capsule outfits/2

I know, it's kinda of a picture overload, but how could I pick when my friend Riann did such a beautiful job on these shots?!  I think that last one is a framer, those little eyes, and the always furrowed brow!  This has sort of been my fall uniform lately, it's such an easy combo and perfect for hanging out with Claire and running errands.  This sling has been a favorite lately, it was the perfect anniversary gift from Darrell (year 2 is cotton!)  

wearing: 

sweater from gap

leggings from zella

boots from frye

sling from sakura bloom, maple ginger hana

fashion week wardrobe/well dressed midwest blogger lounge

Let's just call this the inaugural "Mary fits back into pre-pregnancy clothes!" post.  I missed this dress!  I love how a simple black sheath gets bumped up a notch in a leather fabrication. I have a goal of buying nothing new for Fashion Week this year (in the spirit of my capsule wardrobe challenge) and I think it's going to be doable.  

I'm wearing: 

Jean jacket & clutch from J. Crew

Dress from Express

Shoe booties from Target

Watch from Marc Jacobs

ps - My hair was done by Jack @ Mitch STL.  I can't wait to share more about this awesome new salon tomorrow!  

siri says

epic nap hair

claire doesn't really share my love for mom + baby selfies

her dad's new favorite onesie.  have i ever mentioned that we saw the last beastie boys show ever?  

capsule wardrobe documentation is going swimmingly, if your standards of success include taking a selfie every week or so.  

capsule outfits/1

Okay, getting this show on the road!  

Outfit # 1: Striped dolman sleeve Forever 21 top & scarf, American Eagle cutoff denim shorts, Sam Edelman fringe booties, Ray Ban aviators.  

my capsule wardrobe pieces

Okay, finally the actual capsule wardrobe!  These are the superstars, the things in my closet I reach for over and over.  Some things I've had for years, very little is new, and almost everything here mixes & matches.  I chose to leave out basics (like plain tees & tanks) and include jackets & shoes.  I didn't include bags, because I honestly am usually carrying a diaper bag!  

Okay, my picks: 

I am JUST now fitting into some of my pre-pregnancy jeans again, so that would be the Gap pair & those American Eagle shorts (they make the BEST shorts.)  I bought the black jeans at Target to fill-in, and they were a seriously solid $25 purchase.  The black leggings are Zella from Nordstrom.  

Seeing a theme with the shirts?  Stripes are a major factor in my capsule, of course.  From left to right: 

Love Tee from jane.com, stripes & striped raglan from Forever 21, peasant blouse from Nordstrom, Striped faux-layered blouse from Loft, lace raglan & striped dolman tee from Forever 21.  I actually purchased almost all of these since Claire was born, the girls are a whole lot differently sized while I'm nursing and very few of my shirts from pre-pregnancy (which were mostly size XS & S) fit now.  

Cardigans are a major factor in my fall wardrobe.  Most of my pullovers & chunkier knits also feel a little small, but hopefully will fit normally by winter!  From left to right: 

Kimono from eBay, striped cardigan with elbow patches from jane.com, olive draped cardigan from Forever 21, red cardigan & aztec hooded cardigan from jane.com.  You're going to see a theme here, jane.com is awesome.  That olive cardi in the middle is a champ, it somehow seems to match just about anything and I've owned it for I believe like FIVE years!  

I wear dresses pretty frequently, although less often than I used to because all these clothes need to be nursing friendly.  Still, there is the odd dinner out or party where we don't take a baby so a few of these made the cut regardless.  From left to right: 

Aztec printed body con mini from ASOS, black leather shoulder mini from Forever 21, striped sheath, baseball tee dress, grey maxi, navy & white sheath, and army green baseball tee dress all from Sonnet James.  I should add (not to be a broken record) but Sonnet James dresses rock.  They're nursing friendly, pregnancy friendly, flattering to basically anyone, and I think really affordable for the quality.  Also, that leather shoulder mini will get worn with tights!  

I had so much trouble narrowing down the jackets (and honestly can't promise that I won't end up reaching for one of the eliminated pieces) but here are the all-stars, from left to right: 

Khaki trench from Gap, black leather moto jacket from Express, leopard trench from Banana Republic, navy field jacket from Old Navy, cognac leather biker jacket from Forever 21, denim jacket & herringbone blazer from J. Crew.  

