Same Outfit Every Day?

Would you be willing to wear the same outfit every day?

Some of the most forward thinkers of our time have done it and are doing it; President Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Alice Gregory, and Matilda Kahl. They've taken one stressful decision out of the their morning routine by wearing the same outfit every day. They do this to keep from wasting precious decision-making energy on items that don't matter and save their best thinking for ones that do.

I have long loved this idea and have partially adopted it by creating a "uniform" of clothes so to speak. Jeans, top, cardigan, flats. That's my uniform almost daily. But it's still not as extreme as wearing the same outfit every day because currently mine changes a little each time through pattern/color of tops; color of jeans; and type of shoe.

At the beginning of the year I toyed with reducing my 20+ wardrobe down to ten and seeing if I could do a year with ten pieces. The prospect excited me because the thrill of reducing gives me a freedom high. Yet each time I try to reduce my wardrobe to ten, I struggle with choosing the pieces. 

So if successful women like Alice, and Matilda, are wearing the same thing every day; I'm tempted to do the same. Taking even those last few decisions away and adopting a uniform of exactly one outfit every day.

It would be simple, chic and comfortable and I'd never have to decide again. 

The minimalist side of me jumps at the chance, but the artist side of me hesitates. Then I read somewhere about an artist who felt she could focus her creative energy on her art much easier when she wasn't exerting creativity in her clothes. That quieted my inner protest and has ignited a fire of curiosity. Would it increase creativity?

Wearing the same thing every day seems more simple to me than going the route of ten items. Less constricting if you will, which I know sounds completely opposite.

I'm thinking of trying it as an experiment, maybe a year, to see how it would feel to wear the same outfit in all seasons. And if I love it, then I'd be set. If I hated it, then I'd be done. I'd like to do a 365 project and take a photo every day to document the process and share how I'm feeling.

What do you think? Would you be interested in seeing that? Or do you think I'm crazy?

3 Ways to Determine Your Priority

Determining our priority can be difficult.

Most of us try to juggle many responsibilities in a day and urgency usually gets first place. We may not always know what our top priority is because we're so busy stomping out fires from urgent needs.

Here are three ways I've found to determine what my top priority is in any given season of life:

1. What is most valuable to me?

I heard Chalene Johnson once ask, "What would you be devastated without if it was gone tomorrow?" Career? Relationship?  Family? Faith? Finances? Pet?

Determine what this is and you will have the key to setting boundaries and deciding what you let into your life. Your priority may change, or it may be one constant value in your life. Whatever it is, keep this in the forefront of your mind with each decision you make.

When my kids were smaller and needing me more often, I had to make the decision to cut some activities from my days so I could spend time with them. My kids are older now and not in need of being physically cared for like they once were; so my season has changed. I'm needed now for emotional support more than physical so that changes my priorities. Since my kids are not home in the daytime, I can teach and pursue other interests. But in the evening, I make it a priority to be home for talking and/or engagement. Building relationship with them is very important to me.

2. What are you skilled at or enjoy doing?

This is where your gifts come in. What do you naturally gravitate to? What do other people tell you you're good at? Take notice, get real close to what you do and why.

What is it exactly that you love about that thing? I found that meeting with friends one-on-one is my favorite way to connect. I don't really like parties or getting together with large groups. When I prodded myself to understand why, I realized it's because I love talking intimately and really connecting on a deeper level. But that rarely happens with a large group. In a large group there is much more small talk and catching up for fun and while I enjoy that for awhile, as an introvert, it's exhausting. Just understanding this about myself helps me choose which activities I'll be involved in. Less parties, more one-on-ones.

3. What are you obsessed with or learning?

Think about what you're learning right now. Think about why you're learning it. Is it just for enjoyment? Then it might reveal a passion you have. Is it to solve a problem? Is it because you love learning? Evaluating what you're learning right now and why you're learning it, will help you determine that priority. If you're pursuing something or wanting to pursue something, it should be a priority for you.

You may find one common thread answering all three questions or you may have different answers for each one.

If you have three different answers, is there a way to combine them? If not, try to evaluate which one should take the lead and continue to pursue that first. Work on the other two each day as well, even if it's just fifteen minutes.

I'll give you an example in my own life.

My answers are: family, connecting one-on-one and painting/writing.

