Spring fever got the best of me this month. Even though I said I would take it slow when it came to shopping last month, I couldn’t help but give into my impulses and jump into Spring with both feet (and credit card) in. This has been my most spend-heavy month in 2019 so far. Dressing for the warmer seasons is not my favorite, but I think I’m slowly, but surely finding my Spring/Summer uniforms: linen, wide-leg pants, and midi dresses that make the LA heat more bearable. Therefore, I justified my new purchases with the fact that I did need some new pieces to get me through Spring & Summer. I also made sure to revisit a lot of pieces that I was unsure about last year (aka when I was unsure of what my Spring/Summer style was going to look like), and decided to let some go that weren’t me.
This is a long and introspective closet update, so get comfortable!
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– NEW ADDITIONS –
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TO MY EVERYDAY CAPSULE WARDROBE:
Mien Pants in Black and in Zinc Grey ($240) bought on 04/07/19 & 04/29/19 — I had been eying these pants since they launched last Fall. I almost bought them during Black Friday weekend but decided to wait. Now that I have them though, I wish I hadn’t waited. They’re amazing. They fit great. They’re comfortable, yet look smart at the same time. For my Everyday Wardrobe, this was the first brand new purchase in 2019, and I’d say it was a good one! I’ve been wearing these non-stop. I took them along with me to Santa Cruz and they were so comfortable for our little getaway. I loved them so much that I bought them in Zinc Grey at the end of the month.
Hackwith Design House Linen Wide Leg Pants ($55) via Poshmark bought on 04/12/19 — Linen has been really on my mind these days. When I switched over my wardrobe, I was so excited to pull out my two linen tops from last season: the Lyla Crop 2.0 from Sotela and a linen tee from Muji. I wanted to add some more linen pieces, and definitely caught the bug for light pair of linen pants. I scoured Poshmark and came upon this gem from Hackwith Design House.
Madewell Crop Swing Linen Tank ($18) via Poshmark bought on 04/13/19 — This was another product of my linen hunt on Poshmark. I remember wanting this top when it was in Madewell stores a few seasons ago, and now I’m glad I have it for this Spring/Summer season. I can’t believe I got this new with tags still on it! It just goes to show that there are so many gems that you can get secondhand.
Lou & Grey Cotton Cropped Cami ($23) via Poshmark bought on 04/15/19 — This top also came new with tags on it. I’m trying to collect a few crop tops that will carry me through the heatwave that will inevitably hit LA soon. This one is airy and perfect.
Tradlands Girlfriend Tee in Sienna (gifted) received on 04/20/19 — When Tradlands reached out to me to collaborate, I was ecstatic since they’re such a great brand who’s working hard to be size inclusive and making clothes to fit women’s bodies. I’ve come to accept that button downs are not my style, so I decided to go with two other of their iconic styles: their Girlfriend Tee in Sienna (omg color!) and their Varsity Sweatshirt in Shell (which I’ve added to my loungewear/gym wear capsule to join my other cozy sweatshirts. You can see more of this over at this blog post.
Sotela Lyla Crop in Mustard and in Black ($258) on 04/27/19 — I bought my first piece from Sotela last Summer and included it in my Summer 10×10 challenge, and ever since, this little linen tank has gotten quite a lot of wear over the last few months. I was super excited to bring it out last month when I switched over my wardrobe. So when Hanna brought out the Lyla Crop in more colors in her latest collection, I couldn’t resist getting two more to add to my Spring/Summer seasonal pieces. They’re definitely quite pricey for me, but I know that they will get so much wear for years to come. I also had the opportunity to meet Hanna this month and it feels so good to be able to support such an amazing human who is working her butt off to be inclusive in the ethical fashion world.
TOTAL MONEY SPENT: $594
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: +8 in everyday capsule
TO MY LOUNGEWEAR/GYM WEAR CAPSULE:
Tradlands Varsity Sweatshirt in Shell (gifted) received on 04/20/19 — I have lived in this sweatshirt since I got it! I sized up for maximum comfort and for a relaxed feel, but I think I could’ve gotten the same effect with my normal size. This will probably be what I’m wearing for all the Spring/Summer evenings to come! I styled it for a date night over on this blog post.
