Seen any gorgeous work capsules lately? - YouLookFab Forum

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Seen any gorgeous work capsules lately?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I'm in a non-shopping phase right now, having pulled together an interview/first week of work capsule that's mostly grey and blue. I think I'll enjoy wearing the things I've chosen, but I understand that work clothes can get boring sometimes.

Eventually I will expand what I wear to work. I want to think now about how to do it. I don't want to end up despising/despairing over my boring neutral wardrobe. I love rich colors, texture, maximal detail, and a little dark glamour. This scarf is very appealing to me.

https://store.metmuseum.org/lo.....l-80040661

So I'm asking for examples of work capsules/wardrobes that do not consist of mix and match neutral pieces that end up feeling very uninspired. It must be possible to find a few lovely pieces that go with something like this scarf and work out a very happifying professional wardrobe. Or if not this, than a fantastic RED dress or something leopard print or other beautiful, somewhat maximal style. Not just a series of solids that work with the one "fancy" piece, but I can't really give examples of what I'm looking for, because that's what I'm asking you for. Please post links of such collections you have seen and admire, for my future dreaming. I don't need items that go with this scarf, because I'm not buying now. It's more the example, the how-to that I'm looking for, so I'll be ready to build my collection later. Thanks!

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39 replies

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L'Abeille

Veteran

This is reminding me of my first-ever work capsule, purchased during my internship year. The main items were: 3 pieces in grey flannel (jacket, skirt, pants) and a two-piece dress (blouse, skirt, and skinny tie/hair tie) in a navy and forest green paisley, with the same dark romance effect as your inspiration scarf. I was still finding my style groove; the grey got less wear than expected, but I wore the paisley pieces into the ground, mixing with each other, with grey, navy, or forest green, and with Black Watch tartan in the same colours.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

L'Abeille, yes, that situation, buying the grey pieces because you thought they looked like what you were supposed to have, and then not wearing them much, is a good example of what I'm trying to avoid. Thanks for posting.

kkards

Veteran

FashionIntern, you might want to look back at MsMary's posts...she managed to use colors and pattern, but always looked professional and put together.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

kkards, thanks! Ms Mary, Bijou, and Catherine are on my YLF short list for great work outfits that show their personalities. I expect I'll continue to watch and learn about outfits from them and others here. In this post, though, I'm not thinking of individual outfits. This is about capsules of work clothes that carry one through many days, like the one Gretchen recently posted.

rachylou

Veteran

Hej, is your new work capsule in your Finds? I like the idea of additional pieces with shine and texture... Angie did a blog post once about factors like these...

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Rachylou, lol, nope! Not right now. I tried to emphasize in the post that this is about inspiration and dreaming. So a step behind Em's recent post about the work capsule she is actually assembling.

I despise shopping trips like the ones I took for the interview pieces, much prefer to pick something up when it appeals to me. To do that, I need 1. money (not available now) and 2. a clear idea of what kinds of things I'm looking for, so I'll recognize them when I see them. I'm hazy right now, obviously need to know where I'll be working before I buy anything else, but figure a little inspiration doesn't cost anything and will let me move quickly when it is time.

I do remember color, texture, shine and pattern (not sure on that last one) as ways to build individual outfits. How would you use them when pulling together a capsule? Maybe just thinking about them as I assemble it, or make sure each piece has at least one to offer. There are lots of things out there on building capsules, but they all seem to start with draining all the fun out. Surely there must be some that are about maximalist work capsules (I'm going to google that) and how to build one that isn't yawn-inducing.

gryffin

Veteran

Fashintern - have you gone through all of Brooklyn's posts? Her wardrobe is fabulously work appropriate but she uses a lot lot of pattern and texture. Texture is a great way to add interest without making the pieces themselves incredibly difficult to mix and match. patterns in similar colorways but different scales. Brooklyn have base pieces mostly tops if I remember correctly that are solid or elevated basics, as I call them, solid but something special about them. She has a large number of posts. I would look at the photos and see if they give you inspiration.

jussie

Veteran

Hmm well I’ve got a heap of neutrals, they’re admittedly pretty boring, but then I like to add one piece to the outfit with a romantic vibe to it, and often that piece is thrifted OR more expensive/elaborate in some way.... otherwise the outfit is just....well.... dull and safe.
But... that’s just my personal taste... idk what would appeal to you... I’m thinking rich colours. A while back Angie wrote a post about style monikers and descriptors that you may find helpful.
I try to stick to navy, black, pink and a tiny smattering of white, just so the pieces can mix and match a bit, but I’m not at all strict about it.
I also think interesting earrings are fabulous and can be bought very cheaply to make work outfits a bit more interesting.
I’ve attached some of my work outfits from this year that I’ve felt good in, they each have some romantic element, whether it be a scarf, pearl embellishment or just a feminine colour or pattern mixed in with the neutral building blocks.
Another thing I think is helpful, is if you can work out some basic silhouettes you want to have a collection of for work that are reliable happiness factors for you.. like for me it’s shift or sheath dresses, so I don’t get off the track with other shapes of dress that I don’t love. Also I like woven shell tops, I call these “box” tops, there straight ish and fairly loosefit.
Best of luck with it!!

