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Channel: ethical fashion – Conscious Capsule

How to style a dress 12 different ways (part 1)

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If you missed the introduction, please visit 12 Days of a Dress so that you can get caught up on what’s going on here.  Now, I’m sure you have a few questions concerning this challenge, so let me get these out of the way.  By the way, these are real questions that I was asked by my family and friends (in real life, so they are legit!)

  1. Are you actually wearing this dress every day?  Hate to burst your bubble, but NO.  I wore the dress 8 out of 12 times.  I’m also a stay-at-home-mom so I didn’t need to leave the house every day.
  2. Did you wash the dress?  I washed it and line dried it every weekend.  Yes, this gal sweats, and thank you for asking instagram follwer.
  3. Why are you doing the dress thingy?  It began as a personal challenge, and turned into a tool to help empower women on how to be creative with a basic dress, and not feel like they have nothing to wear.
  4. Will you do it again?  Absolutely.
  5. Did you photograph yourself every day?  Nope.  My eleven year old daughter graciously shot these photos in front of our house on two different days.  She rocks!

And, hopefully you will join me in trying this challenge after I show you how simple it can be.  All of the extra clothes, accessories, and shoes were picked from my fall capsule wardrobe.  I did NOT go and buy anything to complete any of these looks.  I shopped my closet and used what I had.  I will add that doing a capsule wardrobe for seven months prior to this challenge helped me to have a lot of basic capsule wardrobe necessities.  Here we go!

consciouscapsule.com

Look 1:  This outfit really lets the dress shine.  All I added was a patterned scarf, suede booties, and a vintage bag.  I’m starting basic with you, so that you can see that the dress really is flattering on it’s own.  The lace detail on the sleeve and hemline really pop with this look.

burgandy lace dress

Look 2:  Here, I did a little something that got a lot of feedback.  Chucks with a dress.  Did you realize that chucks are a classic shoe now?  It’s funny how time dictates what becomes classic and what is a fad.  This whole look is taken down-to-earth with the chucks, a jean vest, sunglasses, and a tote bag.  I clearly have someplace fun to go!  Yeah, it was the park to watch the kiddos play.  In the tote was a book for me to read. (double fun!)

consciouscapsule.com

Look 3:  Just try it right now.  Go belt your cardigan.  It will feel weird at first, but I promise that it will completely change the look of your outfit.  Plus, you will earn style points!  Now to change the subject to my gorgeous Frye’s, which were my first investment of high quality shoes that I bought with money that I begged for, borrowed, and stole, about five years ago.  I went shopping for running shoes, and left with these.  It was a complete New Year’s resolution fail, but I can really run like the wind in them if I have to!  I absolutely love them.  Just to give you an idea of where I wear these outfits, I went to Panera to meet a client.  My life isn’t glamorous, but I like to feel glamorous.

personal stylist

Look 4:  The fourth look was one of my own personal eye-openers.  Did you know that you can put a shirt over a dress and the dress magically becomes a skirt? Yes, yes!  Of course, I belted this look too.  (for the last time, go try it!) I chose a fitted white button down shirt with a grid (or windowpane) pattern.  Usually, I go for my plain white button down, but I wanted to play with patterns a little by adding the leopard shoes.  Since this style challenge was about being playful and learning new things, this look made me feel confident and is my favorite so far.

Stay tuned for eight more looks.

Which one is your favorite?


How My Wardrobe is Growing a Conscious

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consciouscapsule.com

Creating a capsule wardrobe is a creative thinking process.  It is a time where you reflect on what is working in your wardrobe and what is not.   You ask yourself questions like, why don’t you like to wear this item that you just had to have at the time? It’s also a time to look ahead at where your life is taking you for the next few months.  Maybe, you have recently decided to make better choices regarding your health, or maybe a new career opportunity has presented itself.   That’s what being conscious is all about.  It’s an awareness of where you’ve been and where you are heading.  Your wardrobe plays a undeniable part in your life, yet why do some women deny themselves the time to make adjustments?  We just keep going, and going, purchasing and purchasing, looking for a cheap deal, and never arriving at any level of satisfaction with our clothing.

I truly believe that stuff doesn’t make me happy, but being inundated with things to buy that promise better, or easier, or healthier is often hard to ignore.  When I got to the end of my stuff-buying-and-still-ain’t-happy rope this past summer, I began praying and journaling about what would make me truly content with my wardrobe, and I discovered that my list of “requirements for happiness” had nothing to do with clothes, but centered around giving to others.  Giving others of my time, or money, or friendship, etc. is what makes me truly happy.  Giving to others is a form of showing them love.  How basic is this concept?  Love others.  I’m pretty sure that’s in the Bible like a gazillion times.

