Winter 2015 Capsule Wrap-Up

Well, folks... it always happens this way. I see road paved with free time ahead of me, I promise myself I'll make the most of it, and instead I revert to some version of my pre-Seattle (read: high school) self -- spending the day listening to music and digging through memories in my room. Room paleontology. There are certainly worse activities, I suppose.

Anyway, the time has come to wrap up my Winter Capsule Wardrobe venturOn Thousand Wordser several weeks of culling, packing, and stuffing clothes into various boxes and bags (only to later unpack and find new places to store them) I'm more resolved than ever to strive for a minimal wardrobe... and I've also been awakened to the drawbacks of the particular capsule process I chose to adopt.

First off: 37 pieces of clothing is a lot. Like, way more than you'd think. On the upside, it definitely kept my butterfly mind from getting bored. On the downside, having almost 40 clothes per season (less the crossover pieces) means having well over 100 pieces in your possession, easily. While that's still not much by the average, overloaded, American closet standard, it's way more than I can keep track of while out shopping for things I "need." And it's hardly compatible with my humble New York City apartment dreams.

Secondly, this: Perhaps I baby my clothes (or maybe I just need to take a good, hard look at my hygiene standards...), but between 37 items and my fondness for Woolite detergent, my winter wardrobe is still in great condition. While I consider that a triumph in some regards, it rather defeats my favorite part of the capsule process: renewal. When everything still looks pristine, replacements hardly seem called for. Lesson learned: if you want the option to revamp your wardrobe season to season without feeling guilty for ditching still-wearable clothing, you need to buy less and wear more. You also need to slip a fat cocoon around that butterfly mind of yours.

Like my last capsule reflection, I figured it would be useful to evaluate which pieces served me best and which I should've left out. Here are the results this time around:

    W2015 Winner of Most-Favored & Versatile Piece: Brown Ankle Boots (Lucky Brand) & Green Field Coat (Old Navy)
         It's a toss up between these two. These are just my style and I can't believe I waited so long to get them into my life! Comfy, utilitarian, but somehow sweet. Yep, sounds a bit like me!

    W2015 Loser of the same category: Wide-Leg Pinstriped Pants
         I'm not sure what I was thinking here, to be honest. I've had these pants for years, and I'd kept them around for the sole reason I thought I "ought to." (Everybody "needs" a pair of black work pants, right?) With the 70s coming back into style full-force, I dug them out of my back drawer, figuring I'd finally be able to make something of them. Nope. This girl doesn't need (or want) a pair of black work pants.

Finally, an announcement: For the next three months I'm going to be adventuring across Europe with a backpack of clothes and two pairs of shoes.  I have been honing my wardrobe for the past few weeks, to bring it down to the bare necessities, and I can't to put it to the test! At the very least, it will be an excellent minimalist trial run. I don't plan to update Inspirsession regularly during this time, but I do invite you to follow my travel writing at One Thousand Words. Until then, inspire and obsess on, and have a lovely spring!