Well, you saw this top in yesterday’s post — I wore it on our trip to Paris two years ago, and I’m still wearing it today! Don’t you love it when you find a look with staying power?
In fact, the outfit you see above is essentially the same one I wore on that trip. One key difference: I swapped black skinny jeans for black denim shorts — because we hit those triple digits yesterday and summer weather is officially here.
On that note, here’s two quick things for your weekend:
1 / SOMETHING TO DOWNLOAD
I’ve got four closet apps to share with you!
Good On You / Want to know how well your clothes were made? Good On You can help you with that. Get access to information for more than 1,000 clothing brands rated on how they treat people, the planet, and animals. It’s super easy to use and their database is growing all the time — woohoo!
Parcel / This one isn’t an app, but it’s too cool not to share. Parcel is an online shopping organization tool. Their tagline is “Death to the trendy impulse buy.” :) It keeps all of your might-buy pieces in one place — instead of a bunch of open tabs on your internet browser — allowing you to take your time and think things over. You can also set a budget for yourself and it’ll keep you on track.
Stylebook / Stylebook is a closet organization app that allows you to take photos of the clothes you already own and create outfits with them. Downside? It takes time and work to set it up. But if you want a robust closet organization app, it’s your best bet. My best tip? Don’t take photos of your clothes — grab screenshots of ’em online.
Outfits / Not sure what to wear today? Outfits gives you outfit ideas each day based on your local weather and the clothes in your closet. The setup is quick and easy — it takes a quick 10-15 minutes and there’s no photo-taking required — instead you simply choose similar clothes from their library. Downside? It’s $5 a month, but you can try it for free before you commit.
2 / SOMETHING TO LISTEN TO
Want some feel good summer tunes? Check out my summer playlist on Spotify.
It’s got a beachy, happy vibe with a mix of deep cuts from artists like Oh Wonder, Cold War Kids, RAC, alt-J, Bob Marley, and CHVRCHES.
It’s on repeat around here these days as it heats up. It’s the perfect playlist for a float in the pool, but Aaron and I usually put it on for our favorite time of day — early evening drinks on the patio. :)
Your turn! Got any great closet apps to share? I’d love to learn about ’em!
Before you go, I’ve got a quick blog update to share with you:
I’ve chatted about how I’m in a season of discontent right now, and to be honest, I need to stop writing about clothes for a little bit. I want to give my mind some space to focus on other things.
So I’ve decided to step back a little. I’ll be posting just once a week for the month of June.
But you know what? I’m excited to take the opportunity to explore some other topics in June — like home design, wellness, self-care, and finding contentment in small things.
New posts will roll out Thursdays — and our home tour will be first on the list — so mark your calendars. :)
See you Thursday for our home tour! :)
xo,
Photo Credit: Katie Jameson
Liked today’s outfit? You can shop it and support Unfancy at the same time by using these affiliate links:
01 | Stripe tank (old) | similar | similar in solid colors | similar in yellow (made responsibly)
02 | Black shorts by Madewell | similar (under $20)
03 | Lace up sandals by Madewell | similar (made responsibly)
04 | Sunnies by Madewell
05 | Round bag by Baggu (made responsibly) | similar | similar (made responsibly)
I’m so excited to check out Good On You! Thanks for the tip!
Also, congrats on making the decision to step back for a while! We all love you for continually giving your time, brilliance, hard work, beauty, and creativity to our community, but self care is so important. Enjoy having a slower pace for a while. And a time for not thinking about clothes!
https://everydayjoys.blog
Thank you for the playlist (!!! I love your playlists), I can’t wait for the home tour and writings on other topics, and kudos to you for honoring your need to step back a bit! I love your blog/writing, and the community, so I’ll miss the extra posts, but maybe I can repurpose some of my blog-checking time to…Paint? Work on my own writing? Finally restart my meditatation practice? So thank you for the inspiration!
Hi Caroline,
I will miss your posts (no necessarily the ones about clothes) as I like the way you tell your stories on any topic.
Hardly wait your home tour!
ps: I hope that your posts will be longer now that they will be once a week :D
Nice playlist btw :)
I totally agree. I’ve sometimes thought this about unfancy… that it would be nice for her to explore some other topics beyond just clothes. I personally love what I have seen of Caroline’s house! It’s so beautiful and relaxing. Can’t wait to see the home tour and hear more of your take on life beyond the closet!
