my 31-day capsule adventure || week 2

my 31-day capsule adventure:

still going strong! and i'm thinking this whole getting dressed everyday thing may stick. being a sahm often meant me staying in "pj's" all day aka lounge clothes, stretchy pants, or workout clothes. i mean, why "waste" an outfit on sitting around the house all day, right?? but i found out i will be taking kennedy & lincoln (no i didn't intentional mean to name them after presidents) to school every morning now, so maybe that will justify actually getting dressed...we'll see how sleepy i am. i LOVE sleeping.

week 2

saturday: we helped hubs move into his new office. since it's summer, the building a/c is turned off which means it runs about 80* so i wish i would have basically wore my bathing suit but linen is also a good idea...which is why i love this tee.

also, how awesome is this genuine gemstone necklace?! even better...it's handmade by a local artisan. she also makes all kinds of awesome dreamcatchers (i own one of those too). so if you're in the southern ohio area, be sure to check out her work at the artisan market on saturday mornings by the gallipolis city park.

green linen tee - old navy (similar)
grey boyfriend jeans - forever 21 (similar)
slip ons - vans
gemstone necklace - local artisan made

sunday: went to church. went to lunch. went to cousin's birthday party. continued to move hubs into new office. tried to prepare for the crazy week ahead.

truth: i could wear my brown booties every. single. day.

embroidered top - target (similar)
black skinnies - forever 21
brown booties - cato (similar)
hat - target

monday: and so began our crazy week. every day this week lincoln had kindergarten camp from 9-12 & emma had volleyball practice from 3-5 & hubs was working all day with meetings all night & kennedy wanted last-chance play dates & olive...well, she just wants to eat. this week makes me actually look forward to school starting back! where am i? who am i picking up??

truth: i am really not feeling my hair these days. i stress cut some bangs the other day & have since found myself pinning them back every day. also, i'm not sure if my hair is an intentional lob or just a grown out bob. i think i want to grow it out again. or cut it all off. ugh. #girlprobz

striped button up - forever 21 (similar)
black skinnies -  forever 21
black slip ons - vans

tuesday: in between running the kids back & forth, i hopped into the store & picked up some stuff to make dinner for a sweet girl who just had a baby. this has always been such a huge blessing to me as others have brought us food after our babies were born, so it's a ministry close to my heart. plus, it's an awesome opportunity to just love on other mommas! {1 peter 4:10 yo}

truth: i had to recreate this outfit from tuesday bc i accidentally deleted it & blah, blah, blah. i actually had on my "ohio grown" grey tee from a cool shop at easton (columbus, oh) (and no, i don't remember the name of it), but you get the picture.

also, i love dry shampoo. hello day 3 hair.

floral kimono - target (similar)
grey tee - american apparel
denim skinnies - forever 21
sandals - Birkenstocks

wednesday: same ole, same ole as far as routine goes except we did double play-date-drop-offs. (i'm tellin ya, i'm lucky i got the right kid to the right house). it was an absolutely perfect day weather-wise, though. a cool morning in the 70's then barely reaching 80 in the afternoon. huge, puffy clouds & the bluest skies. (oh, how i cannot wait for cool fall mornings & warm yummy coffee.)

again, loving the layering this week. it's like a capsule parfait. no it's not. too far. but i cannot wait to layer more this fall & winter. fall, fall, fall, fall, fall.

grey tee - hello apparel

lace slip - free people

striped turban - miss giggle buns

black skinnies - forever 21

sandals - birkenstocks

gemstone necklace - local artisan made

truth: 1. this slip was not in my original capsule but after selling a few items that i felt i could part with, i justified purchasing it for my birthday. 2. i really wanted to wear my brown sandals with this outfit but they require all this extra effort what with the buckles & straps & on a day like today where i'm in & out of the house so much, i'd like to be able to kick off my shoes easily & slip them back on quickly. 3. birkenstocks are the comfiest shoe i have ever owned. my plantar fasciitis thanks you (how old am i??)

what olive's wearing:

heart tee - baby gap

denim skinnies - baby gap

floral handband - brinbows (three cheers for etsy, amiright)

(hello belly)

(look i'm smiling because this is so fun.)

thursday: running low on options because, laundry. and since i've had little to no time for laundry this week, it's really complicated things in regard(s?)s to capsule dressing. so, uh, note to self: when living with a limited wardrobe, keep up with laundry.

