Spring Purchases

Well friends, it's been almost 2 months since I began my capsule wardrobe. It has definitely been an adjustment. Its not always comfortable, nor is it always fun. I've had a few moments of inner panic as I look in my closet and see only outfits I've already worn and longing for the box full of my other clothes. But then I remember that I haven't been shopping because I'm sad or bored or alone, and I'm not spending unnecessarily. I reflect on the outfits I've come up with and how each one is really something that I want to wear and feel confident in... So I think I'll stick with it, at least one more season. Change doesn't happen overnight, or even in a few weeks! The shopping habits and mindset I've created took me a long time to develop, so if I want to create a more thoughtful and efficient system for myself, that will also take a while. Plus, to be honest, I think planning and calculating and searching for the perfect piece is kind of fun.

I like to play a word game when setting up goals and expectations (coincidentally, this is a great technique for older students). I like to choose 5-10 adjectives to describe what I want out of the process or experience, or to describe myself. I did this a few months ago when I felt like I needed an attitude adjustment, and it was so effective I've been doing it every few months about different things: my home, going back to school, the new semester, and my clothing. The adjectives for this upcoming capsule are:

Fresh

Effortless

Classy

Simple

Cool

Like I said when discussing my spring inspiration- spring will be kind of boring. I feel like winter is so fussy, with all its layers and jackets and scarves and generally too much of everything. The prospect of warmer temperatures makes me want to relax out of my 46 daily layers and ease into something simpler.

Now, I know I'm going against one of the rules set down for capsule wardrobes by Caroline at her amazing blog Unfancy, but I haven't been including my outerwear in my capsule. This matters less and less the closer to summer I get, but for spring, Texas weather is like a pinball machine and the temperatures are likely to continue bouncing all over the place, so I'll still need a variation of jackets to reach for. It would be a huge pain if one day I needed a winter coat and the next I'd be in sandals.

So, according to capsule wardrobe plan, at the beginning of March (Wait what? Here is my explanation) I will do my switch to the spring capsule. Based on an evaluation of what I already have, I really only needed to add a few things to my closet to be ready for spring. After these purchases, I still have $30 left in my budget.

What I bought:

Upgraded Moto Jacket (not a part of the capsule, but I wanted to share!)
Check it out, its lovely. Although a little squeaky and still faux, it definitely is an upgrade from my last moto jacket which was from an equivalent of Forever21. Great investment!

Topshop Moto Jacket

Graphic Blouse

I fell in love with this dreamy graphic blouse from my beloved Loft, which was on sale for $22. With shipping it was $32, so about 1/3 of my budget. That might seem a little strange, but I know that this is something I can wear not only this spring, but in any season because of its neutral palette. I'm not one for patterns generally, but this is just the bit of spice (yes to be a black and white blouse is spicy) that I wanted for spring.

The Perfect Striped Tee

I've searched high and low, and it is no where to be found! I want slightly longer sleeves, a loose but not baggy fit, and I want mid-sized stripes. Is that too much to ask? Apparently.

I went for this one from Gap. Partially because it was on sale... But also because Caroline from Unfancy has pretty much the same shirt and it looks about perfect on her. (Let's pretend I'm not borderline obsessed with Unfancy. Ok, thanks.)

What I'm still searching for:

Gray Sheath Dress

Every time I browse my pins, I regret not buying this perfect one from H&M! I may or may not be stalking this on ebay.

I might wait a while on the sheath, because anything worthwhile is likely to send me over my budget, but I might also spend a few weekends thrifting for one! They are surprisingly hard to come by, even on the internet.

Cool Sneakers

Between my extremely picky sense of style and my big feet, I've really had a hard time finding some colorful sneakers to add a kick (harharhar... sorry) to my closet. These are some of my favorites, notice the trend?