I love Stylebook, it took me ages to get it all set up but now I have my entire wardrobe neatly organised and catalogued in the app. It’s a lot of fun for making different outfits, organising and categorising them… It also helps put shopping in perspective when I can see how many different outfits I have.
Nice to hear Cladwell has a trial option now, I’ll have to give it a try. $5/month seems a bit steep though… It better be an amazing app haha.
This playlist is giving me life at work right now- THANK YOU! :)
Yay! I’m happy that you have figured out what you need to do to make changes since you’re feeling in a funk. I can’t wait to hear about your takes on home design. That is a topic I love! I also love the topic finding contentment in small things. I do this way more often (seeing magnolia buds…seeing a pill bug for the first time this year…my grandmother’s paintings) than from big things (like travel or sightseeing).
Have you read Wabi sabi: the art of everyday life or In Praise of Shadows? Both are great books on enjoying everyday life and, in particular, enjoying the imperfections in everyday life.
I’m so excited for what you’ll be sharing in June! And as a general note, I really appreciate that you keep us posted (pun intended ::yuk yuk::) with your blogging schedule.
Can’t believe you own this top already since two years! It looks absolutely brand new and wonderful!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
I’m so looking forward to Unfancy in June!:) sounds totally refreshing and fun. I hope thatvitbis both of those things for you too.
Shame about seeing less of you in June, but I have to admit I’m not surprised! I was beginning to wonder if you may be getting tired of writing about clothes. I don’t know you personally, but my impression of you is that you’re someone who’s into so much more than just clothes! While it’s certainly fun to play with fashion and (from a reader’s perspective) to see other people’s take on it, after time it just kind of turns into rehashing the same thing, doesn’t it? (Unless someone is into buying new things all the time, which we know you are not.)
To be honest, I’d be quite happy to see this blog take a more “lifestyle” direction, so bring it! :)
I agree! When we get honest about our discontentment, we find clues to the unexplored desires God has placed in our hearts and new rooms start to open, not just in our own life, but in the lives of others. This is exciting.
I’ll admit I’m disappointed, because I was looking forward to the capsule update. I hope you get a new lease on life in June, Caroline.
I’ve been using the Stylebook app for a couple months and love it. It has this fun shuffle feature that will create outfits for you. I also respect that you noticed your need to find balance. Good noticing Caroline!
I think the “un-fancy community” loves your posts…whatever the topic! So I look forward to seeing posts on things aside from outfits too, I know the snippets you’ve shared of your home look inspiring as well :) enjoy your “June stepback!”
It was your post about Paris that clarified for me: I needed to stop “curating my closet” now. I don’t want to think about clothes any more. I want my closet to support my life like yours did on your trip: keep me comfy and presentable, and then fade into the background. My closet does that now. It made me sad because I didn’t want to stop reading your blog, but I thought maybe I ought to for my own well-being.
So I’m extra-glad that you’re planning on broadening your topics! Now I don’t have to give up Unfancy entirely.
Also, it’s amusing to me the difference in people’s expectations: I tend to be slow to make changes, so a shirt that I’ve been wearing for two years still feels new!
You do what is perfect for you…and we will all be here when you post! Everyone understands. Especially we fellow bloggers…a successful blog takes on a life of its own.-Laurel Bledsoe
Thanks for all the info and recommendations.
Can’t wait for the home tour!
Alina
http://www.eclecticalu.blogspot.com
I like that you will be contributing more than clothes to the mix. I like the more wholistic approach because simplifying and finding contentment are larger-scale than wardrobe. I always get excited for book recommendations, travel tips, and spotify mixes on your blog.
i’m currently experimenting with a zero-waste lifestyle. so i’ve been shopping secondhand, which is most beneficial for the earth, people and animals. :) unwanted clothes are a large source of waste, even if they’re donated or recycled too many eventually end up in our landfills (and even water system).
ox
Obviously I like your posts about clothing as seen by the fact that I read them all…… :)
But part of that is due to your writing style. Clothes and styling them is fun but doesn’t take up a huge portion of my thought processes, lol! But home decor, wellness, self care, simplifying…..they do. So a mix of all of those things will be just absolutely delightful! Looking forward to it!
