30 x 30 struggle - YouLookFab Forum

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30 x 30 struggle

Style Fan

Veteran

I am working on putting together my 30 x 30 capsule. One of my goals is to identify wardrobe holes. I do a yearly budget from September 1 to August 31. I still have 2.5 months left and I want to figure out what I need in my warm weather wardrobe. The other goal is to add variety to my daily outfits. I tend to get into a rut especially when we are at home.
My activities for the next month include:
Visiting friends for lunch at their near by cottage
Going to a weekend Yoga Festival which includes a concert on Saturday night
Going to see Bob Dylan
Marking students' papers and submitting marks
Planning another course
Going on a week long road trip (possible not for sure)

Weather:
Goes from hot and humid to pouring rain in an hour. We have had a few days of mild sunny weather.

30 x 30 so far:

Footwear: (4)
Copper Birks
Mustard Finn Comfort Sandals
Brown Flip Flops
Reiker Brown Wedges (no Find)

Bottoms: (6)
Natural Linen Drawstring Shorts (see pic one)
Sanctuary Peace Combat Pants
Sage Green Linen Draw String Pants
Jesse Kamm Sailor Pants
Paige Slouchy Skinny Jeans
7 For All Mankind High Rise Palazzo Jeans

Tops: (8)
James Perse Shale T Shirt
James Perse Cream Raglan T Shirt
J Crew Chambray Denim Shirt
Tomato Red Super Dry Graphic T Shirt (no find)
Dark Brown Roots Graphic T Shirt (no find)
Cream Three Dots T Shirt
Olive Green Three Dots T Shirt

Olive Green Graphic St. Aug T Shirt

Toppers: (2)
Denim Jacket
Green Cotton Blazer from Italy with White Stripes (see pic)

Accessories:
Dark Brown Vintage Coach Bag
Multi Coloured Raffi Clutch
Brown Belt with Silver Buckle

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Birkenstock Unisex Arizona 2-Strap Cork Footbed Sandals

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Finn Comfort Gomera - 82562

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OluKai Kulapa Kai W

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'Peace Trooper' Camo Print Utility Pants

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Need Supply Co.

Jesse Kamm / Sailor Pant in Tobacco

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10

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Revolve Clothing

Slub Crew Neck Tee James Perse

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2

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Pocket chambray shirt

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Three Dots Women's 3/4 Sleeve Scoop Neck Tee

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Three Dots Women's 3/4 Sleeve Scoop Neck Tee

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2

Mavi Jeans 'Samantha' Denim Jacket

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4

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7 For All Mankind High Rise Palazzo Jeans (Saint Tropez Night)

$225.00 $150.75

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Wide Leg Linen Trouser

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44 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Style Fan

Veteran

I am not up to 30 items yet. I am not sure what I am going to wear to Bob Dylan. I may wear my 7 For All Mankind Palazzo Jeans, Cream Three Dots T, Reiker Wedges, Brown Belt and a necklace with earrings. I am not counting jewellery. Or I may wear my fake wrap T shirt dress or Rock n Roll dress (so called because of the graphics on it). My outfit is weather dependent.
I want some blanks just in case.
I am not including Yoga clothes, sleepwear, jewellery or dog walking shoes.

Joy

Veteran

You have a great start. I need to follow your example and list my activities for this time period. That will help to see if I can make outfits to cover them with my 30 pieces. I know I can but may not be happy with them.

Style Fan

Veteran

Joy I realized doing this helped me organize my outfits. I want to be happy with what I am wearing and then forget about it.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Style Fan, it seems like you still have a lot of room under the item cap--but also some special events that you'll want to dress for, specifically. It's wise to approach this list jointly with the need to identify wardrobe holes. Do you think you'll buy a few items to include in the 30, or just use the time to identify needs and fill the holes after?

Anonymous

Hi Style Fan -- I agree with Joy that listing the activities you expect to participate in over the course of the next 30 days is a good strategy. I am luckier than you. I don't have much planned over the next 30 days. And our weather will be hot, hot, hot.

