New 37 piece fall capsule at un-fancy.com - YouLookFab Forum

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New 37 piece fall capsule at un-fancy.com

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

For those of you following this minimalist blog -- have you seen un-fancy.com's new fall capsule?

I like what she put together and it's inspiring me to have another go at making a capsule for myself. I read that her first capsule was a rough go, maybe my second attempt will yield better results. And help me reduce my overall wardrobe count, which is my overarching goal.

One of the things I would have had trouble doing was shopping for and planning a fall capsule in September which is still Summer in my parts. I'm still primarily in sandals, although shorts have taken a back seat to crops and boyfriend jeans. It's really hard for me to get my head around sweaters when it's still in the 90s. Also, I am very much on team discount. For example, I'll wait for the annual fall Friends and Family coupon at Shopbop (comes mid-October) which is already 3 weeks into fall. I'm always trying to maximize my dollar. It would disturb me to buy things in September when I couldn't wear them yet, only to be able to buy them a few weeks later for less, when I will be able to wear them. Even if that meant some things "got away."

Now -- as Angie says -- over to you. What are your thoughts on a Fall capsule, have you created one?

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Dressing

40 replies

Latest reply was from gryffin

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I love creating capsules, and even made one for this fall/winter. But for the last few weeks I've mostly been living in white gi pants and black t-shirts because jiu-jitsu has taken over my life

Anonymous

Oh! Thank you for the link. I'll go there next!!

I have not yet created my fall/winter capsule because it is still incredibly warm here as well. I can't think about winter clothes when I am still wearing parts of my summer wardrobe. I have started to clean and put away the pieces that no longer interest me. I pulled out my long sleeve tops and put them in my closet. So I am dressing somewhat eclectically by including things from both wardrobes. I hope with the start of October it will begin to feel more Fall like.

I love shopping, but I know I have to buy things on sale. It is rare for me to pay full price. Since I have done little to start planning my Fall wardrobe, I don't actually have a shopping list yet. When I do, I will plan on buying during the sales. Even 25% off helps.

Jules

Veteran

I don't follow the blog, but looking at that picture I don't see minimalism. There's what, 4-5 pairs of booties? Lots of shirts too.
I'm comfortable waiting to shop in F/W because there is just tons of stuff from Sept through Dec. Even plenty left on sale after Xmas (our big discount day is Boxing Day, vs. Black Friday).

crutcher

Veteran

Thank you so for including the link to the capsule wardrobe...I have put away the summery looking things and brought out the darker neutrals and sweatshirts...some sweaters..It is coolish here in the northern midwest so wearing fall clothes is not a problem...
The main task for me is to pair my fall things with some from late summer that don't have the summer look...If that makes sense..
I absolutely don't blame you for waiting to shop...I am glad to learn that Shopbop has a sale mid October...

Mona

Veteran

I follow her blog and started thinking about creating a fall capsule after seeing her thought process. It is going a lot slower for me than anticipated. There are a lot of other things requiring attention right now that fall capsule has taken a back seat. I am also on team discount so I don't mind waiting. Great to know about shopbop.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Denise, I promised to keep you up to date with my own capsule progress, but it seems I'm not really doing one! I tried to work one out before switching my closet over from summer to fall stuff, but we've had such warm temps that I actually had to leave a lot of that summer stuff in place and I've been picking and choosing from both seasons! So the planned for "warm fall" capsule just didn't happen here. Instead, I'll aim for a "real" fall capsule beginning in a few weeks when the temperatures truly change.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I think I am capsule impaired. Of course I have the luxury of not having an office job, and do not aspire to a minimal closet (although I am attracted to minimalist design), and love to recombine the same old stuff in different ways and also incorporate odd finds all the time, so perhaps I am the anti-capsule dresser.

