reflecting on my current wardrobe

capsule catalog 02: all the new pieces i've added this year and a short review on every single item i own

In my previous Capsule Catalog (yes, I changed it from Worndrobe to Capsule — see why in the linked post), I celebrated reaching a total of 33 items of clothing in my wardrobe. It was quite a feat, considering how many pieces I set aside for resell (some sold, some didn’t and are still collecting dust in my closet). With that being said, even though I’ve been trying to keep my head straight with clothing purchases, I still added a few more throughout the fall/winter seasons. This isn’t particulary news to me as I’ve observed, from past years, that my clothing spending tends to peak twice a year — once around April-June and second around November-December.

This post will be more detailed than the first catalog and describe every single piece I already own with a short history, how I feel about it, how many times I wore it this year, and whether I can envision it being on a future decluttering chopping block. It will also go into new pieces I’ve added, why I chose them, and what my initial thoughts are.

*Gifted items are not included in the matrix above. This matrix was inspired by

Jenny Xie

.

Everlane The Luxe Rib Crew Black and Navy: I’ve worn the living heck out of these shirts this year. I wear this to work, when I’m going out with friends, when I’m visiting family. It’s the most versatile, spring/summer/fall piece that is perfectly fitted and has a good amount of stretch to mold to my body in a way that isn’t uncomfortable. I already know I’ve worn this 30+ times.

Maiwa Khira Tank: I was originally going to receive this as a trade on LuckySweater, but upon confirmation, I realized the person I’d be trading with lived in Canada and the shipping was $20. I told the person to cancel the trade, but they said they already shipped this tank and to treat it as a gift. This has been such a fun piece to wear, tucked into wide legged pants. A big plus is that the straps are adjustable!

Organic Basics Flex Corset Top: This was on the side of an impulse purchase, but after seeing everyone don the cutest corset tanks this summer, I wanted to hop on the bandwagon. This was my first time buying from OB, and it was a pretty good experience. The tank itself perfectly hugs me in the right places, and doesn’t ride up my stomach (a problem I have with a lot of cropped tanks).

Organic Basics Luxe Touch Tank Top: Unfortuately, this was a flop. I have to wear nippies underneath, and it rides up (unlike the corset top above).

Nike Long Sleeve: This was gifted to me by Mr. Beans’ mom on our trip to the Rockies, and I’ve worn it multiple times to play pickleball already.

Sézane Léontine Jumper in Ecru/Camel: Earlier this year, I wanted to dip my toes into this brand to see what the hype was all about. It’s popular for good reason! There is bagginess in the arm area to give a relaxed, casual fit, while also cinching at the waist so that it could either be dressed up or down.

babaà cardigan no18: Probably one of the most expensive pieces I currently own in my closet. I traded this with a Christy Dawn dress, and it was well worth it! I won’t lie though — I’m considering selling it, because it is rather chunky and I find that the shoulder area is a bit tight on me. This is the downside of a “one size fits all”.

Pact Airplane Relaxed Blazer: This is a new addition to my wardrobe, and I also a new obsession. It’s so soft, comfortable, and looks professional-adjacent without the need for a structured blazer. Plus, it’s machine washable. I own this in the olive colorway, but I’m tempted to also get it in black and beige…

Sézane Betty Cardigan in Mottled Beige Crochet: This cardigan is beautiful. There’s a reason why it’s praised so highly in the fashion community. However, I think my skin is too sensitive for even merino wool, because it is itchy if it directly comes into contact with my skin (i.e., I wear a t-shirt or tank underneath). Another downside is that this has to be handwashed, and who even has the time for that? I’m planning on selling this (sadly).

Sézane Auguste Jacket in Cream: I don’t particulary gravitate towards this jacket, even though there isn’t anything wrong with it. It’s very grandma-core and one of the most expensive items in my wardrobe. Similarly to the Betty Cardigan, this garment requires hand-washing.

Not Perfect Linen Pugila Pants in Taupe, Beige, and Dark-Grey-Blue: These are the best pants I own. I purchased a pair in Taupe in January 2024, and recently put in two more orders of these pants in Beige and Dark-Grey-Blue. If I owned a collection of Puglias, I wouldn’t ever need to own another pair of pants in my life, ever again. They’re so delightfully comfortable, high waisted, and when I put my phone/wallet inside the (very) deep pockets, I don’t feel like my pants are sliding down. It’s not the best pant for when I’m on my period due to cramps, but outside of that, they’re absolutely perfect.

Everlane Dream Pant in Tiger’s Eye: This is way too warm for summertime. It also feels a bit too structured and cold when I first put them on? I can’t explain it, but I’m not a fan of the fabric or the fit. Therefore, I will be selling these.

The Handloom Beachy Dress: This was a trade from LuckySweater, and I wore the absolute heck out of it throughout the summer. It is the best summer dress, though slightly too large on me, there is a drawstring that cinches my waist so that it looks baggy in an effortless, purposeful way, you know? This was a successful trade because I’ve been getting so much more use out of this than the dress I previously owned. The only issue I have with it is the neckline — because the dress is a big big, the v-neck can dip a bit too low for my comfort.

