A closet inventory is all fine and good (and you can read about mine here), but numbers alone only get you so far. How about some visuals? I’ve started cataloging my entire closet in photos, but that project is proving to be long and laborious, and nowhere near complete. Demonstrating my priorities, once again, I did manage to finish two parts of it. Care to guess?
Yep, bags and shoes. Always with the bags and the shoes.
I’m saving the best (my assessment, I stand by it) for last, so let’s look at some shoes. In no particular order:
1. Jimmy Choo ($8); 2. Jimmy Choo ($132); 3. Stuart Weitzman ($150); LAUREN Ralph Lauren ($70)1. J. Crew Factory ($26); 2. Tory Burch (swap); 3. Tory Burch ($40); J. Crew Factory ($26)1. Liz Claiborne ($14); 2. Anne Klein ($70); 3. Ferragamo ($100); 4. Ferragamo ($100)1. Ferragamo ($125); 2. J. Crew Factory ($75); 3. Ellen Tracy ($60); J. Crew ($38)1. Ferragamo (gift card); 2. Cole Haan ($60); 3. J. Crew Factory ($26); J. Crew ($60)1. Manolo Blahnik ($14); 2. Modern Vintage ($120); 3. Prada (gift card); 4. J. Crew Factory ($26)1. Stuart Weitzman ($150); 2. Nine West ($70); 3. Ivanka Trump (dark green, $40); 4. Pour La Victoire ($38)1. Zara ($83); 2. Mel ($13); 3. Old Navy ($20); 4. Vince Camuto ($18)1. Target ($30); 2. Josef Seibel ($100); 3. North Face ($60); 4. Hunter ($90)1. Sam Edelman ($44); 2. No-name, Winners ($89); 3. Ecco ($65)
Missing from the picture: Stuart Weitzman blue peep toe pumps; Enzo Angiolini t-strap pumps; Enzo Angiolini gold sandals; Old Navy black flats (seen here and a million other posts); Gap Factory red sandals (ditto); Nine West black booties (seen here); Tahari black boots (seen here); Old Navy yellow wedge sandals; Bloch pink flats (seen here, can’t decide if I’m keeping); G by Guess metallic flats (seen here, ditto).
I’ve been wearing these shorts a lot, and it’s starting to show. That’s some, ahem, unfortunate bagginess developing. I’m pretty sure I haven’t lost weight (or, if I have, it’s a negligible amount), so I’m gonna guess these J. Crew shorts have a tendency to get baggy. Not cool. Not cool at all, especially considering how much I love them and want to keep wearing them. Sigh. When fupa levels start getting dangerously high, y’all are gonna tell me, right? I can count on you?
Marc by Marc Jacobs Posh Turnlock Convertible Clutch … mouthful
Or I can just strategically place a giant clutch over the offending area. Totes normal.
Oh, look – more shorts:
Shorts, J. Crew Factory; top, Pld Navy; belt, Tommy Hilfiger; shoes, Tory Burch; bag, MbMJ
So, I know that I’m by no means a short person, but I have a height complex – which is to say, I wish I had an extra couple of inches of leg. Heck, I’d even settle for my current height, provided I had more leg and less torso to deal with. Alas. On the plus side, these shorts are definitely helping with the whole longer-leg illusion. Side note: this is what I always think of whenever that word comes up in conversation:
ALWAYS. And I always start cracking up, and I can’t tell people why, because unless they know the reference, I just sound odd and inappropriate. (I generally try to be just one of those things at any given time.)
These shorts are also pretty great because of the whole side zipper situation. Best thing ever.
One of my favourite things about this blog is the cool people I’ve met because of it. One of those people is my friend Cat, who volunteered way back in the day to be one of my closet makeoverguinea pigs. She lives on the West Coast now, so we don’t get to see each other nearly enough, but I’m always game for any style challenge she throws my way. This time: packing for a 2-week trip to 3 cities, each with its own travel agenda. First up, 3 days of sightseeing (and cute boys-spotting) in Boston. Next, a week-long work conference in Ottawa. Last, but not least, a girls’ weekend in Quebec City. Ok, I’m officially jealous.
But, as Cat pointed out, packing for this latter day grand tour is not all that straightforward. My girl wants to look stylish, cute, and occasion-appropriate in each city … while carrying as little luggage as possible. Alright, challenge accepted.
