Issue 24. Come shopping with me

Looking to replace a sweater in my 333 capsule

I’m currently trying a minimalist style challenge, Project 333, to find out how many items I need in my closet at a time.

The ~33 items I selected to include in my capsule were a hypothesis - I didn’t know if these exact pieces would be right for my lifestyle, the weather and my activities over the next three months.

Four weeks in, the majority of items I’ve included in my capsule have worked out well. I’m loving wearing two pairs of jeans on repeat; my jumpsuits are getting their time in the sun, and I’m able to achieve layered looks flexible enough for the temperature swings we experience over the course of the day in the Bay Area.

And because my capsule is so curated, its so easy to tell what isn’t working. For example, when kept putting on - and subsequently taking off - a boldly striped cashmere sweater, I had a feeling it wasn’t reflecting my personal style anymore. When I removed that sweater from my capsule, though, it was obvious that I did need more than one pull-over sweater, since I started reaching for the one I have almost every day of the week (even for me, that’s too much wear).

So, over the last ~2 weeks, I’ve spent time in stores and online shopping for sweaters.

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My criteria at the start:

• Open to purchasing ~2 sweaters, one pull-over and one cardigan with color / texture

• Durable, sturdy construction, can be handwashed

• 100% natural fibers: cotton, alpaca, cashmere, or merino

• Open to muted versions of colors (green, navy, purple, blue, pink, or neutrals)

• Under $300 per sweater (open to spending for quality)

• Interesting style / fit that can be worn dressed up or down

• Probably a cropped length (not a deal-breaker)

• Decided to purchase new, since I expect to have these for many years

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Into the dressing room we go

Below the paywall, you’ll see which local shops I went into, how I felt about their size-inclusivity, pictures of what I tried on, and what I learned from each experience.