Un-Fancy

Outfits: Spring, spring outfits

happy weekend!

Happy Friday!

I don’t know about you, but it’s been a wild week on my end. So let’s end it with a fav.

Silk tee + mom jeans + clogs.

Comfy enough to run errands during the day, but chic enough to grab drinks later. If I wanted to do it up a little more for the evening, I could add a statement necklace and swap mom jeans for black skinnies.

And, in case you’re wondering, each of these pieces are included in my spring wardrobe! I’m so excited to share my spring capsule-ish with you next week! It’s fun for me, because I learn to express more and more of my true self every time I capsule.

Actually, I uncover more and more of my true self every time. It was always there — I just had to have eyes to see it. It’s easy to have ideas about who we are, but sometimes our perception is just off.

Until we start digging a little.

Then it gets fun. Or … hard first, then fun. But it always ends up fun. :)

Anyway, happy weekend, and I’ll see you Monday!

(And if you have any capsule questions you’d like me to answer next week, leave a comment and I’ll try my best to answer it in next week’s posts!)

xo,

• • •

01 | Silk tee by Elizabeth Suzann (made responsibly) Fit note: I’m wearing size “OS”. | similar (under $70) | similar button down (made responsibly) | similar with a scalloped hem (under $30)

02 | Jeans by Girlfriend (made in USA)  (Fit Note: These jeans have zero stretch. I’m usually a 24 in jeans and sized up to a 25. They feel tight in the waist at first, but over a few wears they mold to your body. Wash them on cold, don’t ever put them in the dryer, and they’ll stay molded like that forever.) |  similar (under $70) | similar (under $40)

03 | Clogs by Bryr in Sable (made responsibly) | similar |  similar

04 | Bag by Live FashionABLE (made responsibly) | similar

Comments

  1. Morning-Again you are spot on! You pull off chic everyday. We all have our favorite things. Wardrobes and the things we want in our homes. It is “fun” when we let ourselves make them a part of our lives….even if they are not the latest trend. Being true to myself frees up a lot of space in my mind. Thanks for the reminder and what a way to start off the weekend!-Laurel

    Reply

  5. I have a question! What helps you decide whether to include something in your capsule when you’re on the fence? Especially now that you don’t limit yourself to 37 items and since you’ve been collecting Perfect Pieces for a while now. :)

    Thanks Caroline! Your blog is as great as ever!

    Reply

    • Hey Katharine, For me, it comes down to tuning into the way I feel when I think about that particular piece — do I feel antsy or calm? Usually if I feel antsy, it means I’m trying to force something, get a little pick me up via instant gratification, or spend money I shouldn’t — AKA I should pass on it even if it seems like a good idea. But if I feel calm, it means it’s probably a good purchase. Try it next time and see if it works for you. :)

      Reply

  7. Hi there! I have a capsule-ish question to ask!

    I feel like I’m in a similar place as you at the moment, with a more streamlined and ‘me’ wardrobe finally coming into focus after a year or so of more thoughtful consideration of my closet. This is great, obviously, and was the goal… but… now I find shopping (or, more accurately, buying) to be really difficult. I have pieces in mind that I’d like to add to round out my wardrobe a bit more, but I can’t seem to find these things in real life. (If anyone has a lead on some wide-leg, flowy cropped overalls, I’m all ears.)

    So, in essence, my question really is: how do you maintain patience and continue to build a wardrobe slowly + thoughtfully without caving and buying a less-than-perfect item simply to end the (increasingly frustrating) hunt?

    Thanks!
    J

    Reply

      • Hey Ladies! First off, I definitely have times of frustration and I definitely still cave sometimes. Often I just wish I could make my own clothes. :) But lately, when I get frustrated, I take that as a sign that it’s time to take a break from the hunt. It’s amazing how ending the hunt on my own terms like that makes me feel so much lighter. It’s about shifting my mindset from “I can’t find the right piece” to “I’m choosing to stop looking for a little while.” I’ve made so many purchase mistakes in the past and I don’t want to repeat those — I’d rather suspend or end the hunt myself than settle for something out of frustration (only to be frustrated later when it isn’t right after all). :)

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  8. I second Jenna’s question and along with that I’m often tempted to buy multiples when I do find something I love. I know in the past that has contributed to a feeling of having options but them all ending up being the same- yes the shirt is a different color but it’s basically the exact same outfit. So my question is when do you think multiples make sense for a minimalist wardrobe and when they don’t, how do you resist the temptation to purchase them just to feel like your wardrobe is more complete (and not feel the need to keep up the long search for something else you love)?

