OK so this post is a shout out to my favourite, easy, go-to style. I honestly think I could live in a great basic tee and jeans…or better yet, leggings (who am I really kidding!)
About five years ago, my closet was a hot mess. Not saying that it is beautifully organized now – But I had SO many pieces that reflected SO many different styles and I was running out of hangers. I ran into a great blog about a capsule wardrobe and, although it sounded SO crazy at first, it spoke to me. I mean, who can admit to having a closet SO full of clothes but you feel like you never have anything to wear (I am totally raising my hand right now!). Not to mention you can’t find a thing because the hangers are so squished together!
A capsule wardrobe is essentially a collection of 50 or fewer pieces that can be mixed and matched to create endless outfits. Each piece compliments the other. Simplicity was a theme I was catching on to with each capsule I came across – the basics which can be so versatile with the switch of a pair of shoes or a great statement necklace. In every capsule wardrobe I looked up, they all had the basic tee as a staple piece.
Sure, I had some plain old tees rolled up in my closet somewhere, but I had come to think of them as pj shirts. Comfy, plain, and definitely not stylish! But these pictures I kept seeing as I researched more made those boring old tees look great.
My ever supportive husband listened to my rant about this capsule wardrobe one day and encouraged me to try it! We took every piece of clothing out of my closet and, one by one, I tried them on. I got rid of over half of my closet and organized the rest by season. Then came the fun part – Shopping for the items I was missing!
Part of that shopping list included those oh-so-perfect basic tees. I realized that, if I was going to have a smaller closet, I could afford to spend a little extra on some great basics. Now that I see the basic tee as an essential, I LOVE finding a variety of styles & fits. They have become a big part of my wardrobe and are just SO easy to style. If I can wear a top with jeans, a skirt, OR leggings, its a total win in my book!
I am going to start with my new-found favourite tee, but I admit it is the priciest.
This Velvet tee is just so comfy, washes great and wears even better! I don’t have a Velvet store near me but a few of my local boutiques carry them – for those in Halifax, check out Poppy&Olive or Wildflower . I honestly believe that if you spend the extra on a great staple piece, you will have it in your closet for years (I can totally do a quick dollar-per-wear calculation to justify this one!)
Jumping down to the next budget bracket, this TNA tee from Aritzia is a must.
SO soft, it is the perfect slouchy style. I LOVE the way a slouchy tee looks paired with a statement necklace and blazer! And for $35, you are getting a tee that wont stretch or twist.
Nordstrom has the perfect v-neck tee with the “I’ve had it forever” worn in look.
Tuck the front for a more polished look or knot it to make it more casual. The charcoal is my fav! AND it’s under $35!
A couple more budget friendly basic tees are available too from Target and Joe Fresh. For under $20, the Merona crew neck tee is a great fitted style with a bit of spandex for that perfect fit. I found my fav Joe Fresh tee in the sleepwear section (I know, But it’s just SO soft.) A scoop neck, pocket tee for your everyday running around – this tee WON’T be considered pjs!
All this closet talk really makes me realize that I dropped the ball on my initial capsule wardrobe and have been adding more and more pieces. Maybe it’s time that I start from scratch again and get my closet in order. I’ll be sure to share every step of the way with you guys!
xo
Katrina Gwen Rose