Since Cat and I don’t live close enough for us to pick her travel capsule pieces from her own closet (over the requisite few – or not – glasses of wine), and since I don’t Polyvore, we decided that the easiest alternative would be for me to create a sample travel capsule using pieces from my own closet, which she can use as inspiration. She promised to take photos of the actual outfits she ends up wearing on her trip, so you’ll be getting a two-for-one dealio.
But first.
Here’s my take on a multi-tasking travel capsule.
Plane Outfits
Cat is flying to Ottawa first, for an overnight stay, before hearing out to Boston. On the first leg of her flight, she wants to look stylish and professional, just in case her seat-mate is a cute junior exec type. Girl plans ahead. On the other hand, her (long) flight home is more about comfort – she’ll likely be all cute-boy-ed out by that point.
Plane outfits
I included a trench in the travel capsule, which I’d suggest Cat take with her on her flights, just in the event if inclement weather. Carrying it on the plane means it won’t take up extra space in her baggage allowance. I also included a lightweight, cotton scarf both for practical reasons (extra warmth for cold nights/mornings or plane travel, can be used as a light cover-up in place of other toppers) and style (colour pop!).
Boston
Cat’s sightseeing itinerary means comfortable footwear is a must. Late summer weather similarly mandates breathable natural fabrics, like cotton. Since Cat doesn’t want to check any luggage on her flight to Boston, I went with a 9-piece capsule-within-capsule, which she can easily pack in a carry-on bag. (The rest of her luggage will be waiting for her in Ottawa at a friend’s house.)
Boston, Days 1-2
A couple of evening options (the blue cardigan works with both, if the temperatures demand it):
Boston, nights 1-2
Ottawa
Conference style is generally business-casual, so that’s I aimed for. The blazer is optional; a black cardigan can substitute in a pinch. I added the toppers because, while Ottawa summers tend to be extra hot, conference venues are frequently AC-ed within an inch of Antarctica. I would suggest silk or cotton tops for layering to help with the temperature swings. Ponte pants and skirts pack well, and look polished. Ditto for cotton or silk jersey dresses. Bonus: no ironing needed.
Conference, days 1-3
I would pick 3 main colours as a capsule palette, with 2-3 accent colours, which makes it easier to mix and match things. I ended up creating 21 outfits from 17 clothing pieces, but there are probably another 10 or more outfit options in there.
Conference, days 4-6 (oops, numbering fail)
Conference after-hours means lots of socializing, so I put together some dressier options (including at least one cocktail party outfit should the opportunity present itself).
Conference nights 1-3Conference Nights 4-5
Quebec City
Similar outfit criteria apply here as in Boston, so these outfits are more or less interchangeable. I did aim for more European chic (less all-American prep) vibe, but … I’ll let Cat decide if I succeeded.
Quebec City weekend
I didn’t include bags in the outfit pics (quelle horreur), but I’d take two: a versatile, mid-size black one (mostly for the conference), and a neutral cross-body (for everything else). Like so:
1) trench
2) jeans
3) shorts
4) “fancy” dress (can be dressed up or down; ponte or other non-wrinkling fabric)
5) casual skirt (cotton)
6) work skirt (ponte; solid colour other than black)
7) work dress (ponte or cotton jersey; solid colour other than black, or print)
8) work pants (ponte; black or other core neutral)
9) blazer (black or other core neutral)
10) solid colour cardigan
11) solid colour cardigan
12) casual stripe top (cotton)
13) casual basic top (cotton; solid colour)
14) casual statement top (cotton; fun print)
15) dressy basic top (silk or cotton; solid colour)
16) dressy statement top (silk or cotton; solid colour or print)
17) evening top (go crazy)
18) walking flats (black or other core neutral)
19) conference day shoe (dressy flats or comfortable heel; black or other core neutral)
20) evening shoe (comfortable heel; black/core neutral or metallic)
21) day sandal (flats or low wedge)
22) conference bag
23) cross-body bag
And voila: 3 cities, 1 suitcase, one multi-tasking travel capsule. Think it’s gonna work? If you’ve got other tips for Cat, let them fly in the comments. And stay tuned for Cat’s real-world take on this travel capsule.
