Hello again, friends,

If you have read any of my past posts you have probably noticed in the photos that I love hats. Like, I have a thing for hats. All hats. I love hats. Yeah...

I wear them fairly frequently and find they add so much to any outfit. And they are appropriate for any season. They make curating a wardrobe for the whole year very easy, adding fresh dimension to  any outfit. So they are pretty much the best accessory. Ever, IMO.

Anywho, over the last few months I've been on the hunt for an affordable camel colored, wide brimmed hat, preferably one without a band to keep it versatile. But I was not aiming to pay over $100 for a hat. I might like hats but I am way too frugal to invest that much into an accessory. So I was thrilled when I came across this one from Pink Lily. It was less than $35 and I got 20% off for my first order. Win/Win.

Anyway, I wanted to make sure I was able to really show off the ability for one hat to work for all seasons without looking out of place. And even to show a more elevated option as well as a casual one. You don't have to use this particular hat, of course. You could pick another color, or another style.

When it comes to choosing a hat appropriate for a year round wardrobe, I personally don't think a straw hat looks proper in winter time, but spring and summer they're great. So for that reason, I find myself investing in wool or polyester hats that don't look silly in cool weather, and also are acceptable to wear with denim cut-offs in 90 degree temps. You see my thought process? I have three neutral colored wide brimmed hats, along with a couple other spring hats, and two floppy hats for fall and winter. But my investment pieces can be worn year round. 

Maybe you're the type that feels like hats don't look right on you. I know some people feel that way. But when you find a hat that fits well (I always try to look for adjustable hats) both in size and style, you may be surprised at how flattering they actually are. If they don't fit great sitting directly on your head, I like to tilt mine back just a little and have it sit with the brim pointed up more. It depends on the look I'm going for. It doesn't work great in the wind, but if you don't wear it during a storm, or on the plains of Wyoming, you'll be fine. 

So if you haven't tried hats for your wardrobe yet, I would encourage you to at least experiment with them. Try different styles, bring someone along who will be honest about how they look. Don't be afraid to stretch outside of your comfort zone and try something that you wouldn't necessarily attempt without prodding. If you are only going to own one hat, make it work during all seasons. 

Happy Styling,
Shell

Hey y'all,

​I mentioned in an earlier post that I would take some time to talk about the differences between a capsule wardrobes and a year-round wardrobe. Capsule Wardrobes have always been a thing, but they have gained a lot of traction over the last few years, becoming extremely appealing to people who are embracing a more minimalist lifestyle.  There are challenges like the 10x10 or the 30x30, where you take 10 items and create 10 outfits. Or 30 items and create 30 outfits. Then you have the French style, which is a very classic and timeless small wardrobe. There is also the seasonal capsule wardrobes where you take a certain amount of tops, pants, shoes, and outerwear for each season.

I love the idea of minimalist dressing, only wearing the things you absolutely love. But I don't like feeling confined by rules or being a bit constricted by what patterns are acceptable by minimalists. Maintaining a lot of neutrals and feeling like you can't get too expressive isn't for me. Now, don't misunderstand. There are definitely capsule wardrobes that can be quite expressive, creative and colorful if that's your thing. But I don't like being held to rules about what I should or shouldn't do to curate a capsule wardrobe. I do love the ideas of challenges though, so maybe we'll do a few of our own here, but for now, let me move on to the explanation of the Year-Round Wardrobe.  

So what makes the Year-Round Wardrobe different from the Capsule? Honestly, there are simply fewer rules and limits. To achieve the max amount of creativity and outfits, you don't want to keep items that you don't love or wouldn't want to re-wear. But you can have as many items as you want. You don't have to stick to any particular color palette or limit your patterns. You can have all you love, you just need to feel like you can wear them as often as you want without growing tired of them. If getting the max wear of your favorite outfits means you need to get rid of some of your lesser-loved items, do it. If you love variety and do not feel like you are overwhelmed with choices then maybe it's time to simply mix it up and try out a few NEW ways to wear a piece that you love. 

Personally, I wouldn't encourage a giant wardrobe if you become overwhelmed easily when you look at all of it while trying to decide what to wear. But most certainly keep the things that you find yourself loving and wearing often. If there are pieces you love but don't know how you could wear them more than a season or two because of color, pattern, or fabric, keep them for a while and experiment layering with a jacket, leggings, rolling up the sleeves, etc. 

Anyway, once you know what you want to wear year-round, it's time to experiment with layering, mixing patterns (I'll do a post on that another time), accessorizing, and so forth. Some outerwear and accessories I find very helpful in creating a year-round wardrobe are; a leather jacket, a denim jacket, a neutral belt, a versatile purse, a pair of neutral flats (I prefer tan or camel color, but my current go-to is black), neutral boots, a silk scarf or two if that's your thing, a pair of sandals, some sort of vest or blazer depending on preference, a couple hats (i.e.,  a neutral wide brim hat, a straw hat, a baseball cap, a fedora), and your jewelry of choice. Of course these aren't must-haves. But I  found these helpful in creating my own outfits. ​

In my closet I have a limited amount of purses, but an exorbitant amount of shoes. I also have quite a few belts and scarves that I've thrifted over the years. I probably do not need near as many items as I have, but it's helpful in creating some very fun outfits. So if you have a particular item that you keep a lot of like shoes, scarves, purses or jackets/vests/blazers, when creating outfits, I would focus on trying to find at least several ways to utilize those particular items. 

