YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Mix-and-Match

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Mix-and-Match https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:22:50 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Carla on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318571 Mon, 17 Apr 2023 15:10:46 +0000 Carla 2318571@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ @ lyn67 - Angie’s capsule posts were my favourite! lyn67 on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318555 Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:16:06 +0000 lyn67 2318555@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I so loved Angie's former posts on capsule wardrobes and my clothes mix&match relatively well as have a strict, mostly neutral color scheme for work but I don't really shop to make capsules per se.  Then, I agree with Suz as mix&match to boot and pleasing is really hard "I care about fabrication weight, for one thing, so the summer pieces don't go with the winter ones...(...)proportion is another factor. Some cuts of top and topper don't' work as well with some bottoms".  The level of dressines is once again another factor, too-and perhaps this is my hardest. I once thought a casual capsule has to contain only casual items....but from a while back I feel now exactly the other way. For a casual outfit which pleases me nowadays  I have to inlcude at least 1 or 2 dressier items, too...who knew!:-) ETA: Oh, and agree with Sarah  "so much information out there about creating a capsule wardrobe- but very little about maintaining or evolving one". Think these above are in fact the reasosn, it is very hard to maintain and evolve-as cuts, lengths, fabric/weights and proportions are  all perpetually changing. Maintaining a capsule exactly as originally designed for many seasons I would consider a rut. Changing/replacing one or more items is always a hard work, but keep us going further!:-) Suz on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318489 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 21:39:27 +0000 Suz 2318489@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My wardrobe is entirely mix and match in terms of colours (because it is neutrals dominant) and my accent colours remain quite constant -- berry tones, fuchsia, reds/ burgundy, lilac. But it's not mix and match in other respects. I care about fabrication weight, for one thing, so the summer pieces don't go with the winter ones. But proportion is another factor. Some cuts of top and topper don't' work as well with some bottoms.   When I'm purchasing an item I just try to imagine a few ways I could wear it and a few different outfits I could make from what I currently own. But even if I would need to buy new completer pieces, I might still buy the item if it will help me evolve my style.  SarahD8 on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318486 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 21:30:22 +0000 SarahD8 2318486@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Actually Audrey Coyne’s video today is on the topic of capsules. But she doesn’t really address the questions you are asking. Which has me thinking about how there’s so much information out there about creating a capsule wardrobe- but very little about maintaining or evolving one. Irina on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318480 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 21:14:16 +0000 Irina 2318480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Since I wear neutrals and a limited color palette, my wardrobe mostly mix and match. When I rebuilt my wardrobe in 2015 it was a main goal. It is still at the core on my collection of clothes, shoes and accessories. I might add an odd color here and there but I don’t want to invest much into building a capsule with it.  LJP on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318474 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 20:51:51 +0000 LJP 2318474@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Funny - I was thinking about this today when emptying the last of my stored summer clothing and footwear bins . I used to be more capsule oriented in years past and would have everything from the footwear and bag and scarf to pull it all together . I am looking at this giant pile of summer footwear with colours I don’t have the capsule pieces for anymore , plus I am over the whole matched accessories look and want a smaller collection of neutral footwear that works with everything . I am looking at rusty red sandals , blue Fly London platform sandals , rust espadrilles etc , and even some pink ( wtf??) knit sneakers . At one point they were part of a capsule - but enough of the matchiness already . My wardrobe is too big for summer and I’m feeling overwhelmed . Tighter mix and match is the goal , but with fewer colours . Did any of that make sense ?? Angie on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318472 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 20:42:39 +0000 Angie 2318472@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ What Tanya said. Tanya on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318471 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 20:40:42 +0000 Tanya 2318471@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I enjoy reading such articles and posts, but don't dress like that in reality, except maybe for  week-long travel.   I do put together seasonal capsules based on specific themes and color pallets, however they are bigger and not everything mixes and matches.  I care about proportions, especially of the right top/shoe for the right bottoms, which limits possibilities. I try to make sure each "key" piece (non-essentials) can be style at least three different ways with existing clothes, and stop there.  Cardiff girl on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318470 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 20:37:58 +0000 Cardiff girl 2318470@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yes it’s still around and l think it always will be in some form or another.After all we all need a degree of mix and match in ourWardrobes for them to function.l also think that they appeal to a lot of people as a way to build a functional wardrobe.l do think that working in small capsules with in a bigger wardrobe is probably the most practical way for most people to go with this idea. Indigoprint on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318461 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 19:46:55 +0000 Indigoprint 2318461@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yes I think it is still around, Putting me together blog uses those words specifically, but I think most of the capsule influencers do that but maybe are calling it something different...ie 10 x 10 challenge. Emily Wheatley just posted black