How big should a wardrobe capsule be? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

How big should a wardrobe capsule be?

CarolS

Veteran

My main neutral these days is black -- in part because it is easiest to find and easy to match. I'm wondering if I should add a small navy capsule. It would mainly be for spring/summer office wear.

I found a pair of wide legged navy pants this weekend, and I bought a navy and white striped top that I think might work with them.

I already have a knee-length navy cardigan and a high/low slightly arty-feeling navy vest. I don't love the cardigan, but I can live with it until I find something else.

Other things I have that might work with the navy pants:

white jersey knit tops (home on trial after today's shopping)
charcoal BR factory outlet boyfriend blazer (have to test the proportion)
soft charcoal turtleneck (this and the BF jackets for the cooler weather of March and April)
green knee-length cardigan with draped front (fave find of the weekend!!!!!)
my camel topper

Is this enough to be a "capsule". Is there anything else I need to consider? If it's going to be so small, am I better off to just stick with my black neutrals?

The only finds that are the actual item are the blazer and the camel topper. Haven't got a find that's close to the green cardigan.

Parker Navy Wide Leg Pants

View Info

Top Pick

3

Pure Jill Stretch-Cotton Shirttail Tee

View Info

Top Pick

2

View Info

View Info

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from CarolS

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Carol don’t think I’ve welcomed you yet so welcome from me! I have several “capsules” though I haven’t called them that, more groupings of colours. They often start quite small and get added to over time. For instance my olive capsule started with a pair of pants I no longer have, way back in 2013. The pants just appealed to me though I had nothing else at the time, just wore them with black initially. But around the same time I noticed that these very bright boots had an olive stripe around the top of them so I started to wear them together, then gradually added tops that had some olive in, etc etc. I am actually wearing all olive today. I also have a small navy capsule, a pink one, and so on. Definitely worth doing for variety!
The first olive pants wore out and the first navy ones have too, but both have been replaced with slightly different ones.

rachylou

Veteran

I think it’s enough. My night out capsule is a dress, a necklace and a pair of shoes I tend to define capsules around activities rather than colours ... not that I don’t have them, but it makes it clearer for me re when to break them out.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I meant to say that just the 3 things, the pants, the top and the cardigan, are definitely enough to start. I often prefer to think in outfits rather than capsules. Everything doesn’t have to go with everything else. It depends also how big a wardrobe you are working with. Mine has around the 160 mark of clothing and shoes.

CarolS

Veteran

Thanks for the welcome, Jenni NZ - I'm really enjoying being here! I've never really thought in "capsules" either, but I wondered if it would be a helpful way to look at it. My wardrobe (of things I can actually wear) is still pretty small, and it mostly black -- although I started to liven it up a bit by shopping like a maniac in February.

Maybe navy is another step toward that more varied wardrobe...

Sounds perfect, rachylou!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Hi Carol! I didn’t get a chance to comment on your introductory post, but I love what you’ve shown us of your style

I think you definitely have a capsule here. No one’s enforcing a size requirement, but if you just had, say, a navy sweater and some matching boots, I’d call that a “complement.” What you have here, some navy items and the the additional pieces you wear with them, is definitely a capsule. And if the navy is functional in your wardrobe and meets your needs with the number of pieces you have, then it’s just the right size.

Sal

Veteran

I think they can be very small but enough for maybe two outfits. As you say things from your black capsule can cross over and be in two capsules.

I think more this way in winter. I have added camel and caramel deliberately and this has been useful with black and denim and navy. My navy capsule has been less successful - it was three pieces and needed a scarf to pull it together.

In saying that I do think scarves can really help.

View Info

View Info

View Info

notsaf

Veteran

Angie's post on mustard might help: https://youlookfab.com/2019/10.....d-capsule/

Cardiff girl

Veteran

What about footwear and a bag?

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I like what Sal has said above. With navy, for years I didn’t mix it with black.
But about 2 years ago I started to, partly because of my fave cobalt boots which all Fabbers who have been around for a while have seen many times. I found this top that mixed them and that was the gateway drug! And now I have “ink” pants that do too-pic 2 is a close-up of the fabric. Pic 3 is a 2018 pic with the top and the boots in question plus a cobalt jacket I had bought.

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Jane

Veteran

That sounds enough for a capsule, and good that you’ve got a navy cardigan as a place holder until you find a better replacement.

Sal

Veteran

Yes Jenni - I think having one patterned piece can pull it all together.

Carol - I love those wide leg navy pants and I think with a striped top you have an outfit in itself. It sounds like you have two navy toppers already plus the camel, grey and green. They may not all work. You can then wear the navy cardigan, striped top with different pants. Or swap in the white top for the striped.

The proof is in the pudding though - try the outfits out. They don't all have to work but it would be great to have two or three.

Do you have shoes that work with these pants?