Since these are my priorities, I try to be available to my husband and kids as much as possible and really listen to them (looking in the eyes, putting my phone away, stopping what I'm doing). I'm also pursuing friendships one-on-one in coffee shops but also on Periscope (a live-streaming app). Since I have more free time in the day, I've been pursuing my long-time passions of writing and painting on the days I'm not substitute teaching at my kids' school.

These things work together for me because of the time they happen during the day. When I'm pursuing my passions and Periscoping, my husband and kids are in school, at work, studying or otherwise occupied. When they're home, I'm enjoying them.

These three categories satiate my need for community and learning.

What are your priorities are in this season?

Simplify Your Blog with Features

Features simplify your blogging routine.

I first heard about features almost four years ago from Elsie Larson's course, Blog Life. The features idea connected with me and I incorporated a system for this blog. 

I designate a certain type of post for each day. I usually post M, W, F. On Monday, I post about capsule wardrobes or outfits ideas. Wednesday, I post tips and Fridays are dedicated to personal growth.

A feature is something that has a form but is ever changing.

It's like a column in magazines ~ always there but ever-changing. Features can be a list: outfit of the day, favorite ________ (things, books, blog posts, movies). Or they can be roundups of: posts, recipes, instagram photos. These are examples of features that have form but can be changed weekly and present themselves as a fresh new article.

Recurring features help you know what you need. You'll know what photographs, links and research to do. 

Your features need to be a topic you LOVE!

Otherwise it will get tedious and boring. I absolutely love creating outfits and sets of clothes each week. It gives me a burst of creative pursuit and I get to work with new clothes without spending money! It hones my skill of helping others with their wardrobes because I practice with new sets.

My other features are a bit more loose. Giving tips leaves it open enough for me to not feel trapped but formulated enough that I can pull a post together fairly easy. Under the umbrella of TIPS, I have shared how to create a capsule wardrobe, meaningful gift ideas and now blogging help. 

I tend to be a how-to junkie, so sharing what I'm learning along the way reinforces what I'm doing. It's a joy for me to share tips with others. This comes naturally in life so it makes sense that this would spill over into my blog posts. 

Make a feature out of something you share naturally in life!

The last feature I share on Fridays, is more about personal growth. This began because I love sharing my process with others and being held accountable. A community full of honest seeking people is important to me. I realized that to build community with others, you have to be vulnerable and open. I wanted a place to share my deeper thoughts, personal growth and what I'm struggling with. I wanted a space for us to grow together; a place for others to gather around because they're struggling too or have encouragement to give. So I created this feature to publish right before the weekend ~ a relaxing conversation over coffee or wine.

Your features should reflect what is valuable to you.

Not everyone has features for every time they post; some people prefer the spontaneity of writing miscellaneous articles. You can choose to have one feature or many; they can even revolve. I've seen blogs that have features for the first of the month or every other Friday.

Use this tool to reduce the stress of trying to pull a post out of thin air.

What features have you seen and really enjoyed? What features would you like to create if you had/have a blog?

Your Most Versatile Shoe

You know those shoes you grab again and again? 

The ones you wear everywhere? The ones you love to pieces and hope no one's noticing how often you wear them? Yeah, those are your most versatile shoes.

Versatile shoes are the ones that aren't snobby about which clothes they go out with. 

They're friends with almost every piece in your closet. They're fairly comfortable and broken in. They accentuate your best features. And you love them!

The ankle boots (in photo above) happen to be my versatile shoes. They can be grabbed to go with almost every outfit in my closet ~ jeans and tee, go! Top and skirt, go! Casual dress, go! Sweater and pants, go!

The importance of a versatile shoe is that, like any of your closet favorites, they give a peak into your style. They show what you love wearing and what clothes you feel your best self in. 

They reveal your wardrobe values.

If you love heels, then you may value looking professional or high style. If you love tennis shoes, you may value agility and the ability to be active. What are your favorite shoes telling about you? What do you value? 

Once you understand the reason behind your favorite shoes, take another look at your wardrobe. Does it reflect those values all the way through? Are there some pieces that don't fit? Those you can part with.

Stick with what you love, it tells the truth about you!

I love my ankle boots because they come off professional, go with everything but most of all they are comfortable. Comfort is one of my wardrobe values! If it hurts, it's out. It took me a long time to find ankle boots that worked for me, but when I did, I snatched them up!

Once you know what your wardrobe values are, it makes cleaning out the closet easy. It also makes replacing clothes simple. You'll know what kind of clothes you're looking for. Your most versatile shoes are a clue to get you started.

