A while ago I got fed up with constantly feeling like I had nothing to wear despite all the clothes in my closet. I work from home at the moment (as a crafter, writer and video editor) and my "uniform" was a t-shirt and yoga pants, but I felt so sloppy all the time, especially when running errands (I know it shouldn't matter what I wear then, but it bugged me).
A couple years ago I simplified my choices by always picking black or gray for my neutrals, so I only have to worry about black shoes, belt, etc. I only really like black bottoms for me, so although I do have a pair of boot-cut, dark-wash jeans, my "uniform" these days is: black booties, black leggings/stretchy-skinny-pants, and a shirt that can work for anything from date night to book club to drinks with the girls to running errands to weekend gatherings. Generally the shirt is sleeveless or short-sleeved. Then I throw a gray cardigan (weight depending on temperature) over the top, and I'm set. Super easy.
Basically, like the attached images (hope I'm doing this right). I have the shirt in three colors now (brand is Tahari, from Macy's) (sweater is also Macys, and the 5-pocket leggings-that-pass-for-skinny-pants are from Ann Taylor Loft (5-pocket marisa cut, which for tall ladies is actually long enough! I have a problem finding leggings that aren't too short)). This is what I wore yesterday, actually!
The links people posted earlier about how to figure out your colors/style really helped, so thank you! It helped me solidify my plan for what to focus on, to accept that certain styles, while I love them on others (dolman sleeves, for example) just don't look right on me, and to just go with the silhouettes and colors that work for me.
So while I'm not completely done with my uniform, it's come together nicely. And now when I go do something, or even if I just want to look more professional than yoga pants/t-shirt at home (helps with productivity), I can grab something comfortable and nice looking without having to think about it! I may have an office job next year, but we'll cross that wardrobe-bridge when we come to it :]
I do have an addiction for cardigans, but I'm trying to limit it :]
MsPeacock I love your work uniform, feels very classic and put-together!
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Welcome cheesecat! Love your "uniform". It sounds like you can get a lot of different uses out of it.
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Today - another uniform. Black Express pants, grey patterned shirt (! I know - not a white shirt) Forever 21, Sear's sweater. Clark's shoes.
This weekend, if I can get my act together, I am going to pull all my Category 1-3 clothes out and try to make some sense of what to get rid of and how to organize it better.
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Cheesecat- I think we must have a very similar body type, because the uniform you posted would be *perfect* for me. Honestly, it's a more polished version of what I already wear a ton- cotton tanks, with black yoga capris, with a zip up hoodie. (West coast thoroughly blurs the lines between category 2 and 3 I think...). Anyway, thank you VERY much for sharing that, because it has given me a perfect vision for what I'm looking for to refine my "daily wear" category. Not to mention I've never been to Ann Taylor Loft, so I'll check there for the pants- I too suffer from tall lady legging issues. Hence wearing capris. I've given up on length, and pretend it's on purpose ;)
I have to wear FRCs to work (I work in a plant) which my work provides so the only clothes I buy are away from work clothes. I love the categories you broke off-work clothes down into.
Here's where I'm struggling:
Category 1 - I don't have a lot of good quality clothes here since I don't need nice clothes for work. I need to get some high quality basics (silk shirt, casual but still dressy-ish blouses, bottoms other than jeans but more casual then suit pants, etc.) but I'm not sure where to start. Also, I would like to add more layers because I feel more put-together but its too warm outside for most of the year for cardigans/scarves/etc. Are there other "layers" that you can use to tie an outfit together but still survive when its 80 degrees out?
Category 2 - I have absolutely no bottoms in this category. I live in Houston and 80% of the year its too warm in my house to even wear leggings or maybe I just haven't found the right leggings (maybe like really light, breathable, stretchy, but non-see through capris ones)? All the ones I've had in the past are kind of tight and make my legs a little too warm for above 75-80+ degree weather. So do comfortable/casual but also presentable shorts exist? What is the leggings version of shorts (casual, comfortable, can look nice when paired with nicer shirts)? I feel like all of my category 1 shorts (jean shorts, khaki shorts) are too tight or uncomfortable for lounge wear but look great/feel great with my "going out" clothes. The only other shorts I own are athletic/work out shorts which I have plenty just don't feel nice enough to fit into category. What type of materials or styles should I be looking at for shorts?
Any advice?
Shorts I opt for may be too casual, I'm not sure, but I tend to go for hiking style shorts. Like these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231929211250?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true (http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231929211250?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTEyMVgxMTg5/z/En8AAOSwZSFXJK~c/$_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F)
I'm actually on my second pair of these exact ones. First pair lasted me 4 years and included 2 trips abroad, one where it was washed in a river and held out a van window to dry a few times. Very durable, hard to stain, look surprisingly put together (IMO) in person. Because of the fabric, they never pill or get "fuzzy" looking- they just eventually tear.
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Does the 3 or 4 category break down work for others?
W - work clothes
Category 1 - nicer off-work clothing (nicer jeans, nicer tops)
Category 2 - comfortable and presentable off work clothing (e.g. sweats, t-shirts)
Category 3 - exercise and workout clothing?
Is there another category? I guess I have "dressy" clothing for a party or wedding - but that really comes down to two dresses (one that I bought for a high school reunion 10 years ago, the other from H&M 2 years ago). There hardly seems like enough items, or that I get enough use out of them, to justify another category.
I was lumping in the "dressy" clothes to category 1. I am super deficient in category 1, and the dressy portion of that category is abysmal.
So I guess my category is 4) Old workout clothes used for gardening. But I realise this is pretty hobby specific!
I actually use nicer clothes for my work clothes. I just opt for dark colors. I also paint very infrequently, but I usually have a free t-shirt from something to wear.
I'm struggling with undergarments. I was fitted for a bra, and I was wearing the wrong size by a long shot. I bought two new bras, but I probably need to pick up another regular bra and a strapless one. Anyone have any favorites? I just bought two Natori bras that are amazingly comfortable, which might be due to the fact that I'm finally wearing the right size bra, but are really expensive. R
Go to figleaves website. Ill linj it when I got home. I was recently properly measured and didn't like spending 50-70 per bra so I found my size in the UK and us brands and preferential for 15-40 a piece. I literally got an identical bra I had been fitted to in Nordstrom online for $25+ less. Ill look up the 3 brands hardwired for me as a 36G
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Does the 3 or 4 category break down work for others?
W - work clothes
Category 1 - nicer off-work clothing (nicer jeans, nicer tops)
Category 2 - comfortable and presentable off work clothing (e.g. sweats, t-shirts)
Category 3 - exercise and workout clothing?
Is there another category? I guess I have "dressy" clothing for a party or wedding - but that really comes down to two dresses (one that I bought for a high school reunion 10 years ago, the other from H&M 2 years ago). There hardly seems like enough items, or that I get enough use out of them, to justify another category.
I was lumping in the "dressy" clothes to category 1. I am super deficient in category 1, and the dressy portion of that category is abysmal.
So I guess my category is 4) Old workout clothes used for gardening. But I realise this is pretty hobby specific!
I actually use nicer clothes for my work clothes. I just opt for dark colors. I also paint very infrequently, but I usually have a free t-shirt from something to wear.
I'm struggling with undergarments. I was fitted for a bra, and I was wearing the wrong size by a long shot. I bought two new bras, but I probably need to pick up another regular bra and a strapless one. Anyone have any favorites? I just bought two Natori bras that are amazingly comfortable, which might be due to the fact that I'm finally wearing the right size bra, but are really expensive. R
Go to figleaves website. Ill linj it when I got home. I was recently properly measured and didn't like spending 50-70 per bra so I found my size in the UK and us brands and preferential for 15-40 a piece. I literally got an identical bra I had been fitted to in Nordstrom online for $25+ less. Ill look up the 3 brands hardwired for me as a 36G
I've had good luck with the brastop website during their annual sales.
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Shorts I opt for may be too casual, I'm not sure, but I tend to go for hiking style shorts. Like these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231929211250?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true (http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231929211250?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTEyMVgxMTg5/z/En8AAOSwZSFXJK~c/$_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F)
I'm actually on my second pair of these exact ones. First pair lasted me 4 years and included 2 trips abroad, one where it was washed in a river and held out a van window to dry a few times. Very durable, hard to stain, look surprisingly put together (IMO) in person. Because of the fabric, they never pill or get "fuzzy" looking- they just eventually tear.
+1 to Bracken_Joy - these are my hiking shorts and I can definitely attest to their durability. I have two pairs and they wear like iron.
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Thanks for the welcome!
Bracken_Joy, I will note that the Loft pants I mentioned are available online only (you can return in store, though), and I find that many of their normal pants/leggings I tried on in the store are too short for me. They list inseams on their site, though, which makes it easier.
As far as around-the-house clothing, does anyone have any tips on finding slippers that have actual arch support? It's getting so cold now that I am searching for a solution but even the expensive slippers only seem to have foam as their padding, which isn't enough arch support for me :(
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Cheesecat- I think we must have a very similar body type, because the uniform you posted would be *perfect* for me. Honestly, it's a more polished version of what I already wear a ton- cotton tanks, with black yoga capris, with a zip up hoodie. (West coast thoroughly blurs the lines between category 2 and 3 I think...). Anyway, thank you VERY much for sharing that, because it has given me a perfect vision for what I'm looking for to refine my "daily wear" category. Not to mention I've never been to Ann Taylor Loft, so I'll check there for the pants- I too suffer from tall lady legging issues. Hence wearing capris. I've given up on length, and pretend it's on purpose ;)
I have to wear FRCs to work (I work in a plant) which my work provides so the only clothes I buy are away from work clothes. I love the categories you broke off-work clothes down into.
Here's where I'm struggling:
Category 1 - I don't have a lot of good quality clothes here since I don't need nice clothes for work. I need to get some high quality basics (silk shirt, casual but still dressy-ish blouses, bottoms other than jeans but more casual then suit pants, etc.) but I'm not sure where to start. Also, I would like to add more layers because I feel more put-together but its too warm outside for most of the year for cardigans/scarves/etc. Are there other "layers" that you can use to tie an outfit together but still survive when its 80 degrees out?