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rachylou

Veteran

Ok... I corrected my post... I meant to ask if your new items were in FINDS... not if you had funds (damn you autocorrect!)... you probably figured that out, tho.

That’s a good question, anyhoo, about how to build a capsule that offers the necessary elements. I suppose I *would* do something like buy a plain woven dress first, then the next dress I bought - I’d go for a textured one. Pattern is interesting, because some patterns read neutral and others bold. Or I might decide to always put texture in a certain place, like sweaters or scarves.

I know one thing, I’m not a novelty print person. I like my pattern abstract or floral.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Gryffin, yes, Brooklyn! Not sure how I missed her in my little list, as she's one of the first people whose posts I first started really paying attention to a year ago, because of her pattern mixing.

Jussie, thanks for the photos.

Rachylou, nope. I did not figure that out at all! Thanks for explaining.

I typed out a complete answer to your question and attached finds, but then deleted, because I really don't want to get that concrete now.

But do you have any pretty pictures of successful work capsules that
are not neutral separates (and maybe a dress) + a scarf that
combines the colors, and a striped shirt for "fun"?

Interesting point about what patterns you wear. I'll have to think about it for myself.

Bijou

Veteran

Fashintern, Angie did a great Fall Capsule dated 9 Sept 2016. It was a great template of beautiful pieces that all mixed and matched into endless combinations that were anything but boring. If you check out the blog section and ensembles you will find it.

Thanks for the shout out. I will try to post a few work outfits.

Meredith

Veteran

I was going to suggest the same post Bijou recommended. I’m still inspired by it all these years later: https://youlookfab.com/2016/09.....-for-fall/

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Bijou, thank you so much! That capsule is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. Don't worry about posting work outfits--I follow you on here anyway (that sounds really creepy!) and it really is about the combos right now, unless you have something like pix from a work trip or something like that, where you mix a set of pieces in different ways.

Meredith, thanks for the link. You are an amazing capsule dresser.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

The detailed notes in that post are really great. Thank you, Meredith and Bijou, for pointing it out.

cindysmith

Veteran

https://www.monicafrancis.com/.....-wardrobes

https://kellehampton.com/2018/.....ore-space/

https://corporette.com/capsule-wardrobe-for-work/ (somewhere between minimal & maximal)

http://www.paris-to-go.com/201.....psule.html (useful color chart, maybe)

http://lifegoalsmag.com/how-to.....-wardrobe/

https://www.therefinery.ca/ref.....drobe.html

Hopefully, some of those will inspire you. I know they're inspiring me now that I like dippin dots colors

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Cindysmith, look at you! You make me feel lazy, tossing out a question here when you've gone and done the work of compiling this list. Thanks for sharing it!

cindysmith

Veteran

Fashintern, I'm good at "Google fingering" (trying various search terms & scanning thru to see what's relevant)

Besides, I'm somewhat interested in the same thing, so you helped me by asking the question
XOXOXOXO

rachylou

Veteran

Am at lunch. Saw this business capsule website surfing. I liked the examples. Not too little girl. Not all spike heels and bodycon.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/w.....rmat%3Damp

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Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks Rachylou! I like all the colors in there, and yes, really wearable shapes. Interesting that they picked as many toppers as bottoms + dresses, but I guess that’s what people are more likely to notice most days.

CindySmith, you’ve got a magic touch on those keys Good luck to us both with the job searching

carter

Veteran

Have you looked through Vivienne Files? She has years'worth of capsule posts--some for work, some for play--most with plenty of color. You may or may not like the clothes she's chosen, but the templates she's developed are great. Here's one from the 4x4 series. The building a wardrobe from scratch series is also quite good. http://www.theviviennefiles.co.....grey.html/

Anonymous

Thats a beautiful shawl! Seconding Vivienne files for a template for putting together capsules. Her actual choices skew overly classic,casual and boxy for my style, and she likes to do columns of color, but the idea is right.
For that scarf, id be looking for clothes in chocolate brown, cognac/rust, teal, and ink blue. And gold jewelry. Dresses ink and teal, pants ink and chocolate, blouses cognac and teal as a start. Then youd have tonal blue or brown or could mix. I have a peacock scarf too and thats how ill be using it. Eventually ill toss wardrobe in finds, probably when it gets cold out and i stay home all weekend...

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Carter, thanks for bringing up the. Vivienne files, and Suntiger, thanks for seconding the motion. I looked at that site nearly a year ago and felt she made everything much to complicated, but the page you linked to is beautifully clear, as are the others linked to in it. Maybe I just wasn’t really ready for it then.

