Five Purses For Every Capsule Wardrobe...

Some girls like shoes. Others prefer jewelry.

Me?

I am a purse girl. I love a good bag.

In my quest for a minimalist wardrobe and otherwise reduced consumption lifestyle, I have found that I have no problem donating clothes and shoes, but I just cannot part with my purses.

And you know what?

That is a-okay! The goal is to live more intentionally -- not to be bound by rules.

With that said, I've taken inventory of my collection to determine what gets the most use and what just sits in the closet.

Here are the five bags to complete every capsule wardrobe. (In my humble opinion!)

Photo Credit

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

The satchel is a wardrobe staple and a perfect everyday purse. This bag makes a wonderful workplace companion and is roomy enough to hold a days worth of essentials -- cell phone, wallet, day planner,  and make-up touch ups. 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 

Leather, straw, or canvas -- a tote is a great bag to have on days when packing light isn't an option. This is the ideal bag for beach days or running errands on the weekend. Pack a snack, a water bottle, and throw in a cardigan or gauzy scarf for later and you're good to go!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Clutches are perfect for date nights where all that is needed is a credit card and a lip gloss! Whether you're pairing a clutch with your favorite little black dress or jeans and pumps, one of these little bags can really pack a punch! 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Crossbody bags are perfect for sightseeing, when you want your hands free to take photos! They are large enough to hold all the essentials, yet still small enough to not weigh you down!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

A weekender bag is perfect for an overnight trip or a gym bag if you head to the office right after your workout. A weekender bag is perfect for the occasion where you can pack light and a suitcase would just look silly!

So how did I do, ladies? Did I forget a genre of handbag? Are all of these essentials, or can you do without a couple styles? Chime in with a comment below?

XOXO

Meg

PS: Like what you see? Click on some of the affiliate links above to support Small Town Sisters. I may receive a small commission for each click and/or purchase. As always, thank you for supporting this little blog!

Summer Casual Capsule Wardrobe

It is time for my Summer Casual Capsule Wardrobe!

June 20th marked the official first day of summer, so this capsule runs from June 20th to September 21st. And while I know, we are almost through July, I promise I put my capsule together back in June. Life... I tell you!

Summer is probably my favorite season to dress for because I love to wear dresses and sandals more than anything else!

Without further ado...

Okay... let's break it down!

1. Lilly Pulitzer Dress (Similar) -- pulled from storage

2. Black Maxi (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

3. Black T-Shirt Dress -- New!

4. Striped T-Shirt Dress -- New!

5. Striped Maxi (Similar) -- rolled over from spring

6. White Trousers (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

7. Jeans (Similar) rolled over from Spring

8. Striped Shorts -- (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

9. Polka Dot Shorts (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

10. Black Shorts (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

11. Chambray Shorts -- New!

12. White Crops (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

13. Denim Skirt (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring

14. White Eyelet Skirt -- New!

15. Striped Tee (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
16. Tunic Tank -- New!
17. Pink Tee -- New!
18. Gray Tee (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
19. Denim Jacket (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
20. Tunic Top (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
21. Striped Oxford (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
22. Chambray Top (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
23. Linen Tee -- New!
24. White Tee (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
25. Red Tee -- (Similar) -- rolled over from Spring
26. Gingham Tank -- New!

And again... my shoe game... still a work in progress. Here are the shoes that are in my capsule:

27. Ked Sneakers  -- New!

28. Gold Sneakers -- New!

29. Salt Water Sandals -- Rolled over from Spring

30. Rainbow Sandals -- Rolled over from Spring

31. Nike Sneakers (Similar) -- Rolled over from Spring

I'm really happy I minimized my Summer Casual Capsule a bit, as my Spring Casual Capsule consisted of 38 items and I didn't even wear everything. You can read my thoughts on my Spring Casual Capsule here!

I'm also really excited about my new purchases. I haven't really bought any casual clothes in quite some time since my work clothes (suits, suits, and more suits) are kind of pricy. 

So... What are your thoughts? Any surprises? Anything I shouldn't have included? Anything I forgot to include?

XOXO

Meg

PS: Wanna show a little love!?! Vote Meagan Marold from Small Town Sisters for San Antonio Fashion Blogger of the Year!

PPS: Like all the fabulous items I included in my Capsule? Those links are affiliate links -- which means if you click on them or purchase anything after clicking on them, I may receive a small commission. As always, thank you for supporting this little blog!

Shades of Gray...

One of the things that my Capsule Wardrobe Experiment taught me is that I really like the color gray! 

Gray is a great, casual neutral! It doesn't get as dirty as white and it is more laid back than black. 

Here are some fabulous gray items that are perfect for capsule wardrobe building!

XOXO

Meg

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven

Spring Capsule Wardrobe Update

If y'all remember from a couple of months back, I posted about my Spring Casual Capsule Wardrobe.

Well, Spring is almost over -- the official first day of Summer is June 20, 2016!

Photo Credit

I learned a lot from doing this little experiment and am happy to report that I will be putting together a Summer Casual Capsule Wardrobe here shortly. 

