No. 37: 4 Perfect Summer Capsule Wardrobes

And why the way we dress ourselves matters//doesn't matter

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It’s summertime. For context, we’re nearly three weeks into break in the Atogwe household here in Texas and, as always, what I put on my body always feels especially impactful during this season. My grandma and my mom both got dressed every single day of my childhood. Things like that shape you as a person, you know? It wasn’t until I was in high school that my mom would consider athletic wear “getting dressed” so I can vividly remember my mom’s summer outfits throughout my childhood. Stretchy shorts that went to the knee in every color under the sun paired with a scoop-neck three-quarter arm tee, lots of khaki shorts and polo shirts or button downs, potentially a stretchy capri paired with a cotton tee…this was midwestern 90’s momming at its peak.

If my mom was in an old tee and sweatpants or biker shorts, it legitimately only meant one of three things: we were moving and she’d be packing boxes, she’d be painting a room which she was known to do on a whim, or it was Family Olympic Games day at Green Lake. That’s it. She’d take her bath at the end of every evening and put on a different version of the same nightgown and robe and that signified the day was done. Witnessing this clothing rhythm was such a comfort for me throughout my entire youth and I often think of it in relation to my own motherhood now.

I’m 33 weeks pregnant. My belly rivals Buddha’s and I have varicose veins the size of bananas and mid-size snakes all up and down my legs. Let’s just say this isn’t the summer you’ll catch me in a crop top and little denim shorts, you know? But part of me has been hard-wired and shaped by the women in my life and I truly do value getting dressed in some capacity every day. Not because I need to prove anything, not because I owe it to anyone but because I truly feel more productive, prepared and myself when I’ve gotten dressed.

Praise the Lord for athleisure and also for maxi dresses that take zero effort, feel like nightgowns and yet earn compliments like “fancy” and “so dressed up.” I don’t want to put much thought into what I wear every day- especially in the summertime. Double especially when I’m gargantuan in the summertime. But I do love chic elevated basics and part of me will always want to give my kids the comfort my mom’s wardrobe rhythm gave me.

So today, I'm hoping to give you a glimpse into my summer outfit formula in hopes that whether you’re a mom with a lot of dates and parties and events on the calendar, a mom with a summer full of trips full of activity, a mom who lives in easy breezy athleisure, or a mom who likes to be comfortable and classic without much effort…you’d come away with a no-brainer, foolproof capsule today. And if you’re thinking to yourself, “I wear the same t-shirt and shorts/bikers/leggings every day and couldn’t care less…I assure you, there’s still meat on these bones for you.