Style – Holly Whittlef

April 18, 2017 — Comments are off for this post.

Spring Wishlist

The trees are blooming everywhere here in London, and the flurry of pink petals has me yearning for spring-y things. Classic stripes, graphic prints, bright whites + creams, bold pops of color, airy fabrics and most of all, cool comfort.

It's a good thing my luggage is already over capacity, because after wearing the same (mostly winter) clothes for three months, I'm yearning for a few warm weather pieces to mix up my travel wardrobe. This weekend, I bought a pair of yellow cotton pants from Cus, a new-to-me sustainable brand based in Spain, that I swear won't take up extra room in my luggage. (I SWEAR)

Since I'm heading back to Portugal next month for some beach bumming, this top or jumpsuit from Sideline might be next. I met the owner + designer, Ellen, at a pop-up shop in Shoreditch and am in love with her laid-back, cool beachy vibe.

01 — 02 — 03 — 04 — 05 — 06 — 07 — 08

Published by Holly Whittlef in Style

September 20, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

Closet Minimalism / 04

Last time we talked about closet minimalism, I ventured on a six-month shopping ban.

And, I did it! Sort of. Mostly. We'll get there.

The reasons I gave for instigating the ban, I now realize, aren't the full truth. While my motivations for culling a streamlined, thoughtful closet are still very real ( less stuff, increased consciousness, easier decision making, yada yada ), the shopping ban forced me to come face to face with a pesky truth I've struggled with for a long time: negative self-esteem.

The truth is, shopping ( or rather, consumerism ) presents us with a false solution for wholeness. It promises happiness, but the reality is fleeting. Caroline talks about the connection with negative thought patterns + consumerism more eloquently in this podcast. And as much as I hate to admit it, I must somehow believe buying that new dress or cute pair of shoes or whatever is going to solve my dissatisfaction with my Roman nose and frizzy ass Medusa hair.

Maybe you don't struggle with this, and that's great. But it was me, IS me.

All along, I think I knew the root of my constant shopping was the elusive promise of feeling good about myself. Sometimes it even worked! But inevitably, I'd buy those trendy skinny jean overalls that looked so cute on the model ( ugh, whyyyy even? ), put them on, take one look in the mirror and end up in shame spiral fueled by self-loathing and hits from the Cheetos bag.

Deciding to reduce your closet or build a capsule wardrobe will NOT magically bring happiness. Neither will expanding your closet or buying lots of new things. You can't really be happy unless you do a few things first. Accept who you are, right at this moment. Define your why. And be hella grateful for what you have. It sounds cheesy, but it's true.

That being said, I'm owning up. During my shopping ban, I purchased one pair of sandals and a new jacket + pair of shorts for our upcoming trip to Tanzania + Zanzibar ( !!! ). Were these items "needs?" Kinda sorta not really. They were more "wants."

But we're all human here. Mistakes happen, so let's just keep striving to do better + forget that skinny jean overalls thing ever happened.

//

"Nothing is going to make you happier than you decide to be right now." ( Caroline Rector, Unfancy )

Published by Holly Whittlef in closet minimalism, Minimalism, Style

May 30, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

ESSENTIALS: TRAVEL PACKING / 03

It seems like forever ago that I was solo traveling through Maastricht + Amsterdam. Isn't that how it happens, though? You arrive home from a trip and within just a few days, feel like you never left. The only remedy for that, in my humble opinion, is planning another travel adventure.

Anyways... I figured this post is better late than never, because I'm feeling a lot more confident in my ability to pack minimally. Before hopping on a bus to Chicago to catch my flight, I packed for this trip in 30 minutes. I attribute my speedy packing skills to being an added benefit of a pared-down wardrobe + really honing in on my style over this past year. The fact that spring in the Netherlands is very similar to spring in Wisconsin helped a lot as well.

That being said, this wardrobe could easily be tailored to summer or winter weather. Swap out the above tops for some airy tees + tank tops, or thick knit sweaters. Exchange the jeans for summer shorts or a few more dresses. Switch out the flats or boots for sandals or winter boots. Any way that I mix + match it, I think this combination is my new baseline for all future packing.

Plus, all of this fit with plenty of room in my favorite Everlane weekender bag ( <- worth every penny ), so I could pick up a few gifts + a new dress to bring home. And of course, if you feel like packing this simply is restricting, I recommend bringing a bright, bold shade of lipstick. Like I learned from my grandma, lipstick is the great equalizer.

^^ riding in Roermond + hanging with my uncle, plus the mucho bueno amigos ( hi guys! ) ^^

stripes, plaid, chambray (sale!), scarf, jacket, dress, cardigan, sweatshirt, jeans,
flats, distressed jeans, boots (similar), tights, lipstick (similar), tote

Published by Holly Whittlef in essentials, Minimalism, Style, Travel