A New Start

Summertime!

 I spent this evening getting my Spring Capsule packed away, and my Summer Capsule all ready to go. Here’s a sneak peek at what will clothe me through July, August, and September:

After I went through my closet, my planning phase began. This time I was a little more confident in what I was doing, but I found it a little more difficult, too. I looked over my Spring posts, paying special attention to the lessons learned, and decided what to change and what to keep the same. 

For Spring I had three colors and one neutral. I found that there were too many items that didn’t go with other clothes, which defeats the purpose of having a capsule in the first place.  This time I switched it: I went with three neutrals, one main color, and one accent color. I hope this time it’s going to be a bit more cohesive. 

I stuck with including just 37 pieces this time, and while I didn’t truly follow the rule of three, I kept it in mind as a guide. 

Here’s what I came up with:

3 neutrals: black, white, and denim (I know, denim’s not a color, but you get the idea)

Main color: red

Accent color: purple

I chose those based on the summer clothes I already had, and used it as a guide while I shopped. My goal was to end up with thirty-seven pieces:

2 jackets

2 dresses

9 pairs of shoes

15 tops

9 bottoms

I like having a plan when I shop. This is why I love this approach so much.

The shopping was a bit more fun, because I shopped mostly online. Macy’s has a good returns policy, so I didn’t worry too much about ordering “hard to fit” items. It turned out well. I supplimented at Maurices, Carsons, Walmart, and TJ Maxx. There were times when I had a specific item in mind but just couldn’t find it online or at any store, so I adjusted my wants, and I’m pretty happy with what I’ve ended up with. 

Tomorrow will be day one of my new capsule! I’m eager to get started. 

Summer Planning

 Summer is almost here! 

That means lots of things for me, but the one I’m writing about today is planning my new wardrobe capsule. I’ve learned alot since first getting started with my Spring capsule, so this time I feel a bit more confident. I also feel more enthusiastic about it, since I’ve experienced what a great difference it’s made in my morning routine.

When I finished purging my closet for my Spring capsule, I ended up with three large totes full of clothing that I wasn’t ready to get rid of.  Some of the items were not in season for Spring, and others were pieces that I just couldn’t fit into the Spring capsule. 

  I started with these. I emptied all three onto my bed and went through them piece by piece, putting them into one of three piles: 

1. Goodbye!

Several more items are on their way to Goodwill. There are a few I really liked, but I was a bit more ruthless this time. If they don’t fit and make me feel good about wearing them, out they go! 

2. Maybe Later

I now have only two totes of clothing in this category, instead of three. These are items that are out of season, or that I hope to fit into a capsule someday, but not this time. These totes are going back into my closet until it’s time to work on my Fall capsule.  

3. Summer!

These are the clothes around which I’m going to build my Summer capsule. 

There are fourteen pieces here, and counting a few things I’m bringing over from my Spring capsule, I have eighteen items to get me started. That’s not even halfway to 37. This means LOTS of shopping.

I had predicted that, though. There was a reason I always felt like I had nothing to wear, especially in the summers. 

I’m doing something a little differently this time. Online shopping. It’s difficult to find clothes, jeans, especially, that fit  me correctly, so I usually avoid buying clothes online. However, I’ve discovered that Macy’s has an excellent return policy, and free shipping, so it’s completely risk free for me to order a bunch of things and just try them on at home. I also really like their True Fit sizing. In theory, it’s a great way to know which size to order of various brands. I’ll find out soon if it’s actually accurate.

I’ve already gotten started with my shopping at Macys.com. In about a week, I’ll be receiving my orders, trying things on, and getting a better idea of what I’m going to need to get on my upcoming shopping trip.

Until then, goodbye!