Way back in September I deluded myself that I would have time to post a full run-down and photos of my hot fall capsule. Fashiontern asked whether I had every gotten around to putting the post together since she’s working on a similar project. That post never happened, but I
was really happy with my capsule, so I’ll try to give a rundown here. It’s going to be hopelessly long, so I apologize in advance!
The last time I wrote on this subject I called the collection my “Essentials Capsule.” As is typical when the topics of “essentials” and “basics” comes up on the forum, that first post resulted in some confusion. I no longer refer to my mix and match capsules as “Essentials Capsules,” they’re just my seasonal core capsules. They do include many of my seasonal essentials, but statements and basics find their way in as well. You can find the original post here if you’re
interested: https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....psule-long
A few personal details: Casual and dressy casual work for 98% of occasions in my life. Also, it seems like every year or two I change locations (climate), jobs (work environment), and/or weight. I also like to try new trends. Because of this, I prefer a smaller wardrobe
that I can wear the heck out of for a year or two and then refresh with new pieces. I’ve settled on a list of about 30 things I like to have as a part of my core capsule. I do not limit myself to wearing these
things, but they are the items I like to have ready to go. Having them gives me a feeling of security. I switch things up 6 times a year, although many of the pieces are used in more than one of the seasonal capsules.
Although I do wear most of the items in the capsule on repeat, this isn’t really an approach to dressing so much as it is a method for wardrobe planning and shopping. This strategy helps me identify the things I need and thereby helps me focus my shopping and budget on the most important pieces. It also relieves any guilt I feel when spending more on an item, particularly a want or statement.
Ok, so onto the clothes! For Hot Fall, Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, I like to have all of the following (info in parenthesis is specific to Hot Fall version):
Stripe T (short sleeve)
Graphic T (short sleeve)
Gray T (short sleeve)
Black Blouse (sleeveless)
Navy Blouse (sleeveless)
Light Blouse (sleeveless)
Black Knit (thin, short sleeve)
Gray Knit (thin, short sleeve)
Seasonally appropriate top (black tank top)
Skinny jean (cropped, dark)
Skinny jean (cropped, light)
Trendy/Current Dark denim (cropped flares)
Light denim (boyfriend)
Trendy/Current Black trouser (cropped)
Casual non-denim bottom (shorts)
Dress (sleeveless)
Printed skirt
Light loafers
Dark loafers (for hot fall only = dark sandals)
Sneakers (white)
Seasonal shoe (metallic sandals)
Seasonal jacket 1 (lightweight kimono jacket)
Seasonal jacket 2 (lightweight bomber)
Outerwear/bathing suit (bathing suit)
Seasonal accessory (bathing suit cover-up)
Small cross-body bag
Silver pendant necklace
Black belt
Silver belt
Sunglasses
Many of these items are used in more than one seasonal
capsule and last more than one year. To keep things fresh, I also like to add three mid-tone or bright tops for each season. These pieces are very important for me to be happy with my wardrobe. Most of the capsule is navy, black, and gray, so the added colors of these refresher pieces keep things interesting. I don’t include them in the “core” only because they are switched out more frequently.
I’ve used this basic template to plan for over a year now, tweaking and refining it along the way to identify the variation I need in terms of weights of fabrics, dark/light/mid-tone items, and classic vs. trendy
pieces.
I’m sorry I don’t have pictures right now, but perhaps I will be better about documenting my fall looks.
Hope this helps, Fashiontern (and anyone else)! Sorry for the novel!