TOTAL MONEY SPENT: $0
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: +1 in loungewear/gym wear capsule
TO MY SHOES:
Nisolo Ama Mule (gifted) received on 04/20/19 — You can read all about my thoughts on these mules and how I’m making them work in my mostly black wardrobe on this blog post.
TOTAL MONEY SPENT: $0
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: +1 in shoes
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– WHAT I LET GO –
FROM MY EVERYDAY CAPSULE WARDROBE:
–Eileen Fisher Long Sleeve Jersey Dress
–H&M Wide Leg Jeans
–H&M Short Slip Dress
–Free People Long Sleeve Ruffle Tunic Dress
—Paloma Wool Cosmos Tee
–Zara Striped Pants (thrifted)
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: -6
FROM MY LOUNGEWEAR / GYM CAPSULE:
—Madewell White Whisper Cotton Tee
–Synergy Energy Tulip Tank
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: -2
ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK:
–Everlane Silk Square Shirt Dress
–Everlane Boxy Tee Dress
–Frank & Oak Grey Sweater
–Anthropologie Rainbow Knit Black Sweater
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– WHAT I LEARNED –
I’m not gonna lie–I felt a little overwhelmed with the amount of new items that were coming in this month. After reading Sara from PetraAlexandra’s blog post on being transparent as an ethical fashion blogger, I was curious to see what my numbers looked like. As of now, my numbers broke down to be:
EVERYDAY CAPSULE WARDROBE
- 67 items total: 41 pieces in my yearlong, everyday capsule wardrobe + 13 fall/winter seasonal pieces + 13 spring/summer seasonal pieces
- 8 items are secondhand = 12%
- 11 items were gifted = 16% — with a value of about $1015
LOUNGEWEAR CAPSULE WARDROBE
- 24 items total
- 1 item is secondhand = 4%
- 3 items were gifted = 12.5% — with a value of about $240
OCCASIONWEAR CAPSULE
- 8 items total: 3 dresses + 2 tops + 1 pair of heels + 2 pairs of boots
- 0 items are secondhand = 0%
- 0 items were gifted = 0% — with a value of about $0
SHOES CAPSULE
- 15 items total: 5 pairs of boots + 5 pairs of sandals + 1 pair of flats + 2 pairs of sandals + 2 pairs of mules
- 4 items are secondhand = 27%
- 2 items were gifted = 13% — with a value of about $253
This has gotten me thinking deeper about sustainability. While I am shopping ethically, are my shopping habits truly sustainable? All throughout Fashion Revolution Week, I kept getting reminded that the most sustainable garment is the one that you already own. To keep my numbers of items low, I stick to a loose one-in-one-out rule where I tend to declutter when I buy some new things (which seems to be every month). Am I truly being sustainable and ethical if I keep buying new clothes (even if I am buying secondhand mostly this year)? I’m not sure.
I now want to be thinking more about longevity and I wonder if there’s going to be a time when I don’t feel the need to shop (however ethically or sustainably) and can truly just be content with my wardrobe that I’ve carefully curated over the last two years. Since shopping ethically, I’ve justified investing in pricier pieces with the promise of longevity. I haven’t had too many pieces long enough yet to really see if this promise will ring true. About 20 of my pieces are at least one year old (if not older), which is about 30%, and 25 pieces are less than a year old, which is about 37%. I know that a lot of pieces will turn 1 year old pretty soon, but to reflect on longevity and sustainability truly, I’m going to try a no-shop-month in May, because after this month of shopping, I’m not sure what more I could possibly add to my wardrobe to make it more “complete” (whatever that means).
I’m also going to be attempting the May 30×30 Challenge along with Sara from Petra Alexandra as well! While I won’t be posting every single outfit, I will be trying to maximize my current favorite 30 pieces and see what I come up with! Follow along on my Instagram!
Cheers!
THE PLEB LIFE 