The mini Capsule Wardrobe Lookbook

Goa is getting the best of me. My days involve 4 hours of yoga daily, swimming, hiking and lots of sleeping. This place is so quiet and simple. I almost forgot what it felt like to feel completely calm and not do anything. This is the last update for this week, at least until Sunday as I want to try and completely disconnect from the world :) Let's see if I manage to do that.

As for the photos, because I don't have a "photographer boyfriend" or the second best (a tripod) I rarely manage to do outfit posts. Here Sam kindly lent me a hand last Saturday and shot few of the outfits I wore last week as part of the capsule wardrobe challenge. The blue work pants that I lived in were at the dry cleaners so some outfit days are missing.

Still cannot decide which one is my favourite piece... Maybe the Maison Scotch jumper..

The Holiday Essentials

I have been a very bad blogger mainly due to the various very exciting projects that I am working on at the moment. It feels like this week has been a blur of endless brainstorming sessions and as a result it wasn't until yesterday that I finally had time to shoot the capsule lookbook. I have to say I am still loving the challenge and am very tempted to cull another 50% of my wardrobe. Well edited simplicity is addictive!

I promise to post the "lookbook" within the next 2 days. I would post it now, but due to the jetlag and a lack of sleep; my brain is refusing to function. I am currently writing this from the Mumbai airport, I am on my way to Goa for a yoga retreat. I have wanted to do something super granola like a yoga retreat for ages, so hope it doesn't disappoint.

Here is a quick snapshot of my further edit of the capsule wardrobe, to an even smaller holiday baby capsule. 

P.S. hope you don't think I am a cheater, but I did take yoga leggings, scarves and two bikins with me :)

P.S.S. Check out our  Project 15/30 Pinterest mood boards for inspiration and feel free to join in!

Weekly New Designer: MonkStoneKnitwear

Nothing beats a hand made wooly jumper. Cosy and soft, it cocoons your skin, giving you a level of protection, comforting and kind, it becomes a part of you. When I was little and lived in Moscow I loved stealing my dad's wool jumpers and wearing them over jeans. They felt so comforting and warm and I loved their smell, tobacco and Colonge, I pretty much lived in them during the winter months.

Let the Challenge Begin!

Day one of the wardrobe detox! I cannot even begin to explain the relief that I felt this morning when I looked at my rack of clothing (pictured above). The lack of choice was refreshing and the fact that I did try my best to edit the clothes meant that everything actually went together. It took me 5 minutes to get dressed for work. Quite an achievement I have to say.

It's still not too late to join us.

Here are the rules (just in case you forgot!)

-Any 15 garments from your wardrobe X 30 days
-Accessories (incl. hats, scarves) /gym clothes/pyjamas/socks are not included in the 15 pieces
-No shopping for 1 month
-DIY on the existing 15 pieces is permitted
-Document any way you wish

I'll tell you about each piece as we go along and will post mini lookbooks of seven days worth of outfits at the end of each week. For more frequent updates you can follow me on Instagram @TlikeBubbleTea. 

P.S. I am really excited as the feedback has been really great so far and at least 20 people (non bloggers) have said that they will be joining us! Below is the list of bloggers that have been confirmed so far. If you are a blogger embarking on the challenge drop me a line and I will link back to your blog.

Sam of SamisHome 

Karen of Tomimito
Alicia of Kitten Masks
Joy of Of Stranger Sensibilities
Monique of Petite Avenue
Clare of Curious Looking Glass
Caitlin of Wanderlustings

Where are you from?

15/30 The Capsule Wardrobe Project

“It’s easy to feel like you’ve got nothing to wear, but it’s also a signal of identity problems. If you’ve got a well-developed sense of identity, you tend to know what’s you no matter what the trends. Nothing I buy ever looks new, because I have my look down, and it’s classic.” Anjelica Huston (Harper’s Bazaar, September 2006)

Thank you to Lindsay for showing me this perfect quote. I was browsing through her blog today and by brilliant coincidence came across it.

