CAPSULE COLLECTION> THE ONES THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT

remember in my last CAPSULE COLLECTION post when i said i would be next be tackling pants in my attempt to create an effortless and downsized wardrobe?  big forehead smacks over here!  why didn't i say i would be taking on belts?  or skirts (i own three for those keeping count)?  or something that wouldn't involve me shaving my legs on our canadian version of juno?  but i had committed and so it goes.

this post is focusing on my fallen soldiers - the ones that didn't make it back into the drawer - specifically *the why* they found themselves in the donate bag - in the hopes of avoiding the same mistakes in the future.

>i remember buying the two pair of trousers on the left for a dollar a piece with the intention of having them hemmed.  didn't happen.  not gonna happen.  the cut is fabulous (very AGENT CARTER, very FOYLES WAR) but in my excitement to have some high-waisted pleated trousers i made excuses for the stain on the front of the pink and the sheerness of the beige.  i need to start thinking of my wardrobe pieces as an investment instead of a bargain.  

>the leggings on top still give me heart eyes on the hanger.  hello, houndstooth print and pleather "pockets", let's be friends!  but the fit leaves much to be desired with a rise way too low for my body.  there is no shortage of legging options out there, i just need to find some that work for me instead of settling.

>i have to admit to twice going back the donate bag to remove the lighweight wide leg denims but each time i remembered the wrong fit that found them in the bag in the first place and left them where they were.  although the material is perfect for summer heat the rise is way too low and the pockets sit in a seriously unflattering way limiting the style of shirts they can be worn with. byyyyyye!

>there is not really much to say about this final four.  clockwise from top left... the colour doesn't really go with anything in my current collection, weird crotch thing, too small and even smaller.  these four were the easiest to purge of the bunch but trying them on was necessary in order to *see* why they relegated to the very bottom of the pile.  and, as THIS PICTURE can attest, it is a very large pile indeed.

final thoughts: i began this purging process with 28 pair of pants.  28!!!  and it seems i managed to say good-by to... eight pair?  only eight?  no, that can't be right.  it feels like more.  clearly this is a more difficult process than i had originally thought.  okay, i choose to see this not as a failure but as a learning opportunity - something i can revisit and attempt again using what i learned during this first go round.  but at least i got my legs shaved.  so there's that.

CAPSULE COLLECTION> IT'S COMING ALONG! AND OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS

 a few thoughts on the art of the capsule collection after the great purge of january...

>having made thoughtful purchasing decisions through fall and winter made things much simplier when paring down and planning for spring purchasing plans.  neutral palettes in classic solids and stripes mean that adding brighter pieces like THIS will actually work across the board and make mixing and matching easier.

>i actually started hanging pieces already layered on hangers to save closet space but i have found that it has saved a ton of time as well.  having pre-planned "outfits" doesn't mean that i cannot wear the sparkly dog with the sherpa vest if i want to but should i not feel creative and experimental that particular day i know that the black blazer is a safe bet.

>i currently have 39 hangers in use in my closet.  39!  if i were to use each hanger with a layered outfit that would mean 78 items of clothing.  78!  on the plus side that would mean no laundry for eleven weeks.  11 weeks! or nearly 3 months.  that's almost an entire season.  and that is WAY TOO MANY CLOTHES for one person.  i challenge myself to narrow it down to fifteen hangers.  that sounds much more reasonable.

>i am going to continue to do laundry only once a week because i have noticed it really helps to see what is left hanging unworn at the end of the week.  plus, laundry once a week leaves so much more time for things like netflix and... more netflix.  don't judge me, it's january.

any tips or tricks you can share?  i will be tackling bottoms next - so much denim, you guys.  so much denim.

A POST ABOUT SOCKS (OR, HOW I INTEND TO DO THE WHOLE CAPSULE COLLECTION THING)

the title of this post could lead one to believe that they are about to read what could possibly be the most boring post ever.  but stay with me, there is a method to my madness.

IMAGE CREDIT

one of my most "successful" posts was a post about bras.  a post in which i talked about purging out the one drawer in the house in which i keep my unmentionables and how, after said purging, felt lighter and more organized.  read about it HERE if you are so inclined.  essentially i wanted to accomplish the same with the "sock bag".  to my shame, i keep my socks not in a drawer like a normal person but in a canvas bag.  and now i have shared that with the entire online world.

but in my defense, it is now a fully organized canvas bag full of matched pairs, the left half for dress socks and the right for warm woolies.  simple enough but it is a small part of what i hope will be a huge change in this new year.

i am referring to my intended 'capsule collection'.  a bit behind on this concept i am still intending to go forward with a more thoughtful and organized wardrobe.  simplifying things, down to socks and undies starts things off with a bang. or, starts things off at the very least.  small steps, great journeys and all that.

i have already taken inspiration from these ladies and have resolved to fully embrace this capsule thing wholly this new year.  are you intending anything similar or something quite different?  minimal or maximal?  there is no wrong.

HEY NATALIE JEAN .::. UN-FANCY