How To Minimize Your Belongings Using the KonMari Method!

I am very new to the concept of a capsule wardrobe, but am absolutely loving the experience of living with one over the last thirteen days.  Just in case this is your first time hearing of it, let me explain.  The idea is to reduce your wardrobe to a small, well thought out collection of pieces that can be mixed and matched to create many outfits.  I first learned of this idea from the Un-Fancy blog, so I am loosely following her instructions in my capsule attempt.  (By the way, If you've never been to Caroline's blog, Un-Fancy, go now. I'll wait.) 

Back?  Great!  Let's continue...

Before choosing any items for my capsule wardrobe I wanted to go through all of my clothing and discard about 50%, minimum.  I was inspired by reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.  

If you haven't read this yet, you should.  It's allowed me to finally get rid of things I've been carting around for years.  If you're interested, read my review of the book here!

Using the method described in Kondo's book, I met my goal and allocated approximately 50% of my belongings to be donated, sold, or thrown out.  With a newly halved closet, it was time to try my hand at capsuling (probably not a word, but I'm using it anyway.)  I tried to look at my remaining clothing objectively, as if I were looking at items in a store and not my clothes with their multitudes of associations and sentimental connections.  I wanted to create a minimal wardrobe of clothing that was comfortable, fashionable, versatile, and suited my body.  Interested in the result?  Go check out my Fall Capsule Wardrobe! 

But how exactly did I minimize my clothing 50%?  And what about all of the other crap that always seems to gather in my house?

Here is a recap of the KonMari method summary I wrote for my post: Living With Less: A Review of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up & How To Declutter the KonMari Way! in a super pretty and pin-able graphic! (You're welcome.)

Just like Marie suggested, I began with clothing and continued from there.  I came across this book at the perfect time, just before I moved into a new house and got all of my things out of a storage container!  As I unpacked I sorted into categories, and then I went through one category at a time.  It was glorious: I sorted and discarded before I ever put one item away in my new home!  I realize that not all of you will be lucky enough to have a move coincide with your desire to declutter, and that you may even see that as undesirable (since you need to transport all of the items you'll just be discarding when you get to your destination), so I suggest choosing the room with the most open floor area and making that your sorting room for the next couple of days.  Let your family know what you're doing, and assure them the mess won't last long!

Putting Your Belongings Away

Once you've discarded, how do you organize?  Marie has a whole host of awesome tips and tricks in her book, but the following are my favourites!

And there you have it, the simple ways you can minimize and organize your belongings for good.  Are you going to pick up Marie's book and give it a read? It just might change your life!

Until next time,

ave you used the KonMari method?  Tell me about it in the comments!

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Fall Capsule Wardrobe

It's finally here!  This is literally the most excited I have been for October in my entire life.  Like I mentioned in my How To Build A Capsule Wardrobe post (which you should read, by the way), I have been looking forward to creating a capsule wardrobe for about 6 months.  The process of dreaming, curating, and photographing my new, minimal, fall wardrobe has been so much fun.  I can't wait to show you which pieces I decided on!

By the way, if you want to see the outfits I put together using my capsule items be sure to follow me on Instagram (@elizabethturn).  I will be posting my outfits everyday so that you can see a real life example of how a capsule wardrobe actually works in day to day life.

Ok.  Enough rambling.  Without further ado, my Fall Capsule Wardrobe! 

As you can see, I'm a big fan of the black and white look.  (You'd know this already if you followed me on instagram!)  I'm not big on colour or pattern, and that's why my wardrobe has very little of both.  I am partial to plaid, however, and decided to include a plaid shirt for a bit of traditional fall flavour (and for those casual days at the pumpkin patch!)  The great thing about a wardrobe mostly made up of black and white is that everything goes with everything else so easily, giving me endless combination possibilities over the next 3 months!

