Running Into My Past, and Shoes

January 12, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Mental Illness, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe

I’m sitting in a cafe, frozen with panic that I might see a woman I know. My husband saw her working here once and I honestly don’t know what I’d do if I ran into her. I had him go inside first to check if she was working but he didn’t see her, so we came in. And now I’m in a daze, sitting with my cup of tea, staring into space.

I knew her a few years ago, around the time we had our wedding, when we worked together at a different cafe. I was a different person then, three- no four years ago. Before TMS, before Ketamine, before Abilify when I worked in an office, then left and went on disability for mental illness. Before our last trip to Germany, before I gained all this weight, before this summer when I truly lost my mind. Maybe she wouldn’t recognize me? I’ve been through a lot. Maybe I look different enough to go unnoticed. I imagine how it would be if something else horrible had happened to me- cancer, or a miscarriage maybe. Would I feel so ashamed? So panicked that I can’t even order my own tea, so bewildered that I can’t think of anything to say to my husband?

I’ve had this kind of experience in the past- the worst thing in the world might be running into someone you haven’t seen in a while. I once ran into the composer of a show I’d been in- he’d known me when I was thin and “doing things.” I ran into him and another singer from the show. I had gained weight- a lot of weight. The singer said, “I almost didn’t recognize you!” Such tact.

The last time we were in Germany I dreaded running into people from the opera. I was no longer singing, no longer doing anything. And how could I explain it? How could I ever explain what had happened to me, why I’ve fallen so far?

Our wedding was around the time things started to go downhill. I wore green shoes with an antique cotton slip as a skirt and a custom-made blouson top, both white. I had a floral kimono jacket and a small blush clutch. A huge floral crown on my head, I smiled and gushed at all the guests, laughing and dancing. I don’t remember dancing since. I still have the green shoes- I love them. They are one of five pairs of heels that I own. Blush gladiator block-heel sandals, black sling-back cork wedges, and two pairs of identical pairs of peep-toe loafer-style heels, one black and one taupe. I don’t wear any of them. I hardly get dressed at all, never mind put on a pair of heels. But I love them all, they are all comfortable, and I imagine wearing them in the future. When I’m better. Which feels like never.

Instead I wear slip-on Supergas in gray or tan, snow boots from Lands’ End, ankleboots from Naturalizer. I have some tall wedge-heel boots from Sorel which get an occasional outing and some brown “Hobbit” shoes that I wear out of laziness, and for comfort. I have a pair of low-heeled boots with foldover cuffs in gray suede which I adore, but have suddenly become too small. Can you gain weight in your feet? Well, those will have to go, no matter how unique and perfect I think they are. They’re too tight to walk in. So I’m left with what- 11 pairs? Clearly I’m not so minimalist in this area. I’m not even all that practical- I mean, five pairs of heels that I don’t wear?

But keeping them means there’s hope for a future. The same way I kept my smaller clothes. It means there’s hope that maybe this extra weight will go away now that my meds have changed, now that I’m eating less, now that I don’t eat at night. Things are starting to shake loose, starting to open up. Small things, but painful ones- remembering who I was before the world closed in on me, came crashing down. What do I like to do? Who am I now without a career? Who am I without the hope of a fantastical future with fame and riches and the performing arts? But I read a book the other day; I left the house to go to a movie or for coffee. I bought and wrapped Christmas presents, however meager. And I cry every day in agony. Because at the same rate that I get better, my awareness of what I’ve lost grows. My abilities and my grief in tandem, alternately springing hope and slashing me down.

Today I Got Up Early, and What I Learned from the Discard Pile

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Mental Illness, Minimalism

Today I woke up at 5:20 am and couldn’t fall back to sleep before the 6am alarm. I made a cup of tea and did what most “normal” people seem to do when they wake up: I scrolled through Instagram. My new phone is the super-duper one, and it’s huge, so I don’t go blind when I go online. But I honestly don’t understand what's so great about Instagram. How have I missed out on this massive cultural shift towards posting selfies as an alternative to communication? It feels a lot like the whole Facebook obsession I never got into. Although I’m pretty sure I logged in once in 2015 to acknowledge that my husband and I were, in fact, married. In 2013. You see where I’m coming from. But since deciding I want to start a blog (I know, like it’s 2006 or something), I thought that maybe a good way to get people to read it would be to post on Instagram. Hence the scrolling.