Category 2 - I have absolutely no bottoms in this category. I live in Houston and 80% of the year its too warm in my house to even wear leggings or maybe I just haven't found the right leggings (maybe like really light, breathable, stretchy, but non-see through capris ones)? All the ones I've had in the past are kind of tight and make my legs a little too warm for above 75-80+ degree weather. So do comfortable/casual but also presentable shorts exist? What is the leggings version of shorts (casual, comfortable, can look nice when paired with nicer shirts)? I feel like all of my category 1 shorts (jean shorts, khaki shorts) are too tight or uncomfortable for lounge wear but look great/feel great with my "going out" clothes. The only other shorts I own are athletic/work out shorts which I have plenty just don't feel nice enough to fit into category. What type of materials or styles should I be looking at for shorts?
Any advice?
Shorts I opt for may be too casual, I'm not sure, but I tend to go for hiking style shorts. Like these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231929211250?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true (http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231929211250?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTEyMVgxMTg5/z/En8AAOSwZSFXJK~c/$_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F)
I'm actually on my second pair of these exact ones. First pair lasted me 4 years and included 2 trips abroad, one where it was washed in a river and held out a van window to dry a few times. Very durable, hard to stain, look surprisingly put together (IMO) in person. Because of the fabric, they never pill or get "fuzzy" looking- they just eventually tear.
These look great! This is exactly the type of shorts I need. I also found these ones that look a little more lounging/comfortable but could still be "dressed up".
http://www.express.com/clothing/women/olive-utility-soft-shorts/pro/02397300/cat320019
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Thanks for the welcome!
Bracken_Joy, I will note that the Loft pants I mentioned are available online only (you can return in store, though), and I find that many of their normal pants/leggings I tried on in the store are too short for me. They list inseams on their site, though, which makes it easier.
As far as around-the-house clothing, does anyone have any tips on finding slippers that have actual arch support? It's getting so cold now that I am searching for a solution but even the expensive slippers only seem to have foam as their padding, which isn't enough arch support for me :(
You could try the LL Bean wool clog slippers: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/112639?feat=503422-GN3&page=women-s-l-l-bean-wool-slipper-clog
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Thanks for the welcome!
Bracken_Joy, I will note that the Loft pants I mentioned are available online only (you can return in store, though), and I find that many of their normal pants/leggings I tried on in the store are too short for me. They list inseams on their site, though, which makes it easier.
As far as around-the-house clothing, does anyone have any tips on finding slippers that have actual arch support? It's getting so cold now that I am searching for a solution but even the expensive slippers only seem to have foam as their padding, which isn't enough arch support for me :(
You could try the LL Bean wool clog slippers: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/112639?feat=503422-GN3&page=women-s-l-l-bean-wool-slipper-clog
Haflinger slippers are awesome. Expensive, but awesome. Mine are about 8 years old. Lots of support, and warm.
ETA the LL Bean slippers look exactly the same at half the cost!
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Today category 2. Under Armor top and leggings, with layers underneath because it is cold outside!
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Ok, so I am so excited about that Vivienne link. It is the first build your wardrobe thing that actually makes sense to me and doesn't tell me to wear all black! I hate black. I have started buying quite a few black things in the last few years because it is easy, but I usually hate wearing it. I am starting to like a few things, but I really didn't want that as my neutral. I prefer browns, but they are hard for me to match, and look good. It has gotten harder as my size has increased and I am now in plus on the bottom, which tends to have more limited color selection.
But I am really excited about the navy/grey neutral combo, especially combined with pink and purple. I love all these colors and already have a number of pieces I absolutely love. Now I finally think I understand how to pull it all together.
And I also love the categories that people are describing.
I realized my category 1 was woefully low recently, and I added some pieces that are cute and fun. But now my Category 2 and 3 and sleep wear is pathetic. But now I understand how to think about these.
I don't know when I I'll have time to address this, but I think the first step will be laying everything out anyway. So maybe after the holidays...?
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Today's uniform: Express pants and shirt (this one with a print!) and black sweater (Forever 21). Everything is old - a year or more, I think.
My recent category 2 purchases - mostly Under Armor fleece lined shirts and American Giant sweats have put in a much better place overall. I realize that a lot of my problem was category 1 tops (nicer tops) that aren't warm enough for me most of the time, and then a general lack of sweaters to wear with them. The reality is that most of the time I am off work I want category 2 outfits.
I also love the Vivienne link - I think her system is awesome and love how she breaks down the steps. So much easier to narrow the colors and style and then just shop in that range. I think the hardest thing may sometimes be finding certain colors in certain items - e.g. much harder to find navy pants rather than black pants.
I also realized that my desire to be frugal conflicts with my desire to look "nice" in whatever category it is that I am dressing in. However, I'd rather spend a bit more and have items that really work for me and I will get many years of use out of them. Too often in the past I'd buy something because it was on sale or because it was "cute" without really being able to assess how well it would work with other items I owned or if it was an items that met my actual clothing needs.
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I don't know when I I'll have time to address this, but I think the first step will be laying everything out anyway. So maybe after the holidays...?
I think this is a good question- how are people addressing this? I'm very tactile/kinesthetic, so I've been trying on all the different combos I can think of and taking outfit pictures of stuff together. I need to do more of this, as I started the project then kinda abandoned it.
Other approaches? Notes, apps?
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I also realized that my desire to be frugal conflicts with my desire to look "nice" in whatever category it is that I am dressing in. However, I'd rather spend a bit more and have items that really work for me and I will get many years of use out of them. Too often in the past I'd buy something because it was on sale or because it was "cute" without really being able to assess how well it would work with other items I owned or if it was an items that met my actual clothing needs.
Since I've been working on having a quality wardrobe (not just clothing pieces), my spending on clothing has gone way down. I rarely buy shoes (other than running shoes), and I have no desire to just "shop." I go to the mall when I need something, and I buy it and leave.
I spend more on clothing than the average MMM reader, but I'm okay with that.
BJ, I haven't found a good way. I did KonMari my wardrobe in one day, which greatly reduced the number of items. I've been slowly working out outfits, but I don't have a quick way or method. I would love to hear ideas.
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I don't know when I I'll have time to address this, but I think the first step will be laying everything out anyway. So maybe after the holidays...?
I think this is a good question- how are people addressing this? I'm very tactile/kinesthetic, so I've been trying on all the different combos I can think of and taking outfit pictures of stuff together. I need to do more of this, as I started the project then kinda abandoned it.
Other approaches? Notes, apps?
I'm very interested in this as well because, frankly, I'm hopeless at it. I think my actually outfits are fine, but I am not at all creative and I'm bad at mixing and matching, so I have a lot of "set" outfits (e.g. I always wear a certain sweater with a certain blouse, or pants). This makes for a very inefficient wardrobe...
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Haflinger slippers are awesome. Expensive, but awesome. Mine are about 8 years old. Lots of support, and warm.
ETA the LL Bean slippers look exactly the same at half the cost!
Thanks for the tip - clog-style slippers tend to slip off my feet while navigating stairs, so I'm looking for a moccasin-style slipper. I ordered the Haflinger mocs from zappos; they do indeed have arch support ... but it's oddly forward of my arch, so it feels weird. Going back, sigh.
I actually found slipper-socks at costco the other day and bought them to try, and I like them! No arch support, but then they don't pretend to have arch support (like everything with memory foam). I might just see how the winter goes with them, unless I randomly come across my Perfect Slipper :)
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Over the weekend, I was cleaning up our basement and found a box of boots, shoes and gloves. Went through it and found a pair of my son's old shoes he used for skateboarding or biking or something long ago as he's 3 sizes bigger. Just my size. All black so I can wear them at work. Free shoes FTW.
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Today: black pants (Express), blue patterned shirt (Express - hard to see), blue sweater (Sears). Nothing too exciting here.
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I'm struggling with undergarments. I was fitted for a bra, and I was wearing the wrong size by a long shot. I bought two new bras, but I probably need to pick up another regular bra and a strapless one. Anyone have any favorites? I just bought two Natori bras that are amazingly comfortable, which might be due to the fact that I'm finally wearing the right size bra, but are really expensive.
The website I meant to link to was figleaves.com They sell Freya, Panache, Chantelle and dozens more brands. THeir own branded lingerie is also pretty fantastic. They do not sell Natori though. So I got 3 excellent bras and a pair of underwear for $89 (including shipping), Nordstrom was $140 for two bras by the same brands.
I was also recommended Bravissimo.com which I was told they are a great find for the small band size and a large cup size combo that is so difficult to find. They also sell tops that have enough material in them, so that you can wear a dress or button down shirt without the annoying tendency of the fabric gaping open or pulling too tightly across the curves.
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Today: Old Navy pants - at least 10 years old. They are dark brown w/ pink and grey pinstripes. They are lined and good quality - from back long ago when Old Navy made reasonable quality clothing. Sears sweater (new - I bought 4 or 5 in different colors - LOVE this sweater. It is a bull's eye for my uniform) and Forever 21 white shirt (old).
I hate these shoes w/ dress pants and socks. They were the only ones that I own that more or less match. I am wishing for a pair of burgundy or ox blood wingtips (which would go w/ many things). Just holding out on those now since I've spent some money on clothes recently.
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I'm struggling with undergarments. I was fitted for a bra, and I was wearing the wrong size by a long shot. I bought two new bras, but I probably need to pick up another regular bra and a strapless one. Anyone have any favorites? I just bought two Natori bras that are amazingly comfortable, which might be due to the fact that I'm finally wearing the right size bra, but are really expensive.
The website I meant to link to was figleaves.com They sell Freya, Panache, Chantelle and dozens more brands. THeir own branded lingerie is also pretty fantastic. They do not sell Natori though. So I got 3 excellent bras and a pair of underwear for $89 (including shipping), Nordstrom was $140 for two bras by the same brands.
I was also recommended Bravissimo.com which I was told they are a great find for the small band size and a large cup size combo that is so difficult to find. They also sell tops that have enough material in them, so that you can wear a dress or button down shirt without the annoying tendency of the fabric gaping open or pulling too tightly across the curves.
Thanks for the recommendations! I'll have to check out the sites.
MsPeacock, I love the pants! They're "boring" in a way that I like, but they have a little flair up close.
I bought a floor length gown for a holiday event that I have to go to with my DH on Friday. I tried a few thrift stores in my area, but the selection was too small (most of the dresses were too large). I ended up buying a dress on sale (~$80) at a Macy's. Of course, I had to have the dress hemmed (~$35). Now I'm sure the dress will sit in my closet for years until I have another formal event. How do you handle black swan type events?
As an upside to the formal dress I picked out, there was a built in bra, so I didn't have to buy a special bra. Tiny victories.
