What I'm wearing right now

Above is a polyvore image that I created which shows my current capsule wardrobe (not including work clothes). In total I have included 20 pieces, not shown is another long sleeved stripy tee and a couple of vests for layering. Since the beginning of this year I've been following minimalist blogger Courtney Carvers wardrobe experiment Project 333
and have really embraced the idea of creating a capsule wardrobe of 33 pieces to last 3 months. I have tweaked the idea to suit my own needs and I generally pick 30 items including clothes, shoes, bags and outerwear but I don't include accessories and jewellery. It also doesn't include at home clothes or exercise clothes. I also switch mine up every 2 months because in England we have quite changeable weather and I like to make sure what I have in my wardrobe is tailored to the season. Having said that, we do have very erratic weather here so thats why you will find shorts and a raincoat in rotation!

I'm really happy with how this is working out so far and feel like it does make getting dressed each day a little bit easier and stress free. I feel like for me 30 seems like the perfect amount, not so much that it becomes overwhelming and not too little that it feels restrictive in any way. It also works well for my lifestyle which encompasses working in a formal office environment 3 days a week and being at home with the children 4 days a week. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has tried anything like this?

V x

Here we go again

Ok, so this has been a very long time coming but here I am again, ready to give this another go. I'm sorry to anyone who read my last post (2 years ago!!) and waited for another post that never materialised but a few days after I wrote it I found out I was pregnant and was faced with 9 months of non stop sickness. Needless to say, blogging fell way down my list of priorities as I barely managed to look after my daughter and make it to work each day. Two years on, life is full and busy and lovely, and I am still on an endless quest to look stylish with a small wardrobe!

I would say that my progress has been mixed along the way and unfortunately a few mistakes and impulse buys have occurred over the last couple of years and I've bought more clothes than I would have liked. Although I managed with a pretty small capsule wardrobe throughout both my pregnancies, I did need to repurchase a lot of clothes second time round since I wore my maternity clothes so heavily first time round. Also after my son was born last year and the baby weight didn't drop off as quickly as I would have liked, I felt like I never had any clothes that fit me so I bought a few 'interim' pieces. As much as a new baby brings so much joy into your life it is also hard dressing a 'new to you' body and dealing with all the hang ups that arise from not being entirely comfortable with your weight.

At this point in time I do feel like I have a really clear idea of my style and have been pretty disciplined this year when it comes to shopping. The thing that never seems to get any easier is the constant urge to shop, there is always so much temptation around and it is a daily battle to stay away from shops and my biggest weakness which is online shopping. That said, I do really think hard about what I buy and try my utmost not to be a mindless consumer. I think this is something we all struggle with in some ways, as people who want to look good and create a perfectly formed small wardrobe, we are always going to be faced with temptation and inspiration from so many different sources. I'm trying to accept that these urges will always be present, but find ways to manage them without stressing myself out and feeling guilty if I make a mistake. One thing that I have found helpful this year is to take a break for a few months, so for example I went to London in March and bought a few new things from COS so I then took a 2-3 month break from shopping and tried to stay away from shops, both real and online. So far it is working well but my issue is then trying not to get too consumed with shopping and online browsing when I'm not on a 'break'.

I'm brimming with ideas and things I want to write about, mostly just to find a sense of clarity from all the crap swirling round in my brain so I will hopefully find time to write again very soon. I'm not sure yet whether I will keep this blog totally focused on my wardrobe as I'm very interested in seeking simplicity and minimalism in all areas of my life so we will see where this goes. Thanks to anyone that reads this and a very big thank you to those that commented, encouraging me to write again. It means a lot.

V x

The Minimalists Wardrobe - An Update

Apologies to anyone that read this blog for disappearing for such a long time, somehow a one week break turned into a one month, then a one year + break. I was never the most committed blogger but I did miss having a place to call my own, to jot down my thoughts relating to style and trying to create the perfect small wardrobe. I also missed the communication with the few people who read and commented on my blog, who always left insightful and thought provoking comments.

To that end I have decided to start posting again, I can't promise I will be posting many times a week but I do want to at least get something out there once a week. I think I have said this before on this blog, that even if no one reads it I do like having this space to try and make sense of my thoughts, to analyse potential purchases and to wade through the myriad of style inspiration and temptations out there.

