The 20 Pieces of Clothing I wore for 55 Days

Plus: what I never wore and what I bought

As discussed, last week I drove back to New Mexico, where I live, from Maine, where I grew up. For the past few years, I have driven out to my mom’s house for an indefinite visit, sometimes in winter, sometimes in summer. I bring my dog and work from my mom’s basement while I eat seafood and go swimming and help my mom fix the screen door and stock the chest freezer.

One thing I have come to appreciate about making this trip is I basically have a capsule wardrobe (also known as living out of a suitcase) for the visit. I leave New Mexico thinking how nice it will be to have a streamlined, simplified wardrobe for a few months and I return unbelievably excited to get reacquainted with my closet and also daydreaming about whittling down my belongings. It’s a nice time to reflect on what I’ve been wearing, especially as seasons change.

So, here is what I brought with me for my two monthlong capsule closet, as well as what I bought during my trip and a few takeaways for next time.

Below the paywall you’ll find

• All the clothes I brought with me to Maine, including my least-worn shirts, my shorts of the summer, and the things I never wore at all.

• Everything I ended up buying and why.

• What I’d do differently next time—and what I missed most from my vast and disorganized closet at home.