Now, I am still a beginner, following a few minimalists and fashion bloggers I found on Youtube, but I have yet to see the value in this forum. I know that a lot of effort goes into these photos, which I scarcely glance at for a second or two, at most. Am I just old? Well, yes, the answer is a resounding yes. But Will Smith is on there, and he’s older than me. But I digress.

I was saying that I woke up before 6am today and got my workout clothes on. Now, don’t be fooled. This has happened before, and no working out has commenced. But today was different. I laid in the dark for hours yesterday (I know, I should have been scrolling instead) trying to imagine what my ideal day would look like. It always involved waking up massively early and working out. Now, I made the mistake of relaying this to my husband, Matt, who suggested I make this dream a reality. I went to bed around 9:30pm last night, woke up early, had my tea, got dressed, and actually got on the treadmill to walk (crowd cheers). I felt smug as I showered— even a little sheepish. What depression? You just have to get up early and just do it! This explains so many Nike ads! This explains my father’s philosophy on everything!

I sat down to some Youtube and some more tea, and decided to wake up Matt. He was awake and scrolling when I came in. I snuggled under the covers and lost consciousness.

 An hour later, my coffee was waiting by the bed in a travel mug. Oh, well! Just a little catnap! I only got eight hours last night, so that’s to be expected. I had breakfast and resumed my day. Matt showed me some template options on Squarespace for a half-hour or so. I ate lunch, washed the dishes, and watched more Youtube until Matt got back from the gym. When he returned, I started crying, saying “I’m ready to be all better. I’m so sick of this.” We went into the bedroom and I helped him fix a crossword puzzle. He rubbed my feet, got ready for work, and left. I fell asleep for two hours. Are you doing the math? 8 + 1 + 2 = 11. Yup. I’m up to 11 hours now, not feeling the Nike ad so much. These are the kind of shenanigans I must endure whenever I try to do something good, or proactive, etc. Now I’ve had more tea and have turned to a subject I have much more control over— my closet. Specifically, my discard pile.

I feel guilty looking at all of those t-shirts. I mean, technically, I could wear those Gap Factory ones some more, you know, until they had actual holes or whatever. And those LOFT swing tees are in perfect shape. I just, what, “don’t like them anymore?” Who am I, the Queen of England? Instead, I should keep them in my closet, not wear them for another year, and then get rid of them, like I do with dodgy cheeses. And this is where a capsule wardrobe becomes an act of defiance: an assertion of self-worth that shows confidence in one’s decisions. I will not wait for the cheese to mold. I will take life by the reins and purge! But let’s not be rash. There must be something we can learn from our past shopping mistakes. Here’s my list.

Don’t buy multiples (like, more than two) of anything that isn’t tried and true. With the Gap Factory T-shirts, I bought six of them all at once. I tried one out, washed it, gave it the green light, and kept them all. I see now that this was a mistake. I started buying multiples because I’d been burned before: I’d find that mythical perfect T-shirt or pair of pants, only realizing its value once it had gone out of stock, never to be reissued again. This created scarcity mentality in me- the idea that there will never be enough. And the truth is, there will always be more T-shirts- maybe even better than your current favorite. We must trust in the universe to bring us the clothes we need! (Okay, that went too far.)
Don’t buy anything without trying it on. OK, rookie mistake, I admit. But I thought those linen Gap joggers were the same as the twill ones I already had. And they’re the same size, and…and… Just don’t do it. They’re not the same and now you hate them.
Don’t buy anything you think you can fix via sewing. Unless you’re a master seamstress, this is a fantasy we have that allows us to purchase clothes that don’t fit. The LOFT Lou and Grey cotton camisoles have straps that fall down, no matter how many times I stitch and unstitch them.
High-low hems. Just don’t like them anymore. Something I once found profoundly “flattering” (translation: made me look thinner than I am) now deeply offends me. I think they look oddly childish, like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? -style weird. There are so many styles that I see on other people and think, “that looks great.” But then on me, they are creepy and infantilizing. Puff sleeves are the number-one offender, followed by babydoll dresses, peasant tops, and any kind of bows.

Well, that sums up my most recent fashion blunders. The most baffling for me is the last one, where something you love all of a sudden looks wrong. Maybe it’s just age or “maturity,” but all the cherubic fashions I was drawn to my whole life (mostly for figure-flattering purposes) have rather suddenly lost their charm. Nothing to be done, I suppose, except to pass them on and try to adjust my shopping habits accordingly. C’est la vie.