What is your most versatile shoe?

5 Meaningful Gifts for Your Loved Ones

We often think about gifts of love as big gestures with an even bigger price tag; but most meaningful gifts are those from the heart. 

Think about the epic scene of John Cusack holding the boom box in the movie, Say Anything, it's the gesture itself that pulls our heartstrings.

Here are 5 Meaningful Gifts you can give your loved ones:

1. Texts of admiration.

I once sent a friend forty texts of everything I loved about her throughout her fortieth birthday. I'd pre-written all my messages in a notebook so I could just enjoy delivering them throughout the day. A showering of love, so to speak. She told me later that it gave her so much to look forward to and brightened her day!

2. Art (painting, song, comic book, flower arrangement, quilt, poem). 

You may have hidden talents that no one sees but those closest to you. Don't leave them hidden. Use your gifts to create a special work of art for the ones you love. Include things in your gift that interests your friend or loved one. No matter what kind of art you create, it can be personalized to let them know how much they mean to you.

3. Scrapbook

A scrapbook can be made with ready-made materials you have on hand OR with creative materials. You can create a front and back cover from cereal boxes or any hard objects. Use various materials for the middle "pages" (foil, post-its, fabric, scraps of paper, notebook paper ~ get creative). Place photos you have on hand or print some paper ones. If you don't have photos, you could draw "photos" or even stick people sketches with subtitles at the bottom to tell your stories. Write short messages throughout the scrapbook of memories or sweet thoughts about your loved one.

4. Re-create a Special Moment

Like the girls in Parent Trap, use what you have to re-create a special moment from the past that you and your loved one shared. Maybe cook a meal and/or decorate the room. Leave them clues about what moment it was or notes on how special that moment was to you.

5. Love Letter

Simply write a beautiful love letter. Tell the person one reason why they are special to you and how they've impacted your life. It doesn't have to be decorative, your words will mean enough. But if you want to get fancy, you could study word-lettering or calligraphy to create your message with a flourish.

It doesn't have to be hard to let someone know how much you care about them, and it certainly doesn't need a big price tag.

We don't have to clutter our homes with more stuff, we can give experiences and tender expressions to make our appreciation known. So whether you're gifting a spouse, sibling, child or friend, remember, it's the actual thought that counts!

Which one of these would be fun for YOU to receive?

The Habit of Simplicity

I've been feeling the itch for a mass exodus of my stuff again. It's so easy to let piles rise and allow STUFF to creep back into our home. While I've managed to contain my closet, I'm still learning to tame the beast of the kitchen utensils, piles of mail, and miscellaneous cups (where do they come from??).

It's important to create a habit of clearing out. 

With my closet, nothing comes in without reassessing what I can get rid of. This keeps my closet at a fairly consistent number and makes me devoted to an item before I replace an oldie. In other words, I'm super picky.

It has to fit me, be comfortable and go with the other items in my closet. On top of all that, I have to love it. If the sound "meh" comes out of my mouth ~ the item is gone! With a small wardrobe, there is no room for mediocre; everything must be adored.

It's the same for every area of our life.

Whether it's relationships, items, or purpose, we have to be consistently clearing out and reevaluating the significance of what we allow in our lives. We are the curator of our future selves. We alone determine the forecast of who we allow to influence us, what price our things place on us, and how meaningful our lives will be.

I'm trying to form the habit of simplicity with my home right now, but I'm still letting the "meh" stuff in.  As Marie Kondo puts it, the "just because" stuff. We don't know why it's there, we don't particularly love it, but we keep it just because. We don't know what else to do with it so we stuff it in a junk drawer or in the back of a closet and try to ignore it. The problem is, it grows and weighs us down, It's not important but we let it eat at our time, our energy and our resources.

We must hang onto the most important and let go of the mediocre. 

Letting go of unnecessary items, negativity, and criticism, This is the habit of simplicity. Loosening our grasp on what we don't need so we can fully embrace what we do need. It's only after letting go and forming a habit of simplicity that we can bask in roomy closets, spend long afternoons with a dear friend and engage in meaningful pursuits.

Where would you like a better habit of simplicity?

Why We Stuff Our Closets

Why do we stuff our closets? 

Our closets are bursting with clothes but we continue to seemingly have a need for more. While we could survive on very few clothing items, a need urges us on. Is it the need to be stylish? Or powerful? Or "win" by finding the greatest deals? 