Tiger, isn’t it cool how different we all are? Those colors are beautiful on you, but my translucent skin does much better with cool tones, so I’d pick up on the blues and greens if I were to buy that scarf.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thank you all for the help in getting started thinking about a capsule wardrobe. I have that sinking feeling that I’m starting off on the wrong foot with that interview dress (in finds). If I can get the grey one I’ve been looking at, it would work well with my toppers and I think it’d feel a lot more like “me” day to day. A grey blazer to go with this dress would work with other things, but the dress would be off on its own.

I don’t have my things here to look at them, but I have posted about how dang many blue dresses I have. It was a bit of a joke, but I seriously do have a lot of them! Bright blue is pretty much a neutral for me. My second neutral would be black and white, generally in patterns, sometimes so dense as to appear grey.

Colors are red, green, and blush. That isn’t just from memory; it’s also from looking back at my posts last winter.

This dress could work with a pop of any of those colors, but not with any topper color other than navy or grey. I’m really starting to question if it’s the one I should’ve gotten.

rachylou

Veteran

I can see this dress with other colours of toppers, esp burgundy. And red. Solids being the easiest. With bright colours, the effect will be maximal, but that could be ok sometimes, no?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Now that is helpful. Because I just payed through a bunch of sheath dresses, and it seemed that every single one that looked like it would fit in the parameters I just described above would be repeating something. I don’t need any more blue or black & white dresses, I have a green dress and a red one. I did see a couple patterns that look more “me” than this, but they had red in the pattern, and I’m not sure if that’s a good first meeting move or not.

Another idea is to skip the new dress altogether and wear this old fave with a black blazer. I’d have to wear tights/nylons/stockings, which I’ve never done with this dress. Think it could work?

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Kathie

Veteran

Depending on what type of job you’re interviewing for, I think the dress skews a bit casual and “busy.” Fine for once you have the job, for sure, though. Do you have both of these items? Or are you still waiting for them to arrve? Also, what about a lighter color for the topper? The black might be a bit heavy.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Kathie, the blazer is new—ordered it by mistake to go with the other dress, which needs a grey or navy. This dress really is an old favorite, and I have it with me. You’re confirming my initial thoughts on it—use it to fill out a wardrobe, but not in such a key role. I’ve always worn it extremely casually, expect it could dress up a little. It’s in 9-11 here https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....-in-berlin and 1-3 here https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....collection

Inge

(website)

I love that scarf for you!! And you've received lots of great advice already here:-)

I agree with Rachy that that lovely blue dress could be worn with other colour toppers too, like the burgundy Rachy suggested. Any cool shade of red would work (raspberry etc.), Cool-toned greens like forest, and mint or sage green would look wonderful as well. Oh and teal, and purples, from royal purple to lilac. (Warm colours will work too, but I see that you prefer cool-toned colours on yourself, just like I do, so that makes it easier for me to think of examples;-) It would be fun to add another pattern in a topper too.

Some of our bloggers wear lots of colour and patterns too. Perhaps have a look at:

http://www.economyofstyle.net/

https://www.styleatacertainage.....ll/page/3/

And I was also going to link to Angie's mix-and-match Fall capsule. It's such a great starting point is it.

I also find Angie's Ensemble posts very helpful for this, because each ensemble is kind of a mini capsule in itself (often you can mix and match all the items pictured and that in itself usually gives you several days worth of outfits), and always gives me ideas for colour combos, pattern-mixing, textural interest. And if the colours in one of the ensembles leans more warm, then I just think how I could replace them with cooler-toned versions of the same. E.g. if Angie's uses tomato red, I start thinking about doing something similar with burgundies etc.

I'll post some links below.

Inge

(website)

Good ones for rich colours (but most of the ensembles also incorporate texture-rich elements > always makes a look extra interesting)

https://youlookfab.com/2018/02.....-bootcuts/

https://youlookfab.com/2017/11.....-bordeaux/

https://youlookfab.com/2017/10.....ans-scarf/

https://youlookfab.com/2015/12.....y-accents/

https://youlookfab.com/2015/10.....o-or-vest/

https://youlookfab.com/2015/09.....rust-navy/

https://youlookfab.com/2014/08.....nk-orange/

Focus on texture

https://youlookfab.com/2018/01.....in-winter/

https://youlookfab.com/2017/10.....ess-gilet/

https://youlookfab.com/2015/11.....avy-blush/

Patterns/pattern-mixing

https://youlookfab.com/2017/10.....ard-plaid/

https://youlookfab.com/2017/03.....coon-coat/

https://youlookfab.com/2017/02.....chen-sink/

https://youlookfab.com/2016/09.....r-fabness/

https://youlookfab.com/2016/09.....into-fall/

https://youlookfab.com/2016/02.....nim-skirt/

https://youlookfab.com/2016/01.....of-pearls/

https://youlookfab.com/2015/01.....inty-toes/

https://youlookfab.com/2013/10.....labor-day/

https://youlookfab.com/2012/10.....d-bottoms/

Lovely colour combos

https://youlookfab.com/2017/10.....ne-on-ice/

https://youlookfab.com/2014/12.....ark-brown/

https://youlookfab.com/2014/11.....fee-white/

https://youlookfab.com/2014/01.....lac-black/

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