Getting Back to Exercise, and My Capsule Workout Wardrobe

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Mental Illness, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe

“Sedentary" is the word that best describes my current activity level. I walk around the apartment from room to room, but it’s certainly not the recommended 10,000 steps. There is also the occasional effort at walking on the treadmill. Over the past month or two, this has occurred twice a week at most, always for an hour at 3.0, so a distance of three miles. I have this thing with exercise where I need it to be the exact same workout every time. Not sure why that is, but to some extent, it has to do with not wanting to wash my workout clothes if I haven’t put out the full effort. My current “workout capsule” (if you can even call it that) consists of four sports bras, four t-shirts (all identical gray ones from Old Navy), a pair of boot-cut yoga pants, a pair of skinny joggers that feel more like pajama pants than gym pants, and a pair of fleece-lined joggers. I also have a Columbia zip-up fleece, and a pair of running shoes. It’s too cold to go outside in the workout gear that currently fits me, although in the past I’ve gone running in the snow in a double layer of Under Armor.

Running isn’t even an option right now, because running at this weight hurts my ankles. I have a fantasy that I walk on the treadmill every day and I film it, so I can make a time-lapse weight-loss video that goes viral and makes me rich. I also have the yoga fantasy where I become spiritually enlightened, as well as the weight-lifting fantasy where I become empowered by my own increased strength and muscle tone and start posting selfies on Instagram with inspirational quotes underneath. The reality of it is that I walk a twenty minute mile, and I rarely even do that. Sometimes I know there’s no way it’s going to happen. And sometimes I put the outfit on before sitting on the couch, trying to keep my hopes up, but eventually admitting that it’s not going to happen despite the outfit.

Earlier this year, in the midst of the worst violent rages and deepest depression I’ve known, I’d run every day. I found it mellowed me a bit in the evenings if I “got it out of my system” by running for thirty minutes, then walking briskly for another thirty. I tried to sustain this routine after getting on to some heavy meds, cutting back to half-hour runs, then half-hour walks, and eventually, nothing. I slept a solid twelve to fourteen hours a day, and was ravenous all the time, waking up in the middle of the night from hunger. My weight skyrocketed to heights I didn’t even know I was capable of sustaining. I lay in bed all day, and had twenty-four hour surveillance (suicide watch) from my husband and my mom. Exercise was no longer a part of my routine, but neither were the uncontrollable rages, the throwing things and hitting myself in the head. The meds leveled me into submission, and left me with a good fifty or sixty pounds to lose (I stopped weighing myself during this time). I’m grateful to report that I’ve weaned off those drugs, and am on much more tolerable ones now. But the weight certainly isn’t falling off. I limit my calories, and I limit the number of hours a day during which I eat (my doctor recommended this tactic). I can’t say whether it’s helped any with the weight, but it certainly resets your circadian rhythm. Now I wake up early, and go to bed pretty early, too. My husband and I jokingly refer to it as the “fruit fly” diet, since the theory originated with experiments with fruit flies. I believe the official term is “intermittent fasting.” Again, it’s questionable whether it actually helps with weight loss, but any edge I can get, I’ll take.

I feel overwhelmed and frequently despondent over my weight, despite following @bodyposipanda and trying to love myself as I am. It’s just that my mental image of myself is so drastically different from what I see in the mirror. I’m shocked every time I see myself with a double chin, a belly that folds over at the bottom, arms that look inflated with fat. I try to familiarize myself with what I see, try to remind myself that I’m a worthy human being with a body like this. And when I see other plus size women in fashionable clothes, impeccable hair and makeup, and joy emanating from their smiling faces, I want what they have. I want that kind of confidence and level of self care. But I’m just not there, and don’t know if I’ll ever be there. I’m fully aware that thinness does not equal happiness, and that all bodies deserve love and admiration. I just can’t seem to apply these statements to myself.

Depressed Again and Wardrobe Updates

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Mental Illness, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe

I’m depressed again today, and the day has gone much like it did yesterday. I got stressed out trying to sort grapes for my breakfast. My husband took over for me. I’ve alternated bed and couch, watching Youtube videos or just lying in the dark. We did a camera test to look at possible setups for my own Youtube videos. I did, however, have a meltdown when I saw myself on camera. I guess I was under the impression that I was losing weight and feeling somewhat better lately. But my double chin and pissy attitude on camera showed otherwise. Around 4pm, I started sobbing. My husband came in and rubbed my feet in the dark bedroom. I felt despondent, yet consoled by this loving action.