Next Thursday the 15th of March, Sam, myself and a few other bloggers, will be embarking on a capsule wardrobe project. We will only wear 15 pieces of clothing for 1 month, the challenge will end on the 15th of April.

Ever since I started my journey of overcoming my shopping addiction and becoming a mindful shopper  I have been trying to define my own perfect wardrobe. Blogging, media overdose, office wear, crazy Hong Kong humidity, piling on 2 pounds and impulse shopping have been moving me further and further away from anything that even remotely resembles a perfect capsule wardrobe.

Even after three months of bi-monthly clean outs (getting rid of 10 years of accumulation is a painfully slow process) I still have a rather eclectic wardrobe that reflects my emotional attitude to clothes: perfect basics are mixed with few (far too few) good investment pieces, combined with bad quality designer knock-offs factory rejects from Hong Kong markets, finished off with too much cheap high street/fast fashion rubble and sprinkled with some sale "bargains" I will never wear, but they were designer and oh so cheap. Of course the best way to speed up  this process of de-cluttering is to go cold turkey and have a clothes detox.

So what do I want to achieve through this detox?

1. EDIT my wardrobe/Pin Down my real basics:

Having a well edited wardrobe should save time and space, make mornings easier and hopefully decrease the "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR" moments, plus reduce emotional shopping.

2. Refine My Style through de-cluttering the mess in my cupboard and reminding myself of what actually suits me, as opposed to what suits other bloggers, my friends and ladies on Tommy Ton's photos.

3. Reverse the "fast fashion" mentality - by becoming more creative and learning to style and re-invent what I already have.

4. Understand the social and environmental impact of my psychotic shopping habits/ learn about sustainable fashion - this one will not come from the capsule wardrobe per se, but from more reading (current read Lucy Siegle,  next read Alison Gwilt) and asking even more questions to the amazing girls at Redress HK.

So that's about it. Well of course I have a lot more to say, but I decided to learn to be more concise with my posts and stop blabbing on each time :)

It would be great if you join us in our project, if environment is something that doesn't concern you too much, you can take it as a creativity challenge or just a fun way to learn to edit/simplify your wardrobe. 

Rules are simple:

• ANY 15 pieces form your wardrobe X 30 days
• Accessories (incl. hats, scarves) /gym clothes/pyjamas/socks are not included in the 15 pieces
• No shopping for 1 month
• DYI on the existing 15 pieces is permitted
• Be creative! Have fun! Document!

Feel free to send me your photos/mood boards/capsule lookbooks and thoughts at the end of the challenge I will be happy to re-post them at the end of the month!

 

Happy Sunday!

Month in Instagram

Time for a belated Month in Instagram update!

I cannot believe we are already full into the Spring swing. February was mostly cold, busy and very exciting. I went to Paris and Geneva, drunk too much hot chocolate, became addicted to fresh ginger and mint teas (not in one cup :), met some very inspiring people, finally got my hands on To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World? By Lucy Siegle (a depressingly true read about the impact of our excessive shopping habits on other humans and our planet) and finally started exercising again.

Weekly New Designer: Artemis Leather

What it is about expensive designer bags that makes our heart beat skip a little. Is it the status symbol, the desire to be perceived in a certain way, the “idea” of quality and price being synonymous, the inherent desire to put a “discreet” price tag on our arm for people to see? 

Paris Part 2

This week has been absolutely amazing! I met Orsola De Castro and her partner Filippo, the inspirational brains behind the British Fashion Council’s Estethica green design initiative and the creative mind behind the up cycling brand  From Somewhere, this was topped off by a fantastic show of young Asian artists in Upper House (partnership between Leica x Swire Hotels) and finished off by the opening of the legendary UK gallery White Cube in Hong Kong. This weekend I am looking forward to a live music event, yoga, brunches, afternoon tea, hiking and some reading.