https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:11:53 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581953 Tue, 10 Nov 2015 01:32:20 +0000 Sal 1581953@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Unfrumped, this is my analysis from a couple of months ago. &nbsp;I have around 80 clothing items (and about 20 footwear)...(excluding gym gear, gardening clothes, underwear etc) &nbsp;Over half of this hangs in the closet all year and 1/4 might be summer and 1/4 might be winter. &nbsp;Roughly...I have added three new items since then.</p> <p>I don't really operate capsules &nbsp;and I have some pieces I only wear one way and others are very versatile. Since joining YLF I have added a couple of essential items that have made pieces work harder for me, especially my jackets. &nbsp;A quality black tee that works with all my pants and all my toppers. &nbsp;A cream and black striped tee that works with most of my toppers. &nbsp;Some black drapey trousers that work with lots of different tops and jackets. &nbsp;These additions are real workhorses that get worn once a week or a minimum of once a fortnight for most weeks of the year, but have allowed me to wear my existing toppers a lot more.</p> <p>I am aiming to keep new additions around 20 per annum (I will likely be about 22-24 this calendar year). &nbsp;I am trying to ensure that the new additions include a trendy pair of footwear each season as I find this really lifts some of my basic pieces.</p> <p>I think it is okay to have pieces that you only wear a couple of times a year, or maybe even less, as long as you do love it when you wear them. &nbsp;I have about three pieces like this (excluding occasion wear) - sometimes they are just the change that you want. &nbsp;</p> <p></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581949 Tue, 10 Nov 2015 01:25:20 +0000 Aida 1581949@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting cogitations Unfrumped. I'm another who votes for doing the transeasonal core approach (also in a relatively mild climate) with some satellite seasonal additions. As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy limiting silhouettes I can definitely commiserate on the need for many varying lengths for items in that transeasonal core though! My solution to that is to have a moderately sized wardrobe I would guess you could combine your two ideas of the transeasonal core and the shifting seasons approach by allowing part of the core to also shift.</p> <p>I personally enjoy having a mix of "best" quality and "fun and trendy"<br /> items within that core is a more fun way to go; when those fun/trendy<br /> pieces are limited to the expansion sections they often don't earn their<br /> keep. Plus it's a nice way of feeling current in a more dramatic way. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581943 Tue, 10 Nov 2015 01:06:25 +0000 unfrumped 1581943@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>cjh, that's what I mean--I can use a certain "weight" top for example during certain temps whether it's June or Oct weird fluctuations.<br />I'm trying to be more discerning about which ones really do work <u>anytime</u> and aren't linked somehow to bottoms or footwear that are super-seasonal.<br />&nbsp; Partly it means these more seasonless core items should be some of my best items in terms of&nbsp;look "upscale", good fit, feel great. You'd think that would be easy but I don't always think I'm doing so hot there. I'd say pants theoretically are easiest because there are a fair number of makers of pants in seasonless wool and blends, plus ponte-types.</p> <p>carter, I doubt I'll limit to 40 either! I am not aiming for minimalism, but I have had too many items that are not being worn. If I can "see" that it's just due to season, then that's okay, I can set aside. But if I have too many for a given temp range or season or both, those are where I'm trying to weed out by editing or by attrition and not add more.</p> <p>texstyle, what is it with that, anyway? I really struggle with having any topper at all that are just toss on &amp; go. There is always some issue with proportions or even color--even neutrals sometimes look like a mash-up to me. I'm attacking that via the capsule approach, or backwards, that is. If I can't always grab a topper for each outfit, I'm at least writing down several good<u> topper'd ensembles </u>( choices of pants vs skirt and in a couple of temp ranges) so that if&nbsp;I&nbsp;really want to have a&nbsp;"jacket day"&nbsp; and be sure I'm happy with results, I don't have to try on 5 things in a rush. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581885 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 21:59:22 +0000 carter 1581885@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, I am definitely not a 40 item working closet kind of girl, so I can't add much there;-). I do, however, relate to your desire to have mostly quasi-seasonless clothes. We have long hot Summers and a brief 4-6 week bone-cold Winter. The rest is anybody's guess. I don't think I have anything that is truly "seasonless" for my climate. However, most of my items are 3 season items...some Sp/Su/F and some F/W/Sp. Then I have a small dead-of-winter capsule and a much larger please-get-me-through-the-heat summer capsule. It seems to work for me but it does leave the majority of my wardrobe in my working closet at any given time. I like this because I like lots of options.</p> <p>Looking forward to hearing what you decide! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581867 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 21:11:49 +0000 texstyle 1581867@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The think I think I can relate to most here is the issue with jackets/toppers (whatever you call them).&nbsp; I have a weird love of jackets, but little real world opportunities to wear them. And then when I have a chance, I feel like I end up choosing a top that doesn't go with the preferred topper!&nbsp; So I end up with 3 or 4 orphan toppers in the closet at any given time. Sigh. You'd think I would learn by now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581793 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 17:36:17 +0000 Ginger 1581793@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These are really good questions to ask yourself. I also think you're on the right track. In a fairly balanced 4-season climate, a core of seasonless items seems reasonable. I also practice layering *under* lighterweight garments, mostly with layering tees or turtlenecks under short-sleeve or 3/4 sleeve knit dresses. It makes these items close to year-round for me, especially since they can be either bare-legged or layered over tights or leggings.</p> <p>I've have some similar questions for myself. Partly because of the layering technique, and partly because of my volatile climate, dividing the wardrobe into four seasons has never been a practical technique. But the layering "support act," so to speak, has enabled me to build up my own set of seasonless essentials. Like the knit dresses, and my basic skirts which are neither heavy flannel nor seersucker.&nbsp; I know your seasonless items will be different than mine, but I can attest that it does work pretty well in a climate that's not mild. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581790 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 17:34:10 +0000 cjh 1581790@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like the points about choosing items for a certain length of time based on temperatures, perhaps less tied to traditional seasons. The idea of seasonal capsules, picking a collection of items for a season but numbering it as 90 days/3 months, or naming by "winter", "summer", "spring" and "fall" doesn't work so well for me as what I recently realized: I need to choose my items for the next climate phase. </p> <p>In my area and work environment, those seem to be <u>Cold and Dark</u> - November through March - the longest part of the year (though we are having a mild November so far); <u>Cold and Damp</u> - April and much of May; <u>Warm-or-Hot-Enough-to-Bare-Skin</u> - late May through early September; and <u>Never-Know-What-to-Wear</u> - mid-September through October (it can range from sweltering to icy even within several hours.)</p> <p>So I've been pulling the appropriate tops out (of my holding zone in my empty nest closets) based on my Climate Phase needs and trying to see how I can live with that. For about 5 weeks I've been in the Never-Know, settled on (for my own bedroom closet) about 6-8 tops (black with white polka dots chiffon 3/4 sleeve blouse; lime green 3/4 sleeve peasant blouse; blue/white mottled print 3/4 sleeve tunic shirt; blue/white print button shirt; gray chambray button shirt; satin tunic blouse of citron/gray/black/navy/white print; black tshirt with citron tie-dye look), 6-8 cardigan sweaters (purple, blue, rust orange, blue that matches the blue print shirts, citron, pale gray marled, black), 6 pants (gray, black slim pants and silky "joggers", navy, beige). I must have picked the right items! I have only gone off the rack twice - one day when it was really warm I went looking for an additional short sleeve shirt, and also added a pair of pants when nothing was clean. With the addition of a cami and/or cardigan, I've been warm enough. Shoes = slip-on flats and oxfords without socks.</p> <p>When I count the individual items, it adds up to fewer than 30.</p> <p>I have a line of long sleeve button shirts and long sleeve knit tops waiting for the Cold and Dark, to go with several bulky cardigans and pullover sweaters. Mostly will wear the same pants but will add a couple pair of heavy ponte knits. Shoes will be booties or oxfords with socks.