I’ve been re-thinking the J. Crew T-shirts. Maybe I should keep the two white ones and layer them? But experience has taught me that buying too many multiples is a mistake. I also find the idea of having to wear both white T-shirts layered together excessively complicated.

My current T-shirts were bought in multiples. Six from Gap Factory, all pilled and worn out after six months and destined for textile recycling. And then the four swing tees from LOFT, one in electric blue that has been relegated to loungewear, and the three in neutral colors that I have become disenchanted with. The swing-style high-low hem thing is no longer working for me. It makes me feel very dramatic, and that seems an inappropriate feeling for a T-shirt, I think. Maybe if I called them “tops,” it would at least make more sense. But it doesn’t make me like them any more. They suddenly seem ridiculous- childish, even. It reminds me of the day I realized that I find puff sleeves and ruffles positively infantile. I eradicated all puffs and ruffles from my wardrobe immediately. This was also around the time I realized I hated dresses. So now I have, shockingly, no dresses at all.

At any rate, I do have five new T-shirts to replace the old ones. The 3-pack from ASOS in size 20 in gray, black, and white, and then the two navy Supima cotton tees in size 3X from J. Crew. I still stand by my argument in favor of these long-lasting gems, even though the white ones have been deemed redundant, too sheer, and too complicated to layer.

I’ve ousted a few other items from my wardrobe recently. Two black cotton camis by Lou & Grey at LOFT (the straps refused to stay up) and one pair of black linen joggers from Gap. I have some gray twill joggers from Gap that I love, and I had bought these linen ones thinking they were the same style. Unfortunately, I have come to admit that they are not, in fact, the same style. They have a more tapered leg, and contribute to my general sense that I am enormous. For the sake of the environment and my empty pocketbook, I have decided to list all of these items on Ebay. I set up a little Ebay store about a year and a half ago and I got really into selling thrifted items for a small profit. My husband was kind enough to do all the photography, so it is officially his business (though I did do much of the thrifting). At this point, I’ve stopped buying things to sell so I can focus more on blogging with what little energy I have. But it’s a great trick to be able to sell, and therefore recycle, any items I fall out of love with in my own wardrobe. And while they may not be designer brands, plus sizes do well regardless of brand, so I have that advantage as well. One last item that I’ll be selling is a black Vince cashmere sweater that I recently bought on Ebay. It turns out it’s not as soft as I had hoped, even after a good hand washing. But Vince is a sought-after brand on Ebay, so no great loss there.

This leaves the final roster of items left in my wardrobe as follows:

2 navy Supima cotton J. Crew tees

3 ASOS crew-neck tees (black, white, gray)

1 Cable & Gauge black and white striped tunic

1 oversized, silky, black tunic blouse (occasion wear)

2 black LOFT silky strappy camis

1 Vince gray cashmere sweater

1 Magaschoni black V-neck cashmere sweater

1 Cable & Gauge forest green sweater

1 purple-gray short sleeve cardigan

1 navy blue Gap men’s hoodie

1 Lands’ End black lightweight parka

1 Lauren Ralph Lauren black trench raincoat

2 pairs gray twill Gap joggers

1 pair dark blue D-Jeans jeggings

1 pair black D-jeans jeggings

1 pair black pull-on dress pants (occasion wear)

1 pair Lands’ End trouser jeans

1 pair Target linen-blend wide leg pants

2 pairs black Old Navy utility shorts

To see every item in my capsule wardrobe, click here.

