Deciding On A Wardrobe That Works

Friday, June 05, 2015

September 12, 2014 /// As candid as it gets...

I'd like to start this post by saying, "My Mom is always right." By that I mean, my Mom is always getting into things and trying to tell me how great they are. After a few years of scoffing, everyone else gets into that very thing she was trying to get me to appreciate and THEN, I come around.

Examples: Board Shorts, Meal Planning, Harper Lee, Coconut Oil, Essential Oils, and the list really could go on for quite a while.

The latest, "Mom, you are a genius!!!" moment has to do with the idea of a capsule wardrobe. After watching my Mom trim down her wardrobe nearly 10 years ago and just keep a handful of items for each season, I thought she was crazy.

I mean..."What about that sweater that you've worn every winter?!?!? Or those shoes that go with everything...Yes, I see the scuffs, but those clogs are practically an heirloom! And that t-shirt!!!! What are you even going to WEAR?!?!?"

Fast forward to the last few years and the capsule/minimalist wardrobe CRAZE! I saw it and thought that it SOUNDED like a good idea, but one that really wasn't for me. I read post after post after post and not a single one of them changed my mind. Until last Thursday when Anne posted about the ten item wardrobe. Something clicked and I KNEW that I needed to do this. I made up my mind and set to work first thing last Friday morning.

It's been a week and I can't emphasize how great it feels to have gotten rid of ALL THOSE THINGS! Anne's post reminded me that I really do tend to reach for the same handful of items. I began to wonder why I would keep everything else when I don't ever wear it in the first place.

I didn't narrow it down to any specific number and I definitely have more than 10 items for each season, but I have a wardrobe that will work for me.

The garbage truck already came to take the pieces that were beyond hope, my sister went through and picked a few pieces she loved, and the rest of it will be given away. I decided to tote the things that I wasn't sure about. My rule is that if I don't pull it out by the end of the season, then it will be given away. I also plan to go through this season's clothes when it's over to get rid of anything that I didn't wear.

Just thinking about the outcome makes me excited all over again!



What do you think about capsule wardrobes?





12 comments:

  1. I agree, your mom is a genius! I haven't decided to go to the capsule wardrobe. I probably should. Hanging on to old t-shirts and whatnot isn't helping my space problem...

    Have you seen the cover of Harper Lee's new book? I can't wait to read it!!!

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  2. I want to get rid of like 90% of the clothes I own before we move, but I'm afraid I won't be able to shop for those perfect, new pieces for a while after we settle down! I want to purge all the things!

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  3. Christopher is a big fan of this idea! I have a couple of other friends who are as well. I don't do this personally, but I DO go through my clothes every season and give away anything that I haven't worn that season. I do this by turning my hangers around at the beginning of each season and after an item is worn I put it back in my closet the correct way - anything that wasn't turned back around by the end of the season has to go. That way I don't have a closet full of clothes that I never wear. That has definitely culled down my wardrobe quite a bit over the years. :)

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  4. And side note: Isn't it amazing how many things our moms were right about?! I tell my mom this all the time, haha!

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  5. I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe... but I am so dang indecisive. I'm not sure if I could do it!

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  6. I thought I was the only skeptic--but now since you've given in maybe I am ;) I agree with the idea as far as going against the consumerist culture and instead heading towards minimalism....so maybe I should start giving stuff away. But 10 items a season? And what if there's a freezing cold day in summer no one was prepared for?

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  7. I don't have a capsule wardrobe exactly, but I do give away clothes I don't use at the end of each season. It's nice to get rid of stuff that's just cluttering up your closet!

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  8. So you know how much I loooove moms (or should I just say how much I love my mom?). :) I love that your mom is such a big part of your life and that she is such a wonderful teacher not only to you but to us fellow bloggers, too! She should make an appearance on a vlog or something! :)

    I've always been unsure about the wardrobe capsule idea. I DO believe in making the most of what you've got and I'm alllll about re-mixing outfits. But I also like adding in new pieces every now and then when I find pieces I love. So I'm half and half, I guess? You'll have to me know how it goes and you should do a post on what pieces you ended up keeping! I'm excited to learn more about this and your thoughts on it, too!

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  9. I LOVE the idea of a capsule wardrobe. I'm such a baby about getting rid of stuff...(perhaps more of a hoarder than a baby, haha.) I'm trying to work on simplifying/organizing my life in general and my closet is definitely one of the things I'm going to work on. I'm both excited and scared about this project. Any tips for letting go of things??

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  10. am CONSTANTLY purging my closet.
    and i still find myself holding on to "certain things" that i know i will never wear *shakes head* i need to just let them go...but i can't ;)

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  11. Moms are right so often that it ends up being annoying. :)

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  12. After several years of living out of two large suitcases, I have a minimalist wardrobe that I love. I layer so much that it's not really a "capsule" wardrobe, but it's definitely smaller than that of the average American woman. I do still have some nice things that are too big for me, but I don't want to take them in until I reach my goal weight--I still need to gain 10 pounds. That is the one thing that I do differently than the "experts" recommend. I keep any nice clothes that I love, even if they don't fit, because having Crohn's Disease means my weight fluctuates. I'm so glad I kept my favorite dresses from high school since they all fit me again! And they'll fit me at my goal weight, since that's what I weighed when I graduated high school.

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