Showing posts sorted by relevance for query wardrobe. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query wardrobe. Sort by date Show all posts

1/18/16

My Capsule Wardrobe

For a long time (about three years), I have wanted to put together a capsule wardrobe. There are so many great blog posts out there about capsule wardrobes.....so if you're interested, pour yourself a cup of tea and dig in!

What is a capsule wardrobe, anyway?
How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe
The Daily Connoisseur : 10 Item Wardrobe Videos
Project 333: Dress with 33 items or less for 3 months
Why I Got Rid of My Wardrobe

If you don't already know, the idea of a capsule wardrobe is to create a small-ish wardrobe of mix and match pieces that you love and fit your lifestyle!

I believe, deep down in my soul, that a capsule wardrobe is the potential solution to the problems I have had with clothes over the past several years.

I have had an intense struggle with loving/liking my clothes and finding time to shop. Add to the mix, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, nursing, and getting older, and I have the perfect recipe for a clothing crisis! I know - first world probs.

But even more than these things is the issues with fashion industry itself. Styles change so quickly, and I have found that even items at a higher price point are not guaranteed to be well made. You don't always get what you pay for!

It has taken me years of "study" to recognize well-made clothes and to learn how to dress in a more timeless style that feels like me. I still feel very much in the process of learning.

(Also, I'm having trouble writing this post because I have too much to say on this topic, and my brain is stuck. Thank you, Caroline, for waking me up 3 times last night!)

Anyways, here is my capsule wardrobe. It includes shoes, 2 scarves, and 4 coats. My plan is to wear these 39 pieces for the months of January, February, and March. I will not shop (at all) until middle of March when I put together my spring wardrobe. Spring is my favorite season, so I'm real excited about my next capsule!

My plan is modeled after the well known blog, Unfancy. I binged read this blog in the early weeks of nursing Caroline.

My capsule does not include workout clothes or pajamas. Also, I think this is a rather large number of clothes, but with a nursing baby it's nice to have lots of back ups.


 

 
Yes, I have two pair of leopard heels and I wear them both!

Would you do this, create a capsule wardrobe? I love having an organized format to follow, and I find so much freedom in having limits! Also, the capsule forces creativity. There are combinations and outfits I would never put together without having limitations.

3/10/17

My Winter to Spring 10 Item Wardrobe

After a year of having a capsule wardrobe, I have settled on Jennifer L. Scott's 10 item wardrobe philosophy. 

winter 2016 capsule wardrobe
spring 2016 capsule wardrobe

The premise is you have 10 core items that are the workhorses of your wardrobe, items like jeans, dresses, and structured tops. These are the clothes you wear every day in heavy rotation.

And then you have extras - t-shirts, leggings, coats, special occasion wear, church clothes, etc.

I love this idea of having a small, beautiful, workable wardrobe. In my 10 item wardrobe pictured below everything mixes and matches so well. Literally, all the tops go with all the bottoms. Getting dressed is fun - and easy - and I feel put together on the most harried of days.

This little collection of clothes was spontaneously organized because we are having the mildest  winter, and it looks like spring will be, too. My winter clothes were just not working! I can count one hand the number of times I wore a coat.

In attempt to align my clothing with the weather, I purchased a few tops, a new pair of white jeans, and my mom bought me a dress. Combined with some items I already owned and ....

Ta-da! I feel so refreshed!
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My 10 items

3 blouses
2 light sweaters
1 long cardigan
3 pairs of jeans
1 dress







A huge goal of mine is to wear more dresses and skirts as we move into the warmer months. I hardly own any dresses because last year I was nursing a baby and the year before I was pregnant. So I will slowly buy them as the budget allows.


I will wear this winter to spring wardrobe probably through the end of April. I kept the sweaters in because temperatures will be all over the place, and we will most likely have a handful of very cool mornings. In my extras, I have t-shirts for warm days and coats for cold ones. 

What do you think? Would you have a 10 item wardrobe?

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To give you a little more information about the 10 item wardrobe, Jennifer L. Scott has a fantastic TED talk.

She also has a wonderful blog, YouTube channel, and has authored 3 books. I have really enjoyed following her the past couple of years, and I have acquired so much wisdom about making the most of everyday life! Thank you, Jennifer.

