The Ten-Piece Wardrobe For the Busy Mama

March 06, 2016 2 Comments

Hello! It's Davina again, and I wanted to share with you the back-story that led me to creating a capsule wardrobe. I felt convicted to embark on a no shopping (clothing) challenge for one entire year, in order to reset my shopping habits and refresh my soul. To be honest, it was an incredibly tough year, and there were several moments when I wanted to cave in and make exceptions. A year without purchasing clothing and accessories was incredibly challenging, but my closet was the least neglected. Once my shopping challenge was finished, my husband walked by and mentioned that my closet still looked full (hmm). I then went on and purged some more.

What I wish I had better prepared for was the post-shopping challenge adjustment. Just as one does not begin to binge on copious amounts of fattening food right after a food fast, I probably should have eased back into re-learning the art of shopping. Even though I did not spend extravagantly, I did feel a little guilty for not thoroughly thinking through my priorities and new habits I wanted to build, which led me to reassembling a wardrobe built around foundational and sustainable pieces.

A year of not contributing to my own closet has also led me to learn the art of giving, which is far more rewarding than buying for oneself. Not to say it comes naturally or easy, but it is certainly a test of my heart. It also caused me to reevaluate why I chose to purchase certain items - Were they purely because I loved the item aside from outside influences?

This led me to some reflections on shopping I would like to share --

• The less we buy, the more we can give (simple math).
• Fashion is a never-ending vicious cycle, but style truly remains i.e. the fashion product life cycle (well said, Coco Chanel - restated by me) 
• The world says live on more, but Jesus says live on less
• What kind of message are we sending to the world through the way we dress?
• Are we enabling others to be bound by slavery through the things we purchase? 
• Where do we draw the fine line between dressing for self-expression vs. being a slave to fashion? 

And some questions to ask when one chooses to shop...

• Will this clothing item last beyond several washes and trends?
• Is the clothing ethically made?
• Do I REALLY need this (I think we all ask ourselves this question over and over)?
• How many outfits can I wear this item with? More mileage = better bang for your buck?

Now that I am a Mama of two, my "style" has definitely evolved into being a creature of comfort. My typical daily attire consists of t-shirts, sweats, sweaters, stretch denim and anything made of breathable materials. Gone are my stylist days of running around in skirts and super high-heels, though I can't completely give up what I already own and have minimized wear to the weekends.

My new goal was to whittle down my closet to the items I would wear the most in order to maximize on what I already owned, and filling in the little gaps if needed. Naturally, I am no minimalist, so my version would be a mix of basics and statement pieces. However, when Sarah let me in on The Lean Closet Movement, it had me inspired to focus on developing better foundational pieces.  

I chose the 10 pieces above based on practicality (notice that there isn’t much white? yah, stains and Mamas go together like PB+J), sustainability (timeless and can endure several washings) and COMFORT (super important for a super mama on-the-go).

Basics don't have to be boring! Having a capsule wardrobe makes it that much easier to get dressed in the morning, leaving you with more time to think about the important stuff, like taking care of the littles. Below are some looks I pulled together based on the 10-pieces. If you start to feel like you're wearing a uniform, throw in some statement pieces (scarf, belt, clutch, fun heels, etc.) and the possibilities are endless. Experiment and have fun with it!

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