t -shirt 5 ways and it was interesting how she styled it. Anonymous on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318458 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 19:37:00 +0000 Anonymous 2318458@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My wardrobe is mostly mix and match, now that I'm pretty much only buying neutrals. I try not to add one off colors in general though. I love the idea of The Vivienne Files and read it often, but her actual pieces tend to be too boxy for my preferences, the wardrobes usually much more casual than my needs, and she's very conservative with her color combinations. Jenni NZ on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318451 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 19:07:34 +0000 Jenni NZ 2318451@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don’t really dress like this but it does affect me since I keep things a long time, and I do get confused about what to do if a key component of the outfit becomes too old. For example, I wanted to wear the yellow loafers more. They were previously slightly tight but I got them stretched at the inside back which helped, and I think my weight loss helped too, making them slightly looser. I bought 2 new tops in the past 6 months that have the exact yellow and so I have been wearing the loafers more. They’ve now had 34 wears and are still in excellent condition, but they are way older than the tops and likely to die before the tops. Then I will be a bit stuck as that particular colour yellow doesn’t come around that much. I don’t like mustard for myself. SarahD8 on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318442 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 18:14:16 +0000 SarahD8 2318442@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ As an inveterate planner and analyzer, I still looooove the idea of this sort of thing (regardless of whether it's still A Thing or not). But I find it really difficult to apply to my own way of getting dressed. I don't really favor column-of-color or suit-esque (matching bottoms and topper) looks, so a "mix-and-match" capsule will always be less mix-and-match for me in practice than in theory.  For example I too love The Vivienne Files, but I often find myself scrolling through her posts of a dozen or more outfits from a handful of clothes and thinking: I would only actually *want* to wear one or two of those looks. I am slowly building an understanding of "my version of" a mix-and-match capsule but it's harder to work out, and harder to achieve, than it looks! I think that whatever system you come up with, you have to make sure that when you edit things out of your capsule you replace like with like. That might be as specific as replacing one pair of mid-wash boyfriend jeans with another, or as general as making sure that you always have a pair of light neutral pants that can be worn with cropped sweaters (for example). And when expanding your capsule, thinking similarly about expanding like with like. Maybe you wear a lot of striped sweaters in the spring, and you realize that since you mostly wear them with neutral pants you could expand your stable of classic Breton stripes with a red striped sweater. Or maybe you want to experiment with a new pattern so you add a blue paisley sweater in a similar cut to your striped ones. Maybe it comes back to that idea of varying an item in one dimension only?   Anonymous on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318428 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:46:04 +0000 Anonymous 2318428@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ A column of a dark and a light neutral can go far in incorporating anything else. I still do this especially with black and white. Neither of these are the best neutrals for me, (too cool) but bright scarves in warm colors near my face help. I have tried for navy or browns but both are more difficult to get a blending column of color, unless you buy all at once so they blend. Adding color, texture, pattern and shine is important. Start with a small travel capsule of a dark and a light neutral core with a few accent pieces that will add change. For me this may be in one or two colors and usually in tops or accessories. Rarely is a key piece passed on. If so, it is replaced with something similar but more modern ASAP if a replacement is not already in the closet. Be sure the key pieces have similar pieces in case there is a cleaning bottleneck. cat2 on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318427 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:44:41 +0000 cat2 2318427@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don’t plan like this, instead I keep piece counts, and if I am heading into a season with fewer than 6 pairs of pants to get through the season, or don’t have the right sleeve length tees, I go shopping. I manage two seasons here, Summer and Not Summer, as Spring is really short and Fall is hot until October. If I stick to things found in my palette, eventually everything will work itself into outfits, and usually in ways I didn’t expect. Star (Lise) on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318425 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:50:25 +0000 Star (Lise) 2318425@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Interesting questions and thoughts.  I have been a big fan of the Vivienne Files (as you know).  I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe, a base of black, navy and taupe and bright colour accents, and most should mix and match.  I guess when the key items wear out, ie. black pants, you replace them.  In reality my wardrobe is nothing like this.  I thrift most of my clothing, so when I find a fab piece in my size and the right price, so long as it is from the cool colour family I buy.  Example, yesterday I found cool mocha brown linen/cotton utility pants, made in Italy.  So now colours for my high summer capsule have changed dramatically.  I have a very large wardrobe so I make capsules out of what I have.  I find it much easier to manage my large wardrobe this way.   Summer is now looking more brown, rust and olive heavy.  Closetplay.biz uses this technique, I may have got it from Liz. Carla on "Mix-and-Match" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mix-and-match-or-capsules#post-2318424 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:24:05 +0000 Carla 2318424@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I haven’t heard or read much recently about shopping for and building a capsule of mix-and-match items that then create a near infinity of different outfit combinations.  Is this still a thing?  Once started, do you continue down the road of mix and match by the careful addition of individual pieces?  What happens when some (key/completer) pieces get passed on?  Is the cohesion of the capsule thrown out of whack?