I have the dress I wore to my 20th high school reunion 10 years ago in my closet. The 30th is this year and I will most likely wear the same dress. Who could possibly remember? I have one other sort of dressy dress. I feel like you have to have one or two of these things for the occasional unavoidable event where they are required. Kind of like how some men have one suit that is just for weddings and such. At least men can wear the same suit to an interview and a funeral. The dressy dress seems to only be useful for party sorts of events.
There are those gown rental services, it I think they cost more than $80 to rent and there is still the issue of length to deal with.
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My concern with blazers is that my arms are very long, and my shoulders very broad for a woman. I've never once found a blazer that fits. My winter jacket is about 2" too short on the wrists =\ I just gave up and learned to live with it.
This is a late reply, but have you considered buying blazers and rolling up the sleeves?
I do that with mine because I prefer having my forearms free/bare, better range of motion, so no-one would notice if the sleeves were short.
Or you can buy blazers with 3/4 or cuffed sleeves.
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My concern with blazers is that my arms are very long, and my shoulders very broad for a woman. I've never once found a blazer that fits. My winter jacket is about 2" too short on the wrists =\ I just gave up and learned to live with it.
This is a late reply, but have you considered buying blazers and rolling up the sleeves?
I do that with mine because I prefer having my forearms free/bare, better range of motion, so no-one would notice if the sleeves were short.
Or you can buy blazers with 3/4 or cuffed sleeves.
That's what I do with sweaters- get 3/4 length sleeves. Doesn't solve the shoulder issues though. I have approx women's size L-XL shoulders, but I wear size small or XS otherwise. In a structured garment, that is very problematic =\
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Bracken Joy - I have the same issue. I a built like a swimmer. My shoulders are very broad relative to the rest of my body, and in particular my chest. It is a rare blazer that I don't have to buy in a size 10 or something and have the body taken down. I wear maybe a 2 or 4 for my body. I sort of have given up on blazers for the most part at this point anyhow. Shockingly the cheap blazers from Express fit me - go figure.
I think this problem is just more common than we probably think. Men's clothing is sized much better than women's - I mean, it seems that there are a much wider range of shirt sizes, and pants that come in a variety of lengths for me.
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Bracken Joy - I have the same issue. I a built like a swimmer. My shoulders are very broad relative to the rest of my body, and in particular my chest. It is a rare blazer that I don't have to buy in a size 10 or something and have the body taken down. I wear maybe a 2 or 4 for my body. I sort of have given up on blazers for the most part at this point anyhow. Shockingly the cheap blazers from Express fit me - go figure.
I think this problem is just more common than we probably think. Men's clothing is sized much better than women's - I mean, it seems that there are a much wider range of shirt sizes, and pants that come in a variety of lengths for me.
I think this might be fairly common in taller women? Seems to be a pattern I've noticed. And yes on men's clothes- in fact, my mom has pretty well given up and just buys men's henleys, lol. She's even taller and broader shouldered than I am, but same proportions. She told me when she worked in a professional office environment, she had to get custom made clothes, literally nothing fit off rack. (Small city in the 70s, woo). So at least it sounds like it's improved some over the years!
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I have the reverse issue. Size M at the shoulders, but XL at the hips. Shirts are very hard, because changing the whole shoulder is expensive.
I have started using True & Co for bras. They help with sizing and fit and it is all online. I really like them. I probably have a friend discount code if anyone is interested. Their bras have held up well.
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Good mornng.
Yesterday's work outfit of the brown pants, white shirt, tan sweater. Everything is old. Looks fine imo.
Today's cat 2 two pairs of leggings because it is super cold outside, under armour top, ugg boots that are a xmas gift and are super cozy.
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Put three pairs of shoes in the Goodwill pile and edging closer to a casual clothing purge. The workout clothes are a jumbled mess. I need to pull the bike gear out and find a bin or something for storage. It really has almost no overlap with the other categories of clothing.
I've been slowly weeding down the shoes. Got rid of pretty much all the heels because they are uncomfortable and most of my clothing no longer fits with heels.
Dressy party to attend tonight. The ladies are usually wearing full length gowns. I make due with whatever I have. Last year I wore a black blazer and my boyfriends white dress shirt with black leggings and boots. Might do the same this year.
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Monday update - all this you've seen before, plus silver belt (not new - maybe 8 years old). Express pants, Sears sweater, Forever 21 shirt, Clark's shoes. Comfy and warm.
Got no closer to wedding down the Category 1 and 2 clothing this weekend....
Didn't attend the fancy dress party so I have nothing to report on that. (I went out to start the car and my battery was dead and being pretty introverted and having already attended 2 parties in the past 2 days - I was relieved. Instead walked down the street and got pizza at the pub.)
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Didn't attend the fancy dress party so I have nothing to report on that. (I went out to start the car and my battery was dead and being pretty introverted and having already attended 2 parties in the past 2 days - I was relieved. Instead walked down the street and got pizza at the pub.)
LOL.... is this the modern version of " I need to wash my hair tonite "?
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Didn't attend the fancy dress party so I have nothing to report on that. (I went out to start the car and my battery was dead and being pretty introverted and having already attended 2 parties in the past 2 days - I was relieved. Instead walked down the street and got pizza at the pub.)
LOL.... is this the modern version of " I need to wash my hair tonite "?
Ha - It might be. As an introvert I sometimes need an excuse to bow out once I am overwhelmed. The car battery was a real situation, but it did give me a polite way out of the party.
Today - ok, you all have seen this all before.
I'm going to stop w/ the work uniform posts for a while, since it is quite repetitive. I'm planning to work on the other categories of clothes and do some posts on that as I get through it.
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Hurrah, windfall. Post friend's wardrobe sweep, I have a mild-weather work capsule once I find a couple of neutrals to match.
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Depending on how often you have a need to dress up, you might keep an eye out for a formal skirt. When paired with a white button down, it's very stylish and yet can still be appropriate for a formal occasion. Maybe it's not something you care much about, but I feel very disrespectful if not dressed appropriately, and I feel self-conscious which make my introversion worse. This would only add one piece to your wardrobe but it would play well with other things you own.
Depending on your taste it could be full (probably looks the most formal) or fitted. They key would be to get it in a formal, dressy fabric like taffeta, sequins, etc.
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/fb/21/35/fb213563ef90cab1e6e16a10341b1009.jpg)
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Post-Christmas sales. I know. Money was spent. But I have two neutrals that fit with other items in my wardrobe, and cross off the coffee-with-friends - business-casual categories.
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This is a category 1 outfit: uggs, stretch jeans (several years old and miracles that fit with 20 pound weight fluctuations without being too tight), American Giant "city sweatshirt".
I ordered a few items recently from American Giant and I have been really pleased with the items. The first was a hoodie. It is very heavy and well made. I find the sleeves a bit stiff and constricting, but I think they will break in over time. True to the companies promise, absolutely no shrinking of any item with washing and drying.
The city sweatshirt above is actually not fleece. It is more like a heavy weight shirt, and the fabric has gold sparkels in it. This is a size small. I love how it fits and that I can layer under it, the cut and length are great. This item went in and out f stock several times before I managed to get it. Definitely going to be a staple in my wardrobe.
I also ordered two t-shirts from American Giant, one of their "classic" t-shirts for 24.50 and one of the "premium" shirts for 34.50. I have not yet washed or worn them. I will post pictures and updates of them soon. My initial impression of the premium shirt is that it is worth every penny of the 34.50 and will be a favorite. The fabric is amazing and the back seam is flattering and interesting. The regular shirt seems, well regular. But if they hold their shape and size with washing, as the other items havE, they will also become standards for me.
Additionally I got a pair of classic swats and a pair of jogger sweats. They are fantastic and also hold their size and shape with washing. I am extremely pleased.
So, America. Giant is expensive, but made in the US, and the quality is very very high. So far so good!
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The cut of that is fantastic! I look forward to your feedback about durability, pilling, etc. Thanks so much for keeping this updated!
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The AG City Swearthirt has been on my wishlist for months, but I can't convince myself to pulp the trigger at that price - it's litefally 10 times what i pay for cashmere sweaters at the thrift store... And I surely don't need more clothes... But I looove it!
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The AG City Swearthirt has been on my wishlist for months, but I can't convince myself to pulp the trigger at that price - it's litefally 10 times what i pay for cashmere sweaters at the thrift store... And I surely don't need more clothes... But I looove it!
I have an American Giant hoodie that my DH bought me two years ago, and it's still in perfect shape. I also have purchased inexpensive cashmere sweaters (that I love) at the thrift store, but there is something so easy about tossing a sweatshirt in the washer and dryer and not worrying about it.
My DH has an AG hoodie (zip front) that he wears multiple times per week, and it still looks brand new.
I'm looking forward to your review of the t-shirts, MsPeacock. I still have quite a few Madewell slub v-necks, but they're starting to develop holes.
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I was wondering if anyone would have some dress suggestions for me.
I have been working on developing a capsule wardrobe. I'm finding my signature style is kind of tomboy-rocker, lol. One thing I feel really comfortable in is straight or skinny jeans, ankle boots, graphic-t, blazer. I would, however, love to incorporate a couple of less-girly dresses. I travel often for work and they take up much less space, plus, to be honest, I have really nice calves, lol. Given my height (5'2"), hitting right at the knee is the perfect length for me. This would also be great for summer - I'm not a fan of shorts and how they look on me.
Any suggestions for where I could find stylish, but not girly, dresses? That would go well with my collection of ankle boots?
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I was wondering if anyone would have some dress suggestions for me.
I have been working on developing a capsule wardrobe. I'm finding my signature style is kind of tomboy-rocker, lol. One thing I feel really comfortable in is straight or skinny jeans, ankle boots, graphic-t, blazer. I would, however, love to incorporate a couple of less-girly dresses. I travel often for work and they take up much less space, plus, to be honest, I have really nice calves, lol. Given my height (5'2"), hitting right at the knee is the perfect length for me. This would also be great for summer - I'm not a fan of shorts and how they look on me.
Any suggestions for where I could find stylish, but not girly, dresses? That would go well with my collection of ankle boots?
