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Capsules

Thistle

Veteran

I want to get better at capsules, really, I do. However, once I do figure out a capsule, how to store it? Mornings are not going to find me looking for ways to combine outfits

So, do you hang capsules together? Or, after you have made the capsule, do you just know how things combine?

General

27 replies

Latest reply was from BridgetteRaes

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Sometimes I have to wear a dressy/business type outfit, and it inevitably catches me off-guard, and I wind up feeling rushed, with a pile of things I've tried on, and tossed on the bed that have to be re-steamed and hung later.

So I recently put together a dressy/business capsule of things that I thought were 100% interchangeable: 4 skirts, 6 tops , 2 dresses, 2 toppers, 3 pairs of dressy shoes. I put it all in a list on an Excel spreadsheet. Then I tried on everything on, and jotted down the outfits that I thought worked best together. I spent about an hour on this: 15 minutes compiling a list, 45 minutes on try-ons and jotting down notes.

I noted which outfits I liked the very best, and which ones I thought were pretty good. Altogether, I could have put together 200+ different looks with this capsule, but I probably came out with about 100 that were in the 'very best' and 'pretty good' categories.

Note that when I say "100"... I didn't try on 100 outfits: to do that, I would have had to try on every single pair of shoes with every single skirt/blouse/topper or dress/topper, etc.

What I did do was try on all the skirts + tops + toppers, and both dresses + toppers. I kept my shoes handy and rotated them as I tried on outfits. I probably actually tried on about 30 different combinations.

The 100 comes out of knowing that if I change shoes, or wear a different sheer stocking (nude or black or patterned), change up the jewelry/bag/style my hair differently (my default curly low ponytail), it makes a different outfit look.

So now I have a list, and if something comes up, say the BF has a dressy business dinner and I'm invited along, I can glance at my list, and pull something together fast that I feel great in.

I'm trying to work through a capsule for weddings/christenings/gala-type stuff now, with what I currently have in my closet. I have a lot of black, so I'm trying to work around that, because I want to have a colorful wedding look without investing any additional money into something worn so rarely.

Bridgette Rae has a really useful link for putting together any kind of capsule, outfit by outfit, although she focuses on casualwear... I think this was on one of our link loves? I pulled it off Recovering Shopaholic's recent link post.

http://bridgetteraes.com/2015/.....e-capsule/

Alassë

Veteran

For me, the latter. If I really need help remembering, I write down the combinations; otherwise, the try-on process generally cements the combos in my memory.

Daria

You could use something like Stylebook app to store all your garments and outfits. It does require taking photos though, but once this part is done you will only need to browse through the outfits to select the find the one you are after.

Marley

Veteran

I have a girlfriend who takes a pic of every outfit combination (from a capsule) prints it off, laminates the photo, and hangs all of the pics on a hook in her closet. Then, when she is getting dressed in the morning, she just takes a quick look at the pics and decides which outfit she is going to wear. I have always thought that this seemed like a really great idea - rather than writing them down on a spreadsheet (although you are probably very comfortable with spreadsheets Thistle!) - a quick visual seems so much easier to me than trying to read a spreadsheet. I'm contemplating trying this myself, but haven't gotten to it yet because I need to clean out my closet and decide on my capsules first!
Vicki used to do a version of the laminated pic. If she saw a pic of an outfit that she really liked she would print if off, laminate it and hang the pic in her closet - and then it would give her inspiration when she was getting dressed. I don't think she does it anymore - but, I'm going to see her this afternoon (yeah!) and I'll ask her!

Gaylene

Veteran

My trick is to keep the capsule small--two bottoms, 2-4 tops, 2 toppers, two pairs of shoes--and, yes, I hang the capsules together. And I do multiple capsules to fit different seasons and different situations.

I like to dress quickly, with limited fuss and decision-making, so once I figure out which capsule I'm working from for my day, I just grab and go because any combination within the capsule will work.

If I'm feeling adventurous, or have the time, I have occasionally paired items across capsules, but 95% of the time, I work within a capsule. I like to look good, but I'd rather have a few extra minutes with my coffee or the paper instead of rooting around in my closet.

abc

Veteran

You probably already have capsules but don't think of them as such. Your workwear capsule, MotG weekend capsule, workout capsule, etc. I know I got hung up on the term earlier but if you think of in terms of the clothes' functionality I bet you are already there.

Maybe the next step is ultra mix and match-ability - I'm not there yet, either, but I have come to realize I actually do have capsules. Bet you may be the same.

KikiG

Veteran

I organize my closet in a way that works for me.

Top rod:

Together, color sorted, light to dark: tanks and camis. These are mostly solids.

Then, color sorted, light to dark, short sleeve shirts. Many of these are prints or patterns.

