If you’ve read my Style for the Reluctant Mom series you know that style is something I am new to. It was never something I was good at, but as I’ve been trying to step out of my comfort zone, it is something I am enjoying.
When I merged my new interest in fashion with my new love of minimalism this equaled CAPSULE WARDROBE. The first step in making a capsule wardrobe is getting rid of all the clothes you don’t love, that don’t fit, and that don’t work well in your wardrobe.
Which leaves you with a closet of fewer clothes that work well together. The moms30for30 is kinda of like having an interview with a capsule wardrobe.
I love capsule wardrobes, they make my life way easier. BUT I noticed that I have been feeling a certain pressure with them. I’ve been feeling like I had to pick timeless clothes and spend a lot of money on staple pieces that would last me for years. I felt restricted by these mindsets and wasn’t totally enjoying my capsule wardrobe experience.
RETHINKING THE CAPSULE WARDROBE
Last spring I went to a style swap in my town and came home with an armful of new tops, sweaters, and dresses. I was SO excited to wear these new items.
That feeling of having something new in the closet made me realize how much I do love trying new trends and rotating pieces in and out of my closet. I was following these rules about a capsule wardrobe that were really making me bored and frustrated with my closet.
THE ROTATING CAPSULE WARDROBE
As I was looking over the first few weeks of moms30for30 outfits I realized that I have a lot of secondhand pieces – either thrifted or handmedowns (thanks, Rachel and Rae!). I don’t go shopping for new clothes often and when I do I stick to a list. But after the style swap and some thrift store scores, I’ve been seeing that these pieces I am finding for free or cheap are that constant dose of excitement I need to keep loving my closet. They are keeping my Wardrobe Love Affair spicaaaay!
Nowadays I like to approach my capsule wardrobe as something that is rotating. I will spend the money on staples like jeans or coats, but I like to constantly try out new shirts, tops, dresses, fun pants, you know – keeping it very Titus Andromedon with my luxury CLOZAY (you really need to watch more Netflix if you don’t get that joke ;))
If I get these other pieces secondhand then I feel like I can be risky and try something really different. I am also feeling like I don’t spend all my money frivolously, I’m not giving into fast fashion, and I am not overfilling my closet.
I can stick to a balance of clothes swapping, thrifting and decluttering to keep my closet rotating, manageable, and fresh. Even doing this 30for30 challenge has made me take the time to declutter some more clothes in my closet that I just don’t feel that excited about anymore.
I used to stress about getting rid of clothes in case it came back in style, or if it was a pricey item – but I’ve found a mindset that helps me let go of clothes “there will always be more clothes and these clothes don’t define me”. I can be a little more ruthless about how I handle my wardrobe when I think like this.
WEEK THREE OUTFITS
These are my week three outfits. Many of them have pieces that are handed down or thrifted
….and featuring a picture of me getting upstaged by my three-year-old. He’s just training for his SuperModel Documentary Hour
And please make sure to stop by the hashtag #moms30for30 and give some love to all the other ladies joining in this challenge.