Clothes seem like a solvent for feeling happy, lonely, or sad.

You've heard of emotional eating? I call this emotional stuffing. It's attempting to meet a need that can't really be met by clothes, but for the moment we attempt to.

It's the same for me when I want unhealthy food. On the outside it seems like a simple longing for chocolate. But when I'm wanting unhealthy things, it's usually about more than the food. It can be my way of celebrating, pushing back pain or loneliness or staving off boredom. I've often thought of sugary goodies as a treat/reward for doing something hard, or a comfort through struggles. I've viewed it like I'm getting a secret surprise, when in reality, I'm sabotaging my own health goals. If I zoom in close, I can recognize that the food is not meeting my need. Instead I can remind myself that a "treat" would be going swimsuit shopping without dreading it, or hiking with my family without slowing everyone down.

When I turn to food for comfort, celebration, or entertainment, I am wanting it to meet a need that food can't meet. The same is true for clothes or shoes. Yes, those things are nice; but they won't give you happiness, comfort or purpose in the long run.

When we begin to meet our needs in real ways, we won't need large wardrobes to care for ourselves. 

So next time you're tempted stuff your closet (or your face), ask yourself why. Why in this moment do you want that? What is it that is triggering your actions? Is there pain you're trying to avoid? Are you wanting to do something meaningful? Get to the bottom of your why and meet the need in a real way instead of stuffing your face OR your closet!

Do you struggle with emotional shopping, eating or other things?

Mom, Take Back Your Mornings!

Mornings are the most difficult time of day to keep simple. Everyone is rushing, there are breakfasts to be eaten, bags to pack and places to go. But it's important to give everyone a happy head start ~ including you!

Here are some ways to take back your mornings and enjoy them!

1. Help your children choose their clothes the night before. 

Allow them be to be part of the process and work to come to a mutual conclusion. The nice thing about doing this is that if there is going to be a battle, it won't be right before you're walking out the door! You might want to start early in the evening to keep from delaying bedtime, since sleep is also a key factor to having a great morning.

2. Create a capsule wardrobe for them.

Basically this is simply choosing a set of clothes that are easy to mix. Do the colors go together? Does the material or style work well with other items? You may not be able to do this 100% but I would recommend trying. This way, no matter what shirt they pull out, it will go with any of the bottoms.

Of course you will want to be okay with what is going into their set in the first place so there won't be clothing you're opposed to. Having said that though, be sure to embrace your children's unique style; clothing is a fun way to express yourself and children are geniuses at this. If your favorite colors are earthy and your daughter loves brights, give a little and let her express her artistic side. Children are simply little people with their own preferences and tastes. It's best to honor that and work together towards an agreeable end.

3. Put special clothes out of sight.

Store clothes elsewhere that your children always want to wear but either can't be worn except special occasions, or are only for the weekends. Not seeing the temptation can help with struggle.

BONUS TIP: Make a capsule wardrobe for yourself to simplify your morning even more! Own your unique style and let it reflect you!

What is your biggest challenge to having a calm, simple morning?

Use What You Have Capsule Wardrobe

You don't have to wait for quality or durable items before you start a capsule wardrobe; you can use what you have now!

There is no "right way" to create or wear a capsule wardrobe. 

You can have a larger closet with multiple sets of clothes, or you can shed all the extra and have a bare-bones capsule. Neither one is wrong.

You don't have to wait until you have quality pieces or durable pieces. Yes, those are nice and they are helpful. But what's even more helpful is being able to pull together outfits easily right now.

Don't let the fact that not all your pieces go together or that you don't have certain items from capsule wardrobe lists, keep you from pursuing a capsule.

In my opinion, a capsule wardrobe is a tool to ease you mind and your morning so that you're not wasting needless time or thought on something so simple as an outfit. It's helping you get out of the door quickly without leaving a giant pile of clothes on your bed from the fifteen hundred times you changed clothes.  

Don't wait to get started. Choose 20 pieces from the wardrobe you have right now. Choose your favorites. See if they mostly go together. If other pieces would work better, switch them out. Do this until you have a simple set of clothes that easily go together and begin wearing it tomorrow.

Having a capsule doesn't mean that you can never wear anything outside of this set ~ you can. It only means that you have an easy route of choosing an outfit so that you can get out of the door in a hurry. Or better yet, have a slow morning with an extra cup of tea or coffee since you already know what you're wearing.