Today I am Depressed, and J Crew T-Shirts

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Minimalism, Mental Illness

Today I am too depressed to write kicky blog entries about clothes and minimalism. Today, I did not get dressed, I did not shower, and spent the day split between the couch and the bed. These days are frequent lately, though not every single day. I’ve had some decent days where I bought a new phone, had coffee with my dad, learned about using my husband’s camera, and even written some kicky blog entries. But I have chronic mental illness, and have been on disability for two years. I’m diagnosed with Bipolar II, and have tried a myriad of medications over the past ten years to cope with depression. I am not someone for whom medication is optional: it is a necessary part of my life. I experienced what it was like to be unmedicated this past spring and summer, and it was intolerable. I was violent, suicidal, and unrelentingly, savagely depressed. I never want to go back to that nightmare, so I take the medication my current doctor prescribes without fail. I have hope that my condition will continue to improve under his care, as it has already improved dramatically over the past few months. But today is one of those days where I can’t do much. I certainly can’t leave the house, and I am extremely frustrated by my limitations. I cry a lot. My husband cooks for me and rubs my feet, knowing there is nothing more he can do to help. And I feel ashamed, deeply ashamed of myself and my inability to “snap out of it” or “get my shit together.” I watch cleaning motivation videos on Youtube. I watch makeup tutorials and fashion hauls and lookbooks. I make a frozen pizza and watch Netflix. I want to be skinny and rich and famous. I want a drink, but of course I can’t have one on my medication. The highlight of my day is when the friendly neighborhood cat comes to the door, and I open a can of cat food for him. He sleeps on the chair while I lie on the couch, and it comforts me. Then he leaves, because he’s not my cat, and I’m allergic to cats, so I can’t have one.

I think about T-shirts a lot. I finally got the J. Crew ones in the mail, and they’re really good. The J. Crew Mercantile style is too big in the bust, but the Supima cotton ones in navy are perfect. I already kept the ASOS 3-pack, which are not quite as perfect, but are good solid staples, and you can’t beat the price at $24 for three. I have three LOFT swing tees that are in fine condition, but I have recently come to hate them. The high-low hem, the swing shape emphasizing my enormous belly… They look OK with skinny jeans, but with joggers, they are awful. So I am agonizing over whether to just suck it up and keep wearing them, or whether to let them go. I feel somewhat justified in going with the new ones instead, since I decided against the new J. Crew cashmere sweater. It was a classic cropped cardigan style that’s not at all boxy like it looked on the website- but boy, is that cashmere soft. So I guess I’ve rationalized the new moderately-priced J. Crew T-shirts, both navy blue, as the white is just too sheer. And here’s part of that rationalization: I once had four “tissue tees” from J. Crew. Green, pale blue, and two white. And they lasted 15 years. Yes, you heard that right: 15 years. So I suspect I won’t be replacing these T-shirts any time this year, or the next. Aside from my epic tissue tee experience, I also have Ebay to attest to the quality of J. Crew clothing. I’ve been selling thrifted clothing on eBay for a couple years, and one thing I’ve learned is that J. Crew items have resale value. And if something has resale value, it is either designer, trending, or downright durable. J. Crew falls into this last category, largely in part to their use of natural materials. Cotton, wool, leather, linen, and, of course, cashmere. Resale value is something I now consider when I buy any new or used clothing. If I change my mind about an item after a few wears, it’s good to be able to recoup some, if not all, of the original cost. And if the item becomes a favorite of mine, I’ll get to wear it myself for a very long time. It’s win-win. If I want to carry this logic even further, you could argue that all of this longevity in a garment is good for the environment, too. Whether I pass the item on to someone else or keep it for myself, these more durable items save all of us from contributing to the fast fashion machine we hear so much about. So while a brand like J. Crew may not seem to be the most ethical, sustainable company out there, I’d argue that the longevity of their garments should bump them up a notch or two. More on this in future.

My 25-Item Minimalist Plus-Size Capsule Wardrobe

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe

25 items might seem extreme, especially since this capsule includes outerwear. But it’s surprising how little you truly need once you’ve opened up to the whole capsule idea. There is one glaring factor in why my current wardrobe is so spare, and that’s the weight gain I’ve experienced this year. I was straining to fit into my old clothes and feeling awkward and self-conscious, when one day a light bulb went on. I realized that even if I planned to lose the weight, it would take a good amount of time for that to happen, and I was miserable with my too-small clothes. So I decided a small capsule wardrobe was the right answer for me.

I started with T-shirts, an absolute daily staple for me. My go-tos in the past have been Loft Vintage Soft Tees and Old Navy Slub Cotton Tees, but plus-sizes weren’t in stock in the colors and styles I wanted. Basic, boxy crewnecks are my favorite and it can be tricky finding one with a feminine cut that still fits over my belly. I ended up ordering from J. Crew Plus and ASOS Curve, and I am still eagerly awaiting my packages’ arrival, so I can try them all out. I ordered two different styles from J Crew, and a 3-pack (Black, White, and Grey) from ASOS.

