During the past year I decreased my wardrobe...and then made some silly purchases trying to create excitement + style. Of course this is about more than just clothing. It's about contentment. It's about what I'm trying to say with my clothing rather than my life. I'd like to focus on contentedness + living life outside of a focus on clothes. I do like fashion, but I am feeling the need to forget clothing a little more...in order to stop always looking for more.
One of the tools that has come in handy on this journey has been my list of pieces that I've decided is enough. I compiled the first list during a year spent trying to buy only replacements. I found it helpful to have a list of things that I'd deemed worthy of being replaced...a list of highly scrutinized "necessities". Over the past year + a half, I've continued to consider the necessity of each item on that list. I've observed what is truly necessary during each season that passes + made note. Obviously we would each come to different conclusions for our basic simple wardrobes. I'd encourage taking weather, activities (work, lounge, weekends, events), style + comfort into account. My list includes daily clothing...but excludes outerwear + intimates. I could lounge, sleep + workout in the pieces I've included on my list.
My base wardrobe now consists of the 20 following items:
8 tops
7 bottoms
1 jumpsuit or dress
4 footwear
My current preferences break down like this:
-2 tanks
-2 tees
-layering tanks + long-sleeved tees (counting these as 1 item, bc I don't wear them alone)
-1 sweatshirt
-2 sweaters
-2 soft pants
-2 fitted pants
-leggings
-2 shorts
-1 layer-able dress or jumpsuit
-sandals
-trainers
-boots
-flats
When I have these wisely chosen items + they mix well...I have enough for all the seasons + all the situations I anticipate finding myself in. I can add pieces to this list, but I don't need more. The idea is that I can find rest...contentment...a break from the desire for more. I'd really like to get back to having long periods of time when I'm not thinking about my clothes...and short periods of time when I reassess what I need + shop for those specific pieces.
The way I composed this collection of pieces in the first place was just to shop my own wardrobe. There is no reason to go out + purchase a whole new "capsule wardrobe". I've found one trick to making "less" work in various situations is to choose pieces that aren't too casual or too dressy. Depending on the events for which one needs their wardrobe to function, pieces might be chosen accordingly (choose a black rayon dress + dressier flats or boots instead of pieces like those shown).
The images above are not the pieces I have in my simple wardrobe (those might be getting a little redundant around here). :) They are a mix of thrifted + fair pieces that just might fit the bill. All lovely photos via links.
Love,
Jane
One of the tools that has come in handy on this journey has been my list of pieces that I've decided is enough. I compiled the first list during a year spent trying to buy only replacements. I found it helpful to have a list of things that I'd deemed worthy of being replaced...a list of highly scrutinized "necessities". Over the past year + a half, I've continued to consider the necessity of each item on that list. I've observed what is truly necessary during each season that passes + made note. Obviously we would each come to different conclusions for our basic simple wardrobes. I'd encourage taking weather, activities (work, lounge, weekends, events), style + comfort into account. My list includes daily clothing...but excludes outerwear + intimates. I could lounge, sleep + workout in the pieces I've included on my list.
My base wardrobe now consists of the 20 following items:
8 tops
7 bottoms
1 jumpsuit or dress
4 footwear
My current preferences break down like this:
-2 tanks
-2 tees
-layering tanks + long-sleeved tees (counting these as 1 item, bc I don't wear them alone)
-1 sweatshirt
-2 sweaters
-2 soft pants
-2 fitted pants
-leggings
-2 shorts
-1 layer-able dress or jumpsuit
-sandals
-trainers
-boots
-flats
When I have these wisely chosen items + they mix well...I have enough for all the seasons + all the situations I anticipate finding myself in. I can add pieces to this list, but I don't need more. The idea is that I can find rest...contentment...a break from the desire for more. I'd really like to get back to having long periods of time when I'm not thinking about my clothes...and short periods of time when I reassess what I need + shop for those specific pieces.
The way I composed this collection of pieces in the first place was just to shop my own wardrobe. There is no reason to go out + purchase a whole new "capsule wardrobe". I've found one trick to making "less" work in various situations is to choose pieces that aren't too casual or too dressy. Depending on the events for which one needs their wardrobe to function, pieces might be chosen accordingly (choose a black rayon dress + dressier flats or boots instead of pieces like those shown).
The images above are not the pieces I have in my simple wardrobe (those might be getting a little redundant around here). :) They are a mix of thrifted + fair pieces that just might fit the bill. All lovely photos via links.
Love,
Jane