Let a capsule wardrobe help you. Don't delay the help because you're waiting to afford quality pieces. Use what you have now!

Like more tips? Sign up to get 10 Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe sent to you right now!

10 Ways to Wear Your Pashmina Scarf

A pashmina scarf is an incredibly versatile piece for your wardrobe. Here are ten ways you can wear it from Pinterest:

photo source

1. Crossed in front and thrown over your shoulder. Pair with blouse, pants and heels.

photo source

2. Belted in front. This style is beautiful paired with a neutral top and skirt.

photo source

3. Crossed in front over a dress. Lay middle of pashmina across neck. Throw both ends back, then cross and bring them forward.

photo source

4. Fasten with brooch. Wrap around neck and lay to one side; fasten with brooch. This is beautiful over a summer dress or as a cover-up on the beach.

photo source

5. Hooded. Put middle of pashmina over head like a hood then cross one end over shoulder. Perfect for when you're caught in a sudden rain or snowstorm.

photo source

6. Over striped shirt. Wrap a colorful pashmina once and let hang loose. This looks great with skinny jeans and boots.

photo source

7. Shawl. Wrap across shoulders and tie in front. Perfect for any little black dress occasion.

photo source

8. Vest. Lay Pashmina out flat. Take the two top corners and tie them together. This will leave an opening for your arms. Pull over a tank and jeans or shorts.

photo source

9. Double wrap. Wrap around twice, keeping it loose and messy. Pair with top, cardigan and jeans.

photo source

10. Skirt. Pull pashmina around your hips and across your side to where the seam would normally be. Keep enough fabric at the top to tie a knot later on. Wrap the other side and secure by knotting at the top. Fun for a night on the town or a day at the beach.

What pashmina outfit do you like the best?

How I Went from Overwhelmed to Easy Style

Before having a capsule wardrobe, I was a stay-at-home mom wearing sweats more often than real clothes. My closet was so packed with hand-me-downs, gifts, and stuff from impulse shopping runs that it was a mess. I was a mess.

Feeling bad about how you look can affect the way you perceive yourself. It can send a message of self-doubt or self-care.

At the time, I never felt put-together. I didn't know what to wear and trying to find something that went together from my packed closet was overwhelming. It would take me an hour to find an outfit and there'd be a huge pile on the bed. Even if I managed to scrape something together, it often didn't feel authentically me.

When I happened upon an article about a capsule wardrobe, it jumped off the page to me. 

A simple solution to my crazy morning and an easy way to mange my closet? Yes, please! I decided to try it. I started getting rid of anything that did not fit, that was worn, that was torn/stained, and that I didn't love. That removed a large portion from my closet right away.

I wanted my clothes to feel authentically me but I wasn't even completely sure what that looked like. So I started paying attention to the clothes I loved wearing and what items I felt most happy in. I whittled my wardrobe down some more by getting rid of things that I never reached for. My very own style began to emerge in the remaining set of clothes.

This simple act of cleaning out my wardrobe and having clothes I loved within easy reach, had an immediate good effect on my mornings. I was able to quickly pull out an outfit I felt good in, and be ready in minutes.

I felt prepared for the day and that influenced the way I felt about myself and how I dealt with the kids. Because I was caring for myself, I found myself caring better for them. I could make a quick run to the store without having to "clean myself up". Someone could stop by and I didn't feel embarrassed to be seen.

The more I learned about capsule wardrobes and how many outfits I could make with a small set, the more energized and excited I became. The more clothes I let go of, the happier I felt. If the house was a wreck, I could open my closet and see all the beautiful spaciousness there.

The reason I share about creating a capsule wardrobe, is because I know there are women like me, who are overwhelmed. 

You are so busy with all you do, that style seems like a luxury you don't have time for. My heart goes out to you because feeling good about your appearance doesn't have to take a lot of time and it doesn't have to be hard. You don't have to be high fashion to look nice and feel human again.

My goal is to make it easy for you to have something to wear that feels authentically you and doesn't take away from all you're needing to do in a day. 

If you struggle with your wardrobe, please leave me a comment. I'd really like to encourage you! You can also scroll through my tips to help create a simple wardrobe you'll enjoy.

Find Your Style in Similarities

Your style is hidden in the similarities of your wardrobe.