I agree that no one writes about clothing the way Caroline does; that’s why this is the only style blog I read. Her guidance has actually allowed me to spend less time thinking about clothing, so I will miss the capsule and outfit posts that helped me organize my wardrobe into a minimal part of my brain. :)
Something must be in the air, Caroline, because I also feel like I’m in a season of discontent. I appreciate your willingness to be transparent about it. I don’t know about you, but I also live in a very hot climate and it just saps any desire to put much thought into what I’m wearing. But I’m really looking forward to reading about other topics! Some of my favorite posts you’ve ever written have been on closet organization and more personal topics like discontentment and mindfulness.
The shirt looks brand new despite the 2 years. Enjoy taking a step back. Im looking forward to your house tour!
Caroline,
Yours is one of the very few blogs I get sent to my email. I really love your thoughts/perspective. Great for you for seeking balance. I really look forward to reading what you will have to say on other topics. And I’m sure the house tour will be fabulous! See you next Thursday. Happy summer!
Thanks for the Good on You app recommendation – always looking for a way to check out brands and their ethos when it comes to sustainability. Love the spotify playlist – my type of music vibe. I would recommend also Sigur Ros, Olafur Arnalds and M83 in keeping with the mellow, relaxed summer vibe. I have them on repeat! :) All those topics are things I am massively interested in – so looking forward to hearing your take on them. Take care of yourself and do what is best for your needs at this time.
Love the above download recommendations. And have the highest amount of respect for your June style blogging hiatus. Being in a rut means you’re human like the rest of us :) Looking forward to seeing the new content you bring to the table!
You do you girl! Hope you feel well soon, and I’ll look forward to your occasional posts.
if you use the Good On you app, you may also like https://projectjust.com/ (analyzes companies and provides basically an ethics score) and the podcast Conscious Chatter (all about sustainable fashion).
(PS, on my computer this comment is in all caps…not sure why haha, don’t mean to be ‘shouting’)
Can’t wait to see the home tour! Your style is so clean and classic, I’m sure your home is just as beautiful. :)
http://www.wonderlandsam.com
It is so refreshing when someone can take their own advice – in your interview with Jess Lively before you left for Seattle you said something along the lines of “I love being able to tell people, if you need a break, take a break, even if that is just working it in really small ways like taking every Thursday afternoon off…” It is advice that really spoke to me at the time, and I still remember today. Please take all the time you need, and I look forward to exploring a few new topics with you.
Un-fancy is the perfect name for your blog, because it can cover any range of topics, Caroline, any time you wish. It reflects your ability to get at the heart of a given matter, to present your topic clearly and succinctly, yet in an accessible way. Your personal style is refreshing and welcoming…a breath of fresh air.
To remain un-fancy means being able to keep a clear head and creative spirit. This time of year is generally the time that many of us look to rejuvenate ourselves–body and soul (even during the HEAT of Texas summers). I wish you a comforting June and look forward to whatever you wish to bring us as time goes by.
Thank you for being the lovely un-fancy human being that you are. Cheers, Ardith
Love the playlist!! Thank you and enjoy some well deserved time off.
I’ll miss seeing you more often, but I look forward to reading whatever you want to write about.
Woo, I’m so looking forward to your house tour! Home style is just as interesting as clothing style to me. Also I tried emailing you a few times last year to ask whether you’d be interested in writing a guest article about contentment (what timing considering your little blogging break), but I’m guessing my messages are going to junk. Is there another way I can contact you to enquire perhaps??
Cannot wait to see your home tour!
Take care of yourself.
I’m actually so excited that you’ll be focusing on a range of topics over the next few weeks. I don’t have a particular interest in fashion, (and although I love your look on you, it would not suit me in the same way – I suppose I’m not here to pick up fashion tips so much) – but I find myself coming back to your blog again and again because I love your outlook on life – you inspire me to think deeply about how I choose to live. So I’m looking forward to the focus on other areas for a little while. Thank you for your writing :)
Your blog is the only one I keep coming back to and it is because you are real and relatable: you needing to take a break from blogging is further proof of this, not wanting to post if your heart’s not in it. I hope you enjoy your break and I agree with other readers; whatever you write about is great!