Popflex Ooey Gooey Half Zip Sweater: I own the Mockneck in the Ooey Gooey fabric, and have to say that this Half-Zip cut looks so much better on me. I loved this sweater upon first impression, and know I’ll be wearing it throughout the winter-time. However, because this is an extremely new addition, I can’t make any sound judgment until an entire year of owning this garment has passed.

Custom Dog Crewneck: Mr. Beans gifted this to me as an early Christmas present, and I am obsessed with it. It has a custom embroidered image of my dog (the most adorable Shih-Tzu by the way) on the front with his birth year and some other custom markings of his nickname on the sleeve.

This section breaks down all 40 items in my wardrobe.

TOPS (n=10, 25%)

1. Vaughan Hepburn Silk Shirt (2017): A little fun fact about this piece — I was an “influencer” back in my day (‘15-’17), and received this piece for free. I actually decluttered it at one point, and am so grateful my mom fished it out the pile to keep. I love wearing this shirt underneath my Léontine.

2. Uniqlo Heattech Turtleneck in Black (2021): Purchased when I moved to Boston for my second year of grad school. Incredibly useful piece that has gotten a ton of use. I love wearing this under sweaters or jackets as an added layer of insulation.

3. Uniqlo Heattech Turtleneck in White (2021): This isn’t as versatile as the black version, because a body molding white long-sleeve isn’t the best look on me. Regardless, this is still functional as an undershirt.

4. The Harvard Shop T-Shirt (2021): Got this as a little congratulatory gift for getting into my dream grad school. I cropped this, and now constantly wear it throughout the summer. I’m not one for logos on clothing items, but this is an exception.

5. Everlane Supima Micro-Rib Crew in Black (2024): See above.

6. Everlane Supima Micro-Rib Crew in Navy (2024): See above.

7. Maiwa Khira Tank (2024): See above.

8. Organic Basics Flex Corset (2024): See above.

9. Organic Basics Luxe Touch Tank Top (2024): See above.

10. Nike Workout Long-Sleeve (2024): See above.

OUTERWEAR (n=8, 20%)

1. Free People Cardigan (2017): This is one of the oldest pieces in my wardrobe and surprisingly, the most versatile and frequently worn. I really thought I was going to donate this after 3-4 years, but it is still going strong. This is billowy and very oversized, and looks best over a base summer outfit (tank/tee + shorts).

2. AmeriCorps Organization Windbreaker (2019): My boss gave me his windbreaker after I kept telling him how much I liked this jacket — he was like a big brother to me (around 5 years older than me), and after borrowing this jacket over and over again, he ended up letting me have it.

3. Aritzia Cloud Puff (2021): Gifted by Mr. Beans when i was in Boston. I never owned a puffer until then, and was influenced by Sarah Cheung to purchase this.

4. Uniqlo Full-Zip Hoodie (2021): I rarely wear this out because it’s relatively well-fitted and we all know I love a baggy fit! Also, it gets unbearably warm. This is a matching set with the joggers I mentioned above.

5. Mr. Beans’ Old Work Jacket (2021): I kept this at work throughout the year because despite how hot the summer got this year, the office would be freezing cold. It’s on the smaller side, so it doesn’t fit my shoulders as loosely as I’d like it to.

6. Patagonia Puffer (2023): While this piece is functional, I probably wore this out a maximum of three times. I’m keeping it in my closet to assess if it’s because 1) SoCal never gets that cold for me to actually wear this out, or 2) I don’t like the way it looks on me.

7. Sezane Betty Cardigan (2024): See above.

8. Sezane Auguste Jacket (2024): See above.

SWEATERS (n=10, 25%)

1. Harvard Pro-Weave Crewneck (2021): I don’t wear this piece as much as the sweatshirt because it’s quite long. If I ever plan on decluttering it from my closet, I’d give it to my parents.

2. Harvard x Patagonia Quarter Zip (2022): A gift from Mr. Beans during my grad program. Great layering piece, but have slowly realized that this piece doesn’t make me look the greatest as I don’t have the hiker build.

3. Popflex Mockneck (2022): This was a gift from Mr. Beans last year, and it’s so cozy! This is in Popflex’s “ooey gooey” fabric, which so soft and squishy. I’ve been meaning to wear this more often!

4. Harvard Champion Sweatshirt (2022): This is the classic thing of “Did you even go to [X] school if you didn’t leave with a Champion hoodie with the school name branded on it?” I purchased this as a celebratory gift for muself at the Harvard Coop, and love how oversized and baggy it is.

5. Champion Reverse Weave Hoodie (2023): Mr. Beans and I ordered this same hoodie to match, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to get much use out of it. I prefer a baggy fit, and this hoodie is on the more fitted side.

6. babaà cardigan no18 (2024): See above.