Deborah

Veteran

I struggle with the focus required to create capsules. This looks good, but it does make my head spin thinking about what works with what:). Having said that, I feel I might be moving naturally towards this concept. I am attracted to the intentionality (is that a word) of the concept. I am with you on sales and discounts. I need to be mindful of my finance and I have discovered, for example, that my beloved Metalicus, have a pretty regular sale rotation with sale items bing further reduced at regular intervals. The frequency of new stock creates regular sales and I can purchase with plenty of time to wear the items. Looking forward to seeing how you develop your capsule:)

Susie

Veteran

For work days, I am continuing on my path of creating outfits rather than using the capsule approach. It makes my mornings easier to have ready to go outfits and I just choose one based on the day (feelings, activities, weather.) For summer, I did basically have a capsule for weekend/casual wear that worked well so I will somewhat continue in to fall.

Yesterday I was working on one of my spreadsheets doing some pre-planning for fall and winter. And I have too many clothes! I have to be done buying for fall/winter. I don't really mind buying ahead. I purchased cashmere sweaters at NAS! I like having things in my closet ready for the cooler weather. I've started mixing in some fall pieces even though our weather is still pretty warm. Working in an office certainly helps.

But I am with you, Denise, on still needing to reduce the overall number of pieces in my closet. I need to take another critical look on some of the things I carried over from last year.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I had a recent epiphany about style bloggers. That they probably wear those pretty outfits, complete with four-inch heels, snap some pictures, and then change into something that is okay if the dog slobbers on them. And then, what do you know? Last night, this article popped up in my periphery, via Recovering Shopaholic's recent post

Mind you, I loooove Un-fancy's site and concept - and I check back nearly every day for updates. But I realized awhile back - in a post when she remarked about changing into her loungewear - that she plans out her outfits in advance, photographs them all at once, and posts them. Does she dress in these outfits day-by-day? Do these outfits work as well in execution, as in concept? I don't know.

What I do know is that, for my life, and the things that I do, a 30-something-item capsule + loungewear simply does not cut it. So I've moved away from trying to smush myself into a capsule wardrobe formula. A few weeks ago, I resolved to quit worrying about the perfect wardrobe that doesn't really exist, and get on with my life. My new wardrobe planning/getting dressed formula is: "I-Love-Every-Outfit-I-Put-On-Even-If-It's-To-Jump-Around-And-Sweat-Or-Dig-Around-In-The-Dirt"

This mental shift has allowed me a lot more freedom away from constantly obsessing about clothing, what's in my closet. I'm spending a lot less time trolling online shops for the perfect shoe, or just the right leather jacket.

Elly

Veteran

I think that a capsule can and does work depending on lifestyle and other factors. 32 is pretty generous and would be more generous if that wasn't shoes, etc.

Joy

Veteran

Denise, I started on an early fall capsule, pulling out of storage and laying everything in piles on a spare bed during a couple of cool days. But for me, it means trying on outfits and it was just too hot. Now I am pulling from the bad and from my summer closet each day. Shorts have been put away in favor of rolled boyfriends, but when I try full length, it is still too warm unless the pants are very light weight and feet and ankles are bare in shoes. Sleeveless tops still rule the day, sometimes with very light weight toppers in the early morning, but even jean jackets are still too much. I wish I could find jean jackets in shirt weight cotton. This year I could (and am) still wearing summer.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I've seen this capsule and actually really REALLY like it. Although I haven't officially hunkered down and set to planning a fall capsule, I seem to be creating one almost by default. I've got black, grey and dark red as my primary colors with hits of white and navy. Somehow I don't seem to be gravitating towards any other colors.

catseye

Veteran

I love too many colors to ever have a real capsule. I just cannot commit to just three or four colors including neutrals for the whole season.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Denise! This is great inspiration to me. I have a similar F/W "capsule" already - maybe not as slouchy as some of her picks, and mostly navy in place of the black/charcoal pieces. I wish I had a F/W long sleeved graphic tee that felt right for me, so I may still try to find one. And I have a few more patterned items that I will wear into fall, she doesn't seem to have much pattern at all except the plaid and one cocoon sweater.