To provide a bit of an update on where I am right now, I'd say I'm the happiest I've ever been with my wardrobe. Its not 'perfect', but I've realised that it will probably never be - there will always be something that needs replacing or something that needs purchasing to fit whatever stage of life I'm currently at. And thats ok! I think before, I was hung up on this mythical idea of the perfect wardrobe, and I thought when it all finally came together getting dressed each day would be a delight and the compulsion to shop would entirely disappear.

So far this year I've bought less than I've ever bought before (during a 6 month period). I'm satisfied with each purchase and feel like I don't make as many (if any at all) mistakes any more. I also find getting dressed each day easier and tend not to overthink each outfit. I've reached a place where I really can grab a few things from my wardrobe and each piece works together, but more importantly that I feel comfortable in and that just feels right somehow. More on how I got to this point later.

Thanks for reading, V x

Wardrobe Challenge Days 6-10

Wardrobe Challenge - Days 6 & 7 by victoriastyle featuring long sleeve tops

Wardrobe Challenge - Days 8 & 9 by victoriastyle featuring leather pumps

Wardrobe Challenge - Final Day by victoriastyle featuring a sheer shawl

Well, my little wardrobe project is over and although I thought I would be breathing a sigh of relief, I have to say I've enjoyed it. A few observations are:

-I didn't find it restricting and I didn't really feel myself becoming bored with the 10 pieces I'd picked out. For the most part I was very happy with the 10 items I selected, although I could have done with a warmer jacket on a few days - its definitely time to get my wool coats out of storage now.
-Looking at the polyvore sets, what strikes me is how boring all my outfits look! But realistically my day to day life doesn't require much more than a tee and jeans and I'm fooling myself by thinking otherwise. I think being honest with myself about what I actually need and what I feel comfortable wearing will mean I'll make less mistakes in the future.
-On 6 days out of the 10, I wore the same tee (I have one in dark grey and one in navy) but suprisingly I never got tired of it. I recently took my 3 old stripy tee's out of circulation (saved for slobbing about the house!) none of which were quite perfect, and replaced them with the two tee's mentioned above which are perfect in every way - fit, colour etc. It really does make all the difference to wear something and be 100% happy with it.
-It has totally reinforced my view that having only a few really well chosen pieces is so much better than having lots of 'almost/maybe' buys. I hope I can continue to keep this in mind when I'm tempted to settle.
-I really relied on my scarves and jewellery to add a bit of interest to my outfits. I've always felt a bit guilty whenever I purchase a new scarf (which I tend to do every season) but its such an easy way to change the look of an outfit and for me I think they are real staples in my wardrobe.
-Even though I was trying not to think of shopping, I did identify a few gaps in my wardrobe. I need a new pair of straight leg jeans as mine (2 years old now) are fine for wearing casually with converse but I prefer a smarter, darker wash in winter. I also noticed that I still find it really hard to dress for those inbetween occasions, not formal, but not totally casual either. I feel like I need one or two tops (not tees), I have lots of basics but really need something a little bit more interesting.

Overall its been quite satisfying to do this little challenge, and I think I've learned a lot from it.

Musings on being chic

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it is to be chic. I should first of all try to clarify what I mean by chic, as you can interpret this word in many different ways. What I'm getting at, for want of a better expression, is that 'je ne sais quoi' that some people possess. It isn't present because of what they're wearing, although that certainly contributes to it, I think its something that you either have or don't have... something innate. I'm not sure you can even really quantify or define what makes someone chic but its easy to identify it visually and for me the person that most embodies what I'm trying to get at here is Sofia Coppola. In a simple shirt and jeans, wearing little make up she exudes chic. Another person that springs to mind is Audrey Hepburn, and not neccessarily in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but in photos I've seen of her she had such an inner radiance that shines out, and I think her style trancends time.

