Casual summer outfits vs. capsule ETA photos

We are usually on the lake in April but this year summer has started later and this coming weekend will be my first time at the lake. So glad the holiday makes it a long weekend!

Yesterday I was thinking about Angie's capsule for casual wear and I realized that I would sort of need 2 separate ones- one for casual weekends at home (which could include some items I wear to the office) and one for lake/boat weekends which are very casual- shorts and tops and bathing suits and cover ups are pretty much the only things that I wear.

And Mo's post about numbers and summer outfits got me thinking too. As in, how many different casual outfits do I really need? I also realized that instead of capsules for different purposes, I think I just treat my whole closet as one big capsule??

I certainly see the value in a capsule for travel. But when there is not a real need to limit the number of pieces to use, I'm not sure why I would select certain pieces to create a capsule? I do have a bunch of clothes- shorts, some knits, sweatshirts- that I don't wear for work. But I don't consider that to be a capsule, do you?

Thinking more on that...I guess a capsule would be very helpful if I was starting from scratch. Then it makes sense to say I am going to buy 4 pairs of shorts and 8-12 tops that work with all of them.

Anyway. instead of choosing x number of bottoms plus x tops from my casual stuff, I just started putting casual outfits together. I used several pairs of shorts in a variety of fabrics and styles and a bunch of knit tops. I did do some mix and match. And I took a bunch of pictures to help me recall the pairings I created.

For short trips like this, I usually just bring enough pieces to not have to re-wear something. If I'm not planning to wear them the next day, I don't have to worry about spilling something on my white shorts at dinner!

So for this weekend I am taking 4 tops and 4 pairs of shorts. Plus I will have 2 bathing suits and 1 or 2 cover ups.

I am hoping to repeat this same formula, by just selecting different tops and shorts from the combinations I created.

Added photos of what I'm packing:
1. EF cotton tee and KUT denim shorts
2. The outfits
3. Fresh produce sweatshirt and denim Bermudas
4. Lime green crinkle knit long sleeve knit and LOFT white denim shorts
5. Hey, how did he get in there?! My sweet grandson Carson
6. Teal tee and black board shorts
7. 2 coverups- Lands End black knit and dress from Old Navy
8. The shoes- including flip flops

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11 years ago

Anonymous

I would suggest adding a topper or sleeved top in case it turns cool unexpectedly. The capsules have helped me dress and pack because I already know what will work together. It also identifies wardrobe holes and why some pieces that I may like are orphans (not much works with it).

(website)

Veteran

Makes sense to me. When packing for a trip, I like to be sure that things can mix if I want them to, but that I also have enough stand alone outfits that I don't have to remix to get to the number of outfits equal to number of days.
Sounds to me like your lake/boating casual is similar to my in house casual. I have 'go into the world' casual and then 'lounge at home, almost gear level' casual. Some items mix between the two, but some are strictly not for public consumption lol.

Susie

Gosh, I'm long winded

Joy, I am taking both a long sleeve knit top as well as a lightweight sweatshirt. It will probably be in the 60's at night so I will want the sleeves.

That's a good point about the wardrobe holes.

Mo, I usually do the same thing with the number of outfits. I did upgrade some of my knit tops and I'm not sure yet how I feel about wearing "good" tops at the lake. Fortunately for me, the public that sees me in my bathing suit is pretty small!

Aida

I don't build my wardrobe in capsules either, but I have realized the need to create a couple for very specific needs. In those cases, they are pretty much going to be standalone capsules that work independently from most of my wardrobe. I like to pack similarly to the way you did, come up with a few outfits first then figure out mix-and-match from there; I also take quick snaps on my phone to remind me which combos I liked best. I think your clothing that you don't wear for work IS a capsule, a casual capsule. It's just more generalized since it simply encompasses "not work".

unfrumped

I think that makes sense; but, it applies better to very casual outfits, I think.