Next, it was on to pants. I had shorts, wide leg jeans, and linen pants from the summer that fit me, but I needed some skinny jeans that would tuck easily into my snow boots, and look good with my ankle boots. I started at Marshalls, where I have had great luck in the past with plus-size skinny jeans. Lo and behold, I found a black pair that fit me perfectly, as well as a bottle-green oversize sweater from Cable & Gauge. The black jeans are from D. Jeans, a brand I’ve turned to for years for comfortable, affordable, and surprisingly expensive-looking black jeans that don’t have that funny smell that some black denim has. Wanting another pair in blue, I went onto the TJ Maxx website, which often carries the same items as Marshalls (Marshalls doesn’t have a website). I found several styles from D. Jeans and ordered a few to try out, before deciding on the “Skinny Plus” style with a high, 3-button waist. I found that I already had two pairs of grey twill Gap joggers in size XL that still fit because of the roomy elastic waistband. They have the added bonus of working well with my boots.

Two of my cashmere sweaters still fit, although they aren’t as “oversized” as they once were. One is a grey crew neck from Vince in XL and the other is a black V-neck from Magaschoni in XXL (both found second hand on Ebay.) I had a short sleeve purpley-grey cardigan more suited to summer and spring. Plus, I ordered a gorgeous camel cashmere cardigan in a 3X from the J. Crew Black Friday sale.

Next were coats. I found that my long, white puffer coat from Kenneth Cole in XL was too tight, but my Land’s End lightweight parka in a 1X still fit just fine. I figure I can layer it under my Lauren Ralph Lauren tailored raincoat in XL to get through the snowy season.

The only other items in this capsule are a couple of silky black camis I picked up over the summer from LOFT in size XXL petite. And I almost forgot: I also included a simple outfit for festive occasions: a silky tunic top and some pull-on trousers with a subtle sheen. Both are black, and can be dressed up with heels and jewelry. For less formal occasions, a striped jersey tunic looks a bit more special than a T-shirt and sweater (my usual everyday uniform).

So that’s how I’ve adapted some existing items and added some new ones to this rather minimalist capsule. As time goes on and I see whether my weight changes or not, I can add more items, or else take stock of what’s in storage in smaller sizes to put together a new capsule.

The Capsule Wardrobe Compendium

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe

If you’re as taken with the Capsule Wardrobe concept as I am, you’ve probably encountered a number of incarnations of the idea online. Perhaps all the various rules and regulations have your head spinning—but no worries! I have accumulated here a compendium of sorts describing a number of different methods of building a capsule wardrobe. I’ve tried to provide links for your further perusal should any particular process take your fancy. Let’s start at the beginning.

The OG: Susie Faux invented the concept of a capsule wardrobe in the 70’s, known simply as “a collection of essential items of clothing that would not go out of fashion.” (Wikipedia) Seasonal pieces were added, but sparingly. Donna Karan revived the idea in 1985 with her “7 Easy Pieces” collection, designed with working women in mind.
Project 333. In 2010, Courtney Carver introduced the “minimalist fashion challenge” of wearing only 33 items of clothing for three months. Included in this capsule are clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, and jewelry- only pajamas, workout wear and underwear are excluded. Perhaps the most restrictive capsule I’ve come across, I’ve found it a worthy experiment to get you thinking.
The 37-Item Capsule concept was started by Carolyn Joy of the blog Unfancy as a more moderate variation on Project 333. She increased the number of items and only included clothing and shoes in that count. Seasonal items are stored and then rotated out of storage every three months. This has to be the most popular capsule wardrobe method around. It has been adopted by a number of my favorite Youtubers: The Anna Edit, Kitty Cotten, and Use Less. Carolyn’s site provides a user-friendly guide to making this method work for you.
The 10-Item Wardrobe was first described in Jennifer Scott’s book Lessons from Madame Chic. This capsule includes 10 “core” items, such as dresses, skirts, tops, and pants, that are supplemented by “extras” (T-shirts, sweaters, outerwear, shoes, and special-occasion wear). The 10 core items are rotated out seasonally, the idea being that bringing items out of storage makes them feel new again and can help squelch the urge to shop.
The 5-Piece French Wardrobe. This is not so much a capsule concept as a shopping plan. The idea is that you only purchase five items just twice a year. The emphasis is on quality over quantity and carefully selected investment pieces over trendy ones.
Popular with the minimalist set is the idea of a Small Year-Round Wardrobe without seasonal rotation. Fans of this system often limit their closet to a set number of items which seems to vary based on climate and other factors. Great for assessing your entire wardrobe at once, it is also adaptable to your needs. My favorite Youtubers in this category are A Small Wardrobe and Vested Interests.
The Curated Closet. This book was written by blogger Anushka Rees, and has an accompanying workbook as well. Rees combines in-depth analysis of your personal style with meticulous planning strategies. The goal is to create a truly refined wardrobe customized to your specific tastes and needs. This is by far the most comprehensive and detailed primer on creating an ideal wardrobe, capsule or otherwise. I plan to do a series on my own experience of working through the book.

