30-Day Capsule Wardrobe Challenge: Maternity Style

I have been pinning and reading about capsule wardrobes for a couple years, enjoying watching others plan and style looks from a limited number of clothing items. And now, in keeping with my New Year's focus on stewardship -- as well as the necessity of late pregnancy in which fewer and fewer of my standard wardrobe items actually fit -- I am embarking on a 30-day challenge to create daily outfits from no more than 20 items... with no outfit repeats!

There are many different ways to create a capsule wardrobe. Just visit Pinterest! Some of my favorite reference points have been Putting Me Together, Andrea Dekker, Greater Than Rubies, The Small Things and Anne in Residence. Although I didn't follow their formula exactly, this article by the Stylebook app was also helpful in considering how to get started: http://www.stylebookapp.com/stories/work_capsule.html


So here are the guidelines I came up with for my Winter Maternity Capsule Wardrobe:

Choose a Palette

This is a pretty limited palette, but working with neutrals like black and white makes for easier pairing with other colors, so I kept it simple. I've been loving anything in wine/red/burgundy lately, so that was an easy pick. The other colors fell into place as I started sorting through the items already in my closet.

Set a Limit

I don't think the number is going to be the same for everyone, but the concept of a capsule wardrobe means mixing and matching a limited number of clothing items to create a variety of outfits. To be honest, I set out with a limit of 18 items... and found I needed to increase to 20 to accommodate  comfort and variety over the next few weeks. I think I can manage with 20, but we'll see how it goes...


20 Clothing Items

• 9 shirt/blouses
• 2 open cardigans
• 1 sweater
• 1 jacket
• 1 vest
• 1 dress
• 1 skirt
• 4 pairs pants/jeans

Not included in the count (i.e. unlimited...)

• Underwear: Camisoles! I wear my favorite maternity camis from Target all the time, and these can double as "shirts" under cardigans
• Accessories: Jewelry, scarves, hats, etc... these are sometimes what makes the outfit.
• Shoes: I will probably be wearing my favorite boots for most of the next few weeks, with the occasional flat or heel thrown in, but I didn't want to limit myself on options here as shoes can really make the different in an outfit as well. Especially during boot season!
• Outerwear: It is winter, after all... Plus, I only have about 2 heavy coats that still zip/button at this point (both are non-maternity)

It's the middle of winter in Indiana but, in these latter weeks of pregnancy, I find myself warm more often than not, so I didn't feel it necessary to include a lot of bulky sweaters or other items. Rather, I plan on layering pieces to accommodate the variance in temperatures. So, my selections tended toward pieces that can be worn open (cardigans, vests, etc.) which accommodates not only the baby bump, but also layer more easily.

Get Creative! 

This is the fun part! Thinking outside of the box to figure out new and different ways to wear a piece I've had for a while is a refreshing challenge. I was scolded once for pairing items on a hanger in my closet (e.g. this top goes with this cardigan) and have been very careful to avoid that practice ever since. Items that seem boring or standard are really the all-important basis for a unique new look. A white shirt, for example, can be worn so many ways! Adding interest with accessories like scarves, jewelry, or shoes is much more effective and wallet-friendly than purchasing several new tops.

So, here are all my pieces...

*Items with asterisk are maternity

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I post outfit photos and include more details about how I'm doing with my first attempt at a capsule wardrobe!

2016 Word of the Year

In lieu of any resolutions or checklists for 2016, I'm taking a cue from one of my favorite bloggers over at The Small Things and choosing a special word to focus on for this year -- a theme, of sorts, that will inspire and inform my thoughts as we launch into a new year of exciting adventures.

So, without further adieu, the word for 2016 is...

"the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care" Merriam-Webster

Stewardship is not necessarily a word that is used in common conversation these days, but it covers a multitude of positive character traits and seemed like the best way to describe my intent for the year. In reflecting on 2015 (and really the past several years), the overwhelming conclusion is that we have been blessed. Very blessed. With jobs, homes, family, friends, and so much more. We have accepted new jobs, and succeeded in them; we have settled into new living environments with little difficulty; grown our family with a son and soon a daughter; we are surrounded by a loving community of family -- both biological and spiritual. In recognizing all that the Lord has given us, I can't help but be humbled and struck by an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

But gratitude is not where it ends. The old adage goes "To whom much is given, much is required." And this is where 2016 brings me. Having been given much, there is much expected of me. As a wife and mother, as a daughter of Christ, as a member of my local community -- there are so many ways I am called to steward these blessings and use them to build God's kingdom. So, in this coming year, I want to focus on that calling. Particularly, in the following three areas...

Family & Friends

It is obvious to me that my first priorities are to my family. First as a wife, then as a parent.  These are both hugely important roles with significant bearing on the lives of at least 3 people around me... with a ripple effect that will impact several more. It is easy to lose track of how pivotal these roles are in the day-to-day challenges of life. In 2016, I want to truly focus on acting as a steward of the precious family I have been given and work to ensure that I am giving them my best.

Although friendship relationships come second to family, they are extremely important as well and must be similarly nurtured. I've never had a very wide social circle of friends -- and probably even less so at this stage of my life when I spend most of my time at home -- but the friendships I've been given are the kind that last. And I want to make sure they stay that way!

Time & Talent

I feel very blessed to have been given a skill set and talent for a career that enables me to work from home, doing what I enjoy. Freelance graphic/web design is a wonderful fit for my creative abilities and time allowance at this stage of motherhood. I enjoy it so much that sometimes I have a hard time tearing myself away from work! It has been a struggle for my over the last two years to find a balance in parenting and working from home. Although I truly believe I've been given the opportunity to experience the best of both worlds, I want to make sure that I'm not shortchanging my family with a preference for work. At the same time, in the work that I do, I want to ensure that I am giving it my all and providing the best results for my clients. This also applies to cultivating other talents and predilections like painting and drawing -- creating art is something I've enjoyed since a young age -- but only in the sense that it promotes rather than detracts from the aforementioned priorities.

Health & Wealth

These two are paired often idiomatically and, though they seem to represent two separate concepts, they are really rather closely related. Health can quickly become worn down by a rabid pursuit of materialism, and no amount of money can buy you the blessings of good health. Conversely, an inordinate obsession with "health" (appearance, fitness, etc.) still cannot provide the satisfaction of the true Life found only in Christ. With those provisions being granted, these are still two areas of life that are pretty unavoidable. We all have bodies that need to be provided for. And it is to the benefit of the preceding goals that I be a good steward of the health and material possessions God has seen fit to bestow at this time of my life.

I'll be elaborating on these points in future posts, but these concepts encompass a lot of what it means to be a homemaker: providing healthy meals for my family; creating a positive, wholesome home environment; spending and saving conscientiously; and encouraging these habits in those around me. Stewardship of the home is the very heart of any society and it is my focus this year to learn, grow, and serve as a steward of the blessings I've been given.

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 14:23