    Reply

    • Whitney, I have experienced this same dilemma! I can think of at least three tops each in three different colors that are hanging in my closet at this exact moment… which (confusingly enough) makes me want to sigh in frustration and makes me feel happy simultaneously. How confusing!

      Reply

    • I totally wonder about this too. I often buy multiples when I find, say, a perfect fit of relaxed basic t-shirt. But I try not to buy more than one of a more statement/ unique top, even in different colours…so that that piece still feels special ya know? that said I totally have two pairs of the exact same skinny jeggings, which I loved the fit of and were long enough for me! (a major plus as I am 6 feet tall and it is so hard to find longer jeans that also work on my body type). So I figured in this case I would. also I have two young kids and realistically I am having a hard time deciding how to make a capsule wardrobe work in my life with messy toddlers!? Sometimes I need to change my clothes half way through a day just because of stains…and I definitely have to wash my clothes after a wear most of the time. What I have decided to do is to be ok with having a few more tops in the same category/style (than the 37 piece limit would allow). and some of these would be multiples, so that if I get sticky toddler fingers all over one shirt, I can just switch to another one. in this way it would be a positive to have two versions of the same outfit available to me!

      Reply

      • Hello ladies! Generally, I try to stay away from multiples, though I do have two of the same Everlane tees in my capsule (one in white, one in charcoal). It really comes down to observing how much you use a particular piece, and observing how long that piece is lasting so far, and going from there. :)

        Reply

  9. I think my biggest barriers to making a true capsule wardrobe is variable weather in the transition months. How do you deal with unexpected needs? Do you ever “cheat” on your capsule because of weather or unexpected needs?

    Reply

  13. How do you wash the Elizabeth Suzann Silk top? I’m very interested in purchasing from from this company in the future, but was curious about washing and also just your experience with how you’ve cleaned it. Cute outfit and great post! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hey Stacey, I haven’t actually washed mine yet, but one of my besties has multiple Eliz Suzann silk pieces, including the Georgia tee, and she simply tosses them in the washing machine on gentle + air dries and steams them (if desired) afterward. That’s my plan too, and it’s even the recommended care listed on the ES website :)

      Reply

  14. My favorite goto is girlfriend, faded ripped jeans too! I have 3 pair & I always grab them! Hiwever, dressing the up is a challenge. I have problems finding cute, dressy tops to balance my figure. I wear size small & have tiny waist, so the boxier tops don’t flatter me. Any suggestions? Look forward to seeing your spring capsule! Thx!!!

    Reply

    • Yes! I have a small waist and big hips, so wearing a boxy top or a wide crop top is just not an option. I’ve had success with flowy high waisted anything…pants, skirts, etc. and tucking a more fitted top in. Loose cap sleeves are also a good silhouette if you’re really hippy like me, because it adds some breadth to the shoulders to mirror the hip to waist ratio.

      Reply

      • I’m also small waisted/wide hipped (read: substantial junk in the trunk). I’ve started hunting for the wide leg pants you speak of – any suggestions?! I’m in Europe, so the north American brands are harder to reach (until i visit this summer!)

        Reply

  17. Oh and I have a question! How do you decide when to buy from responsible brands vs other brands? Do you identify a piece you want and check the responsible brands first? Or do you do a lot of browsing to find your next pieces?
    Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Hey Bridgette, great question! It’s hard to put into words because it’s a combination of so many little factors. Off the top, I know I think about: the price of the garment, what’s left in my clothing budget, weighing the other pieces I want to buy with that clothing budget, the amount of effort and time it will take to get the piece vs. how much effort and time I have to spend, and finally, the style and how much I love the particular piece. Sometimes one factor will play in more than others — it just depends on the piece. :)

      Reply

  18. Hi, one question. Have you changed any of your guidelines for your capsule wardrobe since you have gone more fluid?

    Reply

    • Hey Renata, a lot has changed over the years, but I still try to keep the basic concept of being more mindful of my purchases. I’ve updated my wardrobe planner a little bit too, but it’s sometimes not even a conscious change in my guidelines. It sort of happens naturally over time. :)

