a classic and simplified wardrobe: saying goodbye.

Of all the steps to a simpler, cleaner, more classic wardrobe, this is where I'm embarrassingly terrible: actually getting rid of things. It was one month ago that I began filling a bag of "probation" items from my closet, so this weekend marked the time to get rid of them for reals. During the probationary period, I only pulled out one t-shirt and one pair of shoes to keep. The rest I never looked through, never thought about, and never wanted to wear. Not bad, right? Until I started to repack and organize the bags (now two) for trashing or Goodwill, and I started to get sentimental again. I've had these trusty, hole-filled Chuck Taylors since the summer of 2002 (I had just finished 8th grade), and suddenly, yesterday, they seemed perfect for a shadowbox (as previously mentioned). But, I went with my better judgment and said goodbye. And I stopped repacking the bags because I knew I'd get irrationally attached to my old comforts...that I never wore...and will never miss.

Step three: Get rid of it. Really, truly, actually get rid of it.

xoxo.

a classic and simplified wardrobe: getting organized.

On to the second step of my journey to a simpler, more classic wardrobe: getting organized. I went through everything in my closet again, purging a few more items, and quite a few pairs of shoes. I also did something really silly but REALLY helpful. I labeled five hangers, one for each day of the week, and planned out my outfits for the week on Sunday afternoon. I ironed each outfit, hung it on the appropriate hanger, and then put the hangers back in my closet in day order.

 It's amazing how this simple step helped me throughout the week. I didn't have those what am I going to wear stresses each morning, and I thought about my clothes much less throughout the week. I even ended up keeping my closet/floor much cleaner throughout the week. I also decided to hang all of my scarves rather than having them folded on the floor (remember, no dressers here).

The lesson for me here is that there is magic in planning. When it comes meals, finances, or my schedule, planning definitely helps to remove distractions of junk food, excessive spending, and wasting time, so why would my clothes be any different? Planning here keeps my focus on what the day will bring rather than what I'm wearing.

Step two is complete: the closet is organized, with hanger labels to show for it.

xoxo.

a classic and simplified wardrobe: first steps.

Good news, folks. I started the journey to a simpler, more classic wardrobe. I'll be honest--I'm making this up as I go, but to start, I've made a commitment to do something every weekend in regard to my wardrobe. It may be purging, planning, organizing, or just some simple ironing for the week (all the while thinking, is this how Grandma would do it?), but I've committed to making this a weekly thing until I've created a healthy system for myself and a classic working closet, as Kendi calls it.

This may seem superficial, but I know that I grow most when things/stuff/distractions are stripped away. When we moved to Texas, having to pack up our belongings and trying to make them all fit into a Ford Taurus was embarrassingly traumatic for me (we're talking sweat, tears, shoving, cramming, and long goodbyes to my cake stands in the wee hours of the morning). Looking back, I don't want to go through that again. I don't want to be so tied to stuff that the prospect of being without a cake stand scares me. The real blessings in life are just too good that to allow myself to be sidelined by dishes, clothes, and the like would be foolish. I'll always have clothes, dishes, and the like, but I don't want them to get the best of me. This is less about what I wear, and more about what I bear.

Last weekend, my first step was to take a good look at my wardrobe and do some more purging. I filled up another large bag of items to get rid of and re-organized my workout clothes. I also moved a lot of out-of-season clothes to my closet to free up more floor space. Would you believe we've survived without a dresser for the past 15 months? It's actually much easier than you'd think. It's also much messier than you'd think. For me, a reusable bag, simple wooden box and some neatly folded piles work just as well. As I purged, I asked myself questions like, How does this fit? How many times a year do I wear it? Will I still want to wear this a year from now? These questions are essential, because I have the tendency to think, But I've had this since my sophomore year of high school, it's practically a collector's item! Or, Someday I'll put this in a shadowbox!

So, step one is complete: cut the clutter.

xoxo.

a classic (and simplified) wardrobe.

Remember the big 30 for 30 blog challenge last year? Lots of bloggers joined in to wear just 30 items from their closet for 30 days. I didn't participate, but I liked the idea of the challenge. It forced bloggers to take an honest look at the potential excess in their closets and get creative. A couple years ago, I "gave up" my wardrobe for lent. I wore white v-necks, jeans, and my trusty rainbows everyday, plus a sweatshirt on cold days and a skirt on Sundays. It was pretty humbling and also had one major side benefit: picking out my outfit each morning took .01 seconds.

I'm thinking of doing a similar, but more long term challenge with my current wardrobe. I have a lot of things that I only wear once or twice a year, which has me asking, are these really worth the space and trouble? Probably not. So, I'm going to start paring down my wardrobe, holding onto the pieces that are versatile, classic, and that I really love. The rest? Adios. I'm hoping to get down to 50 or less (which, saying it now, still sounds pretty ridiculous and first-world...) I've already filled a large bag for Goodwill and I have another full bag on "probation" (meaning that if I don't wear anything that's in the bag in the next month, it's gone). 

My inspiration for this idea came from a few different places. First, my constant drooling over the Hatch Collection (and I'm not even pregnant). Hatch only sells 18 pieces, but they're super cute and really versatile. 

Second, Ina Garten. This lady has some serious class, and a signature look. I love that her personality and passions shine more than her clothing. And her popped collar is just screaming at you as if to say, "Yes, I'm this awesome, and Jeffrey knows it too."

Third, on my trip back to Portland earlier this month, I only brought a tote-size purse with me to avoid a ridiculous $30 fee for a carry-on bag. But, I was able to fit four days worth of outfits, plus running clothes, running shoes, my laptop, a book, water bottle, toothbrush, and a quart of blueberries in my bag. The trick? My outfits consisted of different combinations of a black maxi dress, striped sweater, black tank top, collared shirt, and white shorts.

All of this has me thinking that less is more. That keeping classic pieces and letting the rest go would not only bring ease to my morning routine, but more importantly help me take a deeper look at the ways I tend to live in excess. This is just another opportunity for me to trust God's provision over my own, in an area where I'm prone to feeling like I'm constantly trying to keep up. 

via

via

xoxo.

[top photo via]