Wardrobe update - Capsule items 31-33

I'm running out of options for the capsule

Which probably isn't that surprising as, as you all know I’ve been surviving on a capsule of 35 items for 10 months now. Except that’s not strictly true is it? Because even now with less than 9 weeks to the end of the challenge I’m actually on 33. And I added a dress on Tuesday.

I’ve said before that there are benefits to planning at least most of your wardrobe in advance, but one of the things I didn’t cover was wear and tear. It’s taken me so long to fill the capsule that items I add now will likely be pristine next year – but the ones I put in during the first 2 months? They have worked much harder than they had to.

Because actually for the first 6 months my wardrobe was less than X items. And that’s just silly. I mentioned to a friend how I'd been after a breton top all year, but that it felt a bit late to get one now and she thought I was mad. Why hadn't I just got one in May? Indecisiveness that's why. It's meant I've had far less options than I should have throughout the last 10 months. But it does mean I can a add a few bits now - which I'm excited about!

I haven’t written about the last 3 items at all. So here they are:

Capsule wardrobe item # 31

In November I added this lovely shirt. And then I wore it to death. Which is weird because I’d somehow managed to avoid the old flannel shirt trend for years and now I’m totally bought in.

Capsule wardrobe item #32

Item 32 I bought in India: While we were away Ange and I spent a few days in Amma’s ashram and one of the core principles there is seva – or selfless service. Basically this means if you are going to stay there – then you do your share of the chores.  They also feel strongly about modest dress – so I wore my long grey dress A LOT! I signed up for hanging washing on the roof, washing posts & clearing waste from a plot of scrubland as my seva.

The scrubland clearing was scheduled for between 12 and 3. Yes you’re right – that is easily the hottest part of the day, and yes – India is a hot, hot country. I really, really wanted to get involved in the clearing but my clothing was a real obstacle. Serious gardening in a long floaty skirt just isn’t practical – and doing heavy physical work in the midday sun in the only clothing deemed modest enough for the place I was staying seemed unlikely to enhance my chances of making friends with people in the dining hall. None wants to sit next to the smelly girl at lunch.

So I took myself to Ram’s Bazaar – which is essentially the ashram’s charity shop. People often make the ashram one of the last stops on their trip and so leave clothes they won’t use at home there. I had a rummage and came away with these trousers which cost me the princely sum of 80p.

And they were such a good buy. Probably not something I’ll wear loads in the UK, but absolutely perfect for India. Cool, comfortable, modest – just perfect. I wore them pretty much every other day for the rest of the trip.

And clearing that scrubland? Probably one of my favourite afternoons of the whole trip – it was fascinating. We saw loads of weird grubs and burrowing insects I wasn’t expecting, spent ages trying to work out what the rubbish used to be before it was burnt, were amazed at the heat coming off the decomposing ayurvedic waste, and shat ourselves when more than 2 hours into doing this work in sandals the team leader remembered to mention that we should be careful rummaging through the rubbish as there would DEFINITELTLY BE SNAKES THERE! As you can imagine I reacted calmly and with dignity when faced with this knowledge …

Capsule Wardrobe item #33

Look Familiar?

Item 33 also has an Indian connection. Those of you who’ve been with me from the start of this journey will be very familiar with my denim dress. I wore it on the very first day of the challenge – and I’m pretty sure a week hasn’t gone past since where I haven’t worn it at least once. 

You’d imagine I’d be bored of it by now – but actually the opposite is true, I just love it more and more. So while I was away I had 3 copies made, one in dark blue, one in beige with blue dots and one in orange raw silk. 

My intention was to hold them over until next year – but earlier this week I decided I couldn’t wait any longer and added the beige dress to the circulation. And I love it – I don’t have to think about the different ways it’s possible to wear it – cos I’ve worked all of those out with the denim dress. It’s like a comfortable old friend, who has just got a haircut that really suits them. Comfortable and sexy at the same time. I’m pretty sure it’s going to get loads of wear over the next 9 weeks.

And because it feels silly to hold over the final 2 items and then only wear them 2 or 3 times in the challenge – my plan is to complete the capsule in the next week or so, adding (I think) another dress, and a pair of smart & comfortable sandals. That way I’ll at least have 8 weeks out of this challenge year when I know what it’s like to have the luxury of choosing from a full 35 item capsule!

There's still 9 weeks left of the challenge - so it's not too late to donate! Just follow this link.