Personally, I am a huge fan of wrap dresses and "REI style" dresses (that's how I think of them- travel dresses?). I have two of these from Merrels that I got on clearance (well, like this but sleeveless): https://cdnd.lystit.com/photos/1541-2015/06/18/merrell-iris-print-siena-cinch-dress-product-2-260495095-normal.jpeg (https://cdnd.lystit.com/photos/1541-2015/06/18/merrell-iris-print-siena-cinch-dress-product-2-260495095-normal.jpeg) They've held up incredibly well, and can dress up or down easily. I tend to wear them with tennis shoe style flats, so they're semi-girly.
Admittedly, I'm 5'9", so the opposite end of sizing struggles from you. But things that have a semi-empire waist like that seems to be pretty forgiving IME. I've loaned one to a shorter friend (~5'4"?) and it fit well on her too.
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Any suggestions for where I could find stylish, but not girly, dresses? That would go well with my collection of ankle boots?
I'd check out asos.com -- there should be a lot of less girly/more moderist options there.
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Any suggestions for where I could find stylish, but not girly, dresses? That would go well with my collection of ankle boots?
I'd check out asos.com -- there should be a lot of less girly/more moderist options there.
Maybe check Boden (bodenusa.com) - they always seem to have nice dresses that are more European in style. I haven't bought anything from them but they always have good reviews as to quality.
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Any suggestions for where I could find stylish, but not girly, dresses? That would go well with my collection of ankle boots?
I'd check out asos.com -- there should be a lot of less girly/more moderist options there.
Calvin Klein makes nice dresses - modern, not frilly. Often machine washable. I see them pretty frequently at Nordstrom rack or TJ Maxx. IDK if they fit you sense of style, but they don't seem "girly" to me in the way I think of it. I am attaching a picture of a fairly standard sort of Calvin Klein dress.
I can't be the only other one here who looks rediculous in frilly stuff. It has never worked for me - not that I don't like the aesthetics (occasionally), but it looks so ridiculously out of place on me physically.
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Depending on how often you have a need to dress up, you might keep an eye out for a formal skirt. When paired with a white button down, it's very stylish and yet can still be appropriate for a formal occasion. Maybe it's not something you care much about, but I feel very disrespectful if not dressed appropriately, and I feel self-conscious which make my introversion worse. This would only add one piece to your wardrobe but it would play well with other things you own.
Depending on your taste it could be full (probably looks the most formal) or fitted. They key would be to get it in a formal, dressy fabric like taffeta, sequins, etc.
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/fb/21/35/fb213563ef90cab1e6e16a10341b1009.jpg)
Love that skirt! I've never seen anything like it in the stores - admittedly never really looked for something like it.
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Here are photos of the two American Giant t-shirts. I am going to Florida next weekend so I will get to try them out. These aren't great picture, and these are plain t-shirts. The photos on their website are pretty accurate.
The city sweatshirt has been laundered and came through unshrunk, just as the hoodie and sweatpants did.
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I am joining this thread! I'm in a major wardrobe transition (as noted on my journal linked below) and could use some mustachian inspiration!
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This thread is making me wish I could buy American Giant here :-(
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This thread is making me wish I could buy American Giant here :-(
Instead of American Giant, you should be able to get Australian Megafauna.
...sorry, there are very few instances where I can make a zoology joke. I *had* to take the opportunity.
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This thread is making me wish I could buy American Giant here :-(
Instead of American Giant, you should be able to get Australian Megafauna.
...sorry, there are very few instances where I can make a zoology joke. I *had* to take the opportunity.
Unfortunately we killed our megafauna via hunting and destroying their environment :-( humans, huh? We're awesome.
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This thread is making me wish I could buy American Giant here :-(
Instead of American Giant, you should be able to get Australian Megafauna.
...sorry, there are very few instances where I can make a zoology joke. I *had* to take the opportunity.
Unfortunately we killed our megafauna via hunting and destroying their environment :-( humans, huh? We're awesome.
Not all of them! You still have kangaroos and cassowary and goannas and stuff! (Can you tell I would love to visit?)
Sorry for derailing the thread so substantially everyone!
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This thread is making me wish I could buy American Giant here :-(
Instead of American Giant, you should be able to get Australian Megafauna.
...sorry, there are very few instances where I can make a zoology joke. I *had* to take the opportunity.
Unfortunately we killed our megafauna via hunting and destroying their environment :-( humans, huh? We're awesome.
Not all of them! You still have kangaroos and cassowary and goannas and stuff! (Can you tell I would love to visit?)
Sorry for derailing the thread so substantially everyone!
Oh no, we used to have REAL megafauna. Wombats the size of small cars... so, so cool.
Come visit, and visit me :-)
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Welcome monstermonster and happierathome!
I am posting a link to Buy It Once. It doesn't help at all with getting an organized approach to a wardrobe. However, it is very mustachian in the sense that the clothing is meant to last, and generally comes with lifetime warranties. American Giant and Patagonia are both featured, as well as others. The website has undoubtedly been featured elsewhere on these forums as well.
https://www.buy-it-once.com/
Is anyone else here doing the no-buy clothing for January?
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Oh, I've been posting in this thread for pages and pages already. I must not be memorable until I rant about megafauna ;-)
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I am posting a link to Buy It Once. It doesn't help at all with getting an organized approach to a wardrobe. However, it is very mustachian in the sense that the clothing is meant to last, and generally comes with lifetime warranties. American Giant and Patagonia are both featured, as well as others. The website has undoubtedly been featured elsewhere on these forums as well.
https://www.buy-it-once.com/
Is anyone else here doing the no-buy clothing for January?
I didn't buy any clothing for all of 2016, so January I'm resetting.
I don't see any clothing on Buy it Once except socks & belts - do they list other clothing items?
I really recommend this post by Into-Mind on "how to assess quality of garments" (https://anuschkarees.com/blog/2014/05/01/how-to-assess-the-quality-of-garments-a-beginners-guide-part-i)- great if you're not a sewer or otherwise technical about fabric for figuring out if the expensive shit you're buying is expensive because it's quality or because it has a brand name attached.
I generally only acquire vintage clothing that's quality (wool suits, etc) in an effort to not have my clothes wear out. Doesn't hurt that's I'm very petite so vintage clothes have a better chance of fitting me. Having a super-professional wardrobe (public speaking & politics/fundraising are my two core functions) while also still biking everywhere in heels can be really hard on clothing - and it's essential for me to get natural fabrics so I don't smell when I arrive! Quality is so important :-)
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I am posting a link to Buy It Once. It doesn't help at all with getting an organized approach to a wardrobe. However, it is very mustachian in the sense that the clothing is meant to last, and generally comes with lifetime warranties. American Giant and Patagonia are both featured, as well as others. The website has undoubtedly been featured elsewhere on these forums as well.
https://www.buy-it-once.com/
Is anyone else here doing the no-buy clothing for January?
I didn't buy any clothing for all of 2016, so January I'm resetting.
I don't see any clothing on Buy it Once except socks & belts - do they list other clothing items?
I really recommend this post by Into-Mind on "how to assess quality of garments" (https://anuschkarees.com/blog/2014/05/01/how-to-assess-the-quality-of-garments-a-beginners-guide-part-i)- great if you're not a sewer or otherwise technical about fabric for figuring out if the expensive shit you're buying is expensive because it's quality or because it has a brand name attached.
I generally only acquire vintage clothing that's quality (wool suits, etc) in an effort to not have my clothes wear out. Doesn't hurt that's I'm very petite so vintage clothes have a better chance of fitting me. Having a super-professional wardrobe (public speaking & politics/fundraising are my two core functions) while also still biking everywhere in heels can be really hard on clothing - and it's essential for me to get natural fabrics so I don't smell when I arrive! Quality is so important :-)
MM, Thank you for this!! This is where I struggle, trying to determine if something is high quality or not. I've spent more money than I would like to admit on clothes from Target that get stretched, faded, and pilly within a few wears. That link is so helpful!
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Love this thread! I'm currently pregnant and am doing a capsule wardrobe of tops and pants that fit my growing body along with cardigans and jackets and that I already had. Love the ease of capsule wardrobe so much so that I'm thinking I'll do the same once bub is out.
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I am posting a link to Buy It Once. It doesn't help at all with getting an organized approach to a wardrobe. However, it is very mustachian in the sense that the clothing is meant to last, and generally comes with lifetime warranties. American Giant and Patagonia are both featured, as well as others. The website has undoubtedly been featured elsewhere on these forums as well.
https://www.buy-it-once.com/
Is anyone else here doing the no-buy clothing for January?
I didn't buy any clothing for all of 2016, so January I'm resetting.
I don't see any clothing on Buy it Once except socks & belts - do they list other clothing items?
I really recommend this post by Into-Mind on "how to assess quality of garments" (https://anuschkarees.com/blog/2014/05/01/how-to-assess-the-quality-of-garments-a-beginners-guide-part-i)- great if you're not a sewer or otherwise technical about fabric for figuring out if the expensive shit you're buying is expensive because it's quality or because it has a brand name attached.
I generally only acquire vintage clothing that's quality (wool suits, etc) in an effort to not have my clothes wear out. Doesn't hurt that's I'm very petite so vintage clothes have a better chance of fitting me. Having a super-professional wardrobe (public speaking & politics/fundraising are my two core functions) while also still biking everywhere in heels can be really hard on clothing - and it's essential for me to get natural fabrics so I don't smell when I arrive! Quality is so important :-)
Thanks for the link! Great article.
Buy it once appears to have removed their clothing listings. I didn't search around to see if there was any explanation. Weird.
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Oh, I've been posting in this thread for pages and pages already. I must not be memorable until I rant about megafauna ;-)
So sorry! I am terrible about not noticing poster names!
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Oh, I've been posting in this thread for pages and pages already. I must not be memorable until I rant about megafauna ;-)
So sorry! I am terrible about not noticing poster names!
I will never forgive you. This is the start of an epic forum feud.
:-)
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Here is a quick little picture off my sweater drawer. The ones on the left are cotton summer weight and a couple casual non-work sweaters. The rest are mostly all season. Purged a couple excess thus morning. Loving the colors I have now. Everything goes with the black, grey, or tan pants I usually wear.
Outside of work wardrobe is still a work in progress.
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I'm late to the party (took too long staring at my closet trying to decide what to wear ;-)) but I'm here.
I'm starting to plan a spring/summer/early fall capsule since we keep having bouts of unseasonably warm weather here in Virginia. My struggle is this: I stay home with my toddler son and I don't like "mom clothes". Leggings are fine for working out, but not my jam for regular wear. I managed to purge my cold weather wardrobe to the point that I'm happy with it (i have only a 3 item wish list of things I would have liked to add this year that I'm saving for next fall) but casual warm weather wear is my downfall.
