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Un-Fancy

Simplified Wardrobe, smart shopping

shopping for my summer capsule + 3 shopping tips

06/19/14

 

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Remember a few posts ago, when I lamented the fact that I hadn’t yet bought anything for my summer capsule wardrobe? And that time is ticking because we’re shooting all the outfits this weekend? And that I was a bit worried because I’m actually terrible at shopping + making purchase decisions?

Well. Apparently, since the last time I shopped — ahem, three months ago — I have gone through a magical transformation.

Let’s compare + contrast, shall we?

Last time: Planned for 2 weeks and shopped for 2 weeks. Returned about half of it. Then over thought the returns + repurchased some of those returns. And at the end of it all, felt tired + (maybe more than a little) cranky.

This time: Shocked myself by planning + shopping + creating my wardrobe in 3 days flat with little to no over thinking. Returned ONE item. And at the end of it all, felt gloriously happy with my wardrobe + my state of mind.

I know. Believe me, if I could shoot myself a quizzical look right now, I would.

What was the difference? For me, 3 things:

  1. Filling out my capsule wardrobe planner + trusting the process, before ever setting foot in a store. And what was a foggy idea at the beginning, became a concrete shopping list at the end.
  2. Wearing headphones while shopping to create a zen space for myself and block out the noise + music. With headphones in + a chill playlist, I enjoyed the process + felt relaxed. Which led to good purchases and a happy state of mind.
  3. Behaving like a style icon. Now, I get that this sounds a little strange, but here’s how this mind game works. Fill in the blank: Behave like a … and soon enough you will be … . It’s a more authentic spin on fake it til you make it. You can try it with anything, so I tried it with style. To me, a style icon is someone who makes her own rules, tries bold things, and trusts her instincts. So I just …  behaved that way. Cool, right? Here’s one of my favorite bloggers, Kathleen, on the subject:

Perhaps you want to be more fit but are feeling like a couch potato. Behave like an athlete. Take your vitamins, lace up your sneakers, and go outside. Behave like a healthy person and soon enough you will be healthy. 

Or maybe you want to be happy but are finding yourself in a foul mood. Behave as if you’re happy – put on a smile and give someone a compliment. Behave as if you’re happy and happiness will find you.

I can’t wait to reveal my summer wardrobe on July 1st! I’m sharing sneak peeks on Instagram with #capsulepreview.

P.S. 5 more shopping tips, just for you.

10 Comments

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Comments

  1. Amanda B. says

    June 19, 2014 at 10:49 am

    Hi! I love the concept of having staples for a certain season. When you post your next capsule wardrobe can you point out what is new and what you had and how you decided what you needed to shop for? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      June 23, 2014 at 10:39 am

      Hi Amanda! I sure will! :) xo Caroline

      Reply
  2. Liisa says

    June 20, 2014 at 5:33 am

    I’m so exited to see your Sumner wardrobe soon! Can’t wait!
    :-)

    Reply
  3. Gina says

    June 20, 2014 at 8:16 am

    I love your honesty;) I can relate…as I tend to go back on forth a lot while deciding on what to purchase online. I almost never go into stores anymore bc I feel much more zen sitting in my office, and I can really take my time. If it doesn’t work, returning it is easy.
    I can’t wait to see what you’ve chosen for summer.
    XO,Gina

    Reply
  4. Shan says

    June 20, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    I don’t want to finalize my shopping for summer wardrobe til I see yours, since I’m so inspired by your style. The wait is killing me…..

    Reply
  5. Angélique says

    June 21, 2014 at 8:15 am

    What will you do with the clothes of your spring capsule wardrobe??? I can’t wait for your summer wardrobe.

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      June 23, 2014 at 10:36 am

      Hi Angelique!

      Some of them get rolled over into the summer capsule, and the rest of them will go into storage for next year’s Spring capsule. :)

      xo
      Caroline

      Reply
  6. sarah sky says

    July 15, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    Shopping with a chill playlist!!!! best idea ever. me and my boyf always joke when we go into a store where the music is loud and chant “buy buy buy” to the fast beat.

    Reply
  7. Caroline says

    June 22, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    Do you always buy ethical/fair trade clothing? If so, what retail stores to you visit that aren’t online? :) Also, how much should I expect to spend on an ethical wardrobe?

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      June 23, 2016 at 12:22 am

      Hi Caroline, I am kind of new to the world of ethical clothing, so I am starting small. It can be overwhelming to think about changing everything over all at once — and quite expensive as well. So I’m working on finding shoes, bags, and active wear to start and I’ve added a few pieces of clothing that work with my current wardrobe too. But I don’t believe it’s an “all or nothing” type of thing. Baby steps! :) xo, Caroline

      Reply

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