I'm sure you're wondering about a couple of the pieces and where I bought them, so I'll share all of that information for you.  But first, a little disclaimer.  As I am an ethical vegan, I do not endorse purchasing any items made from or by animals.  A couple of these pieces I purchased before my transition to veganism, and are therefore not in line with my current beliefs.  If you are interested in my take on wearing products made from or by animals as a vegan, and why I continue to wear some of my old pieces, check out the post HERE.  For full transparency I will list the store where I purchased each item, but I will not link to items containing animal products.  Rather, I will link to a similar item made with vegan materials.  I hope you understand why I am choosing to do this and appreciate the time I've put into this post for you!  Some of the items were given to me or I purchased long enough ago that they are no longer available.  In those cases I will link to something similar, or the same item in a different colour!

TOPS (18)

1. white cami - aritzia
2. white tank - similar
3. white deep v blouse - similar
4. white button down - anthropologie
5. white collarless blouse - similar
6. grey cropped tank - brandy melville
7. grey hooded cardigan - similar
8. grey & black baseball tee - aritzia
9. black & grey reversible cami - similar
10. black sleeveless swing blouse - zara
11. black sleeveless v neck blouse - aritzia
12. black t-shirt - aritzia
13. black deep v blouse - similar
14. black long sleeve top - aritzia
15. black cardigan - similar
16. black pullover sweater - similar
17. chambray shirt - similar
18. red plaid shirt - gap

BOTTOMS (9)

1. black skinny jeans - american eagle
2. black trousers - zara
3. black zippered leggings - zara 
4. black vegan leather pants - similar
5. black track pants - gap 
6. black maxi skirt - brandy melville
7. dark green jeans - similar
8. blue ripped jeans - similar
9. blue jeans - anthropologie

DRESSES (2)

1. grey sweater dress - aritzia
2. grey skater dress - similar

OUTERWEAR (4)

1. black blazer - similar
2. black vegan leather moto jacket - similar
3. black coat - aritzia - similar - similar - similar
4. olive military jacket - aritzia

SHOES (7)

1. black riding boots - similar
2. vegan doc martens - doc martens
3. short black cowboy boots - town shoes - similar
4. brown lace-up boots - similar
5. black oxfords - aldo
6. black converse - similar
7. black flats - lulu's

And there you have it, my first ever capsule wardrobe!  I am so excited to work within this framework to build all of my outfits until the end of 2015.  As you can see, the capsule doesn't include accessories, special occasion wear, or workout wear.  I will be committing to no new purchases until the end of December, when I will be planning my winter capsule.  Check out my Style and Capsule Pinterest boards to see what I'm loving for winter!

I hope you've enjoyed getting a look into my closet and that you'll consider giving a capsule wardrobe a try!  If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know in the comments.  I love hearing from you and want to foster a fun and interactive community here on Plant Based Bride :)

Until next time, 

Don't forget to follow me on instagram to see my outfits and sign up for the Plant Based Bride newsletter for weekly updates about the blog (form at the bottom of this page)!

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Non Vegan Ingredients to Avoid

Whether you're a new vegan or a vegan veteran, keeping track of no-no ingredients can be incredibly difficult.  Friends and family, from longer term vegans all the way to new vegetarians, have been lamenting hidden animal ingredients popping up all over the place in the foods they used to enjoy with a clean conscience.  That's why I'm creating this handy guide!  Pin or bookmark it so that you can come back and use it as a reference while shopping, making your life that much easier.  These ingredients may be found in food, personal care products, clothing, household products, and more.  Remember:  no one is perfect and it's impossible to successfully avoid all of these ingredients 100% of the time.  Don't beat yourself up or get too caught up in the purity of it all and just do your best!