It is really fascinating to me how all of us are strategizing our capsules and how different they look, but how much they reflect the individual.

Style Fan

Veteran

Emily I plan to work on wardrobe holes for warm weather. If I buy something I will wear it! I have some ideas of what I need but finding those pieces will be the challenge.

Sterling I wish our weather was more predictable. Usually it is by now. Today I wore lightweight crops and a T shirt, then changed into polar fleece leggings, long sleeved T and polar fleece jacket and now am wearing linen draw string pants and denim shirt. It is interesting to see all the capsules.

Style Fan

Veteran

I have already made a change to my pieces. I switched the Navy Linen pants out and replaced them with the Sage Green Linen Pants.

My outfit for tomorrow will be Sage Green Linen Pants, James Perse Cream Raglan T Shirt, Finn Comfort Sandals and Raffia Clutch. I will be wearing a camisole under the T shirt. I may add a scarf. If needed I will wear my denim jacket.

Wide Leg Linen Trouser

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1

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Finn Comfort Gomera - 82562

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Anonymous

I'm really enjoying using the capsule system for dressing this year. I'm not wedded to a certain number of pieces - instead I am using a colour palette system . I found my closet had a couple of distinct colour groupings , and it made it really easy to pull out everything in (for example) black, white and grey and use those pieces for two months. I dressed for every occasion (except for the gym) using whatever was on my rolling rack. After 2 months, and this coincided with a change in weather, I switched to navy, pale blue and olive greens. It "forced" me to wear pieces I had either forgotten about or just never got around to wearing because they were not favourites . I using WAY more of my wardrobe this way, and the perceived need to buy new things has literally disappeared. I use a separate rolling rack for my capsule pieces and only rarely have I dipped into my closet for something else. It's probably the best thing I have ever done wardrobe-wise and I fully intend to continue the experiment.

Anonymous

LisaP -- I may be moving in a similar direction. I am wondering if I might not pick 30-odd items every month for the rest of the year and build new ensembles. I will certainly identify wardrobe holes!!!!!!!! AND I will wear the heck out of my clothing.

Style Fan

Veteran

LisaP I might try that next. I did a challenge of wearing Olive Green toppers when I was teaching. It forced me to find ways to wear my blazers with what I already owned.
Great idea Sterling!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This looks like a solid capsule for you but given weather unpredictability I am wondering if you might need a lightweight sweater, too! It might be allowable as an "over" item, though, since you would only use it in emergency.

I like LisaP (and Anchie's) idea of working with capsules for the season...I wouldn't do 30 x 30 but would like to identify more specific capsules -- in my case probably based on silhouette rather than colour since I keep a very similar palette all the time. So one silhouette for my wide bottoms and one for my narrow bottoms....

Anonymous

Mine revolved from a need to organize my closet and to really figure out what I could wear without buying anything new . Wardrobe holes didn't exist to any important extent - and if anything they encouraged experimenting and thoughtfulness rather than more shopping .

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

You have a lot of really cute items in your finds. I am super envious of the Jesse Kamm pants although I know that they will not fit my lower rise. And I'm going to be stalking your James Perse raglan pullover.

Style Fan

Veteran

Suz you are right about the sweater. I still have not put away my winter clothing for the season. I will probably reach for a cardigan but I am not sure which one at this point. I have cotton ones, lightweight cashmere ones and heavyweight cashmere ones. Actually yesterday I wore my polar fleece one! I also like Lisap's idea of making small capsules. I have the same colour palette in my wardrobe but I always reach for the same thing over and over. I think I may be something similar in terms of the capsules. Such a great idea Lisap.
Thank you Emily! I love the Jesse Kamm pants. I have even thought of ordering another pair in a different colour. They come in chambray denim which would work well for my wardrobe. The James Perse Raglan T shirt is very comfortable. I bought it a few years ago. I have a few James Perse Ts and find that they last a long time. I also like the colours and minimalist style.

Anonymous

I know how much you like your Jesse Kamm pants. I think you can rationalize a second pair in chambray denim. If you do, how many months in your climate would chambray span?