2/8/16

What I'm Loving and Learning About My Capsule Wardrobe

A few posts back I shared my winter capsule wardrobe.

 


The rules:

3 months: January, February, and March
39 pieces of clothing, shoes, and scarves (give or take a couple)
no shopping

One month in, I'm learning and loving so much! And for the first time in my life, I'm not stressed about clothes! This being said, I feel the need to clarify - I'm not an immaculate dresser. I'm average. But I have always loved clothes, and I like to look nice. After babies and babies and babies...I was feeling totally out of whack with my style and thought the capsule wardrobe craze just may be the solution to my decade long clothing crisis.

So, for what it's worth, here's what I'm learning and loving about my capsule wardrobe.

 

1. I love that enough is defined. In the fashion realm of ever changing trends, I have always felt like I did not have enough of the latest and greatest. Defining how much you wear, how much you shop, and having a budget really fosters contentment.

2. It's a break from decisions. Shopping = decisions. And frankly, I'm burned out on decisions! From what we have for dinner every night to what my children wear every day to what is on the family calendar all falls on me to decide. Having a set wardrobe and limitations on shopping is a glorious break from decision. No more scrolling J.Crew at 10PM trying to decide should I buy this, do I need this, should I spend this money!


3. I'm learning my style. Within the capsule, I gravitate towards outfits that are more "me" than others. This gives me the chance to analyze what and why I like or dislike something. Because there is no shopping, I can't distract myself from analyzing these style issues by running out and buying something new.

4. I'm figuring out the "holes" in my closet and how I can do better in the future. For example, next winter I would like a better comfy pant - shoe situation for everyday, casual wear. I have boots and Uggs and Toms, but I could use something warmer than Toms that are not boots.

Also, I think I could use a lighter, casual jacket. Like this, maybe.

mixing everyday wear with my athletic wear
Who am I?

5. I'm learning that I'm short. Well, I already know that. But I'm learning that this plays a huge role in what I wear and how I should put outfits together and what looks good. I can't emulate every look and trend I like without factoring in what flatters my short frame. For example, flowy sleeves and big jewelry or scarves are unflattering. They swallow me up.

However, monochromatic outfits are flattering, making me look taller. I never knew these things about myself until....you guessed it : capsule wardrobe!

6. I love that a capsule helps me plan the big picture. I'm not just getting a random piece of clothing here or there, but I'm coming up with an overall plan. I'm acquiring pieces that go together. What is the point of a great skirt if you have no tops to wear it with?

 

7. I'm excited to pass on this capsule concept on to my girls. They may not appreciate it until they are 32 and admit that mom was right about everything in life! But, at least I can give them this framework to start with and maybe save them a boatload of heartache when it comes to all things clothes and getting dressed. I'm 32 myself, and I feel like I'm finally figuring out the whole clothes thing and learning what it means to be content and enjoy wearing what I have instead of ALWAYS wishing I had more money, more time, and a better sense of style.

8. I'm so excited to put together my spring and summer wardrobes! In fact, I must confess I broke my shopping ban to buy something for my spring capsule. But it was thrifted and under $10. I think it was a good move! The rules are in place to be my servant and not my master.

Please forgive the selfies, the run on sentences, and poor use of commas. I'm in a bit of a rush!
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Anyways, your thoughts? Would love to hear your thoughts.

3/9/16

I love Thred Up!

I will get back to food, but for a moment, I'd like to talk about something else. Clothes!

I am in the process of switching out my winter capsule wardrobe for a spring one. And I'm a month ahead of schedule because.......



...spring has sprung. It's crazy, unseasonably warm.

I started shopping for my spring capsule a tad early. Technically, "the capsule wardrobe rules" say you are not supposed to shop until a couple of weeks before switching out the season's capsule.

But I am very limited on time and errand running capabilities.

Also, I felt like I was starting from scratch...yet again! I was pregnant last summer and because of this my warm weather clothing was quite sparse. I was lacking the basics, things like t-shirts, a summer friendly pair of jeans, church clothes, EVERYTHING, etc.

