https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:23:48 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103508 Tue, 03 Mar 2020 12:14:10 +0000 CarolS 2103508@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Zaeobi - agreed. I'm unlikely to wear a lot of pattern. Not even sure I want to mix navy and black, but will consider it f the right piece comes up. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103492 Tue, 03 Mar 2020 08:31:55 +0000 Zaeobi 2103492@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If you're looking for navy &amp; black patterned items for summer, what about sandals or a printed belt? Even a nice pair of earrings or straw tote could work in the heat! </p> <p>I think the easiest way to incorporate patterns is to restrict them to one or two items at most - I love printed scarves &amp; have a few striped tops, but I never wear patterned trousers (at least not obvious ones), shoes or cardigans. Makes mixing &amp; matching my clothes much easier! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103446 Tue, 03 Mar 2020 01:12:01 +0000 CarolS 2103446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Carla -- agree with Sal that the image looks pinkish and green LOL. Mix and match certainly is at the heart of what I need to do right now. I don't really wear a lot of patterned tops (the odd horizontal stripe, which, while not flattering to my midsection, is something I just adore -- and I know you can relate!)</p> <p>I don't currently have anything that mixes navy and black. A scarf is probably my best bet but not for summer. The pants and top I have found aren't particularly expensive (Winners finds), so it's not a costly experiment if I decide to give it a whirl.</p> <p>Thought I had found blouse that mixed a mid blue with navy perfectly, but it didn't fit. Back to the drawing board.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103445 Tue, 03 Mar 2020 00:58:19 +0000 CarolS 2103445@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So much food for thought provided here. Thank you. I have much to mull over.</p> <ul> <li><b>Sal</b> you camel/caramel capsule is beautiful! I do have to carve out time to do some try ons.</li> <li><b>Notsaf </b>the mustard post was very thought-provoking. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.</li> <li><b>Cardiff girl </b>I rarely change bags for my outfit. I carry a very utilitarian black bag most of the time. It works for me and I won't be rushing to change that. Shoes are my biggest challenge. I have some simple, flat sandals that could work in a pinch, a very simple pair of brown oxfords, and yellow Docs.</li> <li><b>Jenni NZ</b> that is one killer cobalt combo! Great stuff!</li> <li><b>Vildy</b> thanks for the inspiration. I'll have to think about how I can incorporate some of that thinking.&nbsp;</li> <li><b>Bijou</b>, that makes sense to me. My basic formula these days is column of black with contrast topper (or not contrasting if it's that kind of day). Scarf with some colour when it's not too hot for it. The column of red with navy looks incredible. Wonderful pieces!</li> <li><b>Suntiger</b> thank you for sharing the earlier post on capsules. Helps me think of looking at it in a few different ways.</li> <li><b>Barbara Diane</b> it sounds like your navy capsule is growing and evolving. Like you, I am a fan of the column of colour.</li> </ul> I'll try to get to some trying on this week to see how the mix and matching feels. As I've been reading your comments and suggested posts, I've realized that I should think about my spring/summer work capsule overall and pinpoint what I acyually need. So far, my thinking was limited to "hey, the pants fit, and my size is available in two colours. Sold!" Followed by "guess I should find a top".&nbsp; I'm still learning! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103444 Tue, 03 Mar 2020 00:48:14 +0000 Sal 2103444@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Carla - that could be like the dress photo a couple of years ago that some people saw as blue and others as pink!!&nbsp; To me that fabric looks brown with a green fleck....</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/science/blue-or-white-dress-why-we-see-colours-differently.aspx">https://www.nationalgeographic.....ently.aspx</a></p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103443 Tue, 03 Mar 2020 00:22:39 +0000 Carla 2103443@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mix and match, and by activity is the way I go with my capsules. Size doesn’t factor into it so much, but you want to be able to create a few different outfits. &nbsp;</p> <p>When I think of adding a new <b>colour</b>, I ‘audition’ a collection of 4 items in that colour in order to see how it works with what I already have in my closet. &nbsp;If I like it, I’ll add more. &nbsp;</p> <p>If I’m starting from scratch, I usually start with a focus item that has a pattern or print and then build a capsule around it, pulling colours from the focus.</p> </p> <p> <div>I LOVE navy and black together, and like Jenni, I have a top that includes both - a sweater with a black and dark blue marl. Not sure if it shows up in the photo below. &nbsp;It tends to read as ‘black’ in photos.