Vildy

Veteran

JENNI, Be still my heart - love that outfit! Amazing.

Vildy

Veteran

Vivienne Files talks about Clusters, which begin as outfit based.

https://www.theviviennefiles.c.....-out.html/

Shows a bit of her thinking/planning here in this chart she's filled in

https://www.theviviennefiles.c.....ters.html/

CarolS

Veteran

Thank you all for weighing in. I'm off to work now and will pop back this evening to read more thoroughly!

Bijou

Veteran

I find prints good to tie in colours or wearing a column of colour with a contrasting topper. I recently wore a column of red with a navy jacket and liked the combination. The pieces are in finds. Navy is such a nice alternative to black, I wear both often. I hope you enjoy your new navy pieces.

View Info

View Info

View Info

Anonymous

This breaks down Angie's view of capsules
https://youlookfab.com/2012/09.....rchetypes/
I kind of think of them mainly by activity (running, formal work, etc), or things I may pack together- ie: by color but different levels of formality or weather.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I would prefer my summer/lightweight neutral to be black but I would have been naked. So several years ago I purchased navy crops. A sweater. I added navy tops, eventually a navy and mint skirt, and a navy pullover to extend the usefulness of the skirt. I added a pair of pants that wasn’t lightweight to wear with the sweater and tops. Last year I added three pairs of pants. A solid navy midi or maxi skirt is the one item I am missing. I often wore a column of color.

Runcarla

Veteran

Mix and match, and by activity is the way I go with my capsules. Size doesn’t factor into it so much, but you want to be able to create a few different outfits.

When I think of adding a new colour, I ‘audition’ a collection of 4 items in that colour in order to see how it works with what I already have in my closet. If I like it, I’ll add more.

If I’m starting from scratch, I usually start with a focus item that has a pattern or print and then build a capsule around it, pulling colours from the focus.

I LOVE navy and black together, and like Jenni, I have a top that includes both - a sweater with a black and dark blue marl. Not sure if it shows up in the photo below. It tends to read as ‘black’ in photos.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Sal

Veteran

Carla - that could be like the dress photo a couple of years ago that some people saw as blue and others as pink!! To me that fabric looks brown with a green fleck....

https://www.nationalgeographic.....ently.aspx

CarolS

Veteran

So much food for thought provided here. Thank you. I have much to mull over.

Sal you camel/caramel capsule is beautiful! I do have to carve out time to do some try ons.
Notsaf the mustard post was very thought-provoking. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Cardiff girl I rarely change bags for my outfit. I carry a very utilitarian black bag most of the time. It works for me and I won't be rushing to change that. Shoes are my biggest challenge. I have some simple, flat sandals that could work in a pinch, a very simple pair of brown oxfords, and yellow Docs.
Jenni NZ that is one killer cobalt combo! Great stuff!
Vildy thanks for the inspiration. I'll have to think about how I can incorporate some of that thinking.
Bijou, that makes sense to me. My basic formula these days is column of black with contrast topper (or not contrasting if it's that kind of day). Scarf with some colour when it's not too hot for it. The column of red with navy looks incredible. Wonderful pieces!
Suntiger thank you for sharing the earlier post on capsules. Helps me think of looking at it in a few different ways.
Barbara Diane it sounds like your navy capsule is growing and evolving. Like you, I am a fan of the column of colour.

I'll try to get to some trying on this week to see how the mix and matching feels. As I've been reading your comments and suggested posts, I've realized that I should think about my spring/summer work capsule overall and pinpoint what I acyually need. So far, my thinking was limited to "hey, the pants fit, and my size is available in two colours. Sold!" Followed by "guess I should find a top". I'm still learning!

CarolS

Veteran

Carla -- agree with Sal that the image looks pinkish and green LOL. Mix and match certainly is at the heart of what I need to do right now. I don't really wear a lot of patterned tops (the odd horizontal stripe, which, while not flattering to my midsection, is something I just adore -- and I know you can relate!)

I don't currently have anything that mixes navy and black. A scarf is probably my best bet but not for summer. The pants and top I have found aren't particularly expensive (Winners finds), so it's not a costly experiment if I decide to give it a whirl.

Thought I had found blouse that mixed a mid blue with navy perfectly, but it didn't fit. Back to the drawing board.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

If you're looking for navy & black patterned items for summer, what about sandals or a printed belt? Even a nice pair of earrings or straw tote could work in the heat!

I think the easiest way to incorporate patterns is to restrict them to one or two items at most - I love printed scarves & have a few striped tops, but I never wear patterned trousers (at least not obvious ones), shoes or cardigans. Makes mixing & matching my clothes much easier!

CarolS

Veteran

Zaeobi - agreed. I'm unlikely to wear a lot of pattern. Not even sure I want to mix navy and black, but will consider it f the right piece comes up.