I use "item" capsules (i.e. my sandal capsule or boot capsule or jacket capsule and I think of those when making new purchases and considering what needs to go) and also "function" capsules (i.e. formal, gear), and I also create a capsule of sorts when I travel, but otherwise I work the way Angie and some others do -- the whole wardrobe is fairly mix-and-match. Some tops won't work with some bottoms due to length or shape or colours, but overall, most things within a broad season work together because I keep my colour palette tight. I do "switch out" the closet seasonally (in spring and fall) so you might consider those two broad capsules, with additional smaller capsules for the "shoulder season" days -- but those sit in the same closet as the other stuff because weather tends to be changeable at that time and I'm a weather/ mood dresser.

Thanks @Suz - I never considered item capsules and I think that concept might help me a lot (I don't usually think about what my needs are within a specific garment type and therefore often buy things where I split wears.) That is useful!

What a fascinating post.l m really in awe of all the ladies who follow a strict capsule wardrobe format,the discipline of that really appeals to me but I know that I m too eclectic in my fashion whims to be truly happy doing this so I m more of a mix and match person.I have applied the capsule approach to my underwear draw and to going away holiday wardrobe where space is limited in the suitcase and it does work for me then.l m afraid that wardrobe planning has never been my strong point so l m trying to think in terms of outfit planning when I purchase things.The other thing that has come through this post is the importance of climate,it’s been a relief to read that some of you are planning on covering 6 seasons because that’s about what we get here.l ve always been convinced that it’s easier to plan and dress for a more predictable climate than we have here.

Capsules are how I’m getting ready for a move that’s coming up. I used to buy in outfits, resulting in orphans when one piece wore out. My tastes have remained fairly consistent, so I am finding that I can remix pieces from different outfits/eras. As I complete a capsule, I put it in a zipper bag and set it aside. The idea is that I’ll have a few big chunks to decide from instead of many individual pieces. Dressy items aside, these all span a range of formality, each in their own palate (berry colors for fall, black and bright cool colors for winter, olive, black and white for a cool summer, etc) becaise we are going to a different climate, I add a few pieces for that climate to finish the capsules.

Starting a year in advance and getting ready for each season as we move through it might sound like living in my head, not my real life, but it seems to be working. I think this aspect of packing will not be overwhelming as some others.

When I think about it, my daily wear has always been “capsules”. I don’t just put one or two items on a chair-I have hooks behind a door and a trunk I set things on. I tend to let things accumulate there, wear them until the weather changes, wash them and put them all away. It’s a lot easier than setting up special pieces of furniture for it and accomplished the same thing.

I usually start with a column of a neutral color and add pieces from a capsule. Mine are mostly seasonal, but the neutrals often cross seasons. For example, today I am wearinring black Kut jeans and a black tank. Over that column of black I am wearing a red long sleeved tee under a cardigan with big red roses on white and blush with black details. The tee and cardigan are part of my cold spring capsule, in this case floral. The column of black does not belong to the capsule and transcends seasons.
The cardigan has a bit of metallic silver, so I wore silver loafers and used a metallic silver bag.