I'm going to try very hard to keep shopping to a minimum this season as I have so many things that need to be worn to earn a decent CPW. And I need to pay attention to learning why I like or dislike certain things already in my closet so I can make better decisions going forward.

Adelfa

Veteran

Totally with you on not being able to think of Fall when it's Summer. I think "Fall" comes earlier here so last week I broke out the booties and the occasional long sleeve.

I did see her capsule and was surprised at my reaction. Her selection seems very maximal to me (I'm with you Jules) and I couldn't possibly buy that many clothes all at once, psychologically I mean (realizing that some are carried over). Also I didn't really like it.

I think she says that she only thinks about her capsule for two weeks, am I remembering right? Really? But not to minimize the great thought-provoking nature of her blog.

What I do is I start a season with a capsule of 28-33 pieces, many old, but it's not the capsule I end with, because over the course of the season I retire items that aren't really working and add items either that I need or that I fall in love with, without really increasing the total count. This allows me to buy things on sale or to buy things spontaneously that delight me. It's been working pretty well.

I love unfancy's idea of hardly ever thinking about shopping, and partly due to her I started having no-shopping times, but I'm not ready to do it in such a concentrated way yet.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I have been visiting over there lately. I find I am quite ambivalent on the capsule idea. On the one hand, knowing you only need X amount of clothes to get through the season is great. On the other, needlessly putting garments you've already paid money for 'off limits' just for the sake of an arbitrary number seems, well, silly to me. We bought them to wear them. It's already bought - why not wear 20 shirts in fall instead of 10 if you have them? What do I gain by packing them away?
I think the first step in trying to minimize an overfull wardrobe is stop bringing in new.

Windchime

Veteran

I read her blog occasionally but hadn't yet seen her fall capsule. I'm struck by the fact that she has nine pairs of shoes in a 37-item capsule. That's almost 25% footwear! I remember her mentioning that she loves footwear as a way to change the look of her outfits.

I live in a four-season climate but have the best success so far with "capsules" for six to eight weeks at a time. Right now I'm using an early fall capsule; in mid-October, when average temperatures become substantially cooler, I'll rework it into a late fall capsule.

My capsules don't meet all the criteria; for example, not all of my tops can be worn with all of my bottoms. If I can style each item in my capsule in at least four different ways, I'm satisfied.

Oh, and I have the same problem with trying on outfits out of season. Wool sweaters when it's 90 degrees F? No thanks! I don't enjoy shivering in lightweight shirts and shorts when there's snow outside, either. So even though it might be ideal to have it all worked out weeks ahead, that's probably not going to happen. I definitely tweak as I go through the season.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I agree she has a pretty big wardrobe to say it's truly minimal. But shoes are important I'm learning. Living in Texas I can't really wait for it to get cold to start shopping for F/W or I'd be only buying "what's left." She lives in Austin right? It tends to be hot, hot, hot, then suddenly cold. And the fashion sales cycle doesn't wait for us - the pretty colors and sizes do run out by the time it gets cold here. We'll have a low of maybe 50 later this week but it will be back up to 90 within a few days of that. I don't get putting away all the summer things as I tend to wear many of them layered in fall. But maybe she just wants her summer wardrobe to last longer and to have things really changed up for fall so she doesn't grow tired of the same things?

Keturah

Veteran

I do love un-fancy's blog and concept. I visit her blog often. She has a really great modern street style.

That I said, I tried the whole capsule thing for this fall. It was a very good learning experience. At the end of it though, I'm with Shevia and others: anti-capsule. For my every-day wardrobe, I've learned capsules just don't work for me. It made me anxious, feeling I didn't have everything perfectly planned, perfectly paired, etc. It took the joy and spontaneity out of dressing myself in the morning. And it kind of made it feel impossible to be fluid in my daily clothing choices. I'm much more enjoying Tulip Louise and Style & Pepper among a few others. I shop my closet a lot more to recreate looks without worrying that I don't have enough of something, too much of something, the right style, etc. I'd rather buy for what makes my heart happy, wear the heck out of it, and repeat when it's time.

