+ Greg likes to talk to me about the cycle of expanding and contracting. A lot of what I do at home and for work is about contracting/simplifying/letting go. One of the reasons I do this is to create room for expansion/potential/inspiration. Here are some of the things that have inspired me, or at least made me smile, this month:

1. JCrew's hockey players in suits!

2. From Life Hacker: learning non-attachment through exercises like our 5 Things A Day.

3. Getting to wear legwarmers and watch Greg and his brother frolick in the snow at their favorite childhood barn near Albany.

4. Study Hacks on working a little less and eliminating email: “Do what’s important for you. Then, when you have time, respond to things…” Essentialism!!

5. Learning that I'm more than introverted... I'm a Highly Sensitive Person. A lot more things in my life make sense after reading this book: college, relationships, why I love doing my job. Self-knowledge is so powerful and actually makes me less selfish overall. It's why I'm a fan of monthly experiments and habits!

6. SF Girl by Bay on living simply and hopping on The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up bandwagon!

7. We made this beautiful and tasty goat cheese, jam, and orange zest grilled cheese with some cherry jam I wanted to use up. So pretty... time to improve my photography skills ;)

8. An early valentine's date with Greg (and his whole team ;): a private tour and tasting at the wonderful Dandelion Chocolate.

9. Some validation from Garance for my mostly-black wardrobe, plus on turtlenecks and why I need tights.

10. And finally, Beverly Hills 90210 reruns are back on tv! Getting to see the fashions (more legwarmers!) and Brandon Walsh made a sick day much more cheerful.

Mine has been a loving, weather-driven, sensitive February. Yours?

Finally! Here they are... all 33 items in my Fall/Winter 2015 Lean Closet: 6 Shoes, 6 Bottoms, 6 Tees, 6 Sweaters, 4 Blouses, 1 Dress, and 4 Jackets.

Things to note:

I own and wear a lot of black. White too. The last tip to having a small wardrobe is to focus on a consistent color palette. Obviously, with only 33 items of clothing to choose from everyday, being mindful of color choices is key to having more outfit options. The more items that can work together, the more combinations available. I gravitate towards greys, black, white and blues with hints of gold thrown in. Choosing only one dark neutral (black vs. brown or navy) has simplified things, especially my shoe palette. No more brown boots vs. black pants vs. navy belt. This Fall/Winter has also been a time of holiday parties, funerals, and cold weather so the subtle palette has suited me. I imagine my Spring/Summer Lean Closet is going to welcome a bit more color into my life!

I admit that this palette is very simple and not as exciting as it could be. The main reason for this is that I don't shop a lot. I heart style and fashion but don't love to spend my budget on clothing (just by choice, I'd rather travel, but I'm also an under-buyer). Most of these items are three to nine years old!! Many cost under $100 (actually a majority cost under $30)!

This wardrobe is also rather casual. I'm in a place that I can wear the same clothes to work, out in the evening, and on weekends. My lifestyle has shifted from more formal and corporate in NYC to casual and interesting in SF. I do know that a capsule wardrobe can work for any lifestyle though.

Another observation: I'm already noticing a few of these items wearing out or no longer fitting the way I'd like. So, there might be a few swaps even before the beginning of May when I re-sort and reorganize for my next 6-month capsule. I try not to think about my wardrobe outside of November and May but if something isn't working, I consider replacing it quickly so I don't feel deprived by the dwindling count. :) One of my goals with my closet overall is to acquire higher quality and more responsible clothing over time. Stay tuned.

Enough of this clothing thing... until May ;)

+ In addition to having a consistent color palette, here are some other ideas to help with wardrobe selection:
Introduction to a Lean Closet
Choosing wisely
Importance of place/climate
Multi-purpose pieces
Layering
Proper fit
Style adjectives