THE NORTHWEST WARDROBE AND MY SUMMER CAPSULE

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You might recall from my last wardrobe update post here that I didn't post about a spring capsule. The weather in the northwest is typically the same from fall/winter/spring enough that I was wearing pretty much the same things in the spring as I was in the fall and winter (read: jeans and a thin sweater, see those capsules here and here) just without the extra vest or coat that I would need in the cooler months. I knew I had to have a different capsule wardrobe game plan than my friends who live in climates with more distinct seasons.

Enter: The Northwest Wardrobe.

To play to the consistent weather year round here, I decided to have two wardrobes: summer, and non-summer. My non-summer wardrobe I will be wearing for most of the year, and it will consist of mostly jeans and long sleeve tops. It will be greater than 30 pieces, but I won't pick a number and that detail of it isn't important to me, just that I love everything I own. 

My summer wardrobe will have everything I look forward to wearing all year: ripped denim shorts, striped skirts, easy dresses, loose tank tops. I live for this season and all that is has to offer, and I really love the outfits I get to wear this time of year. Partly because it's different from what I wear most of the year, partly because I live for outdoor summer parties and these outfits signal the start of those, and partly because I grew up in California and this kind of wardrobe feels comfortable to me. 

I'm continuing to get rid of tons of items (tons being an understatement). I've said this before, but I really am (or used to be) an excessive-clothes person. I had way too many clothes, many that I just liked and didn't really love, and I wore probably 10% of what I owned. Now that I've sold or given away most of them, I've found more freedom and creativity in working with less, and I know I would wear anything hanging in my closet currently, which is a huge statement that I couldn't have said before. I'm continuing to think about simplify as my word of 2015, and my wardrobe is just one area of my life that has benefited tremendously by this clean-out.

MY NORTHWEST SUMMER CAPSULE:

From L to R: white Banana Republic tank, silk Nordstrom Rack tank, peplum H&M tank, striped Nordstrom Rack tank, black silk Nordstrom Rack tank, white silk Forever 21 loose tee with side ruffle, bottom row is all Forever 21 $3 tees, love the stretchy fit and can't beat the price.

L to R: Forever 21 chambray, forever 21 denim jacket in medium and light, striped skirts are H&M and Forever 21, American Eagle denim shorts, J.Crew outlet black and white shorts.

L to R: Forever 21 striped dress (new fave) H&M denim vest, Target sandals and my beloved Tory Burch flats.

A few items not pictured include: black Zella leggings, black Forever 21 joggers, black loose shorts that I can dress up or down, and a handful of jeans from my primary fall/winter/spring capsule, and a good selection of dresses, mostly fancy but some casual.

Also to note: I am a neutrals girl through and through, and wear almost exclusively white, black, gray and denim. This works for me but may not work for someone else who lives for color. I found that I was consistently grabbing a black or white top from everything I owned, and so now I stick to those.

I get so much wear out of all of these items and this is easily my favorite wardrobe to date. Thrilled to be welcoming this season; there is so much to look forward to for the next few months. Hello summer!

BEAUTY FAVORITES

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I added this link to the sidebar during The Great Blog Revamp last weekend and wanted to share it here too. This is a list of my must-haves and go-to beauty items. Below are links (affiliate) and more info. 

1. JULEP NAIL POLISH - I love that there's no harsh chemicals. Best "natural" nail polish, great shades to choose from, and local to Seattle. See the colors I wear under #alliewearsjulep on Instagram.  

2. SMASHBOX PRIMER - Great for making foundation last longer, and the green tin counteracts redness without actually appearing green on skin. 

3. ILLUMINARE FOUNDATION - I love this mineral foundation and have been wearing it since high school. Best full-coverage, last all day, mineral makeup on the market. The color I wear is Florentine Fair. It comes in a few formulas, I love both the matte and the extra coverage concealer. 

4. CHI FLAT IRON - Best flat iron. Gets super hot super fast. 

5. CONAIR HAIR DRYER - I'm a die hard fan of Conair dryers. They're inexpensive, they last forever, they speed up drying time, and the negative ions help reduce frizz.

6. BOBBI BROWN BLUSH IN PALE PINK - I love a bright blush, and this one does the trick. I wear it everyday year round for a healthy glow.

7. KENRA 25 VOLUME HAIRSPRAY - Best hairspray, with long lasting hold while not being overly stiff. Winner of many awards in the beauty business. 

8. OSIS TEXTURE POWDER - Just discovered this product and love that it adds texture and volume at the roots, and extends my blowout. A little goes a long way.