I decided that early shopping was justified and that I would be really stressed trying to buy an entire wardrobe in a two week time. So mid February I started browsing online, and that's when I found Thred Up, an online site that sells used, like-new clothes for women and children.




I cannot even begin to tell you what a great experience I had using this site!

Here's what I got...

two pairs of J.Crew chino shorts (that I love)
a J.Crew Factory navy cardigan.
a hot pink pair of skinny jeans from Gap
a bunch of brightly colored tee's from Ann Taylor Loft.  
two pairs of Citizen for Humanity Jeans (that were already hemmed!!! - the perfect length)
3 spring dresses
a Madewell, linen sweater!


 

Boom. Spring capsule done and done. And all for a fraction of the price it would have cost me to buy these items first hand. I basically bought an entire wardrobe for myself and some coats and play clothes for the kids.

Like this sweet in-perfect-condition coat for Caroline for next winter and the graphic tee for Laurie (pictured above).


I'm not completely organized yet, but for all practical purposes, I have a fully functioning spring wardrobe that would have taken years of acquiring and hundreds (hundreds!!!) of dollars had I not found the awesomeness that is Thread Up!
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Part of Thred Up's genius is they will give you a refund on most items. If you don't love it, no harm done, send it back to get either full store credit or a refund minus a return fee. 

I have only purchased items from Thred Up, but you can also sell them your gently used clothing. It is so easy to order a bag and kit from them and send it back...for free. SO easy -- so I'm told by friends who have sold their stuff.

 

My three tips for using Thred Up...

1. It's good to be familiar with how specific brands fit you. I only ordered from brands I was very comfortable with and I felt confident everything would work size and style wise.

2. Know your measurements. Each clothing item has measurements listed which is so helpful! I definitely got out my measuring tape before placing my final order.

3. Search specifically. Thred Up has incredible searching abilities. Be specific. J.Crew short sleeved cotton floral blouse. Hot pink Gap jeggings size 26. Search it, and you will be amazed with how successful your search can be.

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So...have you used Thred Up? Would you?

I normally don't do consignment because I hate digging though all the musty clothing, and I just don't have time! But I loved using this site. After having such a great experience, I cringe a little at the thought of paying full retail price.

If you use this link, you will get $10 off your first order and I will get $10, too. Win win for us all!


Madewell sweater + Citizens of Humanity Jeans


Banana Republic dress I wore for Caroline's baptism

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I will try to take pictures and share my spring capsule soon!

3/30/16

Spring Capsule Wardrobe + Still Loving ThredUP

This is my spring capsule wardrobe! I have too much. But the weather is all over the place, and I feel like I need a lot of choices to figure out what I'm going to wear in my "new normal" life with 4 kiddos in the spring and summer time.

In a month or so, all the jackets and long sleeves will be totally obsolete. I plan for this capsule to get me through March, April, and May, and most of this will also be for June, July, and August as well. I will just have to freshen things up a bit.

Hilariously, I have come up with some theme words for my spring capsule. These words came to me...and they all start with C.

Comfortable - because I want to be comfortable, always

Colorful- because after the blacks and grays of winter clothes, it is refreshing to have color

Casual- because this fits my lifestyle

College- because my daily uniform is basically what I wore in college - colored tee, bootcut Citizens of Humanity jeans (from thredUP), and Chacos

Camp Counselor- because this wardrobe somehow feels very campy and 90's (I went to camp all through the 90's)

Also, I have to tell you again...I love thredUP, and much of this wardrobe pictured below is from thredUP. Thank you to all of you that purchased clothes through my link! You can still do that and get $10 off your order and I will get a $10 credit, too. A win, win.

This jacket is my most recent favorite find from thredUP....It's J.Crew, perfect condition. I paid $35. It would have cost $135 in the store.




winter capsule wardrobe 2016 
I love thredUP

4/6/17

Clothing Budget + Enjoying the Burn

The beginning of 2017, I set a strict clothing budget for myself. I even opened a separate checking account to keep all clothing transactions organized and separated from our main checking.

I was seeking strict accountability for what I buy and how much I spend on my clothing. Clothes are my weakness. If I'm tempted to impulse buy, it's going to be on my clothes.