SharLa

I like the concept of capsules, especially the sense of variety from a few pieces. I am working on the wardrobe from scratch, as taught in the Vivienne Files.( Plus some duplicates)This gives me a great plan to work from- keeps me focused as I shop for things on my plan. I do not live exclusively according to this plan, but it establishes a framework and focus that gives enough order to feel organized, enough minimalism to feel un-hoardy, (not a real word I don't think!) ( but I'm not anywhere near a minimal wardrobe- at least not yet!) and reins in the shopping ! I am working with black and grey as neutrals, pure optic white for my white, and turquoise( any) and red ( mostly blue-red). I add some pinks and purples just cause I like them! I agree that it is best to wear what you love,- really love and enjoy, but one can love sooo much, that without some order/plan it can consume you, your closet ,and your life. So, I seek to enjoy and maximize the use of this tool, and art of fashion, but have at least something of a plan to go by, for my own good, and well being.

Desmo April

(website)

Veteran

I think of capsules differently. To me that is a wardrobe, my capsules are much smaller.

ironkurtin

Veteran

I'd like my closet to be one big capsule, which is pretty much what she's doing here. (Going to read in greater depth!) I haven't gotten there yet though. Mostly I just try to purge what really isn't working (too many white linen sweaters! Office not arctic enough this year!) and try to acquire *only* things I really, really like and will really, really wear. I think Mo's number-crunching about how many things it is actually possible to wear really hit home, and I'm doing the unprecedented act of actually not purchasing some really nice pieces because I simply will not be numerically able to wear them.

I personally find it hard to pre-determine what I will or will not wear before a season starts, because I forget how useful some things will be, or I keep them thinking they WILL be useful, and then they aren't. So as gross as I find it (for some reason I hate doing this), I'm forcing myself to try on everything and then discarding it for purely fit reasons if it doesn't work. It's painful me to do this because I keep thinking WHAT IF I NEED THIS. WHAT IF MY BODY CHANGES AGAIN but... honestly? I have to face up to that fact that if I have great things, getting rid of a not-great thing is not a terrible idea, especially if I have a great foundation of strong basics.

I'm also really, really trying to not prophylactically buy for the next season, because I overpurchase and the cycle continues. It may mean paying more later, but I need to stop WHAT IF-ing so much when I see something, without knowing what I really need.

Well, that was a novel! Sorry!

Jules

Veteran

IK: "I'd like my closet to be one big capsule, which is pretty much what she's doing here."
Yes, that is my approach as well. If the capsule is this big I don't really see it as minimalist or even a capsule, really.
I do find that general coordination really helps my wardrobe be cohesive, so maybe I already do this in my own way. Right now I'm all out of sorts because we have had unexpectedly warm transitional weather. I retired my main summer purse (cotton and looking tired) and don't have a pedicure, but am still forced to wear summer outfits. Which now don't work with my fall purses and footwear. I basically have two largely coordinating super-capsules, S/S and F/W, but they don't play that well together!

kkards

Veteran

i'm intrigued by what she is doing, but not enought to try it myself.
not to mention, that as others have pointed out, when you read the fine print, she doesn't really wear just her capsule, she has a whole another set of "lounge wear" that she wears most days!

unfrumped

Veteran

I'm trying a hybrid of sorts, related to "limits" to see if that helps me wear the things I like most.
What I'm interested in is sort of the 40-hanger "up front" wardrobe or similar seasonal number (using 4 seasons) but not limiting entire wardrobe to those pieces--more pieces might be in holding zone (if considering culling) or in a corner of the closet. So, not trying to achieve true minimalism, but am realizing I'm being distracted and confused if I have too many options and I tend to wear less-loved options and then wonder why.