I also find it helpful to have some versatile patterned pieces, like the leopard print skirt above. I can wear that particular skirt in all seasons, with almost any top. That one specific piece can lead to the creation of many outfits, year round. You never have to feel restricted from expressing the fact that you enjoy certain bold patterns and styles when you style them right.

In the video below I take the cropped sweater and demonstrate how to turn a chambray summer romper into a unique summer look, along with sharing some other seasonal ideas. By utilizing two simple pieces, and a belt, you can make some lovely eye-catching outfits. 

Hopefully this post has given you some inspiration if you are looking for a new way to create a year-round wardrobe, utilizing all your favorite pieces in your closet. ​

HI!

​The fires here in Cali are still burning wildly and it's honestly, so sad to see. Even though we are currently in a safe zone, there is plenty of brush nearby that could potentially turn into a massive wildfire, if we are not careful. These sorts of circumstances always put things into perspective for me. It's a sobering reminder that the things in this world are so temporary. Our homes, our money, our clothes, even our lives are so temporary and can be taken from us in just a moment. 

That is why it is so vital to focus on the things of eternity, gathering treasure in heaven and not in this world where simple instability can steal away our livelihoods. It is a reminder to invest in the things that matter the most. 

Acknowledging the temporary is actually what sparked this section of Gold&Charm. God has placed a creative bent in my mind when it comes to clothes, but there was a season where I had too many pieces of clothing where it felt like I couldn't actually get creative because there was no need. Often times when simplicity is lacking, so is creativity. Simplicity sparks the creative side because you are prompted to have to create to avoid boredom. Excess might not be boring but it can be stressful. Stress is simply another inhibitor to creativity. You get the point. 

So when choosing items to create outfits appropriate for each season, I like picking the unexpected. Things like a long sleeved (light weight of course) tops for summer with the sleeves rolled up.  Or an above-the-knee skirt with tall boots in the winter. There are ways to wear all of them, you just have think outside the box. 

Making sure you have versatile accessories really helps to create versatile outfits. As I've mentioned before in other posts having a good leather jacket for the cooler months and a great neutral belt to give interest no matter the season, makes creating new outfits incredibly easy. Sometimes just wearing a pair of block heels and a necklace elevates a very casual outfit.

When I buy something I always try to imagine styling it at least three different ways. If I can only style it one or two ways, I won't get as much use out of it, as I would prefer. I don't like repeating outfits too often, although I do not mind reusing pieces. This is why I prefer a year-round wardrobe instead of the standard capsule wardrobe. I'll go into more detail regarding the differences in a future post. 

If you feel like you're struggling to get creative in your closet, I would encourage you to take some time this week, pick your favorite item in your closet, and find a way to accessorize it to work for you in all four seasons.

The video below has just a few quick tricks to keep your outfits elevated, and your favorite pieces versatile. Let me know in the comments if there is something you'd like to see specifically in an upcoming video or post. I love hearing from you. Whether here or on social media. 

And, while were at it, if you enjoy my styling videos, would you take a moment and subscribe to my YouTube channel?

Seriously, thank you so much for taking a moment to spend here with me on G&C. You are the reason I do this, and even if I don't know you personally, I am grateful for our interaction. I write all of this with you in mind. So, until next time...

Happy Styling,
Shell

It is very important to pick seasonally-appropriate fabrics to accompany whatever the focal point may be. In my case, it is a skirt. Picking the right fabric is a very important detail. And it's vital when creating a wardrobe that works year-round. Cotton, silk, viscose, and polyester blends are great go-to's for all seasons. Leather, linen, and tweed are usually more associated with specific times of year based on their ability to warm or cool. Leather can be versatile, but I personally tend to wear it more in the cooler months, while sticking to breathable materials in warmer temperatures.

Mixing fabrics and textures also adds great dimension to a look. Metals, a leather jacket, a woven belt, canvas bag, a graphic tee, straw hats, a wool hat, black tights or leggings, vegan leather over the knee boots, are my go-to's and I've found all of them to make great additions to any outfit depending on the season. Of course, depending on your own personal style you have to choose what accessories you would wear the most. And once you have them, you can use them to make one piece of clothing become completely seasonally appropriate. 

Has this helped just a bit, to get that creative ball rolling? In this video, I show a few quick trick to creating the looks above using just a belt or a clear hair tie.  

Be sure to let me know if this has given you some new ideas for extending your wardrobe into multiple seasons. I love hearing from you! 
​

Happy Styling,
Shell