&nbsp;</p> <p>So the moral of the story is, once I realized I could define my own "seasons", this method is working pretty well for me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581721 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 13:25:07 +0000 plonkee 1581721@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm kind of going with a two wardrobes with some overlap - summer and spring/autumn/winter. I too work indoors, but the office has large picture windows, lovely but means that climate control is not idea. It can get quite hot and cold depending on the levels of sunshine. In hot weather this means short sleeves, and in mild weather long sleeves, and cold weather long sleeves plus extra layer.</p> <p>My spring/autumn/winter core wardrobe (tops, skirts, trousers, toppers)&nbsp;is at 44 items plus 7 in the holding zone. I have about 4 different silhouettes at the moment (with some tiny variations), and really only 2.5 neutrals - navy, grey and then a small amount of black.&nbsp;I have&nbsp;a two to three week rotation on clothes. I could, I think, go for&nbsp;three weeks if I really needed to.</p> <p>This works for me because I don't like to wear items too infrequently. And I have to really stretch myself to try new silhouettes and wear less of a uniform. It's cohesive in colour because I only like certain colours - and this does mean I can have fewer accessories. I have stuff that I don't wear in different seasons, but not enough closet space to actually put things away out of sight.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581675 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 06:34:03 +0000 LaPed 1581675@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Re: seasons. I've lived in a 4-season climate (New England), a desert climate (southern Nevada), and a mild climate (PNW), and in all three cases I've found it easiest to have a base of transitional or year-round pieces, with smaller capsules to deal with temperature extremes. I put away woollens for a couple months in the summer, and put away very summery sundresses for a couple months in the winter, but otherwise pretty much everything has a place year round. Having always lived in smallish houses/apartments, I can't conceive of having the storage space to rotate between 4 separate seasonal wardrobes. The one thing that varies dramatically between climates I've found is footwear. I need a lot more sandals and summer shoes in Las Vegas, and many fewer boots than I did in Portland or Vermont.&nbsp;</p> <p>Re: neutrals. I'd never, ever thought about limiting neutrals in my wardrobe until very recently. I made an unconscious shift towards black/navy/grey as my base neutrals, eliminating most of my tans and browns, and suddenly my whole wardrobe plays much more nicely together. The only "problem children" are some brown shoes that I'm still very attached to for comfort reasons. I'm in need of a suitable black replacement! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581649 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 04:49:58 +0000 Anonymous 1581649@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I understand what you are trying to do. When I needed a whole new wardrobe due to weight loss, I tried very hard to stay all season with just a very few things for really hot humid and really frigid weather. For me it didn't work. We had weeks of below 0 degrees F weather and weeks of above 100 degrees F and the year round stuff just didn't cut it. I needed more to get through those weeks. I also tried to limit neutrals to 2 or 3 but couldn't do it. That is probably the key to success. I hope that you can do this in your mild climate. Even then it will take lots of discipline. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581637 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 03:31:00 +0000 unfrumped 1581637@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your input is on track with the areas I'm trying to spiff up. Alasse, thanks for reading!<br /> BonnieG, I tend to buy a fair % as all- season and was using almost those same labels-- hot summer, cold winter and " all other" but then overdo on cold- weather items instead of running a tighter " deep winter" capsule.<br /> Suz, color palette has been helpful and yet sometimes I'll not be as picky as I should be, not so much adding random colors, but waiting for something in the specific neutral or shade. Sometimes I'm not as tolerant of " all neutrals go together" as I thought I would be!<br /> Staysfit, you are making sense! I probably am running too many silhouettes but do have them identified. Where I could improve focus is to say, if X pants are multiseason, then my csshmere sweater and my linen sweater need similar shapes that each work with those pants. My tucking-in blouses need to work with both pleated pants and with high- waisted skirts( shape, color, pattern). Or I have a "summer silhouette " capsule for a few ankle pant outfits. The topper thong is spot- on and it's the longer high- low tops that really give me trouble plus the roomier fits, so layering got harder. </p> <p>I'm generally doing this, but still would add something here and there that is kind of superfluous to the overall system. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581624 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 02:56:44 +0000 anne 1581624@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>UF, I have to confess to not being around every detail of your post, but I did want to second Suz'z words<br />"I'd go with a "seasonless" core. Seasonless usually means it works best in spring/ autumn temps which are sort of indoor temps as well."</p> <p>This is what I do with my&nbsp;work wear - pretty much wear the same all year around. I do have some variation - I might wear a long sleeve tee under a sleeveless top, and am more likely to wear&nbsp;a long sleeved blouse or knit in winter and a sleeveless shell in summer - I often go bare legged in summer (AC permitting)&nbsp;and wear hose in winter. But the core is the same. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581617 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 02:27:39 +0000 Staysfit 1581617@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I completely followed that. I'm curious how many silhouettes you find yourself wearing? With my smaller wardrobe, I also have reduced the variety of silhouettes, but I have by no means reduced the variety of what I am wearing. I still have plenty. I simply have made a conscious choice to do things such as eliminate a-line skirts, only utilize straight leg pants, keep waistlines at either mid or high rise level, etc. This has allowed me to know that I can get by with certain length blouses, jackets, and cardigans. I also know the lengths I want skirts and dresses to be for them to work with my proportions. More importantly, it has allowed a reduction in the number of items per category. For example, I don't need to find different toppers to work with an a-line skirt and with a pencil skirt because I don't have any a-line skirts; the toppers that work with my high rise jeans work well with my pencil skirts and sheath dresses also. I have a wide enough variety of pencil skirts to keep my look fresh and interesting. Maybe what I am trying to say is that a limited choice of silhouette, plus a well defined color palette can help to limit the number of toppers. </p> <p>Hmm, I'm not sure if I explained myself as well as you </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581610 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 01:41:46 +0000 Suz 1581610@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think in your climate and in your line of work (indoor, climate controlled albeit sometimes frigid AC) I'd go with a "seasonless" core. Seasonless usually means it works best in spring/ autumn temps which are sort of indoor temps as well.&nbsp;</p> <p>I think the fastest track to being able to easily sub in season specific items with the core items is to pick your core light and dark neutral and have all seasonal items work with those neutrals. In my case, the core is ink/navy/ denim. Everything I own, pretty much, will work with that. I also have lots of other neutrals (taupe, greys, winter white) but again, everything I own for all seasons pretty much works with those.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581609 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 01:40:18 +0000 Bonnie 1581609@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree that having a different wardrobe for each season would be excessive and unnecessary - especially since your seasons are mild. I've been working on having clothes that I wear when it's very hot or cold and another wardrobe that works for mild weather. This mild weather wardrobe also works for hot days when I'm in AC and cold days when I'm indoors. This is my main wardrobe and I spend most of my effort and resources here. I admire the thought you have given to designing a manageable wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581600 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 01:17:59 +0000 Alassë 1581600@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>An interesting read, unfrumped. I think you're on the right track. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cogitating-on-capsules-counting-collecting#post-1581597 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 01:02:53 +0000 unfrumped 1581597@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>&nbsp;Here's a long noodle on more wardrobe organization.</p> <p>I’ve still been doing some editing and outfit creation and that gets me&nbsp; &nbsp;thinking more about wardrobe numbers and capsules.