I've noticed over the years that regardless of my outfit, the makeup I've applied or the way I've styled my hair - there is always something lacking. I'm not trying to be negative here and I'm in no way looking for compliments or reassurance, I'm just being honest. The thing that sparked off this train of thought was observing a woman dressed in black cigarette pants, black ballet flats, a trench, leopard scarf and tan handbag. The elements were chic, but the whole ensemble seemed to me to be almost a caricature of chicness. She looked as if she had copied all the advice from a style guide imploring you to 'buy these and you will look chic' (I hope this doesn't come across as judgemental as I actually own a number of books like these and have made this mistake myself). I think I was just a little surprised to observe someone wearing such typically chic clothes but not actually looking chic. I think I always thought that if only I had the right clothes, that magic combination of items, that I would instantly look 'perfect'. I also naively thought that I could replicate a look I saw on someone else if I owned the same pieces, but you could put two people in the exact same outfit and it would work on one person and not on the other.

In some ways it is quite freeing to realise that maybe its something you either have or don't have, that maybe I have been striving for something which will never be attainable? Or maybe its to do with confidence and attitude, feeling at ease, being comfortable in your own skin?

I'm not sure that I'm making myself clear here, but the point that I'm trying to make was summed up so much more eloquently in this blog post if you're interested in reading. I'm pretty sure everyone has their own version of what chic means to them, I'd be very interested to hear whether you agree that being chic is something innate that you are born with - or if you think it can be achieved through your external appearance ie. clothes etc?

Wardrobe Challenge Days 1-5

Wardrobe Challenge - Days 1 & 2 by victoriastyle featuring ballet pumps shoes

Wardrobe Challenge - Days 3 & 4 by victoriastyle featuring a cashmere cardigan

Here's a look at what I have been wearing for the first few days of this little challenge. (Day 5 was exactly the same as day 4!) A few observations to note:

- I'm enjoying the lack of choice so far, I'm finding a sense of freedom almost in having such a limited selection, if that makes sense?
- So far I have been happy to repeat outfits, and in 5 days I wore the same t shirt and cardigan 3 times! I was seeing different groups of people which helped, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing this at work when I see the same group of people everyday.
- Its made me realise how messy/clumsy I am and I have had to do more washing than usual, in fact I don't think I have any clean clothes left for tomorrow!
- I was very tempted to cheat today, I was meeting a friend for lunch and didn't feel that any of my 10 items were smart enough so I added a necklace and wore heels which somewhat redeemed my boring jeans and tee.
- Unfortunately it hasn't stopped me thinking about what I need to add to my wardrobe, and if anything wearing my 2 pairs of jeans (1 skinny, 1 very old straight leg pair) has convinced me that I need a new pair! I have also failed miserably at not online browsing, although I haven't bought anything. Oh well, baby steps eh.

I'll post an update shortly on how the final 5 days have gone.

Wardrobe Challenge Update - 10 Pieces, 10 Days

Following on from my post last week I've been giving this some thought and have decided for the next 10 days I will limit myself to wearing only 10 pieces of clothing. I've included one jacket in this total but not included shoes, scarves or jewellery. I've also left out a bag because I usually just throw my purse, lipgloss and phone into the baby changing bag I carry for Ella. The pieces I've decided on are below:

Wardrobe Challenge by victoriastyle featuring grey tops

As Itztru pointed out, living out of a suitcase for the last week helped me to clarify the items that I'm most drawn to, so I found it pretty easy to pick my 10 items. I noticed that I felt most comfortable in a variation of tee, jeans and cardigan. Its definitely reaffirmed for me that despite loving shirts on other people, I don't feel comfortable in them and will nearly always pick a t shirt over a shirt.

I've decided to only do this for 10 days (I may extend this though), which doesn't seem like long but I'm hoping that this will be long enough to prove to myself that I am happy with limited variety and that I don't need more than a few, good quality basics in my wardrobe. I've also decided to stop buying clothes for a while, maybe till the end of October. I'll probably post polyvore sets of what I wear each day as I think it will be helpful for me to look back on it and will act as reinforcement that I don't need to buy more.

Right now its day 2 of this little project and I'm looking forward to getting dressed and only having a few things to pick from.