A

• Adrenaline - derived from the adrenal glands of pigs, cows, or sheep.
• Albumen/Albumin - derived from eggs.
• Allantoin (also Alcloxa and Aldioxa) - derived from cow urine.
• Alligator Skin 
• Alpha-Hydroxy Acids - may be lactic acid, which can be animal derived.
• Ambergris - derived from whale intestines.
• Amino Acids (alanine,  - may be animal derived.
• Angora - hair from rabbits or goats.
• Animals Fats and Oils
• Animal Hair
• Arachidonic Acid - derived from the liver, brain, glands, and fat of animals.
• Arachidyl Proprionate - may be derived from animal fat.

B

• Bee Pollen
• Bee Products
• Beeswax
• Beta Carotene - may be derived from animal sources.
• Biotin, Vitamin H, and Vitamin B Factor - found in every living cell, often derived from milk or yeast.
• Blood
• Boar Bristles - boar hair.
• Bone Char - animal bone ash.
• Bone Meal - crushed or ground animal bones.
• Butter, Artificial Butter, Artificial Butter Flavour, Butter Extract, Butter Fat, Butter Flavoured Oil, Butter Solids, Dairy Butter, Natural Butter, Natural Butter Flavour, Whipped Butter
• Buttermilk, Buttermilk Blend, Buttermilk Solids

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Related Post: 25 Surprising Non-Vegan Foods

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C

• Calfskin
• Caprylamine Oxide, Capryl Betaine, Caprylic Triglyceride and Caprylic Acid - derived from cow's or goat's milk.
• Carmine, Carminic Acid, and Cochineal - derived from crushed female cochineal insects.
• Carotene and Provitamin A - may be derived from animal sources.
• Casein, Caseinate, and Sodium Caseinate - milk protein.
• Cashmere - wool of the Kashmir goat.
• Castor and Castoreum - may be derived from muskrat and beaver genitals. (Synthetics widely used.)
• Catgut - derived from the intestines of sheep, horses, and other animals.
• Cera Flava - derived from bees.
• Cerebrosides - may be derived from the brains of animals.
• Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate - may be derived from sperm whales and dolphins. (Synthetics widely used.)
• Cheese, Cheese Flavour (artificial and natural), Imitation Cheese
• Chitosan - derived from the shells of crustaceans.
• Cholesterol - derived from animal fat, nerve tissue, animal nerve tissue, egg yolks, and blood.
• Civet - derived from a gland near the genitals of civet cats.
• Collagen - usually derived from animal tissue.
• Colours and Dyes - may be of animal origin.
• Confectioner's Glaze - contains approximately 35% shellac (see below).
• Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, and Corticosteroid - may be derived from the adrenal glands of animals. (Synthetics widely used.)
• Cream, Whipped Cream
• Curds
• Custard
• Cysteine, L-Form - may be derived from animal hair.
• Cystine - an amino acid found in urine and horsehair.

D

• Dairy, Dairy Product, Dairy Product Solids
• Down - goose or duck insulating feathers.
• Duodenum Substances - derived from the digestive tracts of cows and pigs.

E

• Eggs
• Egg Protein
• Elastin - derived from the neck ligaments and aortas of cows.
• Emu Oil - derived from factory-farmed emu.
• Estrogen and Estradiol - derived from the urine of a pregnant mare.

F

• Fats and Fatty Acids - derived from animals.
• Feathers - plucked from birds.
• Fish Oil, Fish Liver Oil, and Cod Liver Oil - derived from marine animals.
• Fish Scales
• Fur

G

• Gelatin, Gel, and Hide Glue - protein derived from the skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones of cows and pigs.
• Ghee - a form of butter used in Indian cooking
• Glycerin, Glycerol, Glyceryls, Glycreth-26, Polyglycerol, and Glycerides - normally derived from animal fat.
• Guanine - derived from the scales of fish.

H

• Half & Half
• Honey and Honeycomb
• Horsehair
• Hyaluronic Acid - can be derived from umbilical cords and the fluids around the joints of animals.
• Hydrolyzed Animal Protein - derived from animals.

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Related Post: 10 Reasons To Go Vegan!

