Carla, you are right -- a happy day dress would be a perfect addition. But your capsule is fabulous and worthy of emulation! Thanks for posting it.
I'd absolutely dress for wedding showers, graduations, brunches, funerals and the like -- and date nights, and public appearances at night, too -- from my existing closet. But then, my existing closet includes a couple of casual and a couple of dressier day dresses for each season, as well as skirts that could be pulled into service with a variety of tops and toppers to create different looks. It also includes a few cocktail type dresses (two for warmer weather, one for cooler). In addition, I have some dressier shoes and sandals, and toppers.
In other words, I'm prepared. And the preparation was hardly "effortless." I had to put time, energy, thought, and money into the purchase of those items and consider whether they'd truly work for me. Without those items in the closet, my usual work-from-home casual jeans and sweater or simple t-shirt dress or shorts/ top would leave me feeling woefully underdressed or wrongly dressed for such occasions. I know this because I used to be in this position and it drove me nuts! Reasoning that I rarely attended such events, I wouldn't allow myself to purchase anything for them in advance, which meant I'd go into a panic every time an event arose.
Jessikams asked: But what about the idea of showing more skin? How does that fit in?
I don't think a person needs to show more skin with dressy attire but you easily can. For example, if you normally dress in jeans and a top, you could switch the jeans for dressy trousers and wear a top with a slightly lower neckline than your usual. Or some interesting skin-baring back detail. Or off shoulder. Etc. Or keep the jeans and do that (depending on the event). Switch the sneakers or booties out for pretty sandals. Etc. Think in terms of the silhouettes that make you feel at ease and follow those.
