I’m trying to define a warm fall collection of roughly 30-37 items that I can wear over the next month or so. I cleaned my closet yesterday, pulling out candidates for this collection as I went. Setting up the pictures this morning, I culled 11 of them. Right now it’s down to 51 items, which I think is still too many. “Collection” rather than “capsule” because I’m not primarily concerned about a high mix and match index. On the contrary, I think I’d like some variation in the palette. Even without that factor, choosing what to include is harder than it looks and I’d appreciate comments on how to make decisions about what to include.

Reasons for doing this are:

1. Better defining my style, so that if I need to decide what to take and what to toss for a big move and after losing some more weight, I’ll be more prepared to do so.

2. Possibly passing on a few items now. Everything here fits and there is nothing I expressly don’t like, but there are a few pieces that somehow don’t get worn. (This is not a priority; I’m not moving anywhere yet, it all fits me and in my closet, and I’ve already consumed the resources to make them; ditching them wouldn’t put that back into the earth).

3. Helping me cope with Florida. Six months out of the year, we hibernate in AC. Temps are now comfortable, but hardly autumnal. I want to *feel* like it’s fall, mood-wise, even if the weather doesn’t necessarily feel like it. (If I was a more creative swear-er, this is the place where I’d threaten anyone who says “gee, that sounds great to me”. Instead I’ll point out through clenched teeth that we all have different tastes). Here’s what I’m looking at for the life of this collection: highs around 80, mornings just chilly enough that I might want a topper. (And I may encounter over-AC) https://m.accuweather.com/en/u.....983?page=2

4. Pre-deciding what to wear for the next ~30 days, so I don’t have to think about it any more and can focus on other things. Much of that time will be doing research in library-type settings. I don’t need to dress up in formal corporate attire, but do need to be well put-together.

So, without further ado, here are the candidates:

Pic 1: Toppers, and one shirt + a dress. I used to think of the shirt as a topper, but never wore it that way, recently tried buttoning it up and liked it, hey Mikey! I’ve already tossed the blue sweatshirt on a couple of mornings. The blush jacket is because I really like the blush trend, but haven’t figured out how to wear it yet. The orange spice mock T is a favorite layering piece in places where I can wear layers; can I fit it in down here? On its own, it isn’t too warm. Color-wise, it works with the olive shorts, but I’m not sure about shorts +T-neck, even if I push up the sleeves. Red/white/blue/black cardi was a recent gift. I love it because it goes with nearly everything, and can be dressed up or down. In the middle of this pic is a dress that is not a topper. I just got it ten days ago and have worn it twice already. I love it.

Pic 2: Pants/shorts: some of these have to be voted off the island, err, collection. The blush pants are another attempt to incorporate that color in my wardrobe. They might look like “spring” too much to include—I’m not sure. Shorts make a strong showing here because Florida.

Pic 3 Skirts: yeah, these plus the earlier bottoms equals too many pieces. Which should go? The khaki and brown pattern items are what I think of as real skorts, combining shorts (seen from behind) with a skirt (flap in front). I’m always on the lookout for new skorts, because they are comfortable and practical. The black and white skirt had gotten too big for me, but now I’m bigger again, so it’s back. I’ve only worn it with a black top, but now am thinking about pairing it with plum or cranberry. The long skirts include an old familiar and a new test piece. The plain one might be high-waisted enough to work with that orange spice mock T.

Pic 4 Dresses. I seem to have a thing for black and white. Who knew? The striped one is actually navy, which is hard to tell in this pic. I’m inclined to keep them all, but there are enough for every day of the week, which kind of ruins the whole point of a capsule.

Pic 5 Tops: still including tank tops, but in what I think of as more grown-up styles than the ones with teeny straps that I wore in the summer. The plaid top is a perfectly good top that I haven’t worn in ages. If I can’t find a way to wear it this month, it’s bye-bye for that top. I usually wear blue with the figured short skirt, but as I was doing this, I held up cream next to it & it was lovely. I think the striped top will play well with the blush, blue, and khaki items. The ls shirt in the top right looks like a layering T, but has a twist at the bottom, so isn’t too boring to wear alone. The lacey blouse is to try out Angie’s peasant shirt ideas from the summer. A black T-shirt, an orange 3/4 sleeve shirt, a cream ss shirt with detail repeated at the hem. Does anybody wear anything like the green beaded shirt on the right anymore? It was always so easy, because it includes its own accessories.

Pic 6 Other stuff: a pile I overlooked as I assembled things for the pix, mostly lightweight sweaters that I can wear here now. A starry tank top so nice I bought it twice. Another dress, not because I need one in here, but because it’s easy and fall-like (wonder if I can wear that blush jacket with it). An orangey top because, although it is a nice shirt in principle, in practice I never wear it, so it’s in the same boat as the plaid top—now or never. Jeans fished out of the laundry— I’ve actually worn them a few times & not died of heat. Cranberry sweater in top right is light enough for the temps, goes well with the floral shorts. Also, there is a blouse on its way here, so it might get added in.

The biggest “struggle” I see here is black vs brown. Neither is a good color for me to wear on its own, but I can wear either in a supporting role, as in these pieces. I don’t want to swear off either for a month, but then don’t know how to whittle this down to something close to 30 pieces.

The last photo is my closet in its current condition. Lots of things, to be sure (30-35 each dresses, skirts, pants and shirts on hangers), but all hanging quite nicely, not in anybody’s way, with a spot for this collection, once I figure it out. If this experiment goes as well as I hope, I might keep doing them as a way to work through everything. I’m already thinking of what to put in a warm Christmas capsule.