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I

• Insulin - derived from hog pancreas.
• Isinglass - a form of gelatine derived from fish bladders.

K

• Kefir - made using milk.
• Keratin - protein derived from ground-up horns, hooves, feather, quills, and hair or animals.

L

• Lactic Acid - can be derived from blood and muscle tissue.
• Lactose, Galactose, Lactate Solids, Lactic Yeast, Lactic Monohydrate, Lactoferrin, Lactoglobulin, Lactulose, Lactalbumin, Lactalbumin Phosphate - derived from the milk of mammals.
• Lanolin, Laneth, Lanogene, Lonolin Acids, Wool Fat, Wool Wax, Lanolin Alcohol, Lanosterols, Isopropyl Lanolate, Cholesterin, Aliphatic Alcohol, and Amerchol L101 - extracted from sheep's wool.
• Lard - fat derived from hog abdomens.
• Leather
• Lecithin and Choline Bitartrate- often obtained from eggs and soybeans.
• Linoleic Acid - an essential fatty acid derived from fatty acids.
• Lipase - derived from the stomachs and tongue glands of calves, kids, and lambs.
• Lipids, Lipoids - derived from animals and plants.

M

• Marine Oil - derived from fish and marine mammals.
• Methionine - usually derived from eggs and milk.
• Milk, Acidophilus Milk, Cultured Milk, Condensed Milk, Dried Milk, Dry Milk Solids (DMS), Evaporated Milk, Lactose-Free Milk, Malted Milk, Milk Derivative, Milk Powder, Milk Protein, Milk Solids, Pasteurized Milk, Powdered Milk, Sour Milk
• Mink Oil - derived from minks.
• Monoglycerides and Diglycerides - derived from animal fat.
• Musk Oil - secretion derived from musk deer, beaver, muskrat, civet cat, and otter genitals.
• Myristic Acid, Myristyls, and Myristal Ether Sulfate - occassionally derived from animals.

N

• Natural Sources - can come from plant or animal sources.
• Nisin, Nisin Preparation - derived from milk.
• Nougat - often contains egg and honey.
• Nucleic Acids - derived from the cells of plants or animals.

O

• Octyl Dodecanol - derived from animal sources.
• Oleic Acid - obtained from animal or vegetable fats.
• Oleyl Alcohol, Ocenol, Oleths, Oleyls - derived from fish.

P

• Palmitic Acid, Palmitamide, Palmitamine, Palmitate - commonly derived from palm oil, but also from animal sources.
• Panthenol, Dexpanthenol, Vitamin B-Complex Factor, Provitamin B-5, Panthenyl - can come from animal, plant, or synthetic sources.
• Pepsin - derived from hog stomachs.
• Placenta - derived from the uterus of dead animals.
• Polypeptides - derived from animal protein.
• Polysorbates - derived from animal fatty acids.
• Pristane - derived from the liver oil of sharks and whales.
• Progesterone - a hormone derived from animals.
• Propolis - derived from beehives.
• Pudding

Q

• Quark - a soft cheese.

R

• Recaldent - derived from milk.
• Rennet, Rennet Casein, Rennin - enzyme derived from calves' stomachs.
• Retinol - vitamin A derived from animals.
• RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) - can be derived from animal or plant cells.
• Royal Jelly - a secretion from the throat glands of bees.