Then, color sorted, LS shirts, most of which are solids.

Below are bottoms. Most of my bottoms are black, or black and a color.

Toppers and suits and dresses are on a separate rod. Most of my toppers are black. The ones that are not black go with black. (Can you spot the trend, here?)

Most of the color in my wardrobe comes from the shirt layer, and most of the interest comes from a necklace. I have a lot of necklaces, which are visible and hanging on hooks. Sometimes I try several necklaces before I find the one that the outfit is asking for.

Most of my shoes and all the boots are black. I have red heels and burgundy mary janes, both of which were thrifted.

Mostly, I could come up with competent (not brilliant, but functional) outfits by choosing items from each category at random. Because I'm short and busty, I often will wear a black top under a black topper (with different textures, to look deliberate), to not visually chop up my lines, and while this isn't exciting or fashion forward, it works for me.

For summer casual, all my bottoms are white. A lot of the tops that go to work in the summer under a topper will also work with the white jeans or cropped pants for weekends with no topper.

Anonymous

I like to try on outfits from a capsule and photograph them to help me remember, but I usually build capsules around a couple of neutrals and a color. I organize my closet by color, so chances are good that at least some capsule pieces are hanging together. If I hung capsules together, my neutrals, which often cross over capsules, would be hard to locate. The best solution is probably a small number of things in the closet.

Traci

Veteran

I have a separate clothing rack that I like to use when I'm putting together a capsule. I like to see my capsule quarantined off from everything else because the main reason I like a capsule is that it tones down all the noise.

I'm also big on pics when I put a capsule together. I usually build from my favorites, then take pics of the combinations I have in mind discover that more than half of them don't work, and rebuild and take more pics. Then I delete all the pics I didn't like and refer to the pics when I'm stuck unable to choose an outfit for the day.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I have a moderate sized closet, so I don't really need to move items much to visually spot them in the morning. For me, capsules are themed and fluid. I won't hesitate to pull a random item into the capsule for a day, unless it's a travel capsule, and I'm limited to my suitcase.

I will sometimes paste some notes up inside my closet to remind me of the outfits in a capsule. Sometimes it's just a sticky note, like one last week that said --- "It's denim jacket week!" I wanted to try to style my light, dark, and white denim jackets more creatively, and wore them everywhere for that week. I also take pics of new outfits, and view my outfit pics on my computer every few weeks or so -- just to remember what I've put together before. For major capsules, like the one I'm working on now, or my big vacation capsules, I'll make a separate pic album.

Anonymous

I'm just starting to do this so I'll see how well it works. I am trying to work with a seasonal capsule within a larger wardrobe, composed primarily of outfits that I know work but with some variety between them as well. I'm doing this because I don't always want to have to do a lot of thinking figuring out what to wear and I've been finding that I will tend to reach for a smaller group of outfits for day to day wear anyway. I do have them somewhat grouped together.

Style Fan

Veteran

I use to do it in my head and thought it was all fine. I was working full time (well more than full time) and too tired to think about organizing my wardrobe. I love fashion and organizing so when I retired I started to work on my wardrobe. My retirement project. I have been making notes and taking pictures (I am a visual person). What a difference this makes. Now I can put together a capsule for travelling.

I hang my bottoms together and my tops together. My toppers are together. I organize them by colour and style. My notebook (pen and paper) is my go to for capsules. I use some of the forms that others have mentioned with my own adjustments.

Anonymous

I love, love, love capsules. I do not coordinate the capsule together in the closet though. I organize my closet by item type. Besides some pieces appear in multiple capsules.

Here is what I do. I define a capsule on "paper" using photographs. Some capsules are work related based on a pair of black slacks. Others are for casual wear (based on multiple bottoms). Some capsules are purely lounging clothes. The system really works well for me. Each capsule is developed at the start of a season and it can evolve through time as I add or subtract photos.

I didn't develop all of my capsules simultaneously. I started with the easiest one: work capsule. After that I worked on my casual capsule (took about two years to reach a point that made me happy). Later I developed my lounging and athletic wear capsules. This year I am working on my shoe capsule.

celia

Veteran

Personally I like to hang capsules together, at least the ones when I know that I won't have much time to make outfits out of.
Even if the porportions are not perfect it takes the stress out of the morning and I can always tweak the outfit next time I wear it.
For casual or dressy capsules I keep them more out of sight , but then I have time to think what outfits I am going to do with those capsules.

frannieb

Veteran

I love capsules - For me I use two closets it might not be possible for everyone.
Most of my work capsule is miz and match - almost all toppers work with all bottoms and all bottoms work with all shirts an all shirts work with all toppers. This has taken me about 1 year to get to this point.
For my spring/summer work capsule all my clothes in the capsule are in my main bedroom closet - I hate visual clutter.
For my weekend capsule most of those clothes are folded in drawers or in a 2nd closet I have. it works.
In the morning I only see a very narrow range of clothes to choose from.
Per season with work clothes I have a moderate wardrobe of about 30 -40 pieces.

