Sonia's Capsule Challenge: 1 Dress, 12 Different Occasions
This post was originally created by Sonia Dong.
As a child of very frugal immigrant parents, clothing was all about affordability and functionality, so I never felt stylish as a kid and I never would've thought that I'd be leading a clothing brand as a grown up. Yet here I am, at Henkaa being my own kind of stylish. See how I wore 1 dress 12 different ways for every month of the year.
Dress Choice: The Ivy Midi
My dress of choice was the Ivy Midi Convertible Dress in Mauve Taupe. I wanted a knee-length dress that packed super small (it’s the size of my reusable coffee mug) so that I could easily bring it with me on vacation/use as a summer dress but also have the ability to layer with heavier clothing items for cozy cool weather looks. I also wanted to wear at least a strapless bra which this dress allows me to do. Plus, the color is neutral which works well with the rest of my closet so I can easily mix and match.
After I had my two children, I went through various efforts to declutter, minimize and create a wardrobe I really loved and wanted to wear with ease every single day. Adding this challenge to my plate helped me to be creative, appreciate what I had while letting go of the things that didn’t serve me - and I’m not talking about just clothing - it created a ripple effect to simplify all things in my life so I could spend more time with the people I love and do the things I enjoy doing.
Here are my 12 looks for 2018 - for those celebratory occasions and outings, travel, as well as the regular everyday activities that can be made more special just because you want them to be. And - just a final little note - by no means did I only wear the dress 12 times! In summer it was my go-to dress and in heavy rotation. Hope you get some ideas and inspiration for your closet! If you'd like to learn how to style the Ivy, check out our tutorials.
January
For January I wore my Mauve Taupe Ivy Midi to Winterlicious with friends at Barnsteiner's in Toronto. The style is a modified Holly style with black turtleneck, belt and ankle boots.
February
I took my dress on vacation to Hawaii. I wore it in the Kara style -in the spirit of Hawaii I added a flower lei and also accessorized with wide-brimmed hat.
The Ivy Midi is the perfect travel dress because it packs down to the size of a travel mug, is machine washable and wrinkle free!
March
March is my birthday month! I wore my dress in a strapless style to celebrate with friends and family.
April
For April I wore my Ivy Midi for a weekend brunch. I kept it simple and wore it in the Holly style and paired it with a cardigan, black tights and booties since it was still a bit cold out.
May
For Mother's Day I styled my dress with a floral top for a get together with extended family. Pictures beside me is the paper flower bouquet my eldest gave me ❤️
June
In June I took my dress on another travel adventure - this time to Canada’s east coast. Here I wore it for a lunch and a stroll along the boardwalk at Halifax Harbour Waterfront. This was a casual and comfy summer look in modified Holly style (straps hidden inside the dress instead of tied at the waist).
July
A girls' out night called for a dinner and nighttime stroll along the Halifax Harbour Waterfront. I wore the Ivy Midi in the one-shoulder Stephanie style.
August
For August I wore my dress in a skirt style and paired it with a tank top, white button down shirt and sneakers. To achieve this skirt style I brought the neckline of the dress down to my waist, knotted the straps and hid them inside the skirt.
September
Here’s an easy work look where I wore a blazer over my dress - super comfortable!
October
In October I wore my dress casually for a day running errands. I threw a sweater over my dress and added sneakers -easiest outfit ever!
November
With winter in full-swing I wore the dress with a long sleeve turtleneck underneath and a poncho scarf on top. I finished the look with leggings and boots.
December
For a holiday get together I wore my dress in the Kara style with a sleeveless cardigan.