Spring 2018 Wardrobe

Behold: my spring 2018 wardrobe! From this lot I will be creating every outfit I wear day-to-day for the remainder of the spring. I know we are already halfway through this season, but it took me a little while to get this post just the way I wanted it. insert shrugging emoji here

Do you ever look at your closet and think: I have nothing to wear? Well, me too. I have so many clothes I don’t even know what to do with, that the fact that I could ever believe I have nothing to wear strikes actual fear into my heart. Have I gone mad? Lost my marbles? Got bats in the belfry?

Thankfully, I think the reason most of us hit a wall stylistically with our clothes is less about madness and more about getting in a creative rut. When you look at the same things daily your eyes start to glance over them without taking notice.

Putting together a limited wardrobe for a season at a time can really help you get out of this creative rut by forcing yourself to work within a smaller parameter. It challenges the mind and allows you to come up with loads more outfit combos than you would have done, given access to your entire closet.

I’ve done this for myself in the past, but haven’t made myself do it again in years. But when I was reading through one of my favorite Japanese magazines, I found myself captivated by a section detailing out this very kind of wardrobe idea and was inspired to do so all over again.

I’ve narrowed down my spring 2018 wardrobe to 20 pieces. That includes shoes, belts, and bags too. While I bought a few new items to round it out nicely, most of these pieces were all hiding in my closet, having gone unworn for months.

I didn’t worry much about color coordination. I just picked several things I liked and trusted the cohesion to come. I love neutral colors and have bought a lot of them, which consequently has made everything easy to wear with one another. But I also love bold, notice-me prints which I think make for wonderful high notes in any look. Going with my gut and pairing the two, releasing self-doubt or the need for perfection, ended in a wardrobe that makes me genuinely enthused every day.

I believe that when you give into your creativity and the desires of your heart, that the subconscious works for you and creates an overall point of view. Don’t overthink it. Wear what you love with confidence and you can’t go wrong!

Be sure to keep an eye out on my Instagram or Vero accounts to see the outfits I come up with for the remainder of the spring season! I’ll be posting regular pics as I get out of my own creative rut and play with all the possible combinations these pieces offer.

1. Vintage 80s/90s Denim Jacket by Lee:

I bought this beauty on Etsy a couple months ago for the April outfit shoot. I love how versatile this piece is, and its oversized silhouette makes it so easy to wear over anything!

2. Oversized sweatshirt via Dolls Kill:

I bought this sweatshirt about a year ago over at Dolls Kill and have literally worn it one time in NYC. It’s so comfy and easy to layer or style alone. It’s also long enough to just wear as a dress which makes it feel like I’m in pjs!

3. Distressed shirt by Treasure & Bond:

I bought this a year and a half ago. I’ve worn it plenty of times and have even come close to getting rid of it thinking I’ve worn it enough. But when I was playing in my closet with possible outfit combinations I found this to be a remarkable foundation piece that goes with just about anything. Plus the distressing and sleeve shape give it some added interest.

4. Rebel Rebel tee via Dolls Kill:

I bought this a year ago on sale. I’ve worn it in a shoot I did for the blog a while back and have worn it plenty of times since. But being a David Bowie lover I just can’t see a day I’d get rid of this, thus it remains one of my favorite staples. Don’t let graphic tees fool you. They make marvelous staples and can be worn in a number of ways, layered with and dressed up or down.

5. Sleeveless turtleneck via Anthropologie:

I got this piece last summer when my baby sister and I went to the mall one day and I spilled something all over the front of my shirt. I quickly made a B-line for the Anthropologie and snatched this out of the sale section for $19.99. Not only did it save me that day, but it’s become one of my favorite layering pieces. It has some pilling here and there, but I still love it!

6. Velvet tank by Sincerely Jules:

I bought this last spring from a Trunk Club shipment. It is such a gorgeous piece worn as-is but it’s also really cool when layered over stuff (think 90s fashion). It was almost a hundred bucks which is pretty pricey for a tank, but the velvet is great and the color is so perfect for being worn a number of ways. I love dressing it up and down too. It can do just about anything!

7. Denim culottes by AG:

I just bought these in February. I saw jeans like these all over NYC and Japanese street style photos that I just had to get me some. This was before I decided to do the spring wardrobe, so it worked out really nicely. I love the French vibes they bring, and when paired with the beret I can’t help but swoon.

8. Pleated trousers by Topshop:

I got these on sale back in October when Josiah and I took my baby sister and her boyfriend to NYC. The thing I remember most about this shopping trip was how patiently the dudes waiting on my sister and me to try on all the clothes. I mean, what else could we have done? We don’t have a Topshop nearly that big in Dallas!These trousers are so comfy and airy. And Honest to God I didn’t even realize they were the same color as the sweatshirt until I was done picking out the wardrobe. Funny how everything falls into place when you listen to your subconscious.

