Three weeks ago I shared with you a piece on thrifting and you got a little sneak peak at what my spring capsule looks like. Today [FINALLY!] I’m going to share with you all of the pieces I included in this seasons’s capsule + share with you my reflections on the process this time around and thus far in general.
PUTTING TOGETHER MY SPRING CAPSULE
The planning/purchasing phase for this capsule was the longest it’s ever taken to complete. (3+ weeks of planning + purchasing + returning + re-purchasing, etc.) Blech. Normally it takes me 1.5 – 2 weeks, tops. In the future I would like to keep this part of the process a little shorter than it took this time around — because the less time + energy spent on clothes/shopping has always been a part of the capsule appeal to me. That said, I do feel a great deal of joy in knowing why it took me so much longer…
I’m being more discerning. I’m saying no to things that don’t work and yes to things that do.
Seriously, can I get an amen?! Haha!
I used some lessons learned from my winter capsule along with some specific goals I had for a spring wardrobe and let these be my guide through the entire planning process.
How I chose my pieces: tools for the process and inspiration
When I set out to choose pieces for my spring capsule I immediately dove right into my Stylebook app. As with my most recent winter capsule, the vast majority of pieces utilized for my spring capsule were pieces I already owned — so I had a great visual ‘clothes bank’ to pull from. Adding/removing pieces from an actual collage also made it SO much easier to curate a cohesive looking + versatile wardrobe.
I consulted my ‘master list‘ (a running list I keep, in Google doc form, with pieces I know I want to — or think I might want to — add to my closet in the future). I assessed my specific wardrobe needs for the season (events, seasonal lifestyle, etc.), identified a budget (a segment of my yearly budget) and then set to work to find those pieces.
31 items were either rolled over from my previous capsule/pulled from storage and the other 13 items were either gifts, secondhand buys or new buys. Thirteen new or new-to-me pieces is honestly a record high number of additions since I’ve started this capsuling process (almost two years now) — but I’m trusting that I made some good calls this time around by adding a few more pieces instead of paring down for the sake of paring down.
Where did the pieces come from (and why I sourced them from these places):
Currently I am taking the following steps to reach my goal of making fewer, more intentional and wholesome purchases.
Right now my baby steps involve:
-Purchasing high quality secondhand pieces first when I identify a clothing need and/or want,
-adding high quality items from brands that emphasize transparency + do not bolster ‘trends’ and
-filling in the few remaining gaps with extremely conscientious purchases from brands that would likely be considered members of the fast fashion community — these pieces are always something I genuinely love on me, fit my core style and do not fall into the category “trendy”.
I talk a little more about my rationale and reflections that led me to this point in my recent guest post on Cladwell’s blog. I’d love for you to check it out if you have the time (and haven’t already). :)
GENERAL REFLECTIONS
-I’m learning that I don’t actually like shopping. Haha! When you put so much forethought + planning + organizing into it, you’re kind of just ready for a break. I’m learning that I actually like not having to think about buying “this or that” for an extended period of time. I enjoy the intentionally scheduled time off.
-All that forethought + planning + organizing pays off! The reason I don’t think about or want to buy “this or that” is because I have a closet full of stuff I like, actually wear and can be remixed to create a similar look to “this or that” — while also being more in tune with my own personal style.
-My ‘master list‘ isn’t really growing any more! I continue to refine it, occasionally add a piece but remove a piece as well (once or twice a season) as I continue to assess my lifestyle clothing needs + style goals
THE BREAKDOWN
TOPS
white tee, striped tee, grey ribbed tee, striped long sleeve tee, black tee (similar), dark grey marled tee, gingham button down (similar), cream blouse (similar), blue cotton button down c/o thredUP (similar), ivory lace top (similar), cream pleated top (similar), grey v neck tee, grid blouse, buffalo check top, graphic tee, grey tee, chambray (similar), grey cardigan (similar), v neck marled sweater (similar)
BOTTOMS + DRESSES
chambray shirt dress, olive shirt dress, black flowy skirt (similar), dark grey trousers (similar), light grey pencil skirt (similar), white jean leggings (similar), light wash denim, dark wash denim, black denim, medium wash denim
JACKETS + COATS
wrap trench coat (similar), tencel utility jacket (similar), suede fringe jacket c/o thredUP (similar), jean jacket (similar)
SHOES
nude booties (similar), rain boot c/o Kamik, patterned flat (similar), peep toe bootie, black/tan block heel (similar), black slipons (similar), gladiator heel (similar), white sneaker, black footbed sandal, black sneaker
Note* not all pieces listed in ‘the breakdown’ appear in photos above.
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