Often, because we love certain styles, our wardrobe reflects that. It may be a certain brand, or a type of fabric or a certain dress style that you gravitate to. But whatever it is, you will be able to recognize your style by the similarities in your closet. 

You may not have even been aware of buying similar items but now you can uncover that secret style.

Your wardrobe has a theme running through it that may not, at first glance, be obvious. You probably aren't wearing the same thing everyday but the things you return to, have a similar thread.

Look at your top favorite 20 pieces in your wardrobe. What is alike about them? 

Do they have the same colors? Are they similar styles? Do they usually have the same fabric? 

Maybe it's jeans, or maybe it's a color you love wearing or perhaps it's the cut of your clothes that you return to. Those similarities are your style. You love something about that common thread and it's important to pay attention to that. 

Maybe growing up by the ocean, you love seaside colors. Or if you're fighting your way up the career ladder, maybe all your pieces give off a business vibe. Maybe you're a new mom who's always on the ground or running after crawling babies and your wardrobe is durable.

Whatever your similarities are, take note of them and place an importance on them in selecting and whittling your wardrobe. 

These similarities are super important because they have a connection for you of something valuable in your life.

Be proud of the things that make you, you. Create a wardrobe with these values in it and you will be much happier with your outfits. You will wear clothes longer and feel more vital in them.

What similarities did you find?

Like more tips? Sign up to get 10 Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe sent to you right now!

Find Your Signature Look

Do you know what your signature look is?

My guess is that you do even if don't realize it. Here's an easy way to know what your signature look is:

If your friends call to ask you to join them for an impromptu outing in ten minutes but you're not ready; what is the first thing you pull out of your closet to wear? That is your signature look. 

Your signature look is most likely the clothes you wear the most often, that feel the most you and fit the best.

That's the simplicity of a signature piece. And when you know what it is, it releases you to gather more pieces like that and create a whole wardrobe around your signature look. Wearing it will make you shine and people will recognize you by that look.

Right now, my signature piece in the Fall is usually: jeans, shirt, cardigan, scarf and boots. Some of my friends would wear: maxi skirt, boots and vest; or pants and sweater; or jeans, sweatshirt, beanie. 

If you still don't think you have a signature piece then it's time to figure that out.

Think about what you feel most comfortable in, what fits you the best, and what you love wearing. 

If you don't have something that fits all three categories, then choose one with two of them. Try it out for a week when you're going places with friends or work. Does it suit you and your lifestyle?

Don't wear anything that feels awkward to you because people will feel your discomfort.

Choosing a signature look helps you represent yourself. It gives you a boost in being the best you can be, whether that's a business woman, mom, photographer, blogger, entrepreneur or whatever you may do. Represent yourself!

What is your signature look?

Like more tips? Sign up to get 10 Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe sent to you right now!

3 Things to Take Out of YOUR Closet!

We often hang onto items way past their prime. I'm not sure exactly why we do this, but it's time to move on. 

1.   Get rid of anything with holes or stains.

I know it's your favorite tee from high school or the most comfy pair of leggings you ever owned, but it's time to say goodbye. Take a picture if you want the memory, or make a pillow; just keep it out of your closet.

2.  Get rid of the seamstress pile.

You know the one, it's full of all those things that you meant to fix or get fixed but didn't. It's the pieces with the tear at the seam, or the jeans that need shortened, or that tee that would look so cute if you just took time to do that diy. Time to let yourself off the hook.

Get rid of that pile unless you were planning to sew it up or take it to a seamstress today. You don't need the extra guilt every time you see that pile you haven't yet run to the tailor; just cut your losses and give it away.

3. Get rid of shoes that are breaking apart.

Those poor shoes that have served us far past their prime with holes in the toes or a sole that's beginning to come apart. They don't support our feet and we keep wearing them! Time to get rid of those ole' trusty friends. They've served their time and they need a break. If you love them so much, give them a sacred spot in your garage. Or if you're really determined, take them to the shoe repair shop.

You'll save yourself lots of time by not having these worn out items in your closet! When you pull something out, it will be what you feel good in ~ not something you're embarrassed to wear out.

Which of these do you think might be hiding in your closet?

Does Your Style Reflect YOU?

If your style does not reflect you, it will make versatility in your wardrobe difficult. 

No one likes to mix and match clothing items that aren't authentically them. For example, those items that someone else bought you, or a trend you thought you'd like but didn't ~ all these items need to go.

The way to be sure your wardrobe reflects you, is to look at each piece and ask yourself this question:

Does it reflect your Soul?