I default to shorts and a plain, solid tank top or tshirt, but end up feeling a little sloppy, especially when it gets pair with flip flops. I like sundresses but they need to be long enough to allow some ease of movement in kid-chasing.
What suggestions do you all have? Tops that have more detail than a plain tshirt? Accessories? Knee length skirts instead of shorts? Just buy 5 more knee length sundresses and call it good?
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I'm late to the party (took too long staring at my closet trying to decide what to wear ;-)) but I'm here.
I'm starting to plan a spring/summer/early fall capsule since we keep having bouts of unseasonably warm weather here in Virginia. My struggle is this: I stay home with my toddler son and I don't like "mom clothes". Leggings are fine for working out, but not my jam for regular wear. I managed to purge my cold weather wardrobe to the point that I'm happy with it (i have only a 3 item wish list of things I would have liked to add this year that I'm saving for next fall) but casual warm weather wear is my downfall.
I default to shorts and a plain, solid tank top or tshirt, but end up feeling a little sloppy, especially when it gets pair with flip flops. I like sundresses but they need to be long enough to allow some ease of movement in kid-chasing.
What suggestions do you all have? Tops that have more detail than a plain tshirt? Accessories? Knee length skirts instead of shorts? Just buy 5 more knee length sundresses and call it good?
I'm a big fan of patterned shorts (or pants) with a plain t-shirt. Just feels more fun to me than a patterned shirt with plain shorts. Of course, the shorts stand out, so people probably notice that I wear them a lot, but I love them, so I don't care :) My favorites are a floral pair from Gap. Land's End has lots of fun patterns, too.
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I'm late to the party (took too long staring at my closet trying to decide what to wear ;-)) but I'm here.
I'm starting to plan a spring/summer/early fall capsule since we keep having bouts of unseasonably warm weather here in Virginia. My struggle is this: I stay home with my toddler son and I don't like "mom clothes". Leggings are fine for working out, but not my jam for regular wear. I managed to purge my cold weather wardrobe to the point that I'm happy with it (i have only a 3 item wish list of things I would have liked to add this year that I'm saving for next fall) but casual warm weather wear is my downfall.
I default to shorts and a plain, solid tank top or tshirt, but end up feeling a little sloppy, especially when it gets pair with flip flops. I like sundresses but they need to be long enough to allow some ease of movement in kid-chasing.
What suggestions do you all have? Tops that have more detail than a plain tshirt? Accessories? Knee length skirts instead of shorts? Just buy 5 more knee length sundresses and call it good?
I'm a big fan of patterned shorts (or pants) with a plain t-shirt. Just feels more fun to me than a patterned shirt with plain shorts. Of course, the shorts stand out, so people probably notice that I wear them a lot, but I love them, so I don't care :) My favorites are a floral pair from Gap. Land's End has lots of fun patterns, too.
Oh, I like that idea! I need new shorts anyway and I have plenty of solid tshirts. I'll keep an eye out at thrift stores.
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Or you might consider skorts. Athleta makes some really nice ones that look polished with just a tshirt or tank on top.
MsPeacock: how are those American Giant shirts working out for you? Contemplating buying a few for spring.
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I'm late to the party too! But I recently started looking into doing capsule wardrobes for myself I even found a couple of apps that help, though I'm not sure they're necessary. :D
First step: PURGE
I just purged FIVE BAGS of clothes! (Grocery bags) - This was stuff I had from high school, things I'll never wear again even if I can fit into them. I'm happy to have cleared them out of my closet!
Inventory & Style analysis
What do I have, and what do I wear a lot? I have moved my favorite clothes to the most accessible positions and moved everything else farther back.
My style: casual mom wear with a cosplay/geek twist
- solid color tunics + printed leggings (some look like armor) ... for casual outings, conventions
- geek t-shirt + slacks/jeans/cargo pants + jacket or blazer ... for church, casual or a little more conservative outings
- work-out/lounge clothes like jogger pants, yoga pants, tank tops, athletic shirts
- I also have random trendy outfits and dresses for when I want to look a little nicer. I usually avoid these clothes if I can!
- shoes are TOMS, ankle boots, running shoes (NB, Nike), and a couple pairs of knee-high/riding boots (for when I want to feel like a Jedi). And some nice flat sandals. I have assorted heels too but those don't get worn.
I bagged up all my maternity clothes and work clothes because I don't need them any more but I haven't gotten rid of those yet (just in case)! (Tip: Target has my favorite maternity clothes! The long stretchy tank tops are AMAZING, my favorite, great for all year round and the only thing that will fit in the last few weeks, plus you can still wear them after birth and they are easy to nurse in too. I swear I bought at least 5 of them and still wear them.)
My problem is my scale broke about a month or two ago and as a result I haven't been weighing myself every morning so I gained 10 lbs (whoops!) and now I don't have many pants that fit. I actually bought a pair of size 18 with an elastic waist (overcompensating, much?) but they try to fall off so I guess I'm still a 16, and at least my XL leggings still fit! But I'm also trying to hold back on buying things because Spring isn't here yet, it's still snowing outside and it seems silly to buy winter clothes at this point but also useless to buy Spring already. I think the one thing I'm tempted to splurge on for quality is really comfy lounging pants, like joggers or maybe even a cotton or linen blend; has to wear well, go with everything, and be something I can wear out of the house. Difficult to look around though with two toddlers in tow.
So anyway, next step is getting rid of this snowy weather so I can clear out the winter clothes and reassess my closet to build a Spring capsule. Honestly, I hate Spring, it's all pastels that wash me out. Give me a Fall wardrobe all year round and I'd be happy. :D Winter's not bad either, I'm a Winter, jewel tones are my favorite.
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Or you might consider skorts. Athleta makes some really nice ones that look polished with just a tshirt or tank on top.
MsPeacock: how are those American Giant shirts working out for you? Contemplating buying a few for spring.
So far, so good. I haven't worn them too much yet since we are still (sort of) wintery. The lightweight shirt has actually held up really nicely so far. There are similar seeming thin shirts from Target but they always end up all twisted once they are washed and the trim around the neck openings sort of collapses and gets all wavy and sad looking. That has not been the case with the American Giant shirt - it didn't shrink at all and looks exactly the same after washing as it did when new.
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I'm late to the party too! But I recently started looking into doing capsule wardrobes for myself I even found a couple of apps that help, though I'm not sure they're necessary. :D
First step: PURGE
I just purged FIVE BAGS of clothes! (Grocery bags) - This was stuff I had from high school, things I'll never wear again even if I can fit into them. I'm happy to have cleared them out of my closet!
Inventory & Style analysis
What do I have, and what do I wear a lot? I have moved my favorite clothes to the most accessible positions and moved everything else farther back.
My style: casual mom wear with a cosplay/geek twist
- solid color tunics + printed leggings (some look like armor) ... for casual outings, conventions
- geek t-shirt + slacks/jeans/cargo pants + jacket or blazer ... for church, casual or a little more conservative outings
- work-out/lounge clothes like jogger pants, yoga pants, tank tops, athletic shirts
- I also have random trendy outfits and dresses for when I want to look a little nicer. I usually avoid these clothes if I can!
- shoes are TOMS, ankle boots, running shoes (NB, Nike), and a couple pairs of knee-high/riding boots (for when I want to feel like a Jedi). And some nice flat sandals. I have assorted heels too but those don't get worn.
I bagged up all my maternity clothes and work clothes because I don't need them any more but I haven't gotten rid of those yet (just in case)! (Tip: Target has my favorite maternity clothes! The long stretchy tank tops are AMAZING, my favorite, great for all year round and the only thing that will fit in the last few weeks, plus you can still wear them after birth and they are easy to nurse in too. I swear I bought at least 5 of them and still wear them.)
My problem is my scale broke about a month or two ago and as a result I haven't been weighing myself every morning so I gained 10 lbs (whoops!) and now I don't have many pants that fit. I actually bought a pair of size 18 with an elastic waist (overcompensating, much?) but they try to fall off so I guess I'm still a 16, and at least my XL leggings still fit! But I'm also trying to hold back on buying things because Spring isn't here yet, it's still snowing outside and it seems silly to buy winter clothes at this point but also useless to buy Spring already. I think the one thing I'm tempted to splurge on for quality is really comfy lounging pants, like joggers or maybe even a cotton or linen blend; has to wear well, go with everything, and be something I can wear out of the house. Difficult to look around though with two toddlers in tow.
So anyway, next step is getting rid of this snowy weather so I can clear out the winter clothes and reassess my closet to build a Spring capsule. Honestly, I hate Spring, it's all pastels that wash me out. Give me a Fall wardrobe all year round and I'd be happy. :D Winter's not bad either, I'm a Winter, jewel tones are my favorite.
Welcome! Isn't it satisfying to purge out the excess clothing?
I am still purging clothes - did another round of things that I didn't get rid of with the first work clothing purge. Probably a few more things that I'll let go of - they are in that "well, I might wear in with X thing one day and....." category. Meaning, I haven't really worn it recently and am ambivalent about it.
Someone earlier posted a suggestion of patterned shorts and I think I may pick up one pair for this summer. Everything else I have is workout clothing (I need a few more pairs of running shorts once it warms up). Otherwise, no planned clothing purchases except for things that wear out.
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Or you might consider skorts. Athleta makes some really nice ones that look polished with just a tshirt or tank on top.
MsPeacock: how are those American Giant shirts working out for you? Contemplating buying a few for spring.
So far, so good. I haven't worn them too much yet since we are still (sort of) wintery. The lightweight shirt has actually held up really nicely so far. There are similar seeming thin shirts from Target but they always end up all twisted once they are washed and the trim around the neck openings sort of collapses and gets all wavy and sad looking. That has not been the case with the American Giant shirt - it didn't shrink at all and looks exactly the same after washing as it did when new.
Thanks for the update! I plan on purchasing new t-shirts from American Giant after I wear through my current collection. I'm still obsessed with my AG sweatshirt, and it still looks brand new even though I wear it (and wash it) a lot.
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Or you might consider skorts. Athleta makes some really nice ones that look polished with just a tshirt or tank on top.
MsPeacock: how are those American Giant shirts working out for you? Contemplating buying a few for spring.