Oddly, even thought I showed weakened restraint when it came to clothes and I had plenty of clothes, I wasn't buying the right clothes. There was still holes in my wardrobe and things that were not really my style...just not quite right. Worse, I kept buying similar items. Hello I do not need anymore button down shirts!

Setting a strict budget was my attempt to rein it all in.

I'm also keeping a list of each item I purchase throughout the year. The list allows me to really reflect on what I buy - How much did I wear it? Was this or that a good purchase?

I guess you could say I've made a hobby out of creating a wardrobe that I love. It's a creative outlet and it keeps me from dressing frumpy (as is so tempting for moms at home). It is a hobby that overlaps with the necessity that I get dressed everyday.

I'm almost 4 months in, and I'm really feeling the benefits of this strict budget.

- There is freedom in the budget. The money is allotted for me to spend on clothes, and I don't feel guilt about spending the hard earned family dollars impulsively.

(A word about my impulsive purchasing - what I mean is....impulsive for me, a person who is not very impulsive about purchases. It's relative. In general, I'm an under buyer.)

- I've become a more cautious and confident buyer. The budget provides clarity because if I'm going to spend my precious clothing allowance, I want to buy something I LOVE.

- It's made me patient. My allowance is enough to enjoy and buy beautiful, quality clothes. But it's not enough to run out and buy a full season's worth of clothes and accessories. It's a slow and enjoyable process.

Jennifer Scott describes in one of her videos (though I can't find the exact one) about enjoying the burn, the slow process of building a great wardrobe, buying the best quality you can afford. I love this concept - enjoying the burn. It's an exercise - to budget, to have self-discipline, to refine my style.

Do you have a clothing budget?
Are you satisfied with your wardrobe?
How much do you care about your clothes? A lot, a little?

P.S. You would be so underwhelmed if you saw how I dressed. I'm no fashionista. I enjoy timeless, simple clothing. Though I am trying to dress a little more elegantly by slowly acquiring more dresses.

7/12/16

A List + Links

1- Not long after my last post, I came down with strep throat. I do not recommend getting strep as an adult. I was out of commission for a full 5 days. Since recovering, I see the world in a new light. So thankful for my health and ability to do all the daily things that seem so boring!

2 - Tomato pie! Oh my stars. I made this recipe using this crust for dinner last night. It was out of this world good. Where has it been all my life?

3 - Now is the time to shop rock bottom summer sales. For the past few years, I have bought a few kid's clothing items in July for next summer. Things are definitely picked over in stores and online, but if you can find a few things you like in the right sizes, the prices are really great.

4 - Yoga. I do yoga now, and I love it. I like to mix it in with Pilates, barre workouts, and walks. Mostly, I've been using Yoga with Adrienne videos on YouTube. It is truly therapeutic, and it feels so good stretch and move.

5 - I took Stephen out for a date on Saturday night. It was my idea, and I called our wonderful neighbor-babysitter to come over and keep our kids. We went to dinner, and then I talked him in to getting some decaf cafe au laits on the way home. It was so nice.

6 - I'm swooning over this Madewell dress. And it has nearly all 5 star reviews which is super rare.

7 - I don't have an official capsule wardrobe right now. But I'm basically wearing a smaller, edited version of my spring capsule. I'm paying close attention to what is working, what's lacking, and I recently filled out Unfancy's new wardrobe planner. What a great tool!

8 - I know it's cliche, but I'm taking a Facebook and Instagram break for a little while. A week? I'm not sure how long yet. I have to do this to reset my habits every now and then. Social media is just there and endless and so easy. Tired me + a little bored me + constantly interrupted by kids me can all too easily default all my free time FB and Insta.

9 - This bracelet made by The Jones Market, just got it in the mail yesterday. I love it! I wanted something to give a little pop of color to some very plain outfits. The thing I noticed most of all was how comfortable it is to wear. Caroline loves it too! This company specializes in jewelry that is  mom/baby friendly.

10 - I want to start using my real camera more. The pictures are so much better than phone photos! This book looks inspiring.

What are you up to? What are you in to? How is your summer coming along?