7. Pact Airplane Blazer (2024): See above.

8. Popflex Ooey Gooey Half-Zip (2024): See above.

9. Custom Dog Crewneck (2024): See above.

10. Sézane Léontine Jumper (2024): See above.

LONG PANTS (n=6, 15%)

1. Lululemon Wunder Trains (2020): I had an extended fashion period where I only wore leggings — I believe from 2015-2022. Fast forward to today, after getting recurrent UTIs and yeast infections, I’ve learned that leggings are my worst enemy since it makes the itching so much worse. I’m considering selling this, but am hesitant to do so because this is my only pair.

2. Uniqlo Joggers (2021): This was great for Boston weather (honestly, almost a little too warm at times). In California? Absolutely not. I haven’t touched these pants since I moved back to SoCal, in ‘22.

3. Not Perfect Linen Puglia in Taupe (2024): See above.

4. Not Perfect Linen Puglia in Beige (2024): See above.

5. Not Perfect Linen Puglia in Dark-Grey-Blue (2024): See above.

DRESSES (n=3, 7.5%)

1. Christy Dawn Margaux Dress (2023): I had a Christy Dawn phase last summer and grew out of it. This dress is cute, but not versatile. I’ve grown to dislike short dresses and prefer ones that are midi/maxi length. This dress hits right above my knees and I feel so exposed in them!

2. Christy Dawn Nicks Dress (2023): This is a beautiful dress, but not a versatile one. I can see this being dressed up or down; however, the neckline is a tad bit too low for my comfort, and I’m constantly nervous whenever I wear this because it’s pure white and I always end up leaving a stain on it.

3. The Handloom Beachy Dress (2024): See above.

SHORTS (n=3, 7.5%)

1. Lululemon Inner Glow Short (2020): I purchased this at the height of COVID-19 and my running era. I stopped running, but I still love these shorts.

2. Lululemon Run Off Route Short (2020): Same commentary as the shorts above.

3. Harvard Track Shorts (2022): Purchased this after graduating. It’s quite high waisted, but unfortunately, is a tad bit see-through, especially if I’m sporting underwear with polka dots on it.

Ensuring my wardrobe doesn’t get out of hand is important, and I’ve learned that I make the best money-related decisions when I’m sticking to a challenge. Therefore, I will be embarking on the Rule of 5, a challenge where you can only buy five items of clothing in a given year.

Tiffanie Darke

goes into depth about this challenge and has a ton of wonderful resources, so I will be reading her posts over and over again for guidance and inspiration.

This Rule of 5 challenge is going to be separate from but adjacent to the Low Buy Challenge (which I will be posting about soon).

In addition, as someone who hates reselling items online — the whole process of taking a clear picture of the garment, uploading it online, and waiting for it to sell, is complete torture. That is one of the reasons I try to minimize my wardrobe — the number of clothes I have to resell are much smaller than if I were to own a bigger one.

As for the clothing pieces themselves, here are some guidelines and wishlist items that I have in mind.

Guidelines

• If something isn’t multifunctional (e.g., difficult for me to wear year round in relatively stable Southern California weather), then I’m less likely to reach for it overall. It tends to be more warm than cool here, so owning more summer clothes is better for my cost-per-wear than winter clothes.

• Despite wanting to only own a natural fibers wardrobe, I’ve learned that animal fibers, such as wool, irritate my skin — even merino wool, which is known to be the softest type of wool out there. The Sézane Betty is a great example of an item that is wonderful for winter but terrible for the transitoning seasons (spring/fall), since I’m only able to wear it with a long-sleeved shirt underneath. If my skin comes into contact with the sweater’s fabric (100% merino wool), I itch immediately.

• Stop buying clothes with hand-wash care instructions. The cardigans I own (Sézane and babaà) require hand-washing only, and I’ve been too lazy to do so. I know! It’s very bad, and it stresses me out! I’ve learned that hand-washing is considered high maintenance for me, and I’d rather purchase clothes that can be machine washed (at least on the gentle/delicate cycle).

• Lean into the olive green/brown/navy blue/beige toned garments. All the red/orange/yellow toned pieces have already been making its way to the resell pile.

• Get creative with the pieces I haven’t worn in a while. In addition, do better at recording my outfits on Notion so I can track the last time I’ve worn an item. I did this for around two months straight until I got lazy. Be realistic with pieces I actually like versus pieces I’m keeping for sentimental value. Intentionally phase out items that I dislike wearing, either through my no buy page or asking if my mom wants them.

Wishlist

• Billowy short-sleeved midi dress, similar to Eli and Barry’s Dress 3 (but cheaper, because that one is $318)

• Court skort, though this one might not be very functional as it would only be used during the summertime. I’ve had my eye on the Popflex Twirl Skort for a while.

• Versatile “date night” dress that could be dressed up or down. Preferably one that I could also wear as a wedding guest.

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Thank you so much for tuning in! See you in the next newsletter!

—Beans