Hi, friends! It’s been ages since I’ve participated (life got busy), but I had all of my August/September capsule clean and hanging in one place so I figured I’d write up a quick capsule post.

A quick “about me:” I teach social science and humanities courses at a rural college. The vibe among the faculty and staff skews casual and we have no official dress code. As a person I want to present myself as polished, engaging, and approachable. I’m not sure those are really style descriptors, but I do keep them in mind when I’m shopping.

I have a list of about 30 items that I want to make sure are in my closet each season. I’ve been experimenting with this method for about three years now and started because my wardrobe was unbalanced (too many tops, not enough bottoms) and I was reluctant to splurge on anything. Overall, I wanted to create a system that ensured a handful of functional outfits to cover day to day needs with the flexibility to spend big on a few items. This list undergoes some revision at the end of each season, but at this point I’m pretty close to a consistent list that works for me.

Some items can cross the seasons while others get switched out (you can look at the spreadsheet to get an idea of what my I mean). I also wear things that are not pictured or listed on the spreadsheet (I have more summer toppers, for example), but the items below represent the core of my wardrobe. They strike the right balance of lights, darks, and midtones; color and print; and variety of styles.

The August/September capsule is the most casual of my seasonal capsules because it is vey hot an humid during this time of the year. I will continue to wear these items through the end of the month at which point I’ll switch to a October/November capsule with more of a fall vibe.

Hope you enjoy looking! Questions and feedback welcome.