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Capsule Wardrobe?

kimlee

Veteran

In this post , I mentioned how my husband suggested over lunch that I work on creating a summer work capsule. My husband is very fashion forward, has a great eye for detail, and pays close attention to how I dress.
Over lunch, I was lamenting about having to pack from an upcoming work trip and how I felt limited in choices because so much of my wardrobe doesn't play well with other items.

He commented that he had noticed I seemed happiest when I wore the following items:

1. Skirts - especially my graphic black and white A-line skirts and my beloved Halogen Seamed Pencil skirts

2. Solid Color Tops with white, black, coral and cobalt blue getting the most love.

3. Cardigans over Blazers (unless the blazer is a fun color like coral or cobalt blue)

So he asked why I didn't build a wardrobe around the things I love, keeping neutral skirts as my bottoms and adding a fun colored bottom or two for each season.

His suggested items for the capsule:
- 3 neutral pencil skirts: light gray, darker gray, and black
- 2 fun-colored pencil skirts: already have an aqua - he suggested coral or cobalt blue
- 2/3 Printed Skirts: Already have these
- Tops: I have white and black covered. Add color here.
- Toppers: Coral Blazer, Cardi's in his suggested "summer colors"
- Shoes: (this is a direct quote) "Girly yet kick-butt shoes - but that are comfy".

His color suggestions for summer: Cobalt Blue, Coral, and Aqua
He then said I could switch out the colors for deeper jewel tones in the fall/winter that would work well together.

So I think he has a great idea...but I am nervous about committing to a capsule wardrobe in theory.

Help me out YLF'ers - what are your thoughts.

Shopping

16 replies

Latest reply was from kimlee

Liz

Veteran

Wow!

I'm curious ... you have a great plan that would solve a real problem, and yet you're nervous about committing to it. What part of this is making you nervous? And what is it that you feel you're committing to?

kimlee

Veteran

Liz - I guess that I am afraid that after a few weeks, I'll be tired of the options in my closet. Even though, I know I am really already reaching for the same things.

carter

Veteran

Could I borrow your husband? Or at least send mine for training?

Liz

Veteran

Would it help to expand your idea of what a "capsule" is? There have been several threads lately about the difference between a small wardrobe where everything mixes and matches, and a wardrobe that is built on capsules created to make it function better.

Just because you do a color-based capsule of work clothes doesn't mean you're limited to only wearing those clothes. You might decide to create ANOTHER capsule, based on different colors and a different silhouette.

My suggestion would be to lower the number of items in his suggested capsule and build a smaller one. Then add another capsule based on a different theme or set of colors or silhouette or level of dressiness.

kimlee

Veteran

Liz, I think you've hit on the issue that I am struggling with - I think when I hear the word capsule, I automatically think of a smaller wardrobe. I think I should think about creating a capsule around cobalt and coral - as those are the colors I am digging at the moment.

Working with the hubby's suggested list:

- 3 neutral pencil skirts: light gray, darker gray, and black
I already own the dark gray and black pencil skirts
- 2 fun-colored pencil skirts: already have an aqua - he suggested coral or cobalt blue
Would love a cobalt blue skirt because I think it could work better in fall, winter - where as coral is always going to scream SUMMER
- 2/3 Printed Skirts: Already have these
I have two a-line skirts in graphic black and white prints, and one in a blue in white print. See this post -
- Tops: I have white and black covered. Add color here.
I own one coral and one cobalt blue. Would love to add more.
- Toppers: Coral Blazer, Cardi's in his suggested "summer colors"
Toppers are a need as all of my blazers and cardigans are black or gray.
- Shoes: (this is a direct quote) "Girly yet kick-butt shoes - but that are comfy".

In summary, I would just need to pick up a couple of tops, a blazer or cardi, and as a wild card, I might mix in this dress.

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Ledonna N.

Veteran

Oh man to find such a partner in life as this. Wow. wow. Thank you for the link to the older post. I will go and check it out. I really do think the blues compliment you.