Here is what I learned...

Even with a condensed wardrobe of 38 things, I still had a ton of options -- some of which I never actually wore. 

I prefer items that I can just throw on and head out the door. There were a few items that I love, but since they require ironing, they did not get worn. 

I need to buy a strapless bra that actually fits in order to wear a few shirts and dresses. 

I found myself wishing I had an easy to wear t-shirt dress. 

I like to wear jeans and a t-shirt... a lot more than I thought I did. 

I think I may want to embrace the denim vest trend!

Hubby and I walk a ton, so a cute pair of tennis shoes are a must!

Over the next week or so, I will be posting a few of my favorite looks from my Spring Capsule Wardrobe.

One of the great things about the capsule wardrobe was that it totally curbed my spending. I am proud to say that I did not purchase any clothes during this time period. I did buy a pair of sandals, which I allowed myself to purchase since my shoe game was lame-o. I also bought a pair of earrings and a bag. I have been wearing the earrings to work non-stop, so I feel they were a great purchase. The bag was probably more of an impulse buy, but I think it will be cute to use this summer and I am hoping to incorporate it into my wardrobe. 

I am really looking forward to creating my Summer Capsule. I am hoping to reduce to around 30 items. I want to donate a few of the garments that were never worn in the Spring and then add a few new things that I think will get a lot of wear in the upcoming summer months.

Here are a few items on my wish list....

One | Two | Three

Four | Five | Six

Seven | Eight | Nine

Anyone else putting together a capsule wardrobe for summer?

XOXO

Meg

PS: This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on a link, I may receive a small commission. As always, thank you for supporting this little blog!

What is a Capsule Wardrobe and Why am I Starting One?

Have y'all heard of a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a a collection of versatile garments that work together to create numerous outfits. Instead of having a closet full of countless individual articles of clothing that create independent, isolated outfits, a capsule wardrobe is a smaller curated collection with clothing that can be worn countless ways. 

Thankfully there are some fabulous women that have gone before me and shared their capsule wardrobe phenomena via the web. 

Caroline from the blog Un-Fancy creates four capsule wardrobes, one for each season, and keeps each capsule around 37 pieces of clothes and shoes. Accessories are not included. 

Courtney from Be More with Less pares down her wardrobe to 33 items, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes. 

Neither women include pajamas, workout clothes, under garments, or lounge clothes in their capsules. 

Once the capsule wardrobe is set for the season, all shopping ceases. 

Photo Credit

So why do I want to do this?

My mom mentioned the capsule wardrobe idea to me about a year ago and my initial response was . . . No. Way. Jose. 

I love clothes. I love shopping. Why on earth would I want to limit my fun?

And then I started building my professional wardrobe and dressing for work every morning and you know what -- I am completely and utterly uninspired. I find getting dressed in the morning to be an annoying chore. I don't really bother with my hair and I certainly don't even attempt to swipe on any makeup. 

I have clothes and accessories in my closet with the tags still on them. I have lipstick that I have never even used. I order things online and never actually try them on when they arrive. 

I fell into the black hole of shopping for the sake of a sale and not for the purpose of dressing myself. 

I. Want. Out. 

I want to get dressed in the morning and feel fabulous and put together -- something I haven't felt in way too long. 

What will my capsule wardrobe look like?

Since I have to dress very professionally for work (think suits most days) I am going to put together two capsules for each season -- one for work and one for weekends. 

I am going to try and keep my work capsule under 40 pieces and my weekend wardrobe under 20. 

My capsules will include clothes and shoes -- but will not include accessories, undergarments, workout clothes, or lounge wear. 

Since I live in San Antonio, Texas, I only need a heavy outer coat a handful of times a year, so I am not going to include my trusty black dress coat in my capsule. 

What happens to all the stuff that is not part of my capsule?

In creating my capsules, I am going to do a major purge on my closet, discarding and/or donating items that are stained, worn out, or ill-fitting. 

The garments that I still want to keep that won't be a part of my current capsule will be stored. Caroline from Un-Fancy stores her extra clothes under her bed. I think I may just put mine in another portion of my closet, since I have a fairly large walk-in. I'll let y'all know what I decide to do. 

You sure about this?

I am really excited to try this little experiment. I am excited to really delve into my closet and wear the items that are in there and donate what I don't need anymore. I know I have a ton of business casual wear that was appropriate when I was a legal assistant, but isn't professional enough to wear now as a lawyer. 

I want to enjoy getting dressed in the morning. I don't want to stand in my closet every morning and wonder what to wear. I want to like my clothes. 

I also want to cut back on empty, useless shopping. I spend way too much time trolling the web, trying to find the next best thing, order it, and then not really care when it arrives. 

I also have drawers full of scarves and necklaces that I want to incorporate into my wardrobe that are not being utilized right now.

The old phrase less is more, has never held a greater meaning to me before. 

I hope y'all will join me on this journey of minimalist fashion. I'll be posting my wardrobes over the next few days as I decide what stays and what goes. 

Wish me luck!

XOXO

Meg