striped tee - forever 21 (similar)
jean vest - old navy (similar)
grey boyfriend jeans - forever 21 (similar)
sandals - birkenstocks
hat -  target

friday: oh my gosh, thank goodness this week is OVAH. also, i'm writing this super quick because we're trying to leave to get last minute back-to-school stuff done (that's how we roll). this may have been my fav outfit of the week. i just felt good in it, ya know. also, i wanted to include a pic without the jean vest to show the difference adding just one piece can make. this jean vest is so versatile-why didn't i have one before?! also it kind of nips in my post-baby waist & creates a really flattering silhouette. jean vest, you rule.

nude tank (aka my most favorite tank of all time) - madewell 
jean vest - old navy (similar)
black skinnies - forever 21
brown booties - cato (similar)

okay, so now that week 1 & 2 are both done, i'm even more excited for week 3 & 4 because i can start mixing & matches tops & bottoms. personally, i love the challenge of making something dressy look casual & vice versa. anyway, i'll quit sounding like i know something & get in the van before the fam up & leaves my booty.

xo

my 31-day capsule adventure || week 1

so here we go. after writing about my summer capsule wardrobe, i had a lot of awesome feedback & a lot of curiosity. i had been thinking about documenting what a month might look like with a capsule wardrobe (i love crap like that. maybe i shouldn't say crap). with august right around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to jump in. i will admit, over the summer, i have added an item or two (birthday probz) but was careful to take pieces out of my capsule, as well. i believe there is sometimes a fluidity to all of this & that's okay.

remember my summer capsule wardrobe? it was selected for june, july & august. for my 31-day capsule adventure (the month of august), i am wearing only items found in that capsule. my goal is to not only wear something "different" but to show the variety of ways to wear some of my fav pieces. i mean, it's not really about wearing something completely new every day but more about being creative with your wardrobe pieces. isn't this what happens to us all...we always end up grabbing the same tried & true tee with our most comfy bottoms and variety becomes lost to us?? yeah, i feel ya. by challenging myself to create new looks with the same items, i'm hoping to open myself up to new outfit possibilities that i can grab easily (because with 4 littles i don't have time to think too much about it).

let me be real:

i'm a stay-at-home mom to 4. i'm up early. i'm getting groceries. i'm at the park. i'm doing laundry. i'm not living a life of being "dressed up" every day. what i'm thinking is...let's redefine what "dressed up" means to me.  i need to make this capsule wardrobe a real part of my everyday life. so, maybe, instead of wearing my husbands old tee shirt & black yoga pants to the store...i grab my comfy black skinnies & throw on a striped tee?? i'm not looking for pieces that i would never actually wear in my everyday life. did you notice the shoes i chose for my summer capsule are all options i could wear while chasing a kid?? yeah. and maybe we don't make it out of our jams some days-i mean, that's gonna happen & who really cares.

[note: if you work outside the home, you're probably going to include more dress pants options than me & probably more blouses, button-ups or dresses. just make YOUR capsule work for YOU.]

without further ado...

*drum roll please*

my 31-day capsule adventure:

week 1

saturday: (i'm kind of aggravated because all of this week's posts got deleted & now i'm trying to remember everything i did & wrote about. oh well.) we got started late in the day & i had a few errands to run so a pretty low key day. i went for what i would call "my uniform:" black skinnies, tee & birks.

(click for links)

striped tee - forever 21

black skinnies - forever 21

sandals - birkenstocks

sunday: church day! our church is pretty laid back when it comes to dress code (thank goodness), so today called for a classic jeans & white blouse combo. also, remember my cool copper diy necklace?? loved it with this simple duo.

white tunic - old navy
denim skinnies - forever 21
brown booties - cato (similar)
necklace - me yo
cute baby - one of a kind original

monday: first day of our county fair. our kids are active in 4-H so it is a pretty busy week for us. we started early in the morning & basically went all day.

embroidered blouse - lucky brand

black skinnies - forever 21   

brown booties - cato (similar)

leather satchel - river city leather (custom)

tuesday: we slept in then went for a walk then did laundry & i never changed out of my workout clothes, sooo no pic.

wednesday: i had a few errands to run then we went over to my in-laws to visit with family that was in town. hubs & i took advantage of the extra hands & headed out to catch a movie.

tip: get new looks with layering. love love love the colors here. i also like to try new ways to wear a tee such as knotted it to the side and/or rolling up the sleeves.