1/2/18

What Worked in 2017

Happy New Year! I adore this season. The serenity and calm of January is glorious to me after the hustle of Christmas.

But before I dive into the new year, I enjoy a look back at what worked the year before. This idea was inspired by Anne Bogal of Modern Mrs. Darcy.

What worked in 2017

1. The fruit bowl. Mid year, I started keeping a huge bowl of apples, bananas, and clementines on the counter. My kids ate so much more fruit as I made these items grocery staples. And it looks pretty, too!


2. Sending throw-away bottled water in school lunches. A pack of bottled water is $2.00 a week and I don''t have to worry about kids keeping up with their water bottles, which was a huge problem at the beginning of the school year. They have plenty to keep up with, especially in winter with coats, hats, etc. For some reason they could not handle the water bottle situation, and they were always losing their nice water bottles.

3. The 10 item wardrobe. I have written about this many times. The 10 item wardrobe is a small collection of clothes that is very well curated and suited to my lifestyle. Using this method I shop less and feel so much more put together. I bought Jennifer Scott's e-course and loved it!

4. Walmart grocery pick up. Need I explain? I saved so much time, money, and energy by picking up my groceries. Sick kids, rowdy kids, too many kids - we just sat in the car and waited for the lovely Walmart employee to load up the car. This service ministers to my soul.

5. Audio books for kids. When school started this fall, there seemed to be no time to read aloud. So I downloaded 19 hours of the Ramona books, and we listened to the entire series just going back and forth to school. It was a big win!

A couple things that did not work in 2017

1. Jeans. I do not feel comfortable in jeans! Is is just me? Do I need to try a new brand or is it all jeans?
My aunt says these are great. Maybe I'll give them a try.

2. Blogging. I just could not keep up a blogging routine. Hope this changes.

What about you? What worked? What didn't?

1/10/18

Baby Girl Winter Wardrobe Update

We are having a legit winter over here, and it's awesome. Where we live, it has not been properly cold in two years. Winter is a means to coziness. I'm relishing coats, soups, fires, hot tea!

Even though I welcome winter, the last burst of cold temperatures exposed our wardrobe inadequacies, especially for Caroline. Girl needed some boots! Also, I was kinda embarrassed because everything she was wearing was so small, old, or inappropriate for the weather.

Though I was not planning on buying anything but groceries in January, I found myself click click clicking away on Amazon. I've written about Fiream clothes before and have had a few questions since.

So I thought I'd update: I love them. I find the quality to be good. I'd say they are comparable to Old Navy or Target. I like that all items are 100% cotton. My girls love the fun prints. They do fade over time, but so do the nicer brands of clothing we own like Boden, Gap, and Hannah Andersson. For the many many times I have to wash these clothes, I think they have held up just fine.

And the coat?! How cute. It's reversible.



I often find myself conflicted about children's clothes. One one hand, kids are so hard on clothes I don't want to shell out the cash. On the other hand, this is their one childhood and I want them to dress adorable. This brand has really solves my dilemma.




We are in a much better place with Caroline's clothes, and I did not spend a fortune. Win-win.

Have you tried this brand?
I think their boy stuff is adorable, too.

Links are Amazon affiliate links.

3/7/18

Lately - Wearing, Cooking, Reading, Celebrating

Dear Readers, what is up? I hope this last little bit of winter finds you well. I'm thrilled to be rounding the corner into spring.

I last left off with my February goals.

I 100 % failed. It was all downhill when my husband got a horrific case of the flu in early February.

Honestly, him being sick gave us both a new lease on life. When I had to do it all with zero back up, the truth came out that he pulls his weight around here. I knew this, but it really came to the surface when he was bedridden for a week! Also, I missed his company so much.

Thankfully no one else got sick.

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Other than that, it has been life as usual - chaotic, messy, hilarious, etc. We have had some great weather and I'm already feeling spring fever.

Every year after Christmas I get so tired of wearing black and grey and I do a little wardrobe refresher. I'm still hard core doing the 10 item wardrobe method.

Mid January, I spent a morning in Old Navy picking out a few winter to spring things. My go-to uniform this season has been jeans, a floral top, and a cardigan. Thank you Sezane for all the inspiration. Do y'all know about this gorgeous French brand?