So far, so good. I haven't worn them too much yet since we are still (sort of) wintery. The lightweight shirt has actually held up really nicely so far. There are similar seeming thin shirts from Target but they always end up all twisted once they are washed and the trim around the neck openings sort of collapses and gets all wavy and sad looking. That has not been the case with the American Giant shirt - it didn't shrink at all and looks exactly the same after washing as it did when new.
Thanks for the update! I plan on purchasing new t-shirts from American Giant after I wear through my current collection. I'm still obsessed with my AG sweatshirt, and it still looks brand new even though I wear it (and wash it) a lot.
I keep seeing adds for their new pant/leggging and I want it badly! If it really is everything they say then it's worth the price tag, but I'm used to goodwill pricing so it's hard to swallow!
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Love this thread! I'm currently pregnant and am doing a capsule wardrobe of tops and pants that fit my growing body along with cardigans and jackets and that I already had. Love the ease of capsule wardrobe so much so that I'm thinking I'll do the same once bub is out.
firelight, I've been having the same experience. I have a very minimal pregnancy wardrobe, and I'm really enjoying the ease of it. I barely have to think at all when I get dressed in the morning. I'm definitely inspired to continue in the same vein. I've already packed up a bunch of excess items to make room for the maternity clothes, and I'm thinking I'll take an hour or two to sort and then donate or sell most of them.
It feels so good to get rid of the clutter! I'm very much looking forward to unloading the maternity items I've been keeping since kid #1 (this one, #2, is definitely our last).
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Or you might consider skorts. Athleta makes some really nice ones that look polished with just a tshirt or tank on top.
MsPeacock: how are those American Giant shirts working out for you? Contemplating buying a few for spring.
So far, so good. I haven't worn them too much yet since we are still (sort of) wintery. The lightweight shirt has actually held up really nicely so far. There are similar seeming thin shirts from Target but they always end up all twisted once they are washed and the trim around the neck openings sort of collapses and gets all wavy and sad looking. That has not been the case with the American Giant shirt - it didn't shrink at all and looks exactly the same after washing as it did when new.
Thanks for the update! I plan on purchasing new t-shirts from American Giant after I wear through my current collection. I'm still obsessed with my AG sweatshirt, and it still looks brand new even though I wear it (and wash it) a lot.
I keep seeing adds for their new pant/leggging and I want it badly! If it really is everything they say then it's worth the price tag, but I'm used to goodwill pricing so it's hard to swallow!
I understand. My hoodie was a gift. However, I don't like to shop, so I like things to last as long as possible.
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Or you might consider skorts. Athleta makes some really nice ones that look polished with just a tshirt or tank on top.
MsPeacock: how are those American Giant shirts working out for you? Contemplating buying a few for spring.
So far, so good. I haven't worn them too much yet since we are still (sort of) wintery. The lightweight shirt has actually held up really nicely so far. There are similar seeming thin shirts from Target but they always end up all twisted once they are washed and the trim around the neck openings sort of collapses and gets all wavy and sad looking. That has not been the case with the American Giant shirt - it didn't shrink at all and looks exactly the same after washing as it did when new.
Thanks for the update! I plan on purchasing new t-shirts from American Giant after I wear through my current collection. I'm still obsessed with my AG sweatshirt, and it still looks brand new even though I wear it (and wash it) a lot.
I keep seeing adds for their new pant/leggging and I want it badly! If it really is everything they say then it's worth the price tag, but I'm used to goodwill pricing so it's hard to swallow!
I understand. My hoodie was a gift. However, I don't like to shop, so I like things to last as long as possible.
I have to say that I choked a bit on the price - and the hoodie that I got from them was a gift - but that sold me on other items from them. I have two pairs of sweatpants (which look as sloppy as any other sweatpants, but hopefully will hold up better), two t-shirts, and the (awesome) city sweatshirt. Other than the t-shirts, which I haven't worn much due to it being winter, I wear the heck out of the other items.
They did have a "black Friday" sale after T-day with greatly reduced prices on a number of closeout colors. It would be a good time to try a few of their items and save some money.
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Hi! I haven't posted in this thread before, but was reading occasionally to get some tips from everyone. A friend of mine just wrote a book on Marilyn Monroe, and this excerpt reminded me of this thread!
http://www.vogue.com/article/marilyn-monroe-style-makeover-biography-elizabeth-winder
Apparently Marilyn had a hard time with her capsule wardrobe, too.
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Because I am tall ( and now have a bit if of a pouch),I have hard time finding pants that fit. I wear JJill Wearever pants most of the time- they may be a little too casual for many offices- but comfortable and work for me. I also have two pairs of pull on pants from them in a stiffer fabric that is a little dressier. Pants, shell, flowy jacket and an infinity scarf is my office uniform 99 percent of time in colder weather. Warmer weather. JJill dress - I have a black one from Wearever that I probably wear 2-3 times a week with an infinity scarf and maybe a jacket.
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Damn you all, now I want a bunch of $25-$36 t-shirts. I own only 2 T-shirts. One is from my work and I wear it when I work Sundays. The other, the XFP got it for free at a school event like 3 years ago. It has stains and a rip in the armpit.
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This is a long thread and I didn't get a chance to review it all, but what helped me with my style was by accidentally finding a website called "dressing your truth" by a lady named Carol Tuttle. I saw a quiz I think, and there are 4 'types' that each correspond with colours and styles. And it was eerily accurate! You can actually shop the site too. I realized that I like certain styles, but they don't suit me so I must like them on others/ from afar. That has helped with not buying stuff that just doesn't look right, even though I like it!
The other thing that helped was Marie Kondo's Magic of Tidying up. I went through everything, and purged all that I didn't love or didn't fit. Then I rolled everything, and miraculously, the system does work! I do have to 'reset' once in a while when I have a busy stint and get lazy about putting clothes away but it really helped overall and I have no more "clothes mountain"!
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Damn you all, now I want a bunch of $25-$36 t-shirts. I own only 2 T-shirts. One is from my work and I wear it when I work Sundays. The other, the XFP got it for free at a school event like 3 years ago. It has stains and a rip in the armpit.
I don't understand how an adult human only has two t-shirts. I have ~30, and I get rid of a LOT of them (and that doesn't include my ~15 dry-fit shirts that I work out in or my 10 long sleeve t-shirts). T-shirts and reusable shopping bags are thrown at me. I'm trying to get better at saying no to free things.
I should admit that I wear a t-shirt and jeans to work every day (scientist for the win), so I do purchase solid t-shirts in a flattering cut. My last t-shirt purchase was 10 Madewell v-neck t-shirts (shown below) on clearance (I paid $88 for 10).
Right now, I'm wearing the t-shirts with a fleece (like a winter one), but I would prefer a cardigan. However, I can't find a cardigan that is warm enough. Any advice?
In warm weather, I am apparently you (except that I work at home and bike around a lot, so sometimes shorts and/or skirts). I visit thrift stores a few times/year and pick up cashmere or merino (because I don't find either to be itchy) sweaters to wear over my v-neck t-shirts. I like v-neck sweaters (and they look semi-civilized), but it's also possible to find other shapes (cardigans, cool wrap sweaters, whatever). I go to goodwill, or someplace large, and walk along the sweater racks running my hands over the shoulders -- pretty quickly you can feel for a material you'd be willing to wear. Then I pull it out and check for color (I only wear three or four) and then try on for size. Bonus -- they're pre-shrunk!
I also have a couple of fleece tops that look less casual, and sometimes wear those. For really cold days, I sprung for a baby alpaca sweater that is too warm to wear indoors most days of winter.
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Damn you all, now I want a bunch of $25-$36 t-shirts. I own only 2 T-shirts. One is from my work and I wear it when I work Sundays. The other, the XFP got it for free at a school event like 3 years ago. It has stains and a rip in the armpit.
I don't understand how an adult human only has two t-shirts. I have ~30, and I get rid of a LOT of them (and that doesn't include my ~15 dry-fit shirts that I work out in or my 10 long sleeve t-shirts). T-shirts and reusable shopping bags are thrown at me. I'm trying to get better at saying no to free things.
I should admit that I wear a t-shirt and jeans to work every day (scientist for the win), so I do purchase solid t-shirts in a flattering cut. My last t-shirt purchase was 10 Madewell v-neck t-shirts (shown below) on clearance (I paid $88 for 10).
Right now, I'm wearing the t-shirts with a fleece (like a winter one), but I would prefer a cardigan. However, I can't find a cardigan that is warm enough. Any advice?
In warm weather, I am apparently you (except that I work at home and bike around a lot, so sometimes shorts and/or skirts). I visit thrift stores a few times/year and pick up cashmere or merino (because I don't find either to be itchy) sweaters to wear over my v-neck t-shirts. I like v-neck sweaters (and they look semi-civilized), but it's also possible to find other shapes (cardigans, cool wrap sweaters, whatever). I go to goodwill, or someplace large, and walk along the sweater racks running my hands over the shoulders -- pretty quickly you can feel for a material you'd be willing to wear. Then I pull it out and check for color (I only wear three or four) and then try on for size. Bonus -- they're pre-shrunk!
I also have a couple of fleece tops that look less casual, and sometimes wear those. For really cold days, I sprung for a baby alpaca sweater that is too warm to wear indoors most days of winter.
I have lovely cardigans from a thrift shop (both wool and cashmere, but no alpaca), but they're not warm enough. My offices are air conditioned to the extreme, and I run cold. I'm willing to buy something new if I can find something warm enough, but I don't go to stores.
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Damn you all, now I want a bunch of $25-$36 t-shirts. I own only 2 T-shirts. One is from my work and I wear it when I work Sundays. The other, the XFP got it for free at a school event like 3 years ago. It has stains and a rip in the armpit.
I don't understand how an adult human only has two t-shirts. I have ~30, and I get rid of a LOT of them (and that doesn't include my ~15 dry-fit shirts that I work out in or my 10 long sleeve t-shirts). T-shirts and reusable shopping bags are thrown at me. I'm trying to get better at saying no to free things.
I should admit that I wear a t-shirt and jeans to work every day (scientist for the win), so I do purchase solid t-shirts in a flattering cut. My last t-shirt purchase was 10 Madewell v-neck t-shirts (shown below) on clearance (I paid $88 for 10).
Right now, I'm wearing the t-shirts with a fleece (like a winter one), but I would prefer a cardigan. However, I can't find a cardigan that is warm enough. Any advice?