Olen

I think the idea of having capsules is great and can be really relied upon. Thanks to Angie's recent posts, I have tried to deliberately build a capsule for our upcoming vacation in Portugal. I based it on one skirt and two ankle pants with a number of tops that can go with all the three bottoms (even though I have to say that I still prefer some tops with some specific bottoms more than with others). That being said, I think we need to have options beyond capsules, even some unusual ones if the mood strikes... It's like when you're well-behaved all the time, the pressure accumulates and you need to do something crazy (just kidding!). Or it's like eating healthy food all the time: every now and then a pizza slice just feels so good. Sorry, I'm just rambling off topic here.

catseye

Veteran

I did not know husbands like this exist. I thought it was a myth.

I think a smaller capsule with these colors are great. You don't have to get rid of anything for now. And you can certainly add more later.

kimlee

Veteran

Carter - Sure!

Ledonna - I have to say he is pretty amazing.

Olen - I love the parallels you've drawn - definitely food for thought.

Catseye - I think part of my issue was thinking this capsule would
be my entire wardrobe. But if I think of this experiment as just one
capsule in a larger wardrobe (perhaps capsule can intermingle) then I feel happier.

rachylou

Veteran

I rather feel you are all sorted here, lol. I love the idea of focusing on cobalt and coral. A good strategy.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Your husband sounds like a winner! I especially like his comment about shoes. But how incredibly sweet that he has noticed what clothes make you happy and which ones do not.

This sounds like a terrific idea for a capsule. You can always add in a few extra items by shopping your closet as the need arises. Actually, it will be instructive for you to do this because you'll get a sense of how often you reach for something else and therefore how large your ideal wardrobe really is. Love that blue dress you posted and think it will provide the wild card you might like; sometimes we really do need a change of silhouette.

Peri

Veteran

I'm in line after Carter! Wow, what a man!

My hubby is very sweet and would help if he could, but often his ideas about what he likes do not play well with my ideas of what I like. He would have me in more fitted things than I want to wear. So it really strikes me as wonderful that your husband noticed what you feel happiest in and made his suggestions around that. Fantastic!

Aida

Veteran

Sounds like you're sorted! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with, Kimlee. I definitely have those panic thoughts of "what if I want to wear something else??" but like you tend to reach for the same pieces. Really, we should just go with it and trim down; it's soooo much nicer to get dressed when we're staring at a selection that we love, and want to wear often. Easier than trying to pick through the "extra stuff". I'm working on getting there, but it can be tough! Having an actual need to create a capsule around sounds like a great kickstarter.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I think you're on track now, creating your summer coral-cobalt capsule, and then going on from there with other capsules. I have so many capsules in my wardrobe, I would be hard pressed to count them. They do exist, notionally, and they make for a wearable wardrobe.
I found a pair of coral shoes for you to consider. I don't know if they are what your DH would call kick-butt shoes, but to me they are, because I see the style as super sleek and a bit fierce.

Anyi Lu 'Gigi' Pump (Women)

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1

Joy

Veteran

Your man is definitely a keeper. I wonder if he means a travel capsule for your job. That would be a great place to start. It is much easier to wear things you love over and over than so so pieces. To add variety, maybe your cobalt skirt should be something other than a pencil skirt. If you want to keep it slim, it could be a tube skirt and possibly longer or shorter than your pencil skirts. Cardigans could vary from cropped to long duster length, etc,

kimlee

Veteran

Rachylou - Thank you.

Suz - He is definitely a winner in my book. Thank you for the thumbs
up on the blue dress. It is on it's way to me now!!

Peri - I will be sure to pencil you into the hubby's schedule.

Aida - Now that I have had the YLF seal of approval, I am excited to see what I can create.

Firecracker - I love those shoes!!!

Joy - I love your suggestions. I think a cobalt tube skirt would be great.
I am also going to play with the length of the cardigans.