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Related Post: 15 Weird Things I Do Now That I'm Vegan

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S

• Sable Brushes - made from the fur of sables (similar to weasels).
• Shark Liver Oil and Squalane - derived from sharks.
• Sheepskin
• Shellac and Resinous Glaze - derived from insect excretions.
• Silk and Silk Powder - obtained from silk worms.
• Snails
• Sour Cream, Sour Cream Solids, Imitation Sour Cream
• Sperm Oil and Spermaceti - mostly derived from petroleum, but also derived from the heads of sperm whales and dolphins.
• Sponge - a plant-like marine animal.
• Stearic Acid, Stearamide, Stearamine, Stearamine Oxide, Stearates, Stearic Hydrazide, Stearone, Stearoxytrimethylsilane, Stearoyl Lactylic Acid, Stearyl Acetate, Dimethyl Stearamine and Isopropyl Palmitate - can be derived from cows, pigs, sheep, and cats and dogs euthanized in animal shelters.
• Stearyl Alcohol, Sterols, Stearyl Caprylate, etc. - may be prepared from sperm whale oil.
• Steroids and Sterols - can be derived from animal glands or plant sources.
• Suede
• Sugar - often refined using bone char

T

• Tallow, Tallow Fatty Alcohol, Sodium Tallowate, Tallow Acid, etc. - rendered beef fat.
• Turtle Oil and Sea Turtle Oil - derived from the muscles and genitals of giant sea turtles.
• Tyrosine - can be derived from milk.

U

• Urea, Uric Acid  - typically synthetic, can be derived from the urine of animals and other bodily fluids.

V

• Vitamin A - can come from fish liver oil, egg yolk, butter, and plant and synthetic sources.
• Vitamin B12 - can come from animal products or bacteria cultures.
• Vitamin D, Provitamin D-2, Ergocalciferol, Ergosterol, Vitamin D2, Calciferol, Vitamin D3 - can be derived from animal or plant sources.

W

• Wax - derived from both animal and plant sources.
• Whey, Acid Whey, Cured Whey, Delactosed Whey, Demineralized Whey, Hydrolyzed Whey, Powdered Whey, Reduced Mineral Whey, Sweet Dairy Whey, Whey Protein, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Powder, Whey Solids - a serum from milk.
• Wool - derived from sheep.

Y

• Yogurt

Notice something I missed?  Let me know in the comments and I'll add it!  I will continue to update this post as I find new ingredients that are animal-derived so that we can all work on making our lives as animal-product free as possible, together!

Until next time,

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How To Build A Capsule Wardrobe

Have you ever woken up, looked at your closet full to bursting and thought: "I have absolutely nothing to wear."?  Me too.  How is it that you can own so many pieces and still feel this way?  Maybe you're like me, surrounding yourself with mediocre pieces and wearing your few favourites over and over again while avoiding the rest.  Well, enough is enough!  I am finally creating a capsule wardrobe and I couldn't be more excited to share my journey with you (and hopefully inspire you to follow suit).  Read on to learn how you can create the perfect, concise, wardrobe; full of clothing you love and want to wear every single day!

What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a small, intentional, daily wardrobe made up of pieces you love, fit you and your lifestyle, and all work together.  For me it is comprised of 40 pieces (but you can pick whatever number works for you!) including tops, bottoms, dresses, rompers, shoes and outerwear.  It does not include workout clothing, audition and special occasion wear, accessories, and loungewear for around the house.  A capsule wardrobe is intended for a specific season (like fall) and is worn for 3 months, without any new clothing purchases!

The idea behind a capsule wardrobe is to...

• Simplify your life.
• Reduce the amount of time spent deciding what to wear and increase the time available for doing the things you truly love.  
• Cut down on spending and get the full value out of your clothes.  
• Find your style and revel in it.

Sound good?  Then keep reading to learn how to create yours!

How to create a capsule wardrobe of your own.

ONE Get inspired.

Head over to your style board on Pinterest (I know you have one!) and take a look at the pins.  Is there a style that sticks out at you?  Which are your favourite looks?  What pieces show up again and again?  As you scroll through and analyze you will begin to get a sense of what your style aesthetic is.  It may be far from how you dress right now, or look exactly like your current wardrobe.  Either way, this is the style you're drawn to and what you should base your capsule wardrobe on, just so long as it fits your lifestyle!  You could even start a new board and pin all of your absolute favourite that fit the season you're working on to have all of your inspiration in one, easy to find, place.

