Greetings from my couch!

Since I’ve basically been wearing pajamas all week and I have no photos or confessions that don’t involve kid poop, I thought I’d write some thoughts on the upcoming season and my plans for a Fall wardrobe. I use the term “plan” very loosely, as there isn’t one. But let’s talk Fall!

I wrote about going through some confusion last winter for the Unfancy blog – how I always get suckered into seasonal shopping – so this year I am trying to prepare myself.  I have maaajor googly eyes for autumn fashion.  Major!  And even though I’ve already bought a few transitional pieces (what can I say, restraint is not my strong point) I’m not falling for the usual tricks.  I am not buying what the stores tell me I should. Jackets?  Nope.  Sweaters?  Ehhhh.  Boots?  Don’t think so.  Scarves?  Hahaha.

Much to my dismay, I know in my heart that the upcoming season in Southern California will not be bitter cold, so why is it so hard to stay away??  I’m working on a lot of self control here.

Going back to when I first heard of the capsule wardrobe over a year ago, I embraced it big time. I love the whole concept – from seasonal shopping to investing in quality pieces to keeping that wardrobe small and in check! And of course Caroline made it all so attainable. She makes so much sense and her blog is a wonderful guide, if you’re looking to jump in. Plus she’s just a really nice person, so go read what she has to say.

I’m still a huge fan of the idea overall, but I’ve run into my own set of challenges. The biggest one being time. My capsules have become rushed and kind of thoughtless. I’m throwing in a lot of old pieces to see if I’ll wear them. I’m not investing in quality garments. I end up changing over a bunch of stuff half-way through or shopping more than I plan to make up for what I feel is missing (this is what got me into my wardrobe mess in the first place.) I liked the control I had in the beginning and feel like I lost that somewhere along the way. So I need to make some adjustments that will hopefully keep me on track but take less time to put together.

A couple of ideas I’ve been tossing around are:

1. A French Wardrobe: this is essentially a wardrobe of basics. Jeans, tees, button downs, a dress or 2. I’ve seen a couple different versions on Pinterest, and from what I gather, the idea is to invest in real quality basics that you can rotate and wear again and again, while keeping the wardrobe very small. There’s not a whole lot of flare other than maybe 3-5 new pieces each season to jazz it up and participate in trends, if that’s your thing. (Yes please.) This appeals to me because I wear mostly basics anyway and that’s what I’m most comfortable in. I can picture it and would love to have quality pieces that define my wardrobe! The drawback would be getting bored. It happens even with the seasonal capsule. I also have a hard time spending money on quality clothes, so this would be a great exercise in self-control, waiting for those perfect pieces, and not being afraid to buy them (or ruin them).
2. A Year-Round Capsule: I’ve seen a few people take the idea of the capsule wardrobe to the next level and not worry about trading clothes out each season. They just keep a small wardrobe in whatever style suits them best. I haven’t really researched any “rules”, so to speak, as far as how many items you should keep in your closet, or if you ever buy anything new. But I think the concepts are the same as what I’m doing now. Just less work between seasons.
3. The 4 Categories: This is my own version of a capsule wardrobe that I’ve been making up in my head. I would try combining a seasonal capsule and a year-round capsule. Instead of separating my clothes into seasons, I would break them into 4 categories (for the seasons of life, if you will. Just came up with that.) The categories, for me in particular, would be warm weather, cold weather, special occasion, and travel.  The warm weather capsule would be the largest collection because that aspect of my momdrobe would be used the most.  While the cold weather, special occasion, and travel would be additional pieces that I might not wear every day but that I need to have. And instead of putting things in storage (and occasionally forgetting what’s there) I’ll keep all the items available, in different areas of my closet. *Newsflash* I guess you could also call this a normal wardrobe. Haha.  But listen. When I have rules and regulations for my clothes, I just do a little better in general. I want to hold myself accountable.  My thought is to have a set number for each category and when I purchase new items, I have to get rid of something else. This will hopefully keep the size of the wardrobe in check. As for self-control? …I’m still ironing out the details.
4. Uniform: Stick with what I love. Not so many limitations, but really get to know myself and own items that define my style. Not worry so much about trends, just really embrace my uniform. If I like rompers and sneakers and denim, and I know I will wear them, then that’s what I should buy and stock up on. 
5. Restart: throw everything away and start over. Just kidding. Kinda.

So there you have it. A few ideas that I’m tossing around. I have yet to decide which direction it will go, but y’all will be the first to know.

What are your plans for Fall? Making any major changes?