#RomanCapsuleWardrobe

I'm not a fashion blogger (obviously) - or even, really, "fashionable" (obviously again). I like clothes and how they make me feel, though. That a ripped jean matches my sassy-pants mood, or adding a blazer takes me into #GirlBoss maven. I understand the need for a good handbag and proper leather shoes as I approach 30, and am finally settling into an aesthetic that suits me.



I've made a huge fuss to anyone who would listen about packing for my summer away with only hand luggage to my name, because my key skill keys include: accents, being really good at Sundays, and The Capsule Wardrobe. I'm not a hoarder - my belongings fit in six boxes, kept in my parents' garage - and moving around so much means I know what I need, and (more importantly) what I don't. I've been loosely chronicling my #RomanCapsuleWardrobe on Instagram (I FUCKING LOVE INSTAGRAM) but to "tie up" the end of my trip/organise the photos on my phone, I thought I'd compile everything here because even though this is a ~writing blog~ I'm so proud of my put-together ways that GODDAMN I WILL POST ABOUT THAT CUZ I MAKE THE RULES AROUND THESE PARTS. Also, folks have asked about it.



I'm always super nosey about how other people pack because honestly, the most liberating thing for me is only having the essentials. I like to be able to carry my own stuff without huffing, puffing, and getting sweaty, and after checking my bag on my Bali flight and it getting delayed by three days, I'd rather just keep my stuff close, ya dig? It makes airports a breeze, too.

The Roman Capsule Wardrobe

The trick is, for me, to stick to neutral colours so that everything goes with everything. In S.E. Asia I packed six flow-y dresses and my yoga gear. It is hot as balls out there, so since I was either out alone writing, or indeed doing yoga, feeling "assembled" beyond a bit of mascara wasn't a priority. Because of that, though - because I spent six months on the opposite end of the style spectrum to "badass chic" - I was desperate to step back into feeling feminine and classic on Italian (and now Turkish!) soil.



Other things you might like to know: I'm currently about 155 pounds, and five foot four. My body shape is definitely curvy - slim waist, rounded hips and bum. I'd class myself as a 7-out-of-ten on the "prettiness" scale. Like, before you think it first, I'll just go on ahead and say it: I'm a pretty average-looking Sally. BUT I FEEL LIKE BEYONCÉ IN THESE CLOTHES.



Okay. Onwards!

Basic One: The Long White Man's Shirt and/or The Crisp White Woman's Shirt

I've been into oversized men's shirts since last fall when I picked up a couple from a charity shop. This one, from Great Plains, makes me feel sexy as all hell because it's a little bit see-through and I wear it buttoned up, open, sometimes tied up, sometimes tucked in, and the lightness of it makes it a great cover-up at the beach or pool, too. 

This one is from ASOS, and is a lot thicker and so sits more "structured". I like that, because it means I can pop the collar like a real Italian, and it holds its shape for tying up at the waist, too - my waist tends to stay small even when the rest of me has turned into pasta storage, so it's a cute way to reveal a little skin without feeling unduly exposed.

Other stuff I'm wearing: Bag. Sandals (New Look). Shoes. Ripped jeans (Primark). Beige chinos. Cropped, high-waisted cotton pants. Prom skirt (H&M). Checked skirt.

Basic Two: Cream Cami

I picked this up on a whim in Primark for a fiver, but have worn it probably every other day because it matches every.single.bottom I packed. With jeans, it's sexy. With chinos, it's smart, and with skirts it's cute. Best impulse buy I've ever made. I recently acquired a white dinner jacket too, and together they look A+.

Jeans/Chinos/Bag/Sandals as before. Skirt, charity shop, Notting Hill.

Basic Three: Jeans

If I'd been keeping up with my running these would be denim shorts, but slight current "chubb rub" means it's not comfortable to walk around town with bare thighs. If ever there was an incentive to get back to running 10k races, that would be it - not to be "thin", but because it really is liberating not to worry about my flesh slapping together and getting red raw when I want to roam Rome. The heatwave meant it has been just TOO HOT to run, though, and so here I am, looking fierce in full legs over cropped, instead. Sassy is sassy whichever way you do it, if you ask me.

Basic Four: Cream Chinos

To be honest, these are a bit "yawn" and I don't know if I'd wear them in the U.K. because they're very "Italian Mother". But also, they're light in colour and weight, and I *felt* good in them. They were on sale here for about €12, and I'm going to hold onto them because I think they'll make a good "autumnal trouser" with flat tan brogues and an oversized jumper.

So, three white tops and two pairs of trousers are my "core" staples, and everything is else is mostly for fun. BUT. Because all my tops are white or cream everything is mix-and-match, so it means from 15 or so individual pieces I've ended up wearing the same outfit almost never, all summer. Anyway. Some faves:

Tote Bag:

In my tote I pack: laptop and phone, with chargers for both. Purse. Passport. Notebook, pens, diary and reading material. Hard drive. Tissues, make-up bag, pair of knickers, tampons. I ALWAYS keep my tote by my feet on the plane, because if that shit goes missing my life is basically over. 

Suitcase:

To surmise, I pack: nude, white, and black thongs, with a nude, white, and black bra. Jeans, Chinos, new stripe-y trousers, navy blue cotton cropped pants. Three skirts, mid-length. A cream cami, white t-shirt, long white shirt, shorter white shirt, cotton cropped white top. White vest. Two dresses. One pair sandals, one pair shoes. Swimming costume. One work-out outfit. PJ's.

I don't bring a hairdryer but do have straighteners, and I buy toiletries at destination because everywhere sells shampoo. My favourite brand is: "Whatever Is Cheapest". 

I don't wear jewellery because rings and bracelets get in the way of my typing, and earrings make headphones uncomfortable. I do have one ring (it's the face of the founder of Turkey, for reasons still unclear to me) and two thin necklaces, worn seldom. 

I wear make-up most days, because I need my eyebrows filling in and a swipe of lipstick makes me feel womanly. And that's mostly what this is about. How I want to feel. And the stuff in my case? It all makes me feel like my best self. Anything I buy MUST fit into my existing aesthetic, otherwise isn't worth the room it takes up. And that's it! Easy, light, straightforward. If living as a "digital nomad" has taught me anything, it's that when you have less stuff you're not only physically lighter, but metaphorically, too.

Also, to reiterate: I really just wanted to show off.