Olivegreen

I love category capsules.
Had one for business travel, now have one for formal occasions. Hang the bags, some scarves, and hosiery all together in a group. All ready to go., clean, checked for fit. Which varies.
Found it useful to put together a denim capsule, jeans, skirt, jacket, vest, etc. all together.
Woven shirts capsule, sorted by color.
Winter clothes and boots stored together, box of winter sweaters and socks under.
It is the in between occasions that have me messed up.
Looking at Deborah's style, it nailed the arty vibe that I need to show up as an artwife to the art husbands group shows, a surprisingly difficult target, so am sorting a capsule for that. It is knitted, not woven, so a departure from my crisp stuff, and if I encapsulate, then I need not adjust the rest of the wardrobe...or so I think
Like Sterling, puttimg together a shoe capsule for the first time. Already awesomely useful.
The REALLY organized people on this thread are amazing.
We pack up and travel at short notice, and hey, it is tornado season so this allows me to pull everything i need for a trip or emergency in two minutes flat. My utilitarian side is chuffed.

Astrid

Veteran

I have to confess, I never got the capsule idea... It always seemed very complicated to me. I just have my clothes stored by type, with gear/sports/lounge wear seperately. I guess I do have some tentative idea in my mind which of my clothing articles are best for the activity and weather I have planned that day (casual day at home, work, going out etc.). I then start either with suitable top, bottom, shoes or outerwear and just go from there. Seems easier to me than to make sure I always have the right clothes put together or that everything I need in the capsule is clean and ready to wear.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

My daily "uniform" is mostly tees, knits, various pants/shorts and jewelry with different shoes -- o I guess the capsule concept there is my 12 or so favorite tees that really go with all my bottoms, a couple pair of jeans, a couple pair of other pants in neutral tones (olive, off white, gray) a few pairs of shorts in white, denim, navy and tan and my bracelets and necklace collection.

I think "color" and "cut" is the main thing that makes my daily "capsule" work since I can pretty much pull whichever tee/knit I want to wear out of the closet knowing it will go with pretty much any bottom I want to wear as the bottoms are all neutral. The belt, shoes, jewelry and bag pull it into more a certain "look" I suppose.

This means I don't have to store the capsule any special way - other than in the front portion of the closet. Further back I store my button downs, which I will wear more in summer since many are very lightweight fabrics. On the bottom rack is my bottoms and toppers. But I store my shorts in drawers - which is sort of a downside since I can't see them easily.

I have created some small capsules of nicer clothes that I keep together in the very f my closet for special occasions. I know they fit, I know they are clean, and I know since I keep the color combination really limited, that they will go together well.

Thistle

Veteran

Wow, you are all so much more organized than I am . . . Although, I am thinking I have more capsules than I thought I do!! I have work wear, loungewear and workout wear.

abc

Veteran

You see!! You have them but just didn't realize it. Same as me ...

shiny

Veteran

My closet is organized by Vivienne Files capsules - by neutral, by color, and expansion items (which combine neutrals and/or colors). Everything within a category is jumbled together (i.e., all black tops/bottoms/dresses/jackets regardless of season, work stuff with casual).

I've learned that by jumbling, it frees up my creativity and tendency to reserve certain items for "work only" or "casual only" occasions, or for certain seasons.

Then I plan out wardrobe capsules on PPT. How this works in reality is that the capsules I plan are travel capsules. Every time I have a trip, I plot it out on a PPT slide. That's my capsule for the trip, be it for business or pleasure. So I went to CA recently and what I packed was then my major capsule in rotation when I returned and the weather was finally spring-like. I also planned my formal capsule out on a slide. It helps to see the holes, and yes, remind me what's in my closet that would work and should make it into my luggage.

It takes some discipline to remember to find & save a picture of everything I buy and decide to keep, but then it's like playing with paper dolls. I would say I could make a zillion different capsules with all the options I have hanging in my closet.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I'm really not that organized! I love the idea of stylebook apps or some other photo means of organizing a wardrobe, but my reality is that I simply don't have the time or inclination to invest that kind of time. I'd rather just jump straight ahead to trying on outfits and taking notes (and snapping photos when I remember to have my camera battery charged).

The dressy/business capsule is the first specific capsule I've worked on.

