Last weekend, I cleaned out my closet (anyone jump right to Eminem when they hear that, or nah? "Cleanin' out my clawwwwwset"? Just me? Oooooookay.) I was able to cull a big garbage bag full of clothes I no longer wear, which we all know means one thing: ROOM FOR NEW FALL CLOTHES!

I've been reading a lot of blog posts lately about cultivating a capsule wardrobe, and while I'm not quite ready to cut it down to just 30 pieces per season, I can get behind the idea of having a simple, streamlined closet containing only clothing that fits well, serves multiple purposes, is flattering, and is of good quality. And it's hard when I get 20 emails a day with all sorts of deals and discounts on so many cute things. (I know the easy solution would be to unsubscribe from these emails, but mostly I just like to look at them at the start of the day. 10 minutes of scrolling through Old Navy and Joe Fresh is better than a cup of coffee at 8AM.)

To keep myself on track for fall shopping, I'm trying to identify the things I feel best in and enjoy wearing the most, making a list centered around those few items, and sticking to it. I want to spend my money on pieces I'll wear a lot, not trendy things that might see the light of day once or twice. I like to buy clothes that I can wear to work and on weekends, versus pieces such as dresses or skirts that may not transition as well between seasons or situations. You won't find me in a skirt on a Saturday, but skinny jeans can work any day of the week.

Here are a few of the things I'm excited to wear when the temperatures eventually fall...which I hope isn't too soon, because I still want at least three solid beach days:

1. Sweatshirts: last year was the year of the jeweled sweatshirt, and I still enjoy that look. I have also seen some cute print versions this year. Even a plain gray sweatshirt can look nice if it fits right!


2. Skinny pants: I just like skinny pants best and I don't see that changing - sorry, bootcuts, boyfriends, and wide legs. Skinny jeans look great with flats or heels and they tuck into boots neatly, and that versatility makes them easy to wear year round. Dark or black skinnies are my go-to pants so another pair would be great to add to the rotation.

3. A leather-esque pant: this is a bit of a departure for me but I think as long as they're not too tight, too rockstar, too shiny, or too squeaky, black leather(ish) pants can look great with casual shoes and a soft sweater and this year I'm going to bite the bullet and do it.

4. Riding boots: I will always be down for a great pair of riding boots. Even when they aren't cool anymore (maybe they already aren't cool. I'll be wearing them regardless). I have a dark brown pair and I'd like a nice black pair to add to my closet. These Tory Burch ones would be a splurge, but I just love 'em.

5. Plaid: my second-favourite pattern after stripes. You can pry my stripes out of my cold dead hands, but I do like a little plaid here and there too. Feels very academic in the fall. This t-shirt from Joe Fresh is a fun way to wear it that looks a little less lumberjackish than a button-down.

6: A military-style jacket: in the fall, usually I wear a trench coat, which is great as it works with almost everything. A military jacket is a wee bit more casual (i.e. I wouldn't look like so much of a flasher if I wore it with my gym clothes, for example) but still pulled-together enough to wear to work.

I like that these are all pretty classic pieces that I'll be able to wear for a long time. They also work well with a lot of the things I already own and can be mixed and matched easily, dressed up or down depending on the occasion. I'm definitely not quite ready for summer to be over yet, but I do find it easier to get dressed for work especially when the weather's a bit chillier. Summer can be a tricky time for pulling together outfits that are somewhat professional but still comfortable on hot, humid days.

What about you - anything you're excited to wear this fall? Let's all blow our paycheques together!

I couldn't agree more with the title of this post. I like to have pretty low-key Sundays to rest up and prepare for the week ahead, and today was no exception.

Sadly, Sundays used to be my least favourite day of the week. At one point in my life, Sundays were a complete hungover write-off where I'd wake up sometime around 1pm, chug some water, slam back some McDonalds and spend the rest of the day in bed with my laptop and MSN Messenger rehashing the gory details of the night before with friends. Later, I came to dread Sundays because they meant the end of the weekend and the beginning of another hideous work week.



Now I love Sundays because we tend to slow down and do less, but what we do accomplish is usually more impactful than everyday chores and errands. Here are some of my favourite things to do on a Sunday:

Meal prep - whether it's actually making the food or just planning what I'm going to make for meals for the week ahead, Sunday afternoon is a perfect opportunity to do this. We had Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for dinner tonight (enough for leftovers tomorrow!) and I made a list of what we'll be eating through Friday. It's just a little thing to help me feel like I have shit under control as another busy work week starts. Sometimes I make a big pot of quinoa and mix in a bunch of veggies and some nuts, and I'll eat it for lunch all week. It's a lot of payoff for pretty minimal effort.

Go for a long run - the term 'long run' is kind of comical given that I've barely done more than a 10K all summer but the past two consecutive Sundays I have done seven-plus milers, which, given my sloth-like state, I'm just gonna go ahead and count as long. I'm hoping to keep building my mileage up into the fall. Weekends are the perfect time to treat yourself to an extra long run, a 90-minute yoga class, or a bike ride or hike that you might not have time for during the week.

Family time - Sunday morning we kind of linger at breakfast, hang out in our PJs for a while, build some Lego towers, read, and just generally spend some cozy time relaxing. We like to have a nice family dinner on Sundays, and we usually do some kind of an outing, to the park or the beach, and it's nice to spend more time together than we get a chance to Monday-Friday.

Get organized - I don't want to spend Sunday cleaning bathrooms and mopping floors, but it can be a good chance to tackle a bigger organizational project, like cleaning out a closet or cabinet. It just feels good to spend the time to get a part of the house more functional and tidy, especially going into a busy week.

Do my nails - Nine times out of 10 I do my nails on Sunday night. If I'm going to arrive at my desk all bummed out on Monday morning, at least my hands can look pretty.

Hope your Sunday was productive and fun!