By soul, I mean the deepest part of you: your motivations, your values, what you love. Does it reflect who you are? It doesn't have to tell everything about you but it does need to represent you. For instance, I love for people to feel welcome around me so my style is pretty approachable. I don't look like an icon; I look more like street style.

Keep in mind that your style is not the same as fashion. Style is a more about the longevity of a piece ~ something that won't be awkward to wear next season.

Trends are something that come and go, but style is long-lasting. 

You want your style to reflect your persona. You want people to be able to look at you and see a snapshot of who you are and what your purpose is. You want your style to hint at your inner workings, and the things that make you especially you. 

If you're a counselor, a listener, an artist, a lawyer, love the spotlight, love the background ~ all of these things should be reflected in your wardrobe and your style. In fact, they probably already are, you may've just not noticed.

Let me give some examples. Lady Gaga's style reflects what she stands for ~ she likes to make a statement and be in the spotlight. Obviously this is her "brand" as well since she is a celebrity musician, but she's a good exaggerated example.

Jennifer Anniston is another example. Her style is definitely more subdued. She rocks a simple wardrobe of tank top, jacket and pants. It doesn't scream "look at me", but it does get your attention. Her simplicity points to the person instead of fashion. Her outfits reflect a no-nonsense, competent, business woman.

Audrey Hepburn is probably my favorite style icon. Her style was cute as well as stunning. She was approachable but glamorous. She mostly wore all black, modest yet figure-fitting styles. She sent the message of having depth but also not taking herself too seriously.

You want to seriously consider if your style reflects you. 

Does it show your motivations, values, and what is meaningful to you? Is it full of soft fabrics, casual styles, comfortable lines? Or full of durable fabrics, business styles and conservative lines? Can you picture how those things would send your message?

I'm not a wearer of high heels because it scares me. I'm a little uncoordinated and a bit clumsy so I shy away from heels. You would never walk into a shoe store, see a pair of high heels and think, "Oh that looks like Catherine". No. But you might see a striped shirt or cardigan and think of me because I like classic cuts and love stripes.

Be sure the message your style is sending, is the message you WANT to send.

I believe a small wardrobe full of style that tells a little of our story is worth much more than a huge closet full of passing trends.

What do you want your style to reflect about you?

Like more tips? Sign up to get 10 Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe sent to you right now!

Your Five Core Pieces

To create a wardrobe full of easy, simple outfits, you must start with FIVE core pieces. 

Your personal pieces may vary from the ones I've chosen, but you should keep in mind your five.

Here are pieces I recommend: 

1. Button-down or Blouse

2. Tee

3. Jeans

4. Pants or Skirt

5. Jacket or Suit coat

Your five simple core pieces should be the foundation of all your outfits. If you keep in mind that you want to have ONE of your five in each outfit, you will reduce the stress of having to create from scratch.

These five should be your workhorses, the best quality you can afford and best fit for your body. When you have the basics, all your combinations will fall into place. You will look amazing and have the stylish signature look you desire.

Like more tips? Sign up to get 10 Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe sent to you right now!

What IS a Capsule Wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a limited amount of versatile pieces you can mix and match to create beautiful outfits. 

The beauty of a capsule wardrobe is the utter simplicity of it. Instead of having a packed closet with tons of items you forget to wear or rarely wear; you have a wardrobe full of items you love. Your capsule is created with you in mind so it is full of what you actually wear. It is also extremely important that each item fit your body as it is now or you will be very limited in your outfit creations.

A capsule wardrobe usually includes:

• A certain number of clothing items 
• A mixture of dressier materials and casual pieces
• A limited number of shoes
• A UNlimited supply of accessories

Some people prefer to create a capsules for each season because it gives them fresh items to work with. Others prefer the simplicity of choosing one capsule to wear year-round.

You may be wondering why anyone would LIMIT their wardrobe. The key is simplicity. We spend hours during the week attempting to find something to wear. So instead of wasting that energy on outfits, what if you could pull any top out of your closet with ease and know it would go with whatever bottom you chose to wear that day? Forget those days of standing in front of a packed closet with nothing to wear.

No matter how you choose to do a capsule wardrobe or the number of items you create a capsule with, I can assure you that creating a capsule wardrobe will simplify your life! And your vacations!

Like more tips? Sign up to get 10 Steps to a Capsule Wardrobe sent to you right now!