enJOY it by Elise Blaha Cripe

my first attempt at a capsule wardrobe.

I am so excited to try a "capsule wardrobe" for the next three months (October 1-December 31). 

There are about a million ways to do this and certainly no right way, but I have done most of my research slash way too much thinking via this great blog. I am following similar rules :

• I've donated a bunch of clothes I know I'm not going to wear again
• I've packed and stored everything that is not in season
• I've culled my closet (and drawers) to just 36 pieces of clothing (including shoes)
• I've committed to not buying anything new through the end of December
• I've chosen clothing that fits together and that I am excited to reach for
• I've picked almost nothing that needs special care or dry cleaning

My goals with this project are to 1) eliminate clutter, 2) save time standing in front of a full closet with "nothing to wear," 3) cut down on unnecessary spending and 4) better define my personal style.

TOPS : red plaid shirt (similar), gray cardigan (similar), sweatshirt tee (similar), super old Alpha Phi USC tee, topshop tee, madewell v neck, "Ellery" patterned top (I totally bought this for the name last winter), statement sweatshirt, statement tee (similar), navy blazer, striped top (similar), baseball tee (similar), dark chambray, light chambray (similar), demin vest* (this is a total wildcard, but I'm so inspired by how Joy wears hers on instagram), white tunic top, white v neck, cream loose fitting tee (similar).

I know what I like to wear - comfortable, flattering and for the most part neutral clothing. Most of this capsule wardrobe is clothing I have had for years or for at least a year. I bought five new things to round it out (denoted with an *), but for the most part, I shopped my closet.

BOTTOMS & DRESSES : jcrew 5" chino shorts, jcrew toothpick jeans, madewell slim boyjean*, comfy gray pants, jcrew city pants (similar), tan shorts (similar), skinny pocket pants (similar), tan maxi skirt, double dare maxi skirt (size up for best fit), plaid dress*, black shortsleeve maxi dress (similar), black and white striped dress* (mine was purchased in store, but here's the plain black one).

The weather in San Diego is mild so even though it will be a bit cooler in fall, I really won't need more than a long-sleeve shirt most days. I included a few pairs of shorts and sandals because I know they'll get use at least through the end of October. I am not including accessories (baseball caps, headbands, scarves, tights or jewelry) or workout clothing but I have paired those items down and decided to include these categories on the no buy list.

SHOES : rainbow sandals, tan ballet flats (similar color), minnetonka moccasins, canvas slip-ons*, gold sandals, madewell boots (similar)

My daily life is so casual. For the most part it's running errands with the occasional meeting a friend for coffee or a date night with Paul. Even our holidays this year will be fairly relaxed. Those dresses plus my favorite pair of boots and tights will be perfect for the few events we have planned. I almost never wear heels and so rarely "dress up" (exception is the wedding we're headed to this weekend - I'll be wearing a new dress and then packing it away for the summer months) so this is for sure an "everyday" wardrobe.

My fear with this project is not that I end up missing my full closet. It's instead that I don't miss it at all and those three plastic bins of clothing I have stored were a total waste. But I guess that's the point, right? Make better habits and smarter decisions starting NOW and not look back. I turn 30 next February. What if from 30 on I could stop shopping out of boredom or "pretend need" or "buy two get one! deals" and start only buying and wearing clothing I love? That would be so rad.

I'm excited! A new challenge. While I don't plan on sharing daily outfits, I will check in with updates now and again throughout the season.

Affiliate links for daaaaaays. I've linked to exact items or similar items where I could find a decent source.

making quilt progress...

...and I'm excited.

interested in learning more about quilting and trying some projects this fall? Take my Get Quilty e-course! And this week only, save $10 with code TENOFF.

project life 2014 : september.

I am taking a less traditional approach to Project Life in 2014. Often that means not many layouts, just one or two a month. I've said this every month too, but it's a busy season (year?) for me and so I'm doing what I can.

click to enlarge

This month I used the Studio Calico's The Underground Project Life kit and went heavy on the photos (all iPhone this month).

Eight photos on each page and then columns of handwritten journaling talking about our transition to daycare this month.

I love how the columns turned out - this was a much better way to incorporate a story than I thought it would be.

The journaling cards didn't complement the "theme" I was going for perfectly, so I just altered them a bit (blacking out some with pen and adding "Ellerie" over the word "Autumn"). I loved the date stamp card and used that as inspiration to cover my photos with the correct dates.

Thank you so much for following along. See my title page for this album here and 2014 album progress here.

Supplies : Studio Calico The Underground kit, Project Life Design A pocket page, date stamp, stazon ink, zig Millennium pen, gray AC slickwriter.

weekend links / 37.

As part of my word WHOLE this year, I want celebrate the work of others by sharing links to my friends, possible friends and complete strangers who are doing great things on the Internet. This is some of the rad stuff I recently saw online...

5 questions to ask when decluttering.

great fall dress.

(and another one, that despite the reviews, I found super flattering.)

I'm totally going to try this more often.

the differences between wealth, riches and success.

pumpkin spice latte...popsicles!

pretty script fonts.

anyone else watching How to Get Away with Murder? loved this "review."

not sure if I'd be any good at slow reading.

digital post-it notes.

yoga poses to undo all that desk sitting.

and from me, an article on Coffee + Crumbs.

september : currently.

working on a palm tree photo wall(s) in our bathroom. This project has been waiting in the wings for six months and it's finally almost done. I am so thrilled about where it is headed and can't wait for the big reveal.

recording a bunch of podcast episodes for the next few weeks. I am so happy I added this extra project to my plate. Having an excuse to chat with and interview people who inspire me is so rad.

slimming down my closet like a crazy person. I am obsessed with this capsule wardrobe idea. Just 37 articles of clothing, for three whole months. I'm starting next week and I plan to share what made the cut on Tuesday.

feeling shocked at how quickly the MAKE29 clutches flew out the door. They were gone in 85 seconds. It felt over before it started which was really bizarre. The foldover clutch market (and wooden ampersand market) needs to be capitalized on, clearly.

loving this stage Ellerie is in. She is SO FUN right now. This week she learned how to do somersaults and how to climb into the rocking chair by herself it was the coolest. Sometimes I look at her and can't believe this strong little girl used to be my tiny baby.

knowing we made the right decision with daycare. My stress-level is at the lowest it's been in at least three years. What a difference it's made already.

taking Ellerie to the zoo this morning! Paul is off work today so we are headed out to see some animals before it gets too hot.

wishing you a great weekend.