Great outfit! Love your top <3
https://www.myblackcloset.com/
Hi Carolyn! I’m glad you’re honoring your needs and maybe even hunches or just plain taking a leap of faith, and taking care of you. As a woman approaching 60, I recall being adrift in earlier decades. Happy to say in hindsight that the introspection at my lowest point – right around 30 – lead me to a far better place. The best thing I’ve ever learned is to honor my heart rather than let logic always win.
But you know what? I’d love to see you get some new items of clothing or accessories! Not as a Band Aid, but because I’m ready to see you present yourself in something new! And as we know from What Not To Wear, it can be cathartic. And I’m very excited to see your new ideas that you’ve described; I know they’ll resonate with me. Be well, and honor your heart.
Hello Carolyn,
how about taking part in “Plastic free july”? (see plasticfreejuly.org) – lots of food for thought there!
Love from Austria, Maren
Will definitely miss your frequent posts, but I’m excited to see other topics explored!
One quick q about this top (sorry for being clothes-related!), what size is yours? I own this in black in an XS and I had to have darts added to nip it in at the waist (even still, it’s still too swingy/boxy on my hourglass shape – I lose any hint of a waist once the fabric falls below my bust).
Hey Krystal, I just have it in my usual size (XS) but I generally like boxy tops.
The way you write about everything from clothes to music to taking care of yourself is always inspiring for me, so if you need to take a break from one thing to find what’s next, I’ll come right along! :)
Some of my favourites of your posts — the ones I remember — are those where you’re talking about your life along with (or even aside from) clothes. Your plans with your husband, the story of coming home for your mom. I came here for the clothes originally but I stayed because of you. So whatever you’d like to write about, I’ll be glad to read. Looking forward to Thursdays!
SO glad your scheduling yourself a break! I know I’ve told Nick before that has something that has left me feeling discontented at times — talking/blogging about clothes! Lol. It’s like, I’ve done all this work and exerted all this effort into thinking *less* about clothes, and yet, here I am still talking about thinking about clothes less?? Lol Can’t wait to see your home tour!
Hi, I found your blog about a year ago and have been an avid follower. Although I don’t totally subscribe to a “capsule” wardrobe in practice, I do so in theory. At 58 I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t work for my body. I applaud you for expanding your horizon and not just talking about clothes. Capsules encompass all aspects of our lives, not just what we wear. So feel free to experiment with other facets of your life, you home, your work, your city/town, etc. I believe all topics will have value. Be well.
I started following Un-Fancy because I loved the simplicity behind its message: less but better. This look at clothing was a great step in minimizing the impact that clothes had on my life and maximizing their output.
I was coming to a point where I’d visit Un-Fancy because I enjoy seeing the outfits but in a lot of ways I’d felt you’d taught me what I needed to know. Now I just wanted a cute example of sustainable and wearable!
I love the bits of your home and wellness routine that you’ve shared and am totally onboard for more of that! Excited that you’re expanding the blog a bit. We’re behind you.
PS – I LOVE Erin Boyle’s blog Reading My Tea Leaves. It’s an incredible place to visit when you need a glimmer of beauty in a seemingly plain task and a slice of joy for the simplest of pleasures. It’s amazing the fullness that comes from a life lived for quality rather than quantity. I highly recommend her book as well: Simple Matters.
Just stopping by to say that your summer playlist is so so great :) Excited to see what’s next for this blog!
I am so glad to finally hear people take self care more seriously. Everyone thinks to be successful, you need to keep the wheel going. Its so important to step back and think about what really makes you happy. I have enjoyed reading about your closet journey and tips so I am sure I will enjoy whatever you wish to blog about. I really like how you tell it so honestly.
It is important to look after yourself, following you tips to a more minimalist and capsule wardrobe has helped me have more focus on more important this rather than the stress of getting ready in the morning:)
Looking forward to fitness tips, recipes maybe and of course home posts and the collaboration with other bloggers for the 10×10.
Take care of yourself as we aren’t going anywhere
Love your playlists!! Couldn’t decide what to listen to and this post popped into my head – thanks for sharing!