So I'm working a system of "tempature appropriate" attire and deciding if I have more than I can wear in a given temp range (warm sweaters; light tops, etc) then I'm not being focused enough--I'm either adding pieces I don't need or avoiding decisions on what I will still wear.
For temperature-appropriate, obviously I have to think a bit above and below.
It is to reach 90 degrees today! I thought for sure that with having indoor cold AC at work and its being fall, I would not need my most summery items but I found I "missed" having some of them handy. So I will keep a range of tops front & center but I've identified the "next level" of warmth-- and have those handy. But there's no point yet in exposing cashmere or heaviest wool sweaters.
I've usually wanted to keep everything in plain sight, though I have really not been able to when my "need" for a selection of very warm winter clothes is factored in. And I have the luxury (or curse) of a spare closet, so it's more about what organizing strategy helps make dressing fun and fast and while still not forgetting items I may have hidden from plain sight.
Also it is helping identify what fabrics and styles are pulling their weight across seasons.

Since, when the going gets tough, the tough go to... The Container Store, I'm trying some new hangers for my project. I had got to the point where I had so many knits (which I hang) that I had to use more and more of the huggable hangers--I prefer the kind with no bottom--not just to prevent sliding, but for their curved design for knit shoulders. But, I still prefer the ease of on-off of plastic rather than the struggle with the flocked hangers, and I don't actually like how the thin huggables can jam up so much. So I'm trying a curved plastic hanger to avoid shoulder bumps. Also trying them in black, of all colors. I had always used white, thinking I need the brightening effect, but so far I kind of like the restful look of the black hangers--they sort of disappear and the clothes color, instead of being hard to see, is what you do see.

Marley

Veteran

Yes I read Un-Fancy's blog regularly and really enjoy it!

It's funny how some people on this thread have commented that this does not seem like a minimal wardrobe - while to me, this is extremely minimal! I mean, this is it - for 3 months!!!!! Only 36 pieces - that is soooo limited to my way of thinking! (LOL) I think it's genius (for her) the way that she has put this together - and like she says, she often makes mistakes and learns quickly that an item that she had selected for the capsule isn't working out. She's flexible and open about what and how she deals with the challenges.

Also - a capsule can pretty much be whatever you want it to be. It can be for a season (like this one that she presents) or it can be for an occasion (weddings, funerals, etc.; playdates, etc.) it can be based on a color - for example I am currently working on a navy blue and gray capsule; it can be based on a specific clothing item - say, a pair of BF jeans, etc. etc. ) It's supposed to just be a method to help you think about, organize, and build your wardrobe - nothing more than that!

And yes Denise - we are in the throes of summer weather here as well, and so fall clothing pieces and capsules are very difficult to conceptualize right now. And I'm with you - I much prefer shopping the fall sales which will be coming up in just a few weeks, rather that doing that all ahead of time!

In the meantime I have been trying to get my wardrobe pieces recorded on the Stylebook app - which I have found, is being the greatest motivator yet to pare down my wardrobe! If I pull out an item and look at it and think "oh, I don't want to waste my time photographing that because I don't really wear it that much - or, I'm not really that crazy about it . . . " - then I figure that's a sign for me to get rid of it! And, it's pretty painless that way too!

Can't wait to see what you come up with for your fall capsule!

rachylou

Veteran

I like her stuff from an aesthetic point of view - although I'd probably shy from the lighter greys. I'm not feeling that right now, but I can see how they'd be needed.

All my fall/winter stuff is still packed up. It's getting dark earlier, but it's just too soon. On the other side of things, new stuff... I wanted that H&M brown batwing sweater. I've been hitting up the local store to see if it's come in... and now I'm thinking it never will. That it's something we won't get and it's gone in terms of the catalog/online. A little bummed... but easy come, easy go.

Sal

Veteran

I like her blog and capsule, she has a great casual style.

I won't be doing a strict capsule, I have too many favourite pieces to incorporate. I do find it interesting, but am on board with Mo to try and slow the inwards flow.

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