<br /></div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103407 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 19:48:27 +0000 Barbara Diane 2103407@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I would prefer my summer/lightweight neutral to be black but I would have been naked. So several years ago I purchased navy crops. A sweater. I added navy tops, eventually a navy and mint skirt, and a navy pullover to extend the usefulness of the skirt. I added a pair of pants that wasn’t lightweight to wear with the sweater and tops. Last year I added three pairs of pants. A solid navy midi or maxi skirt is the one item I am missing. I often wore a column of color. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103374 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 15:51:09 +0000 Anonymous 2103374@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This breaks down Angie's view of capsules<br /> <a href="https://youlookfab.com/2012/09/07/three-wardrobe-capsule-archetypes/" rel="nofollow">https://youlookfab.com/2012/09.....rchetypes/</a><br /> I kind of think of them mainly by activity (running, formal work, etc), or things I may pack together- ie: by color but different levels of formality or weather. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103361 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 14:22:57 +0000 Bijou 2103361@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I find prints good to tie in colours or wearing a column of colour with a contrasting topper. I recently wore a column of red with a navy jacket and liked the combination. The pieces are in finds. Navy is such a nice alternative to black, I wear both often. I hope you enjoy your new navy pieces. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103348 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 12:51:26 +0000 CarolS 2103348@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you all for weighing in. I'm off to work now and will pop back this evening to read more thoroughly! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103347 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 12:41:42 +0000 Vildy 2103347@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><div>Vivienne Files talks about Clusters,&nbsp; which begin as outfit based. <br /></div><div><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2013/12/breaking-all-rules-for-cleaning-out.html/">https://www.theviviennefiles.c.....-out.html/</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Shows a bit of her thinking/planning here in this chart she's filled in</div><div><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2014/01/organizing-our-wardrobe-clusters.html/">https://www.theviviennefiles.c.....ters.html/</a><br /></div><div><br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103345 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 12:31:36 +0000 Vildy 2103345@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>JENNI</b>, Be still my heart - love that outfit! Amazing.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103333 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 09:03:45 +0000 Sal 2103333@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes Jenni - I think having one patterned piece can pull it all together.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Carol - I love those wide leg navy pants and I think with a striped top you have an outfit in itself.&nbsp; It sounds like you have two navy toppers already plus the camel, grey and green.&nbsp; They may not all work.&nbsp; You can then wear the navy cardigan, striped top with different pants.&nbsp; Or swap in the white top for the striped.</p> <p>The proof is in the pudding though - try the outfits out.&nbsp; They don't all have to work but it would be great to have two or three.</p> <p>Do you have shoes that work with these pants?</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103329 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 07:44:15 +0000 Jane 2103329@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That sounds enough for a capsule, and good that you’ve got a navy cardigan as a place holder until you find a better replacement. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103328 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 07:40:46 +0000 Jenni NZ 2103328@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like what Sal has said above. With navy, for years I didn’t mix it with black.<br /> But about 2 years ago I started to, partly because of my fave cobalt boots which all Fabbers who have been around for a while have seen many times. I found this top that mixed them and that was the gateway drug! And now I have “ink” pants that do too-pic 2 is a close-up of the fabric. Pic 3 is a 2018 pic with the top and the boots in question plus a cobalt jacket I had bought. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103326 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 07:23:41 +0000 Cardiff girl 2103326@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What about footwear and a bag? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103323 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 06:47:16 +0000 notsaf 2103323@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie's post on mustard might help: <a href="https://youlookfab.com/2019/10/01/planning-and-building-my-mustard-capsule/" rel="nofollow">https://youlookfab.com/2019/10.....d-capsule/</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103320 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 06:27:54 +0000 Sal 2103320@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think they can be very small but enough for maybe two outfits. As you say things from your black capsule can cross over and be in two capsules. </p> <p>I think more this way in winter. I have added camel and caramel deliberately and this has been useful with black and denim and navy. My navy capsule has been less successful - it was three pieces and needed a scarf to pull it together.</p> <p>In saying that I do think scarves can really help. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103317 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 05:14:03 +0000 Jenn 2103317@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Carol! I didn’t get a chance to comment on your introductory post, but I love what you’ve shown us of your style </p> <p>I think you definitely have a capsule here. No one’s enforcing a size requirement, but if you just had, say, a navy sweater and some matching boots, I’d call that a “complement.” What you have here, some navy items and the the additional pieces you wear with them, is definitely a capsule. And if the navy is functional in your wardrobe and meets your needs with the number of pieces you have, then it’s just the right size. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103308 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 03:12:39 +0000 CarolS 2103308@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for the welcome, Jenni NZ - I'm really enjoying being here! I've never really thought in "capsules" either, but I wondered if it would be a helpful way to look at it. My wardrobe (of things I can actually wear) is still pretty small, and it mostly black -- although I started to liven it up a bit by shopping like a maniac in February.</p> <p>Maybe navy is another step toward that more varied wardrobe... :-)</p> <p>Sounds perfect, rachylou! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103306 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 02:31:37 +0000 Jenni NZ 2103306@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I meant to say that just the 3 things, the pants, the top and the cardigan, are definitely enough to start. I often prefer to think in outfits rather than capsules. Everything doesn’t have to go with everything else. It depends also how big a wardrobe you are working with. Mine has around the 160 mark of clothing and shoes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103304 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 02:24:47 +0000 rachylou 2103304@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think it’s enough. My night out capsule is a dress, a necklace and a pair of shoes I tend to define capsules around activities rather than colours ... not that I don’t have them, but it makes it clearer for me re when to break them out. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103302 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 02:16:40 +0000 Jenni NZ 2103302@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Carol don’t think I’ve welcomed you yet so welcome from me! I have several “capsules” though I haven’t called them that, more groupings of colours. They often start quite small and get added to over time. For instance my olive capsule started with a pair of pants I no longer have, way back in 2013. The pants just appealed to me though I had nothing else at the time, just wore them with black initially. But around the same time I noticed that these very bright boots had an olive stripe around the top of them so I started to wear them together, then gradually added tops that had some olive in, etc etc. I am actually wearing all olive today. I also have a small navy capsule, a pink one, and so on. Definitely worth doing for variety!<br /> The first olive pants wore out and the first navy ones have too, but both have been replaced with slightly different ones. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-big-should-a-wardrobe-capsule-be#post-2103300 Mon, 02 Mar 2020 01:16:33 +0000 CarolS 2103300@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My main neutral these days is black -- in part because it is easiest to find and easy to match. I'm wondering if I should add a small navy capsule. It would mainly be for spring/summer office wear.&nbsp;</p> <p>I found a pair of wide legged navy pants this weekend, and I bought a navy and white striped top that I think might work with them.</p> <p>I already have a knee-length navy cardigan and a high/low slightly arty-feeling navy vest. I don't love the cardigan, but I can live with it until I find something else.</p> <p>Other things I have that might work with the navy pants: <ul> <li>white jersey knit tops (home on trial after today's shopping)</li> <li>charcoal BR factory outlet boyfriend blazer (have to test the proportion)</li> <li>soft charcoal turtleneck (this and the BF jackets for the cooler weather of March and April)</li> <li>green knee-length cardigan with draped front (fave find of the weekend!!!!!)</li> <li>my camel topper</li> </ul> Is this enough to be a "capsule". Is there anything else I need to consider? If it's going to be so small, am I better off to just stick with my black neutrals?</p> <p>The only finds that are the actual item are the blazer and the camel topper. Haven't got a find that's close to the green cardigan.</p>