Wardrobe Challenge

Lately I seem to be seeing lots of references to the 'six items or less' experiment on various websites and blogs and have been giving it some thought recently. The idea behind it is that you limit yourself to only 6 items of clothing for one month, more can be found about it here: http://sixitemsorless.com/the-project/

I'm drawn to the idea of setting myself a challenge like this but don't think I could restrict myself this much to be honest, I feel like 10 items would be more reasonable. The original point of my blog was the concept of creating a minimalist wardrobe, stripped to the essentials, with every item in there being loved and well worn. Well I can't say that I'm there yet (and maybe I never will be!?) and I often find myself wanting to add more to my wardrobe, without fully appreciating what I do own. Logically I know that there is only so much I an wear at any one time - if I already have 3 pairs of jeans why do I need another? I guess there is just so much temptation out there, and I sometimes find it hard to resist. So I've decided that as well as limiting myself to 10 items I will take a break from shopping for a month too (and by this I also mean online browsing which is a very bad habit of mine and leads to the feelings of 'I need more' in the first place).

I haven't clarified 100% what I hope to achieve by setting myself this challenge but I think mainly I want to take a step back from it all for a month. I hope that I can prove to myself that it is possible to live with only 10 items of clothes and still look ok, and feel happy with my outfits and that I don't need more. In fact I think sometimes the more you have = more stress, more time spent choosing outfits, finding places to store it and feeling guilt that it doesn't get worn that often.

I'm going on holiday for a week today so will have a think about my 10 items and some ground rules and also try to clarify what I hope to achieve with this challenge. You'll have to excuse me if this post is slightly incoherent - I haven't slept well and am rushing to try and get this written so I can finish packing!

Thanks for reading, V x

Wardrobe Updates for Autumn/Winter

For a long time I've been a follower of the 4-5 piece French wardrobe thread on the fashion spot, which advocates adding only a few key pieces to your wardrobe each season. Despite my best intentions I nearly always end up buying more than I really need and there are usually a few things that I regret purchasing (this summer has been a case in point but more on that later). This time I am determined to make this the season where I actually follow the 4/5 pieces principle, which in theory should be reasonably easy as there isn't too much that I need for the coming months. Because I knew money would be tighter this year, I invested a bit more last winter - I replaced my winter coat for a dark grey wool/cashmere peacoat from Hobbs, and I also bought a couple of sweaters from John Smedley, and 2 cardigans from Paul and Joe Sister. My boots were falling apart after 4 years so I replaced these with some dark grey ones from Aldo, I also splurged on a beautiful Mulberry handbag in grey suede.

Wardrobe Additions - A/W 2010 by victoriastyle featuring a striped sweater

What I've added to my wardrobe so far this season has been a short sleeved tunic sweater from Vanessa Bruno Athe, which admittedly was a complete impusle buy (not off to a great start so far!). I've also added a day dress, which there was definitely a gap in my wardrobe for as I only have one casual dress. I bought some dark denim skinny ankle length jeans by James Jeans, although not 100% what I was looking for, they fit perfectly and I've already worn them lots. I find buying jeans really stressful, of all the things that I'm likely to make a mistake with its jeans and I have bought countless pairs only to find they bag out after 1 wear. I also ventured slightly out of my comfort zone (grey, navy and white) and bought some dark purple patent shoes, and a printed wool scarf as I wanted something to add a bit of interest to my grey outfits. I may be cheating slightly here as I've chosen not to count the scarf (its not technically clothes!) so I reckon this leaves room for one more, which is going to either be a dark grey wool skirt or pair of trousers.

Back to blogging

Well hello to anyone who is reading this after a massive 7 month blogging break. I do have a good excuse though - our beautiful baby girl, Eleanor Rose who arrived 15 days late on March 5th weighing a very healthy 9 ibs 11 oz! I can't resist uploading a couple of pictures, one taken at 6 weeks old and the second at 6 months.

And now enough baby talk and back to the original point of this blog! I feel like my goals and intentions with regards to my wardrobe have fallen somewhat by the wayside this year, after making some initial progress. I feel like I need to regroup and make my intentions for the coming season clear via this blog as it really keeps me accountable and will hopefully get me back on the right track. I really valued the opinions and thoughts of everyone who took the time to comment on my blog last year and found it so helpful to have this space to write about everything. I have plenty of posts lined up, such as wishlists for the coming season, an update on my style resolutions, some more lessons learnt and a potential shopping ban over the next few weeks.

Thanks for reading, Victoria.