Friday ReBlog: Capsule Wardrobe Discussions

Wow, this week had my number – the flu hit my kid and my spouse just as work cranked up. Then my kid got strep yesterday.  Bah!  Apologies for radio silence/skipping my regular Tuesday/Thursday posts – fingers crossed that today marks a return to sanity and routine!

This post by Caroline at Un-Fancy is a few weeks old but I’m still making my way through the comments, which showcase a wide variety of approaches to capsule (or capsule-ish) wardrobes.  I read collections of different perspectives like this like I eat popcorn – I can’t get enough!  They’re great for inspiration both in the particulars (hey, I could try out that idea) and in general – as I read I felt myself getting excited to do a spring wardrobe cleanout, so stay tuned for that.

She’s also done a Q&A about her own capsule wardrobe and a closet tour if you’re interested.

 

Have a great weekend, Thrifters! And here’s to a healthy household Chez Thriftshop Chic.

 

Friday ReBlog: 10×10 Outfit Challenge

Caroline over at Un-Fancy recently completed a 10×10 outfit challenge: 10 outfits in 10 days using 10 pieces of clothing (including shoes, not including other accessories).  Her inspiration for the project?  She wanted to resist the urge to buy a bunch of new stuff for fall and instead challenge herself to discover new ways of making outfits with pieces she already had.

My favorite thing about the series?  (Well two favorites). She gave her outfits grades based on how functional/comfortable they were but also how “Caroline” they were – how close they each came to her own personal style sweet spot.  And she wasn’t afraid to give an outfit a failing grade!  Most style bloggers you read (myself included) are tempted to post only the “successful” outfits and to skip spilling the beans that a chic- or hip-looking outfit was really uncomfortable or not necessarily “us.”

I also liked that remixing 10 pieces forced her to get creative and pair things in ways she doesn’t normally wear them – and thus she discovered a new-to-her silhouette that is her “fashion future” – the direction she wants to head stylistically. Have you ever had an accidental “aha” moment like that?

Caroline also invited readers to share their own outfit remixes, and thus I happened upon Cleshawn of Home to Hem’s great video lookbook of her 10×10 challenge.  My favorite thing about her video?  You get to see her styling the outfits in real time – realizing a bandana tied like a choker at the neck would take a simple outfit up a notch, or that a shirt needs to be tucked or rolled just so.  For folks who want a boost in the “how do I style this?” department, you should definitely give it a watch!

Both Caroline & Cleshawn have very laidback, work-at-home creative-type vibes.  I totally think this concept is applicable for a more formal office environment, though – anyone up for trying it together?

 

Have a great weekend, Thrifters!

 

Fall /Winter Wardrobe Preview

We’re still in hot temps here but I know many of you have already started the slide into fall weather so I’m going to post some of what I *think* will work as my core/fringe items to get those autumnal juices flowing.  This is not an exhaustive or restrictive list but covers most of what I plan on wearing.

As you may remember, I’ve been restyling my cold weather wardrobe as I try to figure out some styles I love that keep me warm. I’ve been doing it during the summer to give me time to think about additions and go slowly without the pressure of chilly temps right around the corner – but this also means I haven’t been able to wear any of the clothes together yet! So consider this most definitely a first draft.

(Also, the cords below are currently at the tailor to be transformed into actual slim pants instead of boot cuts, so you’ll just have to use your imagination.)

Enjoy!

 

Mixing my core/fringe model with a dual-silhouette idea borrowed from Un-Fancy, I’ll do two core silhouettes – my go-to silhouettes that most of the clothes in my cold weather closet can participate in – and a fringe silhouette – the one I use occasionally to mix things up a little and that’s made up of some pieces that don’t mix and match as well with the core silhouettes.

Here’s my first core silhouette, continued from summer into fall:

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Torso-skimming top over slim pants.  This silhouette will cover a variety of temperatures with some lightweight tops, some toppers (cardignas, blazers, ruanas, etc.) over lightweight tops, and finally proper sweaters (with shell underneath for really chilly days).  Please ignore the tag on the top – recently thrifted and not yet worn! – and imagine the pants a little slimmer in general.  All my slim trousers were at the tailor.