mustard tee - medal

rose slip - forever 21

grey boyfriend jeans - forever 21 (similar since i distressed them myself)

sandals - birkenstocks

thursday: it was a rainy, slow day full of laundry so i went for something comfy yet pulled together. these jogger pants from target are THE BEST (i wish you could see them better-curse you beautiful, black wall). these pants are so magical the way they can be dressed up or down. we also love this baby-safe teething necklace for my girl, olive here.

muscle tee - madewell

black joggers - target

teething necklace - lolli jo

(hi fun people behind us.)

friday: today was our last day at the county fair. we spent the evening doing tractor pulls, eating fair fries & riding carny rides. i couldn't wait to get home & shower. oh yes, i also decided to cut myself some bangs on a whim this same morning because life't too short. (hey there, today was also fun because hubs got some good news...he got a new job! it's something he's been wanting for years now & i'm so happy for him. it's also a promotion in pay which is awesome. this also means new schools, new dress codes & new routines for everyone which has us kind of scrambling during these last few days of summer. 2015, you've been a roller coaster of a ride already.)

blouse - madewell
denim skinnies - forever 21
sandals - handmade (thrifted)
hat - madewell

alright, week 1 down & it wasn't as hard as i thought it would be. although, i'm assuming the last week will be the most challenging. week 2, bring it on.

how are your summer wardrobes doing???

my capsule wardrobe || a romantic hipster summer

first things, first. what the heck is a capsule wardrobe. i'm using caroline from un-fancy.com's simple definition: It’s a mini wardrobe made up of really versatile pieces that you totally LOVE to wear.

so basically for the past year i've been reading, pinning & reading more about capsule wardrobes. and it has taken me this long to really grasp where i was wanting to take this. it's been a surprising process. it started with just wanting less. cleaning out & selling items that didn't fit (check out the lovely before & during pics below). as the year progressed & seasons came & went, it became more about finding & filling my closet with quality items that are less trendy and more versatile. i've downsized & deliberated & am so much happier with where i am now with my wardrobe. it's full of only pieces i would be happy to wear any time. every day.

tip: invest in wooden hangers. it feels like you're shopping your fancy closet every time you get dressed!

before

after

so what's the point of all of this?

as caroline from un-fancy says,

To me, a capsule wardrobe represents more time and energy for what really matters (less time spent deciding what to wear / less time spent shopping / less time doing laundry or caring for clothes) more money for our dreams + helping others (less money spent on clothes that never get worn) and more contentment and happiness.

hitting nail on the head.

(honestly, follow here & read everything. she knows what's up.)

it may not seem like a big deal but there was a very real anxiety whenever i would approach my closet. indecisiveness & dread. definitely a lack on inspiration. yes, there were plenty of clothes but alas, i had nothing to wear. i know this may seem trivial. i mean, it's just clothes. but you get dressed every. day. you wear clothes all. day. while clothes aren't the only thing in life, they are a big part of it.

also, we as women spend a lot of our time shopping. or we spend a lot of our money on clothes. "let me just pick this tee up...it's on sale!" "let me grab one more pair of leggings...they have a new pattern!" we may not even realize how much time, energy & money we spend on it.

for me, the capsule wardrobe has been so freeing & honestly, exciting! here's the truth of it: we've always lived on a tight budget. hubs & i married right out of high school, went to college, got jobs, had kids, lots of kids & have always practiced frugality when buying clothes. we'd hit the clearance racks first. we'd grab basics at wally world for $5 & under. that's what we knew. but this past year, i've focused more on quality & less on quantity. reality: quality often means more expensive. but when you're only buying a few key items, you can spend a little more. ALSO, they will last longer. AND you can save up & purchase a singular piece here and there over time. i always thought i needed MORE clothes to have a better wardrobe...just one more "cute" top, just one more comfy tee. did i really need ALL of that? no. and the capsule wardrobe has made me realize this. plus, this was all really fitting into my whole living simply-ness. less is more, yo.

this past year, i've walked into stores i never would have pre-capsule. in a way, i feel like i'm finally growing up in the clothes department. learning there is more out there. exploring my style & who i am in my life right now. my style has evolved over the years with jobs, life & kids. my body has also changed many times over the past 12 years of having kids. i think it's good to reevaluate what is inspiring to you. what your needs are in everyday living.

for example: when i worked, the majority of my pants were all trousers of some sort. my tops were professional, blousy & often button up. but now, i have 3 pair of dress pants...somewhere...in the back of my closet...buried from the light of day. shy of a winter funeral, i have no use for these pants now.

