Closet Update: December 2018

There’s nothin’ quite like a shopping spree to end a year that was otherwise spent learning about and chasing minimalism. Everything was justifiable for me this month. I don’t have a long black cardigan yet. I had to let go of a few sweaters because they had holes in them. I needed this and I needed that to complete my wardrobe. I definitely over-indulged in treating myself for my birthday and buying myself Christmas presents as I bought a few things for other people this month.

Grab yourself a cup of coffee, and get ready for a long haul!

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– NEW ADDITIONS –

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TO MY EVERYDAY CAPSULE:

Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny Ankle Jean in Black and Cotton Long-Sleeve Crew-Sweater in Black from Everlane ($118 total) bought on 12/01/18 — I loved the Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny Ankle Jean so much that I decided to buy another pair! I also picked up the Cotton Long-Sleeve Crew Sweater which I find to be very similar to the Soft Cotton Square Crew that I have in Navy but it’s a lighter version which has been perfect for the 70-degree winter days we’ve been having in December.

Avery Slip Dress from Sotela ($143) bought on 12/04/18 — You can read more about this dress over on this blog post!

Remix Boxy Top from Encircled ($0 gifted) received on 12/08/18 — You can read more about this top over on this blog post.

Crop Tee in Black, Surplus Jacket, and Dreamer Graphic Tee from Madewell ($98) bought on 12/08/18 — Madewell gets me every year with their $25 birthday credit and I couldn’t help but pick up another one of their crop tees since I’ve been loving the white one I picked up during their Black Friday sale, and have been wearing it more than I’d like to admit. I’ve also been eying their Surplus Jacket for over a year now and have been waiting for it to be on sale so scoring it for less than $60 was definitely a win for me. It’ll be perfect for when I go to Portland in February with some friends and the sporadic rainy days we’ve also been having this Winter. The Dreamer Graphic Tee was more of an impulse purchase, but I know I will wear this tons come Spring/Summer.

Cotton Long-Sleeve Crew-Sweater in Navy and Air Cami in Black from Everlane ($52) bought on 12/09/18 — Everlane also gets me every time they send a $20 credit through out the year. I took this opportunity to buy some repeats of my favorites.

Everyday Dress and Party Dress, from MeMi Collective ($0 all gifted) received on 12/11/18 — Miranda from MeMi Collective loved my photos from Joshua Tree so much that she offered to send me more pieces from their collection! These two pieces definitely got me through the last week of work before break, and also helped me relax in comfortable and cozy pieces during my Winter Break!

Black Long Cardigan from Muji ($50) bought on 12/15/18 — After living in the Madewell Kent Cardigan this Fall/Winter, it was time for me to get a black one to complete my all-black looks. This one made of Yak wool is super cozy and I have loved all the items I’ve picked up from Muji so I knew that this one would last a long time in my wardrobe.

Rainbowmarl Cardigan from Lou & Grey ($36) bought on 12/15/18 — I loved the cardigan I picked up last month that I wanted another cozy sweater…And that’s as far as my justification went.

Les Femmes Modernes Sweater from Madewell ($56) bought on 12/22/18 — This was 100% an impulse buy from spying this sweater in the window of a Madewell store. I vowed this to be the last new thing that I buy in a long, long, long time.

TOTAL MONEY SPENT: $553
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: +15 in everyday capsule

TO MY LOUNGEWEAR / GYM WARDROBE: 

Romper in Black from MeMi Collective ($0 gifted) received on 12/11/18

ReNew Fleece Sweatshirt in Oat from Everlane ($45) bought on 12/17/18 — This purchase fell prey to the one-for-you-one-for-me mindset during Holiday shopping. I was picking up something for a friend and to get free shipping, I decided to pick myself up something that I’ve been eying for months.

TOTAL MONEY SPENT: $45
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: +2 in loungewear capsule

TO MY OCCASION WEAR WARDROBE: 

Everlane Silk Square Shirt ($0 moved from Everday Capsule) — I absolutely adore this shirt but I decided to move it to my Occasion Wear Capsule because for me, it’s more of a special occasion / job interview piece.

TOTAL MONEY SPENT: $0
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: +1 in occasion wear capsule

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– WHAT I LET GO –

From Everyday Capsule:

–Abercrombie & Fitch Navy Speckled Cardigan
–Cheap Monday Black Cropped Sweater
–H&M Thin Black Sweater
–Free Label Rust Cardi Robe
–Loyale Ballet Tee No. 2
–Everlane Silk Square Shirt (moved to Occasion Wear Capsule)
–BDG Oversized Jesse Cardigan
–Dolce Vita Black Ankle Booties
–Topshop Green Sweater
–Free People Green Crop Top
–Madewell Ruffle Eyelet Top
–Everlane Wide Leg Crop Pants
–Kut from the Kloth Boyfriend Jeans
–Free People Ribbed Tank Dress
–Madewell Waffle Bell Sleeve Sweater

Trial Separation:
–Zara Oversized Grey Cardigan
–Anthropologie Jumpsuit
–Abercrombie & Fitch Grey Ribbed Sweater
–Abercrombie & Fitch Camel Ribbed Sweater
–Frank and Oak Grey Sweater

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: -15

From Loungewear Capsule:
–Zara Sweater Knit Joggers

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: -1

From Occasion Wear Capsule:
–Nothing!

TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: -0

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– WHAT I LEARNED –

Phew! I don’t think I’ve spent this much in one one since my very first Closet Update post in July, nor have I decluttered this many items from my wardrobe. I don’t regret any of it, but I have to admit–it was really overwhelming having so many new things coming in this month. My item count grew to be over 70 at some point, and even though I have part of my wardrobe stored in an under-the-bed storage box, my wardrobe felt cluttered and overwhelming! There were just too many choices and it started becoming a little stressful getting dressed in the mornings. I realized mid-December that I had added 20+ items to my wardrobe since Nov. 01, and that was my cue to go through my wardrobe once more to let go of some pieces and to practice gratitude for the pieces that I do have. I took some time to move some things around: putting graphic tees and short dresses in storage, and decluttering some items that had holes and some that just didn’t get enough love in my wardrobe.

My pride and gratitude for my wardrobe continued from November through this month. I must say, 2018 was a huge year for me style wise. I found the courage to try on (and LOVE) jumpsuits, wide-leg pants, midi dresses, and crop tees. I have definitely refined my style to be one that I’ve always wanted but never thought I could pull off because of my body shape and height. I remember thinking mid-December that there’s nothing I really want or need moving forward.

After a year and a half of purging and intentionally shopping, my closet finally feels complete. It is the closet I’ve always wanted: neutral, versatile, comfortable, LA-weather proof, and 100% me. Sure, there may be a few things that I could let go of, but I love each and every piece I own. And each and every piece I own makes me feel good about myself. It was at this point in the month, after coming home to packages almost everyday for about a week, that I started thinking about starting off 2019 with a shopping ban like I had in January earlier this year. I also then started thinking about all that I’ve learned this year and was inspired by Cait Flanders’ The Year of Less and wanted to push myself further, and so the idea of a six-month shopping ban of anything new (aka buying nothing or shopping only secondhand) was birthed. Going into 2019, I’m going to take it month by month, but not shopping would be the ultimate test of my now-complete-wardrobe. My plans for a three-month shopping ban in the summer didn’t go exactly as planned, so I’m treading a multi-month challenge with caution, but also with a bit of optimism. I’m hoping too that these monthly updates will keep me accountable.

All in all, I feel good ending 2018 on this note and look forward to see all the learning and growing that will happen in the next year!

Cheers to 2019 everyone! Here’s to another year of learning, decluttering, and growing!