</p> <p>&nbsp;I’ve started to like not having as many things “out”<br /> in my main closet, but I also need to&nbsp;watch out&nbsp;so that I don’t run 2 whole<br /> closets. Meaning, I’m good with “off season” storage in the spare bedroom closet, but I don’t want it swollen to be large amounts of clothing that is only worn for a few months of the year.&nbsp; </p> <p>I like the idea of the "40-hanger wardrobe" &nbsp;or similar, but meaning, what is&nbsp;<u>readily visible</u>&nbsp;at any one time, because I &nbsp; can’t really deal with many more items than that for decision-making.</p> <p>So as you have likely read about, there is also the 4-season, “37” or whatnot capsule wardrobe idea.</p> <p>I like this idea on one level, too, but <u>not </u>as a plan to have 37 different pieces for each of 4 seasons!&nbsp; I guess in part because I'm more focused on workwear organization, and so I dont' need 120 workwear items nor&nbsp; &nbsp;want 3/4 of all workwear lying fallow at any one time.</p> <p>More it's the idea of having about 40 items that are what I am <u>likely to be wearing </u>for some weeks of a given temperature range-- that is just made up, but is based on some practical numbers related to 2-weeks of outfit rotations, plus some extras for<br /> mood or temp (warmer or cooler) plus a few mix and match, so something like 8-10 pants ( I wear &nbsp;pants a LOT ) and 3-4<br /> skirts (again made up number based on&nbsp; &nbsp;having&nbsp;fewer&nbsp;“skirt days”) and 15 tops and some layering pieces and toppers. And, it’s related to my hanging rod<br /> space that is at best “eye level”, easiest to see and reach and visualize. &nbsp;That sort of thing-not rigid, but just it’s about what I’d wear.</p> <p>For the idea of “capsule, ” I don’t hold to &nbsp;the idea<br /> that everything goes with everything, but where it interests me is that if I<br /> picked out these 40 or so items, then they still of course &nbsp;ought to<u> relate to each other </u>in a rational<br /> way (several smaller capsules and overlapping capsules and a few single-outfit pieces--reasons why <u>these tops </u>and <u>these bottoms </u>are “what I’m wearing”, and which toppers go, and why. </p> <p>(For a further random departure into flight of ideas, it brings up my topper problem such as, why does it take seemingly a dozen jacket options in order for to be able to complete an outfit in a way that looks good to me, even within a given weather season? It’s my problem of proportions and lengths—I feel it is very hard to find the all-purpose topper because of colors, lengths, and fit over<br /> tops, and that may be a HEWI. The closest thing is actually a non-indoor topper, such as a lightweight coat that goes over longer tops or bulkier tops with pants, and also looks like it could belong to a skirt outfit.)</p> <p>Looping back to the 4 –season capsules, I would use more of a “shifting core” where I’m thinking somewhat seasonally, just because my brain does work that way, but with half or more items staying the same and then some being subbed in, again primarily for temperature comfort but also for “evoking seasons” for pleasure with different fabrics and colors.</p> <p>Where I’m going with this is that I need to give more thought to &nbsp; whether, if some core items are &nbsp; staying, do the upcoming season-change refresher items ( like subbing in some warmer sweaters to wear with some all-season pants that are still warm enough) truly relate to each other in the best way and create outfits that are just as good as the ones that are being “retired for the season”, meaning, am I collecting <u>versatile</u> items that make multi-season “great”<br /> outfits. </p> <p>Or flip-flop it to also be that a core item&nbsp;can be&nbsp;made warmer if its style allows layering a thermal item under.&nbsp; I look at that as different from layering over, because I sometimes want to retain the look and proportions of the actual top, and because thermal underlayers are cheaper, washable, and repeatable and store easily. This causes me to re-evaluate my love of cozy woolens and<br /> place more value on seeking out more upscale, lofty cotton and linen knitwear, or selected wovens, that for me is still comfortable in summer A/C but might take an underlayer in chilly weather. Thin merino almost qualifies but loses out a bit in humid weather.</p> <p>A truly more scary thought is that perhaps I would do well with a true, completely separate 4-season wardrobe change-up, but then I'd need to use much fewer pieces per season. I've thought about that first, I'm too temperature-temperamental, and also, that once I've got pants hemmed and tailored and skirts done and all that, I want to be able to reach for them in more than one season, so I think&nbsp;emphasizing&nbsp;&nbsp;the <u>season-less&nbsp;</u>core works better in my relatively mild 4-season climate.</p> <p>Whew--not sure anyone can relate to all that, but it's how I'm analyzing why certain items seem to pay their way versus others that languish.</p>