Hello from Taos, NM! We arrived yesterday and are settling in for the next 5 weeks…
If you were going to be away from home for 5 weeks, what would you pack? The past few summers we’ve stayed in Taos for an extended visit, I’ve overpacked…by a lot! I always bring way too much, thinking an occasion might arise where I’d need just one more pair of jeans, shoes, etc. It drives Ryan crazy! He’s the opposite, a very organized traveler (think Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets!), so he always encourages me to “pack light.” But in my mind, a girl’s gotta have options, right? So, my strategy has always been to stuff as much as possible into my suitcase just in case.
The result of this was packing too many things I never actually wore, but at the same time feeling like I had “nothing to wear.” I realized that despite shopping regularly, I tend to feel this way quite often…and not only when I travel! This was an “ah-ha moment!” Maybe streamlining my clothing choices could be a helpful thing for me? After this realization, I started thinking that our trip to Taos would be a perfect time to experiment with a planned capsule wardrobe…
Now, I’ll be honest, when I first heard of this concept, I was not at all interested in trying it. I thought it would be too restrictive and boring. But, the more I read about it, I learned that it can help you shop smarter, reduce waste, and help develop your personal style. My favorite resource for inspiration for learning about the capsule wardrobe concept is Un-fancy by Caroline Joy. Her definition of a capsule is: A mini wardrobe made up of really versatile pieces that you totally LOVE to wear. Looking at it from that positive perspective, I was sold! I’ve been craving more simplicity in all areas of my life and this was a step in the right direction…
To begin this process, I downloaded the Un-fancy Capsule Wardrobe Planner and got to work! I’d recommend this to anyone, even if you don’t do a capsule. It’s an eye opening experience that can help you shop more purposefully, focusing on pieces that add value and versatility to your existing wardrobe! It really helped me take into consideration my lifestyle/most frequent activities I dress for when choosing my clothing. Plus, paring down your choices helps putting together outfits much easier. I’m hoping that though this, I’ll start to vary my outfits more with the pieces I’ve chosen!
Caroline typically includes 37 pieces in her capsules, but also recommends that if you have two very different styles you dress for (example: business attire / being home with kids), to break it up into two capsules. The number does not include undergarments, swimwear, and handbags/accessories/jewelry. Because I’m active and wear workout clothes daily, I chose the 2 capsule option.
My capsule is separated into activewear (30 pieces) and casual clothing that can be dressed up or down (34 pieces). This still may be too much, but for my first capsule, I wanted to have enough to choose from, being away from home. And, in my defense, the weather in New Mexico changes often, so layers such as jackets, pants, and long sleeve tops had to be included! (Some of the pieces can are interchangeable between the two collections so you may see some things twice.)
I’m really excited to share my selections and this experience with you all! It’s been slightly uncomfortable for me to be so organized with this, but I think it will be worth the effort. At the same time, it’s also been an enjoyable process and quite freeing! Funny how that works… I remember experiencing the same feeling when I started with the Whole30. It reminded me that change can be a good thing!
I’ve broken everything down into categories for each capsule. Here’s how you can keep up with and shop my summer capsule wardrobe:
- You can shop by clicking on the pictures above and below…and I’ll be posting what I’m wearing everyday on instagram (my goal!) so you can see how I’m mixing my pieces to create different looks!
- Be sure you’re registered on Like To Know It, so you can easily shop my instagram posts. Once you’ve signed up, all you have to do is “like” my photos and the links to shop the exact items will be emailed to you…easy, right?
- I’m planning to do instagram round-ups here on the blog as well, so you can see a weeks worth of looks all in one place. Or you can visit my instagram feed here on my LikeToKnow.it shop tab above (located under SHOP in the main menu bar)! Just click on the photos there for outfit details…
Tops/Jackets
Dresses/Jumpsuits/Rompers
Pants/Shorts
Shoes
Handbags/Accessories/Jewelry
Active Tanks/Tees
Active Long Sleeve Tops/Jackets
Active Bottoms
Active Shoes/Accessories
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out! Or if you have done a capsule wardrobe yourself, I would love to hear your tips/experience… Thanks for stopping by! xo