Style Fan

Veteran

I can rationalize them Sterling! I have been shopping for jeans and I can not find anything. I want a pair of cropped high rise wide legged jeans. Is that too much to ask? Apparently. I would probably wear them a lot. They are lighter weight than the other pants which are a heavy canvas cotton. So I would wear them for at least 3 months in Canada (June, July and August - unless the weather is weird which is has been) and then I would take them to Florida for 2 months (February and March). That is a lot of months!

Carole

Veteran

Looks like you are off to a great start! I admire the organization and thought process that goes into this type of challenge...some day hopefully I can get my act together enough to try one!

Bob Dylan...so jealous

Style Fan

Veteran

Well it is almost 12.30 and I have not gotten dressed. I have my lounge wear on. I just finished marking my students' first set of papers. So now I am about to step outside and I think it will be cooler than I thought it was going to be. This may require a change in my outfit. However, I did empty my closet out this morning so I only have my items hanging in the middle.

Style Fan

Veteran

Each week I will do a post on what I wore but I am going to do a quick post here on what I wore each day. This is the second day of the challenge. It is actually on the cold side for mid June. I am glad I have some blanks on my 30 x 30.
I have on my Sanctuary Camouflage Peace Trooper Pants (I should have sized down - they are slipping down), James Perse Shale T shirt and Olive Green Fleece Cardigan (which doesn't count because it is gear). I am really wishing I bought the Adobe James Perse T shirt as well. I feel like I am wearing "Olive Out" (like Black Out) which is not a great look in these parts. I also have on my flip flops.
If I were going out I would change my top to a cream one and I might add my citron cardigan to the 30 x 30.
So it appears that I have identified a wardrobe hole. Tops that are more colours. But I do have a blue T shirt in holding area. It is unfortunately quite old but in good condition.

OluKai Kulapa Kai W

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3

Revolve Clothing

Slub Crew Neck Tee James Perse

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'Peace Trooper' Camo Print Utility Pants

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Anonymous

Love it, Style Fan. The very idea of an Olive Out is interesting to me. Thank you for giving me new ideas.

I am a big fan of flip flops. I would wear them year round everywhere if they were more socially acceptable.

I look forward to identifying wardrobe holes as well. This challenge will definitely shine a light on what we don't own.

I'll will look for your daily posts!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous

Did you see this?? You totally need this top.

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Anonymous

I gotta say I love that top for you Style Fan. It suits you so perfectly.

Style Fan

Veteran

Yes Lisap I saw that top and I could not agree with you more. I totally NEED that top. NEED. I have been lusting after it since I first saw it on Style Bee's blog. I think it is not available. I will check again. I saw something similar at Anthro a few weeks ago.

Style Fan

Veteran

I also note that her Jesse Kamm pants are not cropped that much. Now I don't know what to do.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Do what YOU want with your Jesse Kamm pants! If you have conflicting experts, hee hee ( as Rachylou would say)

LaPed

Veteran

SF, I've noticed that a lot of the bloggers in that scene are wearing their wide legs longer, but not full-length. Personally, for myself, that length would be really annoying. I'd always be wishing they were one inch longer. But I also don't like to go quite as short with crops as Angie sometimes encourages -- my calves widen too quickly. I guess I'm short-ankled? I'm going to take all this as an indication that we really are in an era of "anything goes" and the rules can be bent or broken as much as you feel like.

skylurker

Veteran

The chambray shirt looks great on you. Do you need the tee underneath? It makes the shirt less polished, more casual.

Anonymous

She wears hers with a bit of a heel though, which you don't.......

Style Fan

Veteran

I checked the top again and they now have one small. Okay now I have to decide if I am a small or medium. Or an extra small.
Skylurker I would not wear a T shirt or anything under the top. I would be wearing it with my Kamm pants and my black high waisted linen pants. I don't think I would need anything under.
La Ped I prefer to keep the focus off my lower legs. Probably this is the reason I don't want to crop my pants.
LisaP she does tend to wear heels. I had not thought of that.
Jenni you are right they are my pants.

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