I haven't bought anything from there but it's definitely influencing my style.

Color!!!
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Also, lately I've been cooking like mad. A couple of months ago I got an itch to find some sort of part time job (because I started feeling like the only mom I know without some sort of side gig - this is silly, I know).

Anyway, I came to the conclusion that I'm a true home economist and if I just spend my time cooking and making sure we don't waste food then I am practically "making" money....by saving it.


Also, as much as I can, I cook once and we eat twice. Pictured here is my favorite enchilada casserole recipe.

 ....

I'm slowly reading through Boundaries with Kids, and I'm loving it. It's about setting limits with kids and showing them how to take responsibility for themselves and their actions.


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I love these 4 love bugs. For Valentine's day I got them each a pair of sunglasses from the Dollar Tree. And some bubble gum. I am the biggest fan of not spending money on my kids because they destroy everything! I think $8.80 is not bad for a little V-day celebration. They were thrilled.

Easter will be about the same.


So what's up with you? Hope to be back soon!

11/19/14

My New Coat + I'm So Over Buying Expensive Clothes

photo credit: Stephen Small

Over the past couple of years I have searched high and low for a wool coat that could be dressed up or down. I was thinking Boden or J.Crew. But in the end, I picked up this super affordable pea coat from Old Navy. I bought it during a SALE for about $35. And my mom actually paid for it!

It's a polyester wool blend. I'm thrilled with it.

Over and over, I have debated...do I buy nicer, more expensive clothes or do I stick with Old Navy and Gap?

I'm coming out of a phase when I thought buying more expensive clothes might be the way to go. My thought was they would be higher quality and last longer. I was thinking with cost per wear I'd come out better, financially....and I'd like my clothes more.

But in my recent experience, even the nicer, more costly clothing I've bought has left me totally disappointed. This past summer, I splurged on some shirts from Anthropolgie and they held up pitifully. I was even careful to wash them exactly according to directions.

I also had a bad experience with a pair of Paige Jeans. They were fabulous when I bought them. I went as long as I could without washing, but eventually had to. I washed and dried them exactly as directed. They puckered in several places and stretched out. They are dead to me now. Y'all, they did not hold up for even three months!

What I've discovered is just because I'm paying more it does not guarantee higher quality. So, I'm trying to become a student of quality regardless of price or brand.

I'm back to (mostly) shopping at Old Navy, Gap, Ann Taylor Loft, and Target. In a way, I'm relieved that I have come full circle and can shop at these less expensive stores without feeling like I'm missing out on all these amazing high quality clothes that will last a decade.

I've decided that if I'm going to put a lot of money towards something, I say spend it on shoes! Shoes tend to fair better when it comes to getting what you paid for and they can really pull an outfit together.

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For almost a year I have adopted the "ten" item wardrobe concept, having fewer clothes that I love and wearing them over and over and over. One of my favorite blogs is Jennifer Scott's, The Daily Connoisseur. She has a great video series about about creating a ten item wardrobe.

I particularly enjoyed this video about how she takes care of her clothes.

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Another one of my favorite finds this season, also from Old Navy, this cream colored open cardigan.

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What about you? Do you find it worth it to by expensive clothes? Or do you do just as well with Old Navy, Gap, and Loft?

7/12/17

Classic, Low-Cost Way to Dress Little Boys

I'm having a no spend July and all my blogging this month will be about managing the financial side of home life. I'm sharing what I'm learning and ideas about saving, spending wisely, and generally being responsible with our resources.
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Today, I'm talking/typing about boys' clothing. My boys are wonderfully hard on their clothes. They frequently have holes and rips from climbing trees or grease stains from messing around with boats and vehicles with my husband. 

I think their destructiveness on their wardrobe started around age 4 for each of them.

I remember sending Stephen to preschool in the cutest Honey Bee Tee, feeling like such a proud mama, dressing him so cute! He didn't wear his shirt two times before he took a pair of scissors and cut a huge hole in it.

It's pretty much been down hill from there.

So here is the most practical and economical way I've found to dress my boys during the summer months.