9. Vintage 80s/90s leather skirt:

I found this gem a couple months ago while at an antique store and fell in love. I think I paid $40 for this beauty and couldn’t wait to start styling it as soon as possible, hence its immediate debut in this wardrobe!

10. Snakeskin print slip dress by Lavender Brown:

I purchased this from a Stitch Fix shipment I received earlier this year. Do you recognize it? I styled it in an outfit shoot I posted back in February. Snakeskin is happening this year thanks to the spring 2018 runways, and I’ve gotta say I’ve really started to fall for it. I like opting it into this spring wardrobe to have fun with some of the current trends. A little trendiness here and there shows you keep yourself up-to-date, but don’t feel the need to  necessarily be a trend slave.

11. Floral dress by Topshop:

This was another Trunk Club purchase from last spring and also was in an outfit shoot I posted in the very early days of this blog. What I love about this piece is that it’s so classic. It doesn’t feature a specific trend, and it doesn’t lean heavily on any specific style. It’s just a cute floral dress. You can’t go wrong with classic stuff! You can style classic pieces classically, or you can add heavily trendy pieces to spice them up, making them super relevant. Either way, classic is always a good idea.

12. White beret via Target:

You might have recognized this from an outfit shoot back in January. I love this beret and I love pushing myself to try more accessories. My whole life I was terrified of wearing hats. Either it was because I didn’t believe in or love myself enough, or it was because I listened too much to naysayers, but I love wearing hats. They are fun, and they make me smile. They give me a break from messing with my hair, and they challenge me to be true to myself despite my neglecting to do so in the past.

13. Vintage 60s/70s silk scarf:

The moment I saw this scarf while perusing an antique store I knew I had to have it. I think I paid somewhere along the lines of $10 for it. It has this beautiful butterfly and floral print which gives me some fabulous hippie vibes, and the colors pack such a punch to any look.

14. Olive green nylon belt via Amazon:

Harajuku is all about the belts right now, especially nylon belts. So, when putting together this wardrobe I knew I wanted to start playing with this trend too. I found this belt for $10 on Amazon. Can’t beat those prices!

15. Leather belt by DSTLD:

I adore this belt. It is in a retro style and is so well constructed. It was a bit pricey at $89 but the quality and versatility can’t be beat. I wear it all the time, and that was before I started wearing only this wardrobe. While I’m all about saving money, I do believe strongly in spending more to invest in solid pieces that will give you lots of use. When you can invest in good pieces that will make strong staples, do. When you can’t, go for vintage. While vintage pieces are pre-used, a lot of times older items that are still around today are better constructed by default and so, make wonderful staples still. Plus you’ll get to enjoy the joy that is vintage. It’s a win/win!

16. White leather Mary Jane heels by Rebecca Minkoff:

I bought these on sale in February because I adored their 60s style. I love that the low heel makes them more playful and really easy to dress up or down. They make me feel all Twiggy-like and I like that.

17. Black Tabi sneakers by Marugo:

Tabi shoes are a traditional Japanese shoe that have been worn for ages and ages. The peeps in Harajuku are frequently sporting them, and I have loved seeing their looks so much I just had to track down some myself. These babies are comfy as hell and go with everything! I’m officially obsessed.

18. Chunky sandals by Cole Haan:

Y’all remember these from this month’s outfit post? Gosh I love them. They are so dang comfortable! Also they go with everything. Also they look cute with socks. Also I might go wear them right now.

19. Clear plastic Fanny pack via Amazon:

I snatched this fanny pack up for another mere $10. And with clear plastic bags taking the fashion world by storm these days, I knew I’d have fun sporting the trend this spring. I was delighted to find the fanny pack version of this trend, and even more so to see the red trimmed option. Yay for pops of color!

20. Michael Jackson tote bag via a market in Soho NYC:

I found this gem back in October at a market in NYC’s soho. I just had to get it, despite the fact that I had just bought those Topshop trousers that I already mentioned above. Oh well! It was worth it! This bag makes a great conversation piece. I love the added interest it brings to any outfit, plus it just makes me smile any time I look at it. And that’s all that matters!

P.S. What do you think of my little stickers? I drew them myself! I have been inspired by all things spring, particularly spring in Japan. All those pictures of the Sakura trees make my heart do flips. And while I know pandas don’t live in Japan, I just wanted them to join the spring party. Is that too much to ask?!

Please do me a solid and respect their copy-rightness? Thanks a bajillion!