When I think uber-casual, really, almost anything goes--any colorful T with jeans or khaki shorts and hey, even bathing suit coverups don't always perfectly "match " the suit, and toppers are sweatshirts or utility shirts or a sweater.

When I start getting t a bit less casual, then proportions and colors matter more to me --I like tops to hit in a certaiin place on some pants and differently on some skirts; fit matters more; some fabrics go together and some don't; pant length and heel heights have to match up; and not everything goes with everything. So, my closet isn't just one big capsule, but several overlappiing capsules based on what tops and bottoms go best, what shoes complement them, and so on. And I ask more of my color combinations than I do of casual wear.

I'm still not very good at thinking in capsules as much as I think I'd like, but the benefits are that in adding things, I try to see what is needed to make a group of items work better together; or whether a new item fits right into an existing group or is going to "demand" new items to make it work.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

Where I usually hit a wall with capsules is with certain colors or prints that don't play well together. Like the capsule I posted yesterday - I would never really wear the blue and white striped top with the turquoise shorts. I mean, if I were stuck traveling and that was the only thing left to wear, I could - it wouldn't be indecent or overwhelmingly laughable - but it's not anything I'd ever choose if I had any other options.

I've been pulling together another 4x4 set and I'm running into the same issue - I want to have printed shorts but that means that no printed tops will work (or a very limited set of them, none of which I own!). The summer capsule works as well as it does because it's only pants/shorts (which means all your tops can be the same length) and it's the same level of casualness and you don't have to worry about toppers. But when you start adding any of those things suddenly your capsule isn't truly mix and match.

Suz

I do look at a "bunch of clothes" that I wear for a specific purpose or in a specific setting as a kind of "capsule." For me, it helps a lot to distinguish what I need for various activities. It allows me to spend most of my fashion dollars on clothes for the life I really live, while not forgetting clothes for other kinds of events. I wear quite a few different hats, and while broadly I dress casually most of the time, the range of casual varies a lot. So my "work-at-home" capsule overlaps with but is not identical to my "hang out at pub with friends" capsule and my "go into city" capsule is almost but not completely different (denim overlaps there).

Thinking in terms of capsule seems to help prevent me from overbuying.

Shamelessly bumping to show off my grandson!

carter

Your grandson is adorable! Love your capsule for the lake. Have a great weekend!

Cerinda

Fabulous top in #4 but #5 is my favorite!

Thanks, Carter!

Cerinda, 5 is my favorite too

Your grandson is adorable and the outfits (or the capsule0 -- whichever you want to call it -- looks great!

Gracie

I think your choices work well being all solids (my favorite). I could copy this for a weekend and sub a cargo skirt for a pair of shorts and sneakers for the moccasins. I love photo 3 (after 5, of course!) and how you hung everything together. I looked up the Fresh Produce sweatshirt but it's not available. Have fun at the lake!

Elizabeth P

I LOL'd at your comment about #5 sneaking in. Funny

I'd be throwing in a pair of long pants with this capsule... evenings and more importantly mornings can be chilly, esp if it's in the 60's. Plus BUG PROTECTION!

Have a good weekend!

Caro in Oz

I think these are great outfits & your grandson is VERY cute.

cheryl

Carson is adorable! I am like you in that I think of my closet as one giant capsule, lol. I think that is a great weekend wardrobe. I haven't read the replies yet but do you need some pants and a jacket in case its cool in the evening or morning?

Angie

Fashion Stylist

I echo Caro. Nicely done, and a sweet little boy.

Thanks, all! Carsie has my heart

We usually aren't out a lot in the evenings so I think the one sweatshirt will be good. And I will wear pants or jeans for the drive fri night so I will have them just in case. Plus I tend to run warm. Chilly temps will be nice because soon it will be HOT for our boating weekends.

Gracie, I have this sweatshirt in 4 colors. I love it because it's slouchy and rather short and not too heavy.

Can't even get past Carson! So cute! Those cheeks!

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