Claire, had to dash off and see my little nephews - 4 and 2 years old - day before Christmas... don't you love that little kid excitement on Christmas Eve!!!

Anyhow, the book is Looking Good by Nancy Nix-Rice 1996. She says shop your closet and find a small capsule that work together - she starts with about 6 or 7 pieces - a pair of black pants, red and cobalt. Then she says to look for another little group that goes together - she has navy and pink I think and again another little pod of 6 or so tops and bottoms. She lays out the combos for each one. She then says look for how these two capsules could work together and what would you need. I think she added in a white shirt here, a scarf, patterned top so then you can make more outfits - navy and cobalt with silver or pink accents; red, white and blue; black adn white with accent from either of the capsules etc etc... Even though the book is falling apart, it is so wonderful in terms of being in the place between the old home economic classes and the styling/stylist phenomena of the 2000s. I think it came about with Sandra Bettzina; Palmer and Pletsch etc who were sewing whizzes and they published a series of books you used to get at the haberdashery...
http://www.amazon.com/Looking-.....0935278427

Love reading this post and all the responses. A while ago i had started encapsulating my wardrobe but failed big time as I found it too boring and dull. you can look at my capsule here. http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....le-created
What I realized after creating this capsule was that I need a lot of variety in my capsules. I get bored easily but I did wear this capsule a lot as I was on a budget and wanted to find out what the holes are. So although I felt completely unfab in this capsule, it did bring into focus some unexpected wardrobe holes. Your post has given me a lot of courage to keep doing this. Like you said "Jenanded, I am HARDLY an expert at this, but it reminds me a lot of starting a family budget/spending plan. There is no convenient, neat place to start. You just have to jump in and work out the rumples as you go. And there will be plenty of rumples! "

What a fabulous discovery Claire, awesome end result!

Your pennies drop just fine, Claire! And they make a joyous jangle all year

Jen, thank you so much for doing that even though you are super busy! I'm glad you have some children to be around this time of year. It IS fun! BTW, didn't you have your winter wardrobe really sorted this year by buying some items at a specialty boutique? Is it just the summer now that's giving you fits? Or am i confusing you with someone else entirely?

Mona, thanks for that link, I'll go check it out. It's so hard to find out what's not right when I am unhappy with my clothes. Were you ever able to put your finger on the problem? Do you think more exciting accessories would have helped. Ok, off to read it now!

Freckles and Angie, *grinning* Thank you!

Claire this is so awesome! You know I was thinking of this as well and trying to just weed out those last few pieces that need to go. And I realized the other day I should take out all the things I want to wear right now, make some outfits and then just ignore the rest for a while. I think I would end up with a capsule sort of like you did here. I haven't gotten around to it yet though, maybe after the holidays! You've inspired me though! It was sort of the path I was on the other night but then my camera battery died before I got much done.

Your capsules look great! Do you fear you may tire of the color palette? Or do you think you will replace most of it pretty much yearly?
Somehow I just can't make myself want to capsulize beyond specific, job interview, or semi formal evening, type capsules. Or maybe when going on a trip.
Otherwise, I'm totally happy having my silk dress hang next to my knit maxi casual one lol. I think I mix casual with dressy casual so much that it wouldn't make sense to capsulize for my lifestyle perhaps?

Yes Claire that was me, I was all happy happy about my work capsule... then I travelled to Copenhagen (cold capsule and really needed to look sharp to make a presentation there) and also I think just over awed by the gorgeous European look (I am sweating about a formal suit and the other woman presenting wore a knitted shawl, fishnets, shiny shoes and was DIVINE!), then I was straight back on the plane to tropical heat for another do in Melbourne... Alas my little capsule, while it did some work into both, revealed a few more holes... sigh... Yes and now it is hot hot hot, at least we don't have office work at the moment so have a few ts, shorts/capris and some maxi dresses to last me these few hot holidya weeks... (there is another capsule I guess). And since I have been travelling every week since October I went out of an evening etc, sometimes several times in a week and voila,another hole revealed. Claire, when I was in Phoenix which was hot, I had these less than savoury guys on the light rail come up to me and commented (negatively!) on my clothes!!! Now that is low of the low and not worthy of YLF status... Yes my babies are in their twenties now (my twins turned 20 this year!) and have done lots of stocking stuffing last night but the little kids are toooooo cute aren;t they!

claire, i am totally serious. (is there a serious face emoticon?). can't wait until jan whe i can shop with you.