While browsing through pinterest one of the types of pins that I keep seeing on my dashboard is the minimalist capsule wardrobe. First off, a minimalist is someone who works to live a simpler and decluttered life, and second, a capsule wardrobe is a wardrobe that is comprised of less than 50 items that are basic and are able to be matched together easily. Daily I struggle to really find things that go together and something that I feel comfortable in because I don’t choose wisely when I’m out shopping, I just buy without thinking. Now I have a closet that is filled with  random pieces and I have so much really cheap, poorly made jewelry that I don’t even wear.  So I’m doing something about this and starting my capsule wardrobe; my first step is tackling my jewelry.
When I got my first office job I started buying any statement necklaces that were on clearance in J.Crew, NY&Co, and Loft, they were beautiful but often would lose their shine and beauty after a handful of wears. They were also very seasonal so they couldn’t really carry me from winter to spring easily, which made me purchase more jewelry. Now my dresser is covered in necklaces that are broken, tangled and I simply don’t wear. I don’t wear them either because they’re “out of style”, broken, or just don’t seem to match anything. Not to mention that they were also bought from not so ethical of places. So to start my minimalist capsule wardrobe, I decided to begin with my jewelry.
I went through each and every piece that I owned and put them into different piles: Trash (broken beyond fixing), Donation (what I can part with), Occasion (special occasion pieces that I know I’ll wear for holidays or weddings), and finally Everyday (pieces that I do wear often). There were quite a few pieces that I didn’t want to part with but I haven’t worn them in ages so I did put them into the donation pile. I only want to keep what can match my clothes, is simple enough that it can transition through seasons and is made of good quality. Now that a majority of my jewelry has been sorted and mostly donated I had room to get a few pieces.
These two necklaces I got this summer and I have been wearing them nonstop. They have matched just about everything I own and can easily be worn into fall, winter and spring. The gold chevron necklace above was given to me by Mata Traders. All of their products are handmade by artisans in many different countries and are fair trade. Mata Traders has become one of my favorite go to shops for ethically made jewelry because of the quality and how versatile they are, not to mention really affordable!
The Gold Chevron necklace works perfect with all of my sundresses and almost all of my shirts. I can’t wait to wear it in the fall with all my loose fitting sweaters and my different layering jackets, especially because of how long it is. Chevron has been a really popular pattern and “shape” this year and it’s something that is classic, so I don’t expect it to go away completely for a long time. Which means that I’ll be able to wear it for coming seasons and years. Something that I was really worried about was it catching on my long hair at the back of my neck, but so far it has not been a problem at all! Always a plus! One last thing that I want to mention, because the necklace is handmade, it has a beautiful texture to it. Often when you purchase necklaces like this, they’re very smooth and it really cheapens the look(personally), with the textures and how they catch the light, it’s just really lovely and adds dimension to it. The necklace is very affordable and it also comes in a silver color.
The off white beaded necklace, actually came from my local zoo! It’s fair trade from Kenya and also was very affordable. I love this necklace because it’s something much bigger than the gold chevron necklace and it also adds a really nice touch to just about any outfit that I want to dress up a little more. Mata Traders actually has quite a few beaded necklaces similar to this one and cheaper! As I was looking at them, the quality looks fantastic but one difference I did notice is that it looks like the necklaces that Mata Traders have to offer are made with many more bead strands for a more fuller look. If you’re looking for a necklace like this I would suggest this cream one or this neutral gold one. There are plenty of other colors like red or turquoise but if you’re looking for something that can go with anything I suggest either the cream or gold. Head over to the Mata Traders website and let me know a few of your favorite finds!