Don't have a style board?  Feel free to look through mine!

Follow Plant Based Bride's board Style on Pinterest.

Also feel free to take a look at my Fall and Winter capsule wardrobes!

TWO Come up with 3 words that describe your style.

Or five, or twelve.  The number of words isn't important.  What is important is that you can describe your ideal style in a clear and concise way.  This will only help you as you build your capsule!  Try looking at the list below for some inspiration:

Now get out a pen and some paper and write down the words that describe your dream (yet practical) style.  Seriously, do it!  

THREE 'Tis the season.

Think about the season you're building your wardrobe for.  Is it winter in Canada?  Then you probably won't need any shorts.  Think about temperatures, weather like rain or snow, and the colours that you like to wear during that season.  Keep these things in mind as you choose your pieces!

FOUR Pick a number.

Next you want to pick your number of pieces.  I decided to go with 40.  This breaks down to:

• 17 tops;
• 9 bottoms;
• 3 dresses and rompers;
• 7 pairs of shoes, and;
• 4 pieces of outerwear.

Your numbers don't have to be the same as mine, and they may change slightly as you go, but I find it really helps to have a structure to work in while selecting your pieces. 

FIVE Go through your wardrobe.

Now it's time to go through the clothes you already own and make 5 piles:

• Capsule (love it, in season);
• Seasonal (love it, out of season);
• Maybe (unsure due to style, fit, cost, etc.);
• Donate or Sell (don't love it or wear it), and;
• Trash (too worn to be donated).

Go ahead and throw out your trash pile, separate your donate and sell pile, and store your seasonal clothing in a box under the bed or in a closet.  Then, collect your capsule pile and write down what you have by category.  How many items do you have?  What are you missing?  Is there something you need for your capsule hiding in your maybe pile that could do the trick?  If not, add the item to your shopping list.

Need more help sorting through your clothes?  Check out Marie Kondo's book on decluttering your life! (Click on the book cover to buy it on Amazon! This is an affiliate link.)

SIX Plan your capsule.

As you go through your items think about the overall cohesiveness of your wardrobe.  The aim is to have items that work with as many other pieces in your wardrobe as possible.  This can be achieved through colour palette or style.  I like to keep the majority of my wardrobe neutral, consisting of black and white, to allow for easier mix and matching.  Analyze your items for holes:  is there a sweater you need to pull together multiple outfits?  What about a pair of shoes that would make that dress and those jeans really pop?  Continue adding to your shopping list until you reach your golden number and have each piece you need to make your wardrobe work.  This step requires a bit of shuffling around to find the perfect combination of items that gives you the most bang (and outfits) for your buck!

SEVEN Shop.

Once you're happy with your list, it's time to shop!  Make a budget before you go to ensure well thought out purchases.  You're looking for items that are high quality, fit well, and radiate the style you're going for with your capsule.  Bring inspiration images with you and remind yourself of your style words each time you pick up an item.  Does it say what you want it to say?  Will it merge seamlessly with the wardrobe you're building?  Will it last through repeated wear for at least the next 3 months?

EIGHT Wear.

Hang up your capsule wardrobe and get the rest of your clothing out of sight.  You will feel a calmness descend over you (I guarantee it!).  Welcome to your new life!  Now comes the fun part: styling outfits!  You can take photos of the items you chose for reference or to upload to apps like stylebook to help with outfit building, or just wing it.  You can also take photos of each outfit you build to keep track of the ones you really love for reference as you build next season's wardrobe.  Enjoy your pieces for the next 3 months, then start planning for capsule #2 in the last couple weeks of the third month.

Be sure to check back to see my fall capsule wardrobe on the blog next week!

Until next time,

How do you feel about capsule wardrobes?  Would you ever try one?

Don't forget to subscribe to the plant based bride newsletter to get my fall capsule wardrobe post delivered right to your inbox! (Form at the bottom of this page)

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