Hi friends!
I mentioned that I recently paired down my wardrobe and a lot of you were interested to hear more about it, so here we are. I call it “imperfectly minimalist” because I don’t like rules and do not want to get rid of things for the sake of getting rid of them. Yes, I did donate a whole lot (like 60% of what I owned) but I made conscious choices. Instead of thinking of “what can I get rid of?” I used the mindset “what do I love and what do I absolutely have to keep?” This subtle shift in mentality made a difference. It also helped me to re-discover my personal style.
I swear, after I became a mother, my sense of style went out the window for a while there. First, your body size is up and down for a bit, and then it is all comfy clothing, stretchy clothing, etc. which there is absolutely nothing wrong with, but I knew I wanted to get back to feeling good in my skin and what I am wearing. I got into a pattern of wearing the same leggings and top every single day and it took a mental toll on me. Sometimes I didn’t even get out of pajama pants. I still wear leggings and casual/comfy clothing, but pairing down and investing in a few key pieces has done wonders (read: investing in jeans that fit my new body).
When I started the process of decluttering my closet, I noticed a few things.
1. I still had business-casual items from when I was working full-time.
2. I was holding onto pieces that no longer fit me in hopes that I would someday wear them (do not do this!)
3. I had a lot of colors and patterns that seemed like a good idea at the time of purchase or were trendy but I hardly, if ever, wore them.
4. I had a drawer full of denim that did not fit me well – either too big or too small or too tight, etc.
5. I had way too many of the same and/or similar items.
6. I had a whole lot of *mediocre* things hanging up that I just never seemed to get rid of. Either I didn’t love it completely or it was a bit worn out but in my head, “still good enough” because I didn’t want to replace it.
These seemed to be my pain points. In response to these, I told myself:
1. You are not planning on working in an office setting for a very very long time… get rid of it all, with the exception of two black dresses that I can use for weddings or the occasional formal event.
2. If it does not fit, why is it taking up space in your life? Do not live in the past or future. All of you have it right now and you do not need the reminder that your body doesn’t feel good in something. You should ONLY keep clothing that you feel amazing in.
3. I am a basics girl. I like neutral colors like white, black, gray, navy, and some earthy brown here and there. Maybe olive once in a blue moon. Patterns are not my thing and that is ok.
4. It’s time to let go of old denim that isn’t serving me. I never choose to wear them because they are uncomfortable so I basically have an entire drawer full of unwearable things, except maybe 1 pair. Out they go! Jean shopping isn’t fun, but I got through it and now actually WEAR jeans again!
5. I should only keep duplicates of white tees and black tees. That is pretty much it… and that is only because I wear them so often!
6. I do not want to dress myself in mediocre things. I want to feel good and I don’t want to have to weed through the mediocre to find the few items I truly love.
As I started going through my things and choosing only the pieces I loved loved loved, it got easier and easier to let go. Seeing white space and room in my closet was such a breath of fresh air. Once I took out everything that did not serve me, I checked for gaps and headed to the thrift store. I also invested in a few key pieces like new jeans, like I mentioned (I really love these boyfriend Levis – affiliate link).
I also have a whole lot of basics that seem plain, but it is just what I am most comfortable in and it makes things easy to mix and match. When mostly everything is neutral, a lot of it pairs well together. Throwing together an outfit is effortless and takes no time at all in the morning. I love that.
Since I live in a place that gets all four seasons with very cold and very hot weather at different times, I took anything that was made for fall/winter and stored in a bin in another closet. Out of sight, out of mind. I have yet to pair those seasons down and see where my gaps are. I will have to update you once I do, but for now, I focused on the current season. However, I do know that I will always separate my seasonal clothes moving forward. It feels nice to only see exactly what I want to see every day.
I do not try to have a certain number of clothing items, but I am now implementing the “one in, one out” rule, which is basically… If I want to add something new to my wardrobe, I need to donate something similar from what is currently in my closet. This keeps things from getting unmanageable or out of control again. Another benefit? Less laundry!!
So what do I have in my wardrobe now? Here’s a breakdown…
Tops:
- 2 white v-necks
- 1 white tee
- 2 graphic tees
- 1 gray v-neck
- 1 gray tee
- 1 striped tee
- 1 black v-neck
- 1 black tee
- 2 light-weight long-sleeve tops
- 1 dressier black top (for special occasions)
- 1 mustard yellow tee (my favorite, so I chose to have one pop of color!)
- 1 non-hooded sweatshirt
- 1 hooded sweatshirt
- 1 zip-up
- 1 flow-y white button down
- 3 cardigans
- 1 short-sleeve bodysuit
- 1 sleeveless bodysuit
- 1 black spaghetti strap top
- 4 ribbed tanks (black, white, gray, tan)
Bottoms:
- 2 pairs of boyfriend jeans
- 1 pair of black jeans
- 1 skinny jean
- 3 pairs of jean shorts
- 1 pair of black joggers
- 1 pair of gray joggers
- 2 black leggings
- 2 gray leggings
Dresses:
- 8 casual dresses
- 2 LBD for formal attire
- 1 romper
Coats:
- 1 rain coat
- 1 jean jacket
- 1 athletic jacket
I am not including underthings/pajamas etc. above. I do not keep an overflow of these things… just as much as I need. I am trying to keep it under 50 pieces, but if I go over… it is not a big deal. As long as I wear and enjoy everything I have, then I am happy. Just know that it is SO much less than I had. I must have had close to 150 pieces prior. Too much for me!
I am not sure if the above feels like a lot to you or maybe too little. But it is exactly what works for me and that is such a liberating feeling. I love every piece that I own… which I could not have said 6 months ago!
A few accounts that helped me with this whole process are Madisun Gray, The Barta House, Life Runs on Laughter, and Margaret Matheny. Definitely check out these ladies.
Anyways, this might have been all over the place. I hope not! But it’s just a glimpse into what my capsule wardrobe looks like now for spring and summer. If you enjoyed this and would be interested in seeing fall/winter, let me know. x