In warm weather, I am apparently you (except that I work at home and bike around a lot, so sometimes shorts and/or skirts). I visit thrift stores a few times/year and pick up cashmere or merino (because I don't find either to be itchy) sweaters to wear over my v-neck t-shirts. I like v-neck sweaters (and they look semi-civilized), but it's also possible to find other shapes (cardigans, cool wrap sweaters, whatever). I go to goodwill, or someplace large, and walk along the sweater racks running my hands over the shoulders -- pretty quickly you can feel for a material you'd be willing to wear. Then I pull it out and check for color (I only wear three or four) and then try on for size. Bonus -- they're pre-shrunk!
I also have a couple of fleece tops that look less casual, and sometimes wear those. For really cold days, I sprung for a baby alpaca sweater that is too warm to wear indoors most days of winter.
I have lovely cardigans from a thrift shop (both wool and cashmere, but no alpaca), but they're not warm enough. My offices are air conditioned to the extreme, and I run cold. I'm willing to buy something new if I can find something warm enough, but I don't go to stores.
Maybe you need a warm hidden base layer? With the right undershirt you could keep the same year round visible wardrobe.
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Damn you all, now I want a bunch of $25-$36 t-shirts. I own only 2 T-shirts. One is from my work and I wear it when I work Sundays. The other, the XFP got it for free at a school event like 3 years ago. It has stains and a rip in the armpit.
I don't understand how an adult human only has two t-shirts. I have ~30, and I get rid of a LOT of them (and that doesn't include my ~15 dry-fit shirts that I work out in or my 10 long sleeve t-shirts). T-shirts and reusable shopping bags are thrown at me. I'm trying to get better at saying no to free things.
I should admit that I wear a t-shirt and jeans to work every day (scientist for the win), so I do purchase solid t-shirts in a flattering cut. My last t-shirt purchase was 10 Madewell v-neck t-shirts (shown below) on clearance (I paid $88 for 10).
Right now, I'm wearing the t-shirts with a fleece (like a winter one), but I would prefer a cardigan. However, I can't find a cardigan that is warm enough. Any advice?
In warm weather, I am apparently you (except that I work at home and bike around a lot, so sometimes shorts and/or skirts). I visit thrift stores a few times/year and pick up cashmere or merino (because I don't find either to be itchy) sweaters to wear over my v-neck t-shirts. I like v-neck sweaters (and they look semi-civilized), but it's also possible to find other shapes (cardigans, cool wrap sweaters, whatever). I go to goodwill, or someplace large, and walk along the sweater racks running my hands over the shoulders -- pretty quickly you can feel for a material you'd be willing to wear. Then I pull it out and check for color (I only wear three or four) and then try on for size. Bonus -- they're pre-shrunk!
I also have a couple of fleece tops that look less casual, and sometimes wear those. For really cold days, I sprung for a baby alpaca sweater that is too warm to wear indoors most days of winter.
I have lovely cardigans from a thrift shop (both wool and cashmere, but no alpaca), but they're not warm enough. My offices are air conditioned to the extreme, and I run cold. I'm willing to buy something new if I can find something warm enough, but I don't go to stores.
Maybe you need a warm hidden base layer? With the right undershirt you could keep the same year round visible wardrobe.
That might work in the winter.* But I would get too warm outside during the summer.
*I have started looking into undershirts.
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Have you seen those huge scarves that are practically blankets? That's my office scarf, it lives on my chair at work and keeps me warm when my clothes fail.
I also wear fingerless mittens, keeps my hands and wrists warm while still allowing me to use my fingers typing. I actually made these out of a cashmere sweater that I didn't like the cut of.
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Have you seen those huge scarves that are practically blankets? That's my office scarf, it lives on my chair at work and keeps me warm when my clothes fail.
I also wear fingerless mittens, keeps my hands and wrists warm while still allowing me to use my fingers typing. I actually made these out of a cashmere sweater that I didn't like the cut of.
I had one like that. Now that I seem to be hitting menopause I am always too hot.
Anyhow - it was a big grey knit wrap from target and it actually looked quite nice and I could drape it around me several different ways.
I also found it helpful to keep a heating pad on my chair at work.
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Just a quick check in to see how everyone's wardrobe project is going. I'm wearing the same things from the start, although I have ditched cardigans in favor of v neck sweaters. Made the recent decision to stop buying any grey tops because it is a horrible color on me. I have one or two grey sweaters that I will see out and not replace. Every time I wear grey people ask if I am sick or had a bad night and didn't sleep. Navy blue will be the go to neutral.
The American giant shirts are holding up well. Everything from them is holding up well. Their premium t-shirt with the seam on the back looks nice, but the seam is actually uncomfortable when you are sitting back in a chair. Too bad because the fabric and drape are super nice. My back is fairly boney so it may be less of a problem for people with more padding. The city sweatshirt is amazing and looks fantastic despite many wearing same runs through the wash. The clothes absolutely don't shrink.
Today: express pants - old. White shirt - forever21 - old. Striped shirt -H&M - old.
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Thanks for the update on the AG t-shirts, MsPeacock. I'm still going through my current stockpile of Madewell t-shirts.
I found a great "sweater" fleece thing from Patagonia that I think will look nice over my t-shirts at work AND keep me super warm. However, it's $130 new. I'm looking for a used alternative or possibly a sale (summer?).
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With the weather being a little more even keel now (please no more ice storms!) I've settled into a nice clothes routine. Admittedly, it's not as elegant and polished as I like to pretend I secretly am, but it fits with my lifestyle a lot better.
Most days, I just do a combo of black yoga capris, + a colored v neck t-shirt. If it's cold I add a zip-up hoodie. If it's hot, I switch the capris for shorts. And I have a pair of leather sandals I've been wearing for most things.
I already had all these clothes pretty much, too. I think the big things has just been giving myself permission to wear the same basic uniform and not be fancy. I wore basically this outfit a lot before, but I felt bad about it, like it was giving up and I should "do better". I guess giving yourself permission can be a pretty powerful thing!
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Long time lurker in this thread, popping in to thank you all. Like Bracken_Joy, I've given myself permission to wear the stuff I like, and I have cleaned out my closet and dresser to the point where I can easily see and reach everything -- and most of what I have is what I like! (there are a few things hanging out that I'm still deciding on...). Like many folks here, it's V-neck sweaters (I seem to have an endless supply of cashmere or merino V-necks from local thrift stores) with the occasional warmer sweater, V-neck short-sleeved shirts, 5 pairs of pants I alternate, a bunch of shorts (I work from home). I love that I could get dressed in the dark and (1) look just fine, and (2) look just like me.
Plus, the experiment encouraged me to get rid of the clothing I didn't love or that was just getting worn-looking. So I look like a slightly less-grungy version of myself, if that makes sense.
Thanks!
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Thank you for the American Giant info, MsPeacock. I totally need a sweatshirt, so may order one soon.
I did a massive closet clean out with the help of a friend. I got rid of all my everlane tshirts and bought five white ones from uniqlo and two pairs of Patagonia shorts. That and a new sun hat and I am pretty good for summer and spring. I am trying a pair of Madewell jeans, the Perfect Summer Jean. 100% cotton. I will report back.
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Thank you for the American Giant info, MsPeacock. I totally need a sweatshirt, so may order one soon.
I have had my American Giant sweatshirt for almost 4 years, and it looks brand new. It was a gift, and I wouldn't have spent that much on a sweatshirt. However, I'm sold. I wear the sweatshirt at least once/week year round.
I did a massive closet clean out with the help of a friend. I got rid of all my everlane tshirts and bought five white ones from uniqlo and two pairs of Patagonia shorts. That and a new sun hat and I am pretty good for summer and spring. I am trying a pair of Madewell jeans, the Perfect Summer Jean. 100% cotton. I will report back.
Did you like your Everlane t-shirts?
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Hey 4alpacas, so part of the problem with the Everlane shirts was that I lost weight and the large v necks and medium round neck shirts were way big and too immodest all of a sudden. On the round or scoop neck shirts, the fabric binding at the neck twisted a bit and didn't lay flat after washing. The fabric is pretty thin on both. But really, the low neck lines started to look wrong to me so I didn't want to replace them in a smaller size.
I decided to switch styles a bit too. The uniqlo crew necks are a more solid cloth, higher neck line, and more fitted. I'm hang drying them and then putting on hangers in my closet, no wrinkles or shrinking.
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I love Madewell jeans! I got my last pair on ebay (tag said Nordstrom Rack), and they're alright, but my pair from the actual store held up really well for a long time.
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The everlame shirts and sweaters I purchased quite a while back didn't hold up for me. The sweater progressively shrank until it was unwearable, despite following care instructions. The t-shirt necklines twisted and the shirts shrank funny. They aren't made in the US and I wouldn't buy from them again.
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Thanks for all of the Everlane feedback. I think I was sucked in by their sleek website and simple designs. I will steer clear of their clothing in the future.
I love Madewell jeans! I got my last pair on ebay (tag said Nordstrom Rack), and they're alright, but my pair from the actual store held up really well for a long time.
I love buying used jeans on eBay. It's insane how little people want for a pair of jeans that has been worn only a few times.
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MSPeacock, you'll have to let us know how your uniform goes in your new job. Is the new office more or less dressy.? Any alteration to your slacks/blouse/sweater uniform?
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MSPeacock, you'll have to let us know how your uniform goes in your new job. Is the new office more or less dressy.? Any alteration to your slacks/blouse/sweater uniform?
I will definitely let you know! For my interview the director was nicely dressed for the office. I wore a suit, of course. I swung in the other day to pick up some papers and one person was wearing jeans and the others comfortable business clothes (khakis, blouse). My plan is to keep wearing the same thing. I replaced a couple white shirts that have worn out and got two new pairs of (the exact same) pants I always wear. I have three patterned shirts (otherwise same brand and style of the white shirts) that I can wear when it is too hot for a sweater. The clothing suits me and I think it will most likely be fine for the new job. If not I'll get a few blazers and that will be a little dressier.
I am going to start biking to work, so we will see how that goes. I'll need to throw on leggings or something for the very short ride.
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I haven't posted before, but I've really enjoyed reading the tips on here.
I've found a few great capsule items that I'd like to share. I don't think they've been listed but I may have missed it-- apologies if so!