Hopefully this breaks it all down for you and helps you decide which approach most appeals to you. I have found it helpful to try out a number of methods and change it up as my wardrobe evolves. No matter what approach you take, you’ll find a world of difference in how you think about clothes.

The Plus Size Capsule Wardrobe

January 05, 2019 by Kristin Purcell in Clothes, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe

To see every item in my capsule wardrobe, click here.

Having had minimalist tendencies since childhood, I quickly became an avid fan of all things capsule wardrobe-related. It was the stuff of dreams: a small, curated collection of clothes I actually loved to wear. I dove into the de-cluttering process with great fervor, and was surprised by many style-related epiphanies along the way:

1. I hate ruffles and puff sleeves.

2. V-necks never look good on me.

3. Dresses make me feel awkward—but a pencil skirt and blouson top make me feel chic.

I whittled things down to my favorite essentials, then began to fill in the gaps— a black sweater, or another white tee. The only trouble was, at this point, I was extremely picky about what I wanted to add to my capsule wardrobe. Among the multitude of simple, minimal, and ethical brands popping up everywhere in response to the capsule trend, none of them carried my size. While “fast fashion” brands had begun welcoming plus-size customers with open arms, finally making cheap, disposable clothing available to all, quality or designer pieces worthy of space in my capsule closet were nowhere to be found.

I started following plus-size fashion Youtubers as well as minimalists and capsule-wardrobe gurus. But the plus-size fashion mavens were all wearing Torrid, Fashion Nova, and Shein, ecstatic that the trendiest of trends now came in their size. And the capsule wardrobe crew were all impossibly, unrelatably thin. Thus, I had to find my own way: sifting through the racks at TJ Maxx and Marshalls, ordering online from Asos Curve and Lands’ End, occasionally finding that an XXL from Gap or Old Navy would work just fine. And then—as though suddenly realizing our money was just as good as thin people’s—a few classic brands started offering plus sizes. I am so pleased to report that at long last, J. Crew goes up to 5X! LOFT plus sizes are here! (though not in stores). And Universal Standard has a return policy that allows you to exchange sizes within a year of purchase if you’ve lost or gained weight!

Which brings me to another issue: weight fluctuation. If your weight loss journey has gone awry, or even turned into a weight gain journey (hey, life happens), you might hesitate to invest in higher-quality clothes for a capsule wardrobe. Having had my weight fluctuate about a hundred pounds over the last decade, I came right up against this dilemma. And for me, the answer is partly moderation in purchasing, but also have what I like to call a “Weight Change Capsule Wardrobe.”  When I decluttered my wardrobe, I kept only things I loved, no matter what size they were. The ones that fit me got hung up in the closet, and the ones that didn’t went into a storage bin on my top shelf. The next time my weight changed, I simply swapped out sizes. Sure, I had to fill in a few gaps again, but having these core pieces stored away saved me from having to start from scratch. This idea of swapping out clothes from storage is often an inherent part of maintaining a capsule wardrobe, usually done at the change of season. But I see no reason that it can’t work in the same way for anyone whose weight fluctuates. Shopping for fewer items and pulling out your old favorites helps ease the transition in terms of body image and is far less wasteful and damaging to the environment. My current wardrobe is relatively small because I work from home and don’t need a large variety of styles. I have a basic uniform, and don’t stray from that. (As I said from the beginning, I do have rather minimalist tendencies.) But your capsule doesn’t have to look like mine. There is so much inspiration online and on Pinterest- have a look around to see what your ideal closet might look like. Take your time decluttering, and experiment with your existing wardrobe. Find what works best for you, and don’t settle for anything less.

To see every item in my capsule wardrobe, click here.