I was still at a loss of how to connect loving others with my wardrobe, which was the cause of my happiness search to begin with.  How could I love others by dressing my body?  Then I saw the documentary The True Cost being talked about all over the internet, and it changed my life forever.  I was now completely aware of where my clothing came from, and how my spending habits, and buying power had NOT been loving others at all.

It was then that I decided that I was going to vote with my dollar every time I bought a new piece of clothing.  I was going to make conscious decisions that would give back to other human beings.  It may seem small to some, but to me every time I buy something from a factory in another country that treats their employees (mostly women) as human beings, instead of machines, it brings me pure joy.  Every time I buy something from an American made brand, it gives me joy to support small business’.  When I buy jewelry or clothes that are made from the hands of women who are receiving education and training in areas where they would typically not have, or who have survived sex-trafficking, or people who are no longer addicted to alcohol or drugs, from companies who invest their time into finding employment for these people, it brings me the kind of happiness that I was missing before!

The contentment that I was seeking in my wardrobe was never going to be attainable because I was blindly buying clothing from factories that exploit their workers.  These clothes weren’t made with love and care.  They were made to be replaced in a few months.  They were of no real value.  They weren’t made to make me happy.  They were made to be replaced so that I would have to keep buying them over and over again.

Now that my wardrobe has grown a conscious, I will never be able to make flippant choices regarding clothing again.  My happiness lies in the happiness of the person making my clothing.  The cheap $6 t-shirt that brought me two minutes of happiness from Target or Old Navy has been traded in for the $30 t-shirt that brings me happiness because I can wear it with a clear conscious, and it won’t need replaced in a month – because it’s well made.

Brands like Everlane, and Jamie & the Jones are transparent brands to name just two of my favorites that I can feel great about purchasing from.  Just look at the packaging.  Somebody loves you. -from Everlane.  And, they actually thanked me by name from Jamie & the Jones.  Seriously?  How is that for connecting with actual human beings?  It is human beings who make our clothes after all.  Let’s not forget that.

 

Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. – Sally Koch

How to style a dress 12 different ways (part2)

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style tips

12 ways to style 1 dress consciouscapsule.com

I’ve shared with you that I challenged myself to style the same dress twelve different ways, but I haven’t exactly told you why.

Here’s why.  I was seven months into capsule wardrobing, and really getting the hang of things.  I had my well-thought out, pared down closet that included key pieces that went with everything.  But, something inside of me was itching to find out how far I could push the theory of a basic wardrobe necessity.  I kid-you-not that I arbitrarily chose the number twelve because of the twelve days of Christmas.  (It was December after all.)  Once I chose that number, it was game on!  And, if you make it to the end of series I’ll share with you everything that I learned.  It is guaranteed to surprise you!

Look 5:  Mixing patterns, mixing lace with flannel, mixing shades of red.  WHAT?!?  I can’t believe this outfit worked.  But, when I put it on I felt like a rock-star mom.  And, let me tell you that I shredded the grocery store that day.  Trader Joe’s has never been the same.  I have always been a fan of tying a shirt around my waist, even when I don’t ever plan on putting the shirt on.  It’s a sneaky way to belt and define your waist.  Besides, I totally look like I might wear that flannel later.

consciouscapsule.com

12 ways to style 1 dress

Look 6:  Trench coat.  Classic staple.  Must have.  You can put a trench over anything and it instantly makes you look and feel important.  Everything that I did that day felt important.  The booties are back and let me tell you why I love these particular booties.  Because, I used to think taupe is boring, but I discovered that taupe goes with everything and THAT makes it very exciting!  I should also point out that the light color shoe elongates your legs.  How’s that for a tip?  That should warrant making it to your shopping list.

consciouscapsule.com

12 ways to style 1 dress

Look 7:  Monochromatic.  Another style tip if you want to elongate your figure is to keep it monochromatic.  Not only does it look chic, but it feels great too.  I felt very put-together in this look.

consciouscapsule.com

12 ways to style 1 dress

Look 8:  Leather jacket, vintage necklace, floppy hat, booties, and a tote.  Perfect ensemble for some shopping at the local outdoor market.  With my sunglasses on, I’m pretty sure nobody recognized me.  My covert mission to gather local goodies was a success!

If you missed any part of this series:

12 Days of a Dress 

How to Style a Dress 12 Different Ways (Part 1)

Did you learn any new styling tips?





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