 

Second core silhouette: sheath/sweater dress over leggings and long sleeves (as needed)

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Two more dresses I’ll be wearing in this manner: here and here

Merona – Land’s End – Merona – Jacqueline Ferrar – George – all thrifted

 

Here’s my fringe silhouette, moving from the starting list last winter to more of a relief pitcher this year:

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Fitted top over flares
I like the chic, long lines of this silhouette, but I got a little tired of it last year, so it’ll make some appearances this year but not take top billing.  Now I’m mixing metaphors…

 

And here are the items that will fit into each silhouette:

Skim over slim – lightweight tops

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Japna – Madewell – Meadow Rue – Merona – Ambiance Apparel – Piazza Sempione – White Stag – Coldwater Creek –  Pull and Bear (detail of sweater worn in silhouette photo above) –  all thrifted

 

Skim over slim – sweaters

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Liz Clairborne – Gap new with tags – Forever 21 – Mossimo – French Connection – Liz Claiborne – Loft (the back is more interesting) – all thrifted

 

Skim over slim – toppers

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Old Navy – Loft – Haberdashery by Personal – Merona – Cartonnier – all thrifted

 

Skim over slim – bottoms

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Uniqlo – Ralph Lauren new with tags (to be tailored to slim fit) – Banana Republic (to be tailored to slim fit) – Chico’s – F21 – all thrifted

 

Fit over flare – tops

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Banana Republic (featured in silhouette photo above – Express – both thrifted

 

Fit over flare – bottoms

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Old Navy – thrifted

 

 

Outerwear
Just one coat, because it makes me just that happy:

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J. Crew – thrifted

This feels like a lot, but not counting leggings, shells, or outwear, it’s 35 pieces – right about at the sweet spot for typical mix-and-match capsule wardrobes (although I do have a few more things on my thrift list that might either grow this list or elbow some of these items out of the way!).  I’ll keep you updated on what works, what doesn’t, what gets worn and what sits at the back of the closet or drawer.

What’s in your capsule or edited wardrobe this fall/winter?  Scroll down to comment!

 

Happy fall!

 

Friday ReBlog: When Your Style Starts to Change

The last few weeks I’ve featured new-to-me thrift blogs, but today I’m throwing it back to a  style blogger we’ve visited before: Caroline at Un-Fancy.  She penned a post recently about what to do when your style begins to shift and your current closet doesn’t quite fit your evolving aesthetic.

She gives some good tips on styling what you have in ways that feel fresh without chucking your entire wardrobe. Her approach is all about appreciating what you have and being content with enough, both of which are underdeveloped skills in our culture. Caroline’s concern also stems from her growing commitment to ethical consumption, which makes it pricey to decide you’re done with a good chunk of your US/fairly-made or eco-friendly clothing.

Thrifters don’t deal with the price issue in the same way, of course – in fact, the ability to be flexible with your style is a major selling point for thrifting. Nor does thrifting have as big of an impact on the environment as new purchases (and therefore increased demand) do – although as we discussed here LINK, thrifting obviously relies on other people purchasing new clothes, so it’s not entirely free of issues.

As we’ve talked about before, the principle of having enough, though, applies whether you shop retail or thrift. And even if you can afford to change over your repertoire when you decide you’re not feeling a certain pant silhouette, you may not have the time or the energy to go hunting for the newest expression of your style. Or you may not even be sure that a new style is what you need – maybe you just need a little break before returning to your regularly scheduled wardrobe.

So if you’ve been feeling the itch to switch it up sartorially, head on over to Un-Fancy to get her take on no-cost restyling.

 

Happy weekend, Thrifters!

 

 

three things to do when you feel your style start to change (but you want to honor what you already have)

Friday ReBlog: Updated Wardrobe Planner at UnFancy + Year-Round Capsule Wardrobe at Paris to Go

Check out Caroline’s new and improved free wardrobe planner (printable download) at UnFancy.

If you are like my friend Caitlin and feeling a bit at sea with your wardrobe, this handy little document will help you suss out your style, starting with what works and doesn’t in the clothes you already own and building from there.

I haven’t tried Caroline’s wardrobe planners before but have used some similar concepts to help folks think through their own style revolution.  I’d love to hear from you if you’ve tried her planners or something similar – what have you learned?  Do you like having a place to write it all down?   Scroll down to share what you’ve found helpful!

 

Meanwhile across the pond, Arianna at Paris to Go has updated her year-round wardrobe capsule to give you an idea of how she makes one wardrobe work in all seasons.  Her style is dressier and almost entirely secondhand, including several couture dresses.  Check it out for visual inspiration/un peu de lèchevitrine – a little window shopping, or “window licking” as the French say.  I think it gives a sense of how drool-worthy her closet is…

 

Happy weekend, Thrifters!