100% cotton, solid color tee from Walmart 
shorts from Old Navy (toddler and big boy)


I buy solid tee's on sale from Old Navy and Gap, too, but the Walmart Fruit of the Loom ones are less than $3! And they have great colors. I'm a total stickler for 100% cotton, and I always check that before buying. Sometimes the manufacturers change on you and sneak a little polyester in there. Beware.

They have other random t-shirts from school or wherever, but if I'm buying I stick to this solid, boy-friendly uniform.

For shoes, we are loving Natives. They are a sneaker and a water shoe all in one, and they have held up really well.
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In addition to being low-cost, I really like the way the solid t-shirt and shorts combo looks.
I love understated, simple clothes on children. No obnoxious sayings please!

I do think sewing something cool like their age or a robot would be so cute, and a fun way to personalize the shirt. Inspiration from Margo. Maybe I'll get around to that.

My boys really don't have an opinion (yet) about what they wear, so let's hope we can hold off on the sports wear as long as possible. I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

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Do you have outfit formulas for your kids? Boys or girls?
How do you manage the costs of children's clothes?

5/29/18

Notes on Summer

Summer...I love it. But I also understand the complex nature of my kids being home all the time! Yikes, it can be so so much togetherness.

 

This post, I'm basically sharing my personal notes and thoughts I wrote down about summer. It's a very loose, tentative guide. By no means do I know exactly what I'm doing, but it helps me to frame up a plan to keep things from going to heck in a hand basket.

Let's start by lowering expectations. Life is hard and unpredictable. Tropical storms come and keep you up all night (this was last night for us). I (you, we) are not going to live up to all we want summer to be. There may be some days when your TV is on all day and you OD on pimento cheese. It's okay.


Now that I've said that...let's talk about a kid schedule. There are certainly weeks where we have plans - VBS, trips to see family, camps, swim days, etc. But there are also a lot of days at home.  The schedule is a guideline to benefit me (the mom) and the children so we can get into a rhythm and people can know what to expect around here.

Here's our very loose, flexible, ever evolving "schedule"

wake up
eat breakfast
listen to music
clean up rooms
free time/ run errands if needed

11:00 lunch
summer work book/ memory work
read aloud to little kids (George and Caroline)
free time

2:00 Caroline - nap
TV/screen time for big kids
3:00 snack
free time

6:30 dinner
read aloud to big kids
bed
.....

So, that's how I'm directing my kids' time.

 

Now let's talk about ME. This is how I'm dividing up my time and activities.

Calling it MY SUMMER MANIFESTO

morning things
read Bible, pray, drink coffee
ABCD's of housework 
e-mail
nursing continuing ed
read to George and Caroline

afternoon things 
yoga/Pilates for 12 minutes
read and rest
dinner prep
listen to something good (audiobook or podcast)

Nights are for free time and fun, and I hope to get some reading in with the older 2 kids.

TUESDAY- Walmart grocery pick up day
Friday night meal - spaghetti or fish + vegetables, taking a break from our usual homemade pizza

signature drink - Michelob Ultra


big goals for me-
get away one time per week for several hours by myself
finish RN continuing education for my nursing license renewal
update family photo albums
go on at least 4 summer date nights
_______________________

Some other little side tips....

Each child has a simple wardrobe and everything fits in ONE drawer - clothes, socks, underwear...everything.

I keep all the swimwear in a laundry basket in my closet. Swim bag stays packed with towels and sunscreen.We can be ready for a swim and out the door in about 10 minutes.

"Say yes as much as possible" is sort of my parenting mantra, especially for my oldest who could use more autonomy.

The food plan is it's own thing and it deserves it's own post. All you need to know is I'm on it. I am the boss of food.

..........

Over this past weekend, like a good millennial, I had an episode of anxiety. Y'all, in all my days I have never experienced this. I was short of breath and I just felt so frazzled. In my mind I was FINE, but my body was not.

Honestly, I think it was a delayed anxiety from surviving the school year and more specifically, the month of May. My brain was overloaded and my body was beat. Also, the constant stimuli of kids...it adds up. Summer will cure what ails me. I can already feel it!


Cheers to corn dogs, chillaxin', and keeping things simple!
What are your summer "manifestos" ? 
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