The capsule wardrobe secret

Anonymous

This pic seems to sum things up.

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8 years ago

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from

bridgie

Veteran

BC, cute.

8 years ago

Anonymous

What about pants with a dress?

8 years ago

Sisi

Veteran

He-he, everything that goes with everything! My dream wardrobe.

8 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

8 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Joy, hahaha!

8 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I don’t understand!

8 years ago

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Ahh,I get it now ,if only some one had explained it like this earlier.

8 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I don't get it either, I'm afraid.

8 years ago

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I had to look this up, because I didn’t get it either. What she was actually illustrating is that if you have multiple of the same silhouette (like all those pants and shorts), you have fewer potential different combinations than if you add a few different silhouettes (represented by the items in orange.) Makes sense if you want the absolute most versatility from a very small wardrobe.

8 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm afraid it's lost on me, too. Buy more pants?

8 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Jenn, thanks for looking it up!
I see her point now, but color plays a role too? And fabric?

8 years