Simplifying my style
Project 333 Part 3!
Has something you loved ever become overwhelming? A burden, even?
That’s how I was feeling about style at the beginning of this month. Being in the conscious style blogging space for over a decade has been such a blessing - most of the time. I’ve built community, honed my values, and learned so much about the clothing industry. I even learned to sew my own clothing!
But having a platform, even a small one, comes with pressure. I felt the pressure to “figure it out”, to have an aesthetic feed, to build the perfect capsule wardrobe - and my perfectionism kicked in when I couldn’t achieve those.
Motherhood has been a lot lately, and this hobby began to weigh on me. I would wake up dreading having to put an outfit together, to put on my makeup and snap a photo. I felt a pit in my stomach when I thought of brand commitments. And, worst of all, I just didn’t like my closet or my style anymore. The stress I put on myself with this platform was getting in the way of work and family life.
Something had to give. So, I cleared my closet…again. I’m less than one month into my three month long Project 333 (part 3) journey, and my shopping low buy, and already I am remembering why I love a simple capsule wardrobe in the first place.
Having a daily uniform means more time for a slow morning. I don’t have to spend precious minutes worrying about what to wear. I put on one of my monochromatic tshirts or Wool& dresses, throw on the same cardigan in cream or black if it’s chilly, and get on with my day. When I’m “off the clock” I switch to my cozy green hoodie. No thinking. Just being.
I’m able to be more neutral about my body, because everything I have fits me, is comfortable, and is in a basic colour palette. No more pulling at my clothing, or wondering if colours suit me or go together. My clothing doesn’t draw attention, which means that who I am, and my ideas can be at the forefront of how I present myself to the world.
Avoiding the constant impulse to online window-shop, troll Facebook marketplace and pin cute outfits has led me to creative pursuits that matter even more. I’ve read more, had bigger wins at work, and even crafted a budget that will allow us to get to home ownership quicker! Oh, and I’ve also started writing my third book. When I stopped obsessing over crafting the perfect style, or scoring my next wardrobe item, it was like I came up for air to a world of creative possibility.
I love reading other people’s Project 333 capsule wardrobe lists, so I thought I would share mine here. I’ll be wearing this list till the beginning of April (my three months started on March 6th), so there are a couple warmer-weather items I haven’t even worn yet! I’ve put a star next to the items I have worn.
Black Wool& tiered tank dress* (now has a hole that I will mend before wearing again!)
Pink Wool& swing dress*
Grey Wool& sleeveless swing dress*
Pink and cream striped Pyne & Smith linen midi dress
Teal ls wool tee*
Black leggings*
brown leather belt*
black blazer
Blue tee*
Black tee x 2*
Grey tee*
White tee*
trench jacket
green 3 in 1 jacket*
Blundstones*
black Keds*
Grey-blue Lotta heeled clogs
Chambray/jean skirt
black vneck merino sweater*
cream linen shirt*
cream cotton cardigan*
Black cotton cardigan*
Black wide leg pants
Blue jeans*
Washed black jeans
silver rose studs*
gold hoops*
gold locket*
Green hoodie*
pink and blue headband*
blue jays ballcap
black backpack*
brown leather purse*
I’ve been occasionally posting my Project 333 outfits on Instagram, but honestly haven’t been on that platform as much lately. I’ll probably do a couple weekly round-up outfit posts in the next few months if you’re interested! Other than that, I’ll be sporadically posting work and motherhood adventures, which I am much more excited about these days!