I have been on a purchasing fast. By stepping away from shopping, I have freed up a lot of time I am trying to use more productively. One way of using that time has been to work out more consistently (among other things that fall under the category of "self care").

Since I have been getting dressed to work out most days in January, I discovered I have a solid athletic wear capsule and I dress predictably.

I dress predictably because I truly am most comfortable in black leggings combined with a white opaque top. If I am happy with my outfit, it disappears from my mind and I can focus on the task at hand with no distractions. I have tried other tops in different colors. I always come back to opaque white. I feel "clean" and "fresh" in white.

Following is my year-round athletic capsule. Half of these pieces are years old. Half are relatively new (one pair of Nike capri leggings bought during 2016 NAS; three new sports bras bought either during 2016 NAS or in December 2016 at Target; both jackets). I don't show a picture of the shoes. All my shoes are asics and the pictures are very similar to what I own.

I only wear the jackets during our very short winter. Both of these jackets keep me sufficiently warm and I don't need anything else. The pieces I replaced were either (1) very old, or (2) had seams that drove me crazy. The jacket with the icky seams was Mizuno. A brand I will never buy again.

These items are designated as "clothing" and upgrades come out of my clothing budget for the year. I say this because I know some people do not count athletic wear in their clothing budget.

This capsule informs future purchases. I loved Capezio because they fit me so well. Capezio has since changed the fabric they use and it doesn't feel nice against the skin. I will buy Nike leggings the future (hopefully during NAS). I will always buy asics tops. The tops fit great, wash well, and wear like iron. I quite pleasantly found that the Athetic jacket makes me really happy. I would buy another one, but I have no need for more than one given my climate. After wearing white sports bras for years on end, the discovery of color-blocked sports bras is a revelation. I love all three of them. They are not all that visible beneath my tops. You could probably see them if you looked hard, but who is going to look that hard?

So the purchasing fast made me look at and really appreciate my athletic capsule. I am pleased with the result.