Gap makes a really fab trench, and Forever 21 faux leather jackets are where it's AT.  I get oodles of compliments on the ones I own and no one ever suspects that they're fake leather.  

Here's a straggler I had forgotten in the car, but I had to throw it in because it's probably my favorite! Also from, where else, Forever 21.  

I was actually kind of impressed with my paring down of the shoes!  I actually ended up selling some pairs that I realized I don't often reach for.  

Boots from left to right: 

Grey booties with a glitter heel from Vince Camuto, cognac "Jane" boots from Frye, wine buckle flat boots from Steve Madden, fringe booties from Sam Edelman, green Hunter wellies, and the black faux "harrow" booties in the front are from Forever 21.  

I've had all of these shoes for over two years.  

And the flat shoes (plus one pair of stilettos, because you have to!)

Left to right back row then front: 

Pointed flats & leopard flats from Target, white Converse, oiled black Birkenstocks, burgundy New Balance, leopard sneakers from Sam Edelman, and studded black pumps from Macy's.  

So, 43 in total!  A little more than the original inspiration of 37, but like I said, no need for jackets in Austin TX!  It's going to get scary when I also need coats - I have a serious thing for coats.  Maybe I'll do a gradual trade out of the jackets for their coat counterparts?  I'll keep you posted!  

My additions that don't factor into the overall count will be: hats, tights, sunglasses, purses, scarves, jewelry, and layering basics like v neck tees & tanks.  

Have you created a capsule yet?  Started posting any outfits?  Tag your photos on Instagram with #lshdcapsule so I can see!  

capsule wardrobe: autumn edition

It's an undeniable fact: when you become a mom, your style just changes.  While I'd love to say that I still put on heels every day, lay out outfits the night before, and wear everything from strapless dresses to harem pants that would be a total lie.  I've pretty much resorted to uniform dressing, and that's been the most successful way for me to get out of the house looking decent most days.  

When I heard about this capsule wardrobe concept, it immediately appealed to me.  I'm still a size away from my pre-pregnancy size and not very motivated to spend much money on clothes, so following a guide that involves me downsizing my closet rather than adding to it sounded like a great solution.  I'm also currently sharing a closet with Claire in a one bedroom apartment, so having a wardrobe that takes up less SPACE was also a factor.  Coats take up SO MUCH ROOM.  

Here is the basic premise: you take your wardrobe down to 37 pieces.  That's it.  

You don't count accessories like scarves, tights, jewelry, or sunglasses, but shoes & handbags count!  Workout clothes also aren't part of the picture.  I'm still on the fence about coats & jackets - living in the midwest, we have some serious winters & a lot of variation in temperature.  The girl who came up with this concept lives in Austin, Texas so I think there's some wiggle room there.  

I started by thinking about what I do in my day to day life - do I get dressed up very often?  

No.  Maybe once a month for a wedding or event, so I only really need one party dress and fancy pair of shoes (still debating whether Fashion Week will play a part in this section.  I think borrowing clothes from friends for events is fair game.)    

Do my clothes need to have a certain function?  

Yes, they need to be mostly nursing friendly.  

What colors do I want to stick to?  

I'm mostly focused on grey, cream, black, and cognac for fall, with accents of burgundy, green & navy.  

Next week I'll be sharing each and every piece I selected, and from then on outfit posts will become a sort of challenge as to how far I can stretch 37 pieces!  I'm hoping this project will be a liberating exercise in minimalism.  The photos in this post are from my collection of inspiration for this fall's capsule from Pinterest, which you can see in it's entirety here.  I know, you're shocked by the inclusion of jeans, flat sneakers, leather jackets, and stripes.  We're not reinventing the wheel here, this is about creating something that works perfectly every day.  

I'd love it if you wanted to take on this challenge with me.  Let's make this the fall of organized and streamlined closets.  Let's get dressed in the morning with a minimum of fuss and STILL look awesome.  If you want to share your outfits with me on Instagram or Twitter, you can hashtag them with #lshdcapsule.  I would LOVE to see what you come up with.  

Also, here are a few other bloggers doing capsule wardrobe series' this fall, Hey Natalie Jean & Kate from The Small Things blog with a maternity version!