clothes – Mind Beauty Simplicity

What is a capsule wardrobe exactly? Minimalists like to define it as a set number of clothing items to reduce the troubles of decision fatigue & allows us to understand the benefits behind owning less. Courtney Carver, the writer behind the book, Project 333 goes a step further & challenges those to have 33 items of clothing for 3 months. I attempted project 333 for myself during the pandemic & I did take note of the benefits. But overall, I don’t necessarily like to limit myself to a set number of clothing pieces. I simply ask myself how often I wear something? Does it fit the person I wish to be? And is it practical? Otherwise, I let it go. And over the course of the summer, I’ve downsized my wardrobe extremely to the point where 95% of my clothing is gone! As the new season approaches, I look forward to revamping my style & curating a capsule wardrobe that allows me to create classic outfits.

As I’ve decluttered over 10 bags of clothing in the past few months, I’ve also made a few replacements along the way. I’ve been in a style rut & wanted to enter my fall season with a bit more style. Summer tends to put myself in a style rut [ especially when it’s hot ] because all I wear are athletic shorts & basic tanks or tees. Fall fashion is elite. And I’m so excited to share the pieces I’ve bought & put together.

Denim Denim Denim

A classic pair of jeans is a staple in any wardrobe. As a millennial, I still find skinny jeans to be the most flattering at times, but I have been wanting to branch out to different styles. I purchased a pair of the viral 90’s straight leg relaxed fit jeans from Abrocrombie. And I totally understand the hype! I can’t wait to rock these with some sneakers & basic tees all fall season.

Business Beige

To jazz up your dressier occasions, why not swap or add a pair of beige slacks to your wardrobe along with the typical grey or black. I personally love incorporating lighter shades to my fall wardrobe to showcase a brighter look. No white after Labor Day, who? I also love adding knits to make your look a bit more casual.

Stick To The Basics

The majority of my closet is filled with basic tees & tanks. Lately – I’ve added a few fitted crop tops to my wardrobe. I love pairing tighter tops with baggier pants to create a bit of definition. I love layering these with flannels, cardigans or jackets to stay warm. I recommend you have a basic white, black & grey t-shirt & tank & then go from there. Stick to shades that are the most flattering to you. There’s no need to own the entire rainbow.

Sneakers

I’m trying to get away from just living in Uggs until March (although if you are from the East Coast, it’s pretty much inevitable). Last fall, I purchased this pair of Sam Edelman sneakers in this white & beige shade. I thought they would be a perfect minimalistic look to any pair of jeans or leggings.

Birkenstocks

It’s hilarious to me Birkenstock clogs are back in style. I wore these almost daily in high school. I haven’t yet purchased these, but am looking to add these to my capsule wardrobe soon to add variety to my shoe collection. I feel like they would be perfect paired with my A&F jeans.

Dainty Statement Jewelry

I strongly believe you can enhance an outfit by just adding a few statement jewelry pieces. I love pairing my rose gold B&T necklace with a crop top & jeans or adding a pair of gold hoops.

Oversized Sweaters & Cardigans

Of course, it’s not fall without that cozy sweater weather feeling. I love pairing them with black leggings, a warm beverage & a book in hand. They are like warm hugs! For the most part, I prefer neutral shades like beige, grey or black , but I also love wearing Halloween themed jumpers to be festive.

Water Proof Boots

On the east coast, I feel like it’s crucial to own boots that are weather resistant. Whether it’s walking through the pumpkin patch or the muddy Renaissance fair, I’m so glad to have boots that will be easy to clean. During the Nordstrom anniversary sale, I purchased a pair of black water proof ankle boots & I have a strong feeling I’ll be wearing these a lot this fall season!

Graphic Tees

During my recent declutter, I let go of a ton of old graphic t-shirts that were faded or had holds in them. I still believe we don’t need to own an entire drawer filled with graphic tees, but I do think it’s fun to own a few to make an outfit more unique. One of my favorites is my zodiac sign flower t-shirt.

Even More Inspiration

Pinterest is my favorite site for finding fashion inspiration. Here are a few photos that depict the style I’m going for lately…

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What clothing styles / pieces are you looking forward to wear this season?

-B

My name is B & I used to be a shopaholic. Yes, you’ve got that right, this practicing minimalist & intentional living enthusiast used to spend her money on clothes & makeup like it was water. I filled emotional voids & tried to gain happiness through new purchases. And unfortunately, none of it truly helped. It wasn’t until I learned to reflect on my emotions, honor them & control my spending habits did I finally feel fulfilled. Now, I am a proud outfit repeater & use up my makeup products before I get replacements. I still love shopping but I’ve learned to do it less frequently. The types of things I prefer to buy now are items that can improve my life & experiences that will enrich my soul. Today, I wanted to let you in on the secrets to saving money & being intentional with your purchases.

Create a Wish List

To keep my purchasing less off the cuff, I tend to keep a list of wants in my note section of my phone. A lot of the time, I’ll remember I need something or have a want in mind throughout the day. By writing it down as soon as I think of it, I’m less likely to forget. Not only this, but having a list is a way for me to take a pause & reflect on it for a second.

Don’t Purchase From The Wish List Right Away

Impulse purchasing is where I have wasted the most amount of money. Ideally, you want to wait a few days until you purchase items on this wish list so you give yourself time to think about it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve quickly bought something & completely regretting it later. The worst part is when it’s too late to even return it. Unless it’s something you truly need like groceries, it’s healthier to wait it out a bit. A way to combat impulse buys is to make your lists ahead of time before your usual shopping day. You can even create a spread sheet & budget out the estimated expenses.

Consider A Low Buy Challenge

Challenge yourself to making less purchases all together. Keep it down to the essentials like food, water, monthly bills, & gas. You can even just limit yourself to specific types of purchases like not buying new makeup for a month. I did this with makeup & new clothing where I didn’t buy new items for a few months & I seriously saved hundreds of dollars. This also teaches you to prioritize your spending & always focus on the important expenses first. I know treating ourself can be nice, but it can also get out of hand. Control those spending urges with these low buy or no buy rules.

Ask Yourself Why

Why do I want this new makeup product? Why do I feel like I need this new dress? What will I wear it to & how often will I wear it? These are such important questions to reflect on before making any type of purchases no matter how much it may be. Money no matter how small adds up. So really dive deep into those questions.

Save Your Coins

I am a hoarder – when it comes to coin collecting. We have a large glass jar by our front door that holds all our loose change. Every few months or so I’ll go & cash it in. Can you believe I’ve gotten a few hundred dollars out of just our loose change?! We’ve used it for bills, groceries or even weekend getaways to the beach.

Being intentional with your spending habits simply takes willpower. And when you start to think more frugally, like any habit, it starts to become second nature. Now, when I walk into a store, I can easily just window shop & most days not buy a damn thing. Old me would be shocked. Are you trying to save your money & create smarter spending habits? Let me know in the comments your secrets.

-B

Tag: clothes

My Fall Capsule Wardrobe