I plan to repeat this capsule exercise for the categories I notice I struggle with (i.e., I find myself trying on and discarding and changing my mind frequently): Wedding Guest/Holiday Party/Cocktail Party capsule, Beach/Poolside/Boat Capsule (not just swimsuits, but clothing that is comfortable to wear over a swimsuit and shoes that are situation appropriate)... and a Florida Tourist Capsule, because we seem to be doing quite a lot of visits to family in Florida recently, and sometimes that includes theme parks. My tourist capsule is going to include/be built around a tiny umbrella, and my trusty red and tan canvas Roxy mini-backpack that I always carry at parks.

Jennifer

I am having some serious love for the capsule right now. Someone here had posted a link to the Un-Fancy capsule via WhoWhatWear (http://www.whowhatwear.com/how.....-wardrobe/ ) and this time it just clicked for me. I modeled mine based on it. I hang it together in one closet, and it's all I have out (Spring/summer, about 37 pieces with less shoes). I keep other workout stuff, pajamas, and misc. in dresser drawers. I found I was able to use just about everything I already had. I added @4 tops, 1 pr pants and an add'l topper. So first I wrote down in my notebook the lists of tops, bottoms, etc. Then I wrote out all the various combinations I could think of. Then I began photographing them (as I wear them, usually) and cataloguing them in a folder in my iPhoto, so I could check the reality of how the outfits looks versus how they sound on paper. It has literally changed my style life by truly solidifying some elements I was already tossing around in my head. But now I have something I lacked before: preparation! Which I so desperately craved. Life-wise, I have been a work-from-home creative professional who will start staying home with my 3 yr-old as of July. It's a radical change for me, a perennial workaholic. Taking time to prepare this capsule has not only felt minimalist and cleansing (because I pretty much got rid of everything else I had) but peeling back my true style (because now all that's left are the things I like, and every item goes with at least 3 others), so in the long run it is less effort for me to think of an outfit for date night, or special events, or teaching a class, etc. Defining a style identity and feeling comfortable with what I wear has traditionally been a challenge for me, and this process has helped way more than I imagined.

retailgirl

Veteran

Well, I make a list of my clothes by category each season. ( Spring, summer / fall, winter) . Then I think of combinations, most of my outfits consist of pants, a blouse, shirt or knit, and a top layer, like a blazer or cardigan. Some outfits are the combos from the previous year. I have outfits put together in my mind, and as the season starts, I keep a spreadsheet of what I wore day by day. The outfits that "work" get highlighted and will be repeated. The other ones, no. I might experiment with accessories. I decide what I'm going to wear the night before. I couldn't do it in the AM! Sounds complicated but easy really.

Staysfit

Veteran

I haven't thought in capsules other than my workout gear. I workout 6 days a week religiously. We have 4 seasons. I have yoga pants in three lengths, long, Capri and short. I have two types of tops, long sleeve and tank. I have a few vests, and heavier toppers for outdoor use. Everything mixes and matches together. It's a large capsule, but it's definitely a capsule. I store it in a dresser drawer sorted by item type and then by color. I fold everything Kondo style so it's easy to see.

My work wear and weekend wear are basically the same. I haven't thought of that in capsule format. Maybe it would be helpful.

unfrumped

Veteran

I know that capsules have different divisions/ types, just as a way of categorizing.
The " type" I'm interested in developing more is " outfit capsules". Traveling and packing brings that to mind. It's a firm if mix- abd- match of course. I'm trying to look more closely at whether items actually go with each other. Proportions are the hardest with my shape IF I try to have skirts and pants in the same capsule. So one advance fo me is to allow myself to separate those initially and then, occasionally, a few overlaps will occur.
One thing that Angie shows, that is a goal for me, are capsules that have variety within the small capsule, by color, pattern, or silhouettes. I struggle to find items that fit that bill-- yupll see items in a group, the great neutrals and the bridging prints snd colors, but they won't sll work. Then even searching, I may not find the " completer pieces".

In some ways there is not a need to hang things by capsule though it'd be fun to plan a week, (or even a few days) as dress- by- capsule. If I had better capsules, more things I reach for would go with each other.
In some ways this involves my issues with item longevity. It seems really hard for me to add or acquire whole cohesive capsules in one shopping trip ( aha-- need a stylist!). So I really need core items to last ? 3 years or so. As in, assessing an item on its own merits as a"10" ( including in the criteria that it's a silhouette, color, fabric that historically I know should combine well. ) that's part of the learning curve, as to what items are likely to work. But there is always the risk of orphans.

BridgetteRaes

(website)

Thanks so much for linking to my post! Yes, this approach has been very popular since I suggested it! It really does work and is super simple. It translates easily for creating a corporate capsule, as well.
I appreciate the shout out. I hope it is helpful for many of you!