There is a good book called “ The Five Love Languages” which I recommend. My husband and I read it together long ago. It turns out that our love languages are very different and this understanding helped us. One of my primary love languages is gift giving. As such, it is hard for me to understand people who say they cannot figure out what to give. My problem is editing my gift giving plans.

This post is approximately 25 days until Christmas. That, in my mind, is enough time to come up with several clever, inexpensive gifts… Homemade gifts… before Christmas. I am taking a stand here and recommending that you consider home made gifts this year. You could save money, and really touch the heart of the recipient all at the same time.

You may assert, and I have heard people say, that they have no artistic talent. This just hurts me to hear, as I believe it to be uniformly false, and one of the worst forms of self talk. I think with the resources that we have these days, Pinterest, magazines, and the internet at large, there are instructions for everything. Pro tip: Search " best DIY gifts". The key is to keep it simple and heartfelt. The other key is to stretch just a little each time, and you will learn more and more. Pretty soon you will be making stained glass windows.

Here are some other keys to making and giving:

Be kinds to yourself and keep your sense of humor.
Prepare your time, your workspace, and your supplies before beginning.
Establish a budget and stick to it.
Read through all the instructions first !
Be prepared to goof up and fix things.
Enjoy the process.
Consider the pros and cons of doing it yourself, versus together with a supportive friend.

Here are a few ideas for categories of home made or home assembled gifts. You know your own skill set and will be prepared to build on it. You also know your recipient. Trust yourself and move forward.

Made Things:

Wearable Gifts:

e.g. infinity scarf of some special fabric
colorful rice filled heat packs with essential oil
felted wool hats and mittens from shrunken thrift store sweaters

Edible Gifts:

e.g. flavored salts and sugars
holiday foods in nice containers, including baked goods in festive ceramics, or treats in exotic jars
jerky, jam, dried herbs

Assembled Things:

Themed gift baskets and “kits"

movie night basket with gift cards and popcorn
bath basket - with oil or fizzy bombs
garden baskets- with new gloves and seeds
art basket - with supplies
cooking themes; Try going by country, i.e. Italian, French, Mexican, Cajun, Japanese, etc.
knitting or crochet kit
crafting kit
fishing kit
hunting kit
sports related kits
workout kit

Don’t worry if your gift is not perfect. Just take care that it reflects the connection between you and the recipient.

Making and giving is a soul growing exercise. Give it a go this year.

Bon Chic, Bon Genre. (BCBG!) This is the French idea that if you present yourself well in dress, that your mindset will be better.

This is the week that both Americans and the French celebrate their independence. Why not celebrate a little independence from fashion trends, from self consciousness, or from spending too much? Marveilleuse!

What is this French concept of "the capsule wardrobe"? It means a wardrobe of restricted size with precisely chosen components. It is a useful concept today when women need to do more with less, and when they would like to be valued for who they are and what they do, rather than how they keep up with trends. It is important too, since the capsule wardrobe is part of the minimalism movement, which, together with the environmental movement, highlights the benefits of having less "stuff", but more space and more time.

But wait? Aren't French women all about the fashion? But of course! It is really that they are all about style. In this way of thinking, the clothing highlights the woman, not the other way around. The clothing should not get in the way of her looks or her life.

The first step in creating a capsule wardrobe is to tune up your nutrition and exercise! Mais Oui! You want to be trending gently but persistently toward your healthiest weight and body composition. As you do this, your clothes will look and feel better, and you will feel better in them. Check out our sections on Nutrition and Fitness to learn how.

What is the first step in tuning up your exercise and nutrition? It sounds counterintuitive, but it is to accept your present state. Be kind to yourself. Allow yourself to take sustainable baby steps toward your goals. Let it take the time it needs to take, as long as you are moving in the right direction. For some great tips on making sustainable changes, check out our section on Motivation.

Developing a capsule wardrobe requires a good mindset. It is not, as you might imagine, a mindset of scarcity; rather it is a mindset of abundance. Developing a capsule wardrobe also requires a closet cleanout. This is a good exercise. You will see that you have more than you thought, oftentimes more than you need. You will find there is much to get rid of and pass on to someone else. Strangely, when you get rid of the unneeded items, the closet contents are somehow “better”, like you have spent money on your wardrobe, but you haven’t.

Here is how to decide whether to get rid of something:

You don’t feel comfortable or at ease when you wear it
You wouldn’t buy it now
It looks better on the hanger than on you
You haven’t worn it in one to two years.
It is unrepairable

A word about size. We all know that weight can fluctuate. So if you have beautiful flattering pieces that just don’t fit now but will when you are at a better weight, keep them, but take them out of the closet and store them elsewhere until you have met your weight and body goals.

Here are the key elements to a capsule wardrobe:

Pieces that are tried and true
Pieces must fit well, be flattering and make you feel good.
Emphasis on simplicity
Emphasis on high quality
Color scheme focuses on neutrals with certain pops of color depending on the season.
Neutrals are whites, beiges, blacks, grays, navy and denim.
All elements work together and may layer.

Here are the consistently observed effects of working toward a capsule wardrobe:

Makes you feel more confident
Lets you think less about what you are wearing and more about what you are doing.
Streamlines dressing in the morning and at other times.
Costs less
Frees up time for things other than shopping
Frees up room in the closet

The French Version of the Capsule Wardrobe:

relies heavily on neutrals
requires flawless fit regardless of body type
favors natural fibers
allows no visible brand names
almost uniform like in simplicity
does not over accessorize
excludes extremely high heels or platforms, flats and medium heels are ok.
allows nothing which makes you feel physically or psychologically uncomfortable, i.e. too tight or too risqué
involves le “no makeup” look, which simply highlights and clarifies the face, rather than decorating it.

I have provided you with many entertaining references, since the capsule wardrobe is best appreciated in pictures. I could never have a truly tiny wardrobe such as the ones that some of these bloggers propose. For one, where I live, we have four very distinct seasons, each requiring its own wardrobe. However, moving toward simplicity, quality, and feeling good inside is always a good thing.

References:

http://www.whowhatwear.com/same-outfit-every-day/

http://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-capsule-wardrobe/

http://www.un-fancy.com/capsule-wardrobe-101/my-capsule-wardrobe-summer-2014/

http://theproject333.com/solution/

http://www.lightbycoco.com

http://www.minimalistbeauty.com/my-springsummer-2015-capsule-wardrobe/

http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/2015/03/ask-allie-an-active-casual-capsule-wardrobe.html

http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/2013/04/capsule-wardrobe-no-fashion-victim-no-frump.html

http://theeverygirl.com/how-to-create-a-capsule-wardrobe

French Version:

http://www.paris-to-go.com/2014/08/10-pieces-1-year-project-333-zero-waste.html