Express Portofino Collared Blouses (These are amazing-- they come in a wider and a slim fit with many pattern options... if you buy the non-sheer ones they look great alone or with sweaters over them. They also look really nice under a sleeveless sheath dress)
Uniqlo Crewneck Sweaters (Cable knit or regular... nice colors, hold up well if you machine wash and dry flat, they look great over the collared blouses mentioned before. I find I need to order a size up from my normal size.)
J.Jill Ponte Skirts (Lots of colors, professional look, works with above-mentioned items)
I've come to a good place with my capsule where I have a nice blend of collared blouses, crewneck sweaters, long cardigans, and skirts. Sweaters and skirts are in my base colors of gray, black, dark blue, dark green or maroon and blouses are in more fun patterns that match the base colors. My challenges are 1) making the decision to donate or sell some of the funkier unique items I acquired in younger years, and 2) balancing finding the "just right" items with my desire to buy used clothing. It's hard to wait for these items to appear in Goodwill but I don't feel great financially or ethically buying new clothes. Hmm.
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I haven't posted before, but I've really enjoyed reading the tips on here.
I've found a few great capsule items that I'd like to share. I don't think they've been listed but I may have missed it-- apologies if so!
Express Portofino Collared Blouses (These are amazing-- they come in a wider and a slim fit with many pattern options... if you buy the non-sheer ones they look great alone or with sweaters over them. They also look really nice under a sleeveless sheath dress)
Uniqlo Crewneck Sweaters (Cable knit or regular... nice colors, hold up well if you machine wash and dry flat, they look great over the collared blouses mentioned before. I find I need to order a size up from my normal size.)
J.Jill Ponte Skirts (Lots of colors, professional look, works with above-mentioned items)
I've come to a good place with my capsule where I have a nice blend of collared blouses, crewneck sweaters, long cardigans, and skirts. Sweaters and skirts are in my base colors of gray, black, dark blue, dark green or maroon and blouses are in more fun patterns that match the base colors. My challenges are 1) making the decision to donate or sell some of the funkier unique items I acquired in younger years, and 2) balancing finding the "just right" items with my desire to buy used clothing. It's hard to wait for these items to appear in Goodwill but I don't feel great financially or ethically buying new clothes. Hmm.
Portofino shirts are my go-to shirt also. With attrition of other clothes from my closet they are now my only blouse.
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Ah, I'm glad to see this thread back in my feed cos I meant to reply to it! I feel as though I have achieved wardrobe nirvana recently and it's so beautiful!
I have a base core of items that fit into a carry-on that I can wear just about anywhere: a couple of cool modern-looking asymmetrical t-shirt dresses, skinny jeans, fancy black joggers, a black blazer, some simple knit tops, a couple really nice sweaters, leggings, and 3 pair of shoes (white adidas with black stripes, those black Clarks oxfords that Ms Peacock has, and black chacos sandals). Everything mixes and matches and can be dressed up or down and gosh, it's a really nice feeling to know I definitely have something cute and comfy to wear, wherever I need to go.
On one of the podcasts I listen to, the host was talking about how she likes to maintain a high "wardrobe GPA" in that almost everything in there is an A. The concept stuck with me and it's definitely keeping me from buying anything that would drag my GPA down.
Since I'm a larger lady (size 20) it's not always easy to hold out for the high GPA items. Until recently it's been a lot of shitty prints and gross polyesters and cold shoulders. WHY THE COLD SHOULDER, FASHION, STOP IT. But plus size clothes have taken a big step forward in the last few years. Right now I'm really into a company called Universal Standard. The clothes aren't cheap, nor are they designer-level expensive. They are simple, modern designs, well made of good fabrics, and that is 100% what I want. I've worn the t-shirt dresses I got from them dozens of times by now, and still look really great.
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MSPeacock, you'll have to let us know how your uniform goes in your new job. Is the new office more or less dressy.? Any alteration to your slacks/blouse/sweater uniform?
I will definitely let you know! For my interview the director was nicely dressed for the office. I wore a suit, of course. I swung in the other day to pick up some papers and one person was wearing jeans and the others comfortable business clothes (khakis, blouse). My plan is to keep wearing the same thing. I replaced a couple white shirts that have worn out and got two new pairs of (the exact same) pants I always wear. I have three patterned shirts (otherwise same brand and style of the white shirts) that I can wear when it is too hot for a sweater. The clothing suits me and I think it will most likely be fine for the new job. If not I'll get a few blazers and that will be a little dressier.
I am going to start biking to work, so we will see how that goes. I'll need to throw on leggings or something for the very short ride.
Started the new job a few months ago. My old wardrobe works just fine - absolutely no problem whatsoever. I bike in to work, weather permitting, in whatever outside clothes are appropriate (t-shirt and shorts) and then change at work. There is a huge closet right outside my office so I now have about 1/2 my wardrobe of work clothes stashed there. When I drive in I bring some clean clothes in to hang up and take home my bag of dirty work clothes to launder. It works so well! Most of the staff is younger than me and dresses professionally, but a bit more casually than I do (e.g. chinos instead of dress trousers). Fridays are 'casual' - meaning jeans and a dress blouse. I mostly forget about that because I am in a routine and just wear my regular outfits anyhow. I keep a few pairs of shoes at work as well. I change back into my 'regular' clothes to bike home.
Waiting on black Friday when Express has 50% off everything to stock up on a few more white shirts.
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Have you seen those huge scarves that are practically blankets? That's my office scarf, it lives on my chair at work and keeps me warm when my clothes fail.
I also wear fingerless mittens, keeps my hands and wrists warm while still allowing me to use my fingers typing. I actually made these out of a cashmere sweater that I didn't like the cut of.
If you ever get the chance to buy a kikoy or Maasai blanket. Go for it. I use mine for the office and everyone stops to ask where I got it. I got mine in my country but I am sure whole foods or one of these fair trade places is selling this. There has to be a website that has stolen this design. I saw a Louis Vuitton show where they pretty much sold these for hundreds of dollars like it was their idea...
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Any updates, now that we are finally seeing some warmer weather? I have a bag of work clothes waiting to go to the tailer and I am due for a closet clean out. I find this thread so inspirational!
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I'm slowly losing weight and fitting back into my smaller sizes, but doing it slowly has means I'm getting my money's worth from the larger sizes!
Many clothes will be ok to donate to charity, a few are nice enough to sell and some are worn out....
The aim is to settle on a smaller range of sizes and concentrate on a simple 'uniform'. I may need to get rid of some of the smallest sizes as I think these were bought delusionally!
How are others getting on?
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Hi everyone! I haven’t been on ages and was surprised to see the thread had been active recently. I’m plugging along with my same “uniform” still in rotation. Could prune out a couple dresss that I never wear anymore. Almost all my work clothes now live at work, which is really handy. One of the nicer changes for me, in the l9ng run, is that I have really lost 8nterrst in shopping at all. No impulse purchases of cute clothes at target and such. I jut can’t be bothered!
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How are others getting on?
My post-partum body is yet to decide it wants to fit back into my work dresses (GIANT BOOBS) though I only had a couple left anyway as I'd been letting my wardrobe wear out and dwindle in anticipation of needing maternity wear. So my "smart casual" wardrobe (flowy dresses, cardigans, either sandals or mary janes with tights) is my overall wardrobe now. I'm trying to go this whole year without buying clothes (unlikely to succeed) and once I do buy clothes again, I want to do it mindfully and construct a uniform for each of my needs: work, smart casual, casual park wear, athletic wear. I didn't need "casual park wear" before I had a baby, but now I do - well, either that or expensive athletic wear to sub in for park time, and I think it would be cheaper and easier to separate out the uniforms.
Lifestyle changes really do change what I need to wear - I never wore sandals before, as I was in air con (either home or in the office) all summer. Now I'm out and about a fair bit with the baby, and so I need sandals to wear bare-legged with dresses.
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Yeah, I'm currently pregnant, looking forward to get back into my usual wardrobe next year...
Exept that I'll also switch careers, so my usual wardrobe will get a much more limited use, and I'll have to buy fancier stuff to face customers. Urgh.
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I just discovered this thread and am happy to have found it.
I have always struggled with scarcity mindset and have recently really been letting go of it more and more. I think a capsule style approach to my wardrobe would be healthy. If I find something like a brand name sweater at the thrift store I can get unreasonably attached to it because I've never been able to afford one new. I'm done with that, I want clothing that is functional and fashionable.
I've recently become interested in a capsule wardrobe, but have my own unique things that pop up too. Most capsule wardrobes don't count "Gym Clothes" unless you wear them for non gym activities. I cross-wear my gym clothes for my dog walking side hustle (and sometimes to my tutoring job on the weekends if I want to be comfortable), so haven't been sure how to consider them. They're definitely wear once, then wash type situations when I wear them.
For my day job I have two identical outfits (I purchased two of the same pair of pants, two of the same dress shirt, and two black blazers) and I simply rotate them occasionally throwing in a sweater/cardigan instead of the blazer. I wear the same pair of dress shoes every day- going on two years now. I work at day job 3x/week in an office-ish setting.
I only buy at the Thrift or occasionally buy at a Marshalls/TG Maxx/Discount type store and not counting my work "uniform" and my gym clothes... I think I'd struggle to have even 50 pieces, but I think 50 would be a good goal for me... I can count shoes, bags, scarves (reluctant to do this, I have like 5 scarves-I'm a cold person!), and jewelry too if I want to make it a tougher challenge.
I'm curious to go through the actions of the capsuling method in order to see what matches with what and how I can wear each item that I already own. I only wear neutral colors 99% (I have one really cute 1970's tropical floral top) and no prints unless they are striped or dotted (rare).... so I am pretty easy to please and match.
Looking forward to digging out my drawers soon!
*What do y'all think I should do in consideration of my work out clothes? I have 4 of the same pair of Marika volleyball style tights and 10 plain racerback tank tops all the same brand just in varying blues, greys, and black. I wear them to the gym (soaked when I'm finished, can't re-wear) and for days I have back-to-back-to-back sweaty outdoor dog walks (also soaked by the time I'm done). I have a few pair of shorts (2) and one pair of HUGE LUXURIOUS sweatpants. I don't wear pajamas, I wear the workout clothes (clean, fyi) to bed.
*Every now and then I'll wear a pair of the tights with one of my sweaters for a more dressed up but casual look. Maybe once a month.
Should I count them?
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I wouldn't get too hung up on a number, but look at whether you're getting full use out of all your clothes.
Are there any that sit in your wardrobe or drawers unworn? Could you make more use of these items or consider getting rid of them by giving to charity or recycling...?