goals: i want to feel good in my clothes. that means fitting well, not being too low cut & not being too short. i want the style of my clothes to reflect who i am-not necessarily what's "in".

rules: this is a great guideline to follow to help point you in the right direction when downsizing & selecting items. when selecting tops, you may want to select 3 of a kind using this style tip below.

let's keep talking numbers. in 2010 courtney carver started project 333 that challenged people to dress with 33 pieces or less for 3 months at a time. others follow a 37 piece wardrobe rule. so something around 30-40 is quite doable. i say, don't get hung up on numbers. feel free to tailor it to your own life. for instance, i rarely change out my jewelry these days so i don't include that in my closet total--some do. also, i don't include workout clothes, lounge around the house clothes/pjs or special event pieces. i plan to include coats & scarves in my fall & winter capsules.

need help deciding what to keep? i'm borrowing this directly from un-fancy.com because it's perfect:

Need help paring down your closet? Here’s 3 quick steps

Step 1: Empty your closet. Seriously, take absolutely everything out of your closet and lay it out on your bed. Don’t cheat–taking everything out at once is the secret to style clarity. As you put your LOVE IT pieces back into your empty closet, your style will practically scream at you. But that won’t be the case if your closet is still being muddied with MAYBE pieces left hanging in there. So just take it all out, mkay?

Step 2: Sort each item into one of these four piles:

• LOVE IT AND WOULD WEAR IT RIGHT NOW!! Self explanatory. Put it back in your closet.
• MAYBE. This is for items that don’t fit quite right, the color is a little off, have sentimental value, you can’t put your finger on it but you just don’t wear it, or you’re keeping it because you paid a lot for it but you don’t wear it. Put all this stuff in a box and store it in the garage. You can always go get stuff out of it, but you probably won’t. If it’s still in the box at the end of your season, it’s time to say goodbye to it.
• NOPE. Self explanatory. Donate, swap with a friend, or sell it to fund new purchases.
• SEASONAL. Wool coat in summer? Probably don’t need it handy. But you’d never get rid of a staple like that–come on. If it’s not in season, but you LOVE IT, put it in a nice under-the-bed box and store it. You’ll definitely use it in your capsule wardrobe when that season rolls around.

Step 3: Assess what’s left in your closet–aka your LOVE IT clothes. You’ll want to have 37 season-appropriate items in your closet. Do you need to supplement? Time to plan + shop. Do you need to downsize? Put a few more items in your MAYBE box.

regarding shopping: 

it's about loving what you have. it's about building a closet that you love. a wardrobe that is full of items that inspire you. it's about channeling your creativity. ultimately it's about a life lived simply & authentically.

my summer capsule style: i'm not sure how to even describe my style. minimalist hipster, maybe? i hate the word hipster. i also hate to say minimalist since i don't wear strictly black & white. i feel like i have a petty good mix of basics, patterns & florals. to give even more variety to my outfits i can add a hat, necklace or bracelet. if you're not sure what you are, look up different keywords on pinterest to get an idea of what your style may be. 

my summer capsule count: i included tops, bottoms, casual dresses & shoes in my wardrobe count. i have one basic purse that i carry everyday. i started by cleaning out items for donations/resale then i got down to business. i started by selecting items that i really love to bring into my wardrobe (not worrying about numbers but being very picky). after it was all said & done, i decided to check my count to see if i needed to downsize more...funny thing is, i was already down to 42. so for summer 2015, my magic number is 42. honestly, i was/am so proud AND ready to downsize even more. for fall i want to get down to un-fancy's 37. 

my summer 2015 capsule wardrobe (42 items):

whites collection

black & white / basic stripes collection

cool collection

warm collection

natural collection

bottoms

shoes

crossbody bag

i can't wait to build my capsule wardrobe for fall! it is, after all, my FAVORITE season. eek! also, many of these items above were purchased over the summer to complete what i was wanting for my summer capsule wardrobe. they were bought very intentionally & quite slowly over a few months. because of my strict clothing budget, i sold items i no longer intended on keeping to fund the new purchases. with a little bit of effort, it can be done!

questions for YOU if i continue to post future capsule wardrobes:

1. would you be interested in future capsule wardrobe posts?

2. would you be interested in links to where the items were purchased/brands?

3. would you be interested in me doing a daily outfit challenge via the blog (mixing only the items in my capsule wardrobe) over like a 30-day period to show how to keep variety going?

***feel free to comment here or on my instagram feed or just send me a quick email! i want to hear from you!!

 xo