Kat's Capsule Review

We’re calling this the Capsule Experiment because that is exactly what it is: a series of trials and errors making discoveries of what’s working and not.

Before I’d just do an outfit post because it was what was on the calendar and I thought it was a pretty outfit. Now that I’ve gotten rid of so many clothes the mindfulness behind what pieces actually translate into my everyday life is great.

We’re now planning outfit months in advance which gives us time to consider whether or not each outfit feels authentic and if we’ll wear it in our every day lives.

More than once we’ve told the other that doesn’t really look like you, or how often are you really going to wear that? Now that we’ve let go of the pressure to keep up, we’re able to work on establishing our own personal style.

Reflecting on my spring posts I ask myself questions like:

What worked and why?
What didn’t work and why?
What are the unexpected pieces that I didn’t think I’d wear all the time, but actually do?
What are the pieces I invested into that turned out to not work at all? Why?
What is why behind why I’m getting dressed in the morning? [For me it’s to be comfortably chic as much as possible if I’m not in my yoga pants].

I rarely shop anymore. I’m thinking more about what I already have in my wardorbe, and what outfits I can create. What are the things I truly need as opposed to the things I just want and will only wear for a minute?

Looking back on the spring and heading into summer here is what I’ve noticed:

The only time in my life that my day-to-day wardrobe has been more casual than it is now is when I was a college athlete and lived in my athletic sweats. It’s weird because New York is a more dressy city, but for whatever reason I’m more casual than ever. A large chunk of time I’m in workout clothes. If I put on regular clothes it’s mostly something I can wear sneakers with so I can be comfortable walking through the streets.
I live in these jeans. When I got them from AYR the designer told me they designed them in hopes of women doing just that. Next to my prized yoga pants these babies are my best friends. I want to buy 10 more pairs and savor them for the rest of my life.
Surprisingly to me this turtleneck I got on clearance a few years ago from JCrew is the other thing I lived in. I felt chic and it was comfortable. A winning combination for me.
I need to find ways to have more balance in my wardrobe. My closet feels like stilettos I wear once a month, or Uggs. I need to figure out what is more realistic for my daily life other than yoga pants.
I want to be more mindful of my purchases. For example, will I actually wear this, and is this flattering on me? For instance, I wore this cardigan once. As cute as it was on the hanger, on me it’s lumpy. The pockets stick out, and I don’t feel great in it. I feel obligated to wear it because I bought it. And I love the look of off the shoulder. But unless I stand perfectly still and keep my hands by my side this dress flies up to my neck. It is a disaster waiting to happen. Disappointed, I returned it after wearing twice.

Much of what I posted the past few months didn’t translate into my every day life. But I learned a few key things that really did work, and it’s an opportunity to grow and learn. Sometimes the best way to learn what works is by finding out what doesn’t work.