      Reply

  19. I have a capsuling question: when faced with a large wardrobe of garments that don’t really match the capsule idea you have in your head, how do you get from that over-large wardrobe of stuff to a small closet, given that you don’t want to throw out most of your wardrobe and start again? Like, how can one readjust one’s idea of a capsule to use what you HAVE (vs buying a whole new wardrobe of stuff), and if you do buy a whole lot of new stuff (which seems to me to be the opposite of the idea of reducing/minimising/environmental care etc) how do you deal with the guilt, and how do you convince yourself to donate a lot of perfectly good clothes in the name of minimising your wardrobe? I’m having a hard time with this. I like each item of clothing I haven’t already donated, but do they make a good capsule wardrobe? No way! Far too much variety in colour and style, and I still often have that feeling of having nothing to wear. Exhausting! And I do want to reduce my wardrobe further. It is crazy to have so many clothes. But the guilt about the waste, and the environmental impact, and when you do actually like a given item, how do you get rid of it?

    I donated my wedding dress a while back and my husband is really upset that I did that. My thinking was that I will never wear it again so why keep it? I love my husband hugely — I don’t need to keep the dress. But now I feel guilty I got rid of it. I also feel guilty I donated a pair of shoes he bought me in 2007, that I loved, but that now feel a bit dated. I haven’t even dared tell him I donated them! The point is: I have already donated everything that I don’t love, and I still have way too much stuff, and I have been unable to build a capsule from it all. I am looking for some kind of breakthrough to help me build a capsule from what I already have, as opposed to buying more stuff. I am in no danger of continuing to buy more stuff — I do now know exactly what I want to be wearing in each activity I do in my life — but unfortunately my existing wardrobe of clothes don’t exactly match what I want to be wearing. Yet I do like or love each item. I suppose what this should be telling me is that it is not enough to love an item, it also has to fit into one’s idea of what one wants to wear in real life! Hmmmm…. More guilt at the thought of getting rid of perfectly good clothes that I love but don’t apparently want to wear… and about having to buy new stuff that I will want to wear… sigh…. Any help would be appreciated! I so admire people who have only 33 or 37 or 50 or 100 items in their wardrobe! I am craving that level of minimalist, perfectly coordinated wardrobe. How to get there from here?!

    Reply

    • Most of the stuff I had, I wasn’t wearing, so I had no problems donating those items. I can’t remember how much I kept initially, but it took me 6 seasons to get to a wardrobe of 80 items that I like and wear. It takes patience, but it’s worth doing.

      Reply

      • indeed, patience is the key! I had also far more than 37 items that I wanted to keep, but I spread them out over multiple seasons, and decided that I wanted to wear them first before buying any new items. After 4 capsuled seasons, I have included (nearly) everything in one of the capsules, and after the season it is easier to determine weather an item is truly a “favourite”. Also, if you like colourful items, I don’t think you should start buying neutrals just because they appear in most capsule wardrobes you see online.

        Reply

    • For items I already own, I wouldn’t get rid of them just because they don’t necessarily a capsule or where I want my wardrobe to go. Maybe you wouldn’t buy an item now, but you already have it. For me, if I can see myself wearing in the next year and it fits and is in good condition, I’ll hold on to it, and post it for sale on Poshmark or ebay. If it doesn’t sell and I haven’t worn it in say 5-6 months, I’ll see if a friend wants it. After maybe a year or so and I see I don’t wear it, I’ll donate it. For me, this process makes me feel like I’ve made a thorough decision about an item before getting rid of it. But its still definitely a struggle, while it’s just clothes, its also money I worked for to spend on those clothes, and I hate to feel like I’m literally throwing money away AND making poor sustainability choices at the same time.

      Reply

    • Hi Wendy, I agree with the other girls to take your time. Not everything needs to be donated all at once for the sake of a small wardrobe size. When I first started capsuling, I probably got rid of too many things right off the bat. Now I try to store quality items to see if they feel fresh to me in a few months (or years) from now. The bottom line is that the capsule wardrobe should feel right for you and only you. There’s no wrong way to do it. If it doesn’t make you feel good to donate or trash old clothes — don’t do it! For items that you are ready to part with, maybe find a special charity or donation center who really needs the items (i.e. a women’s shelter) Then it might feel less wasteful. Regardless, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s all a learning experience! Good luck. :)

      Reply

  23. Are grlfrnd jeans available in stores to try on? also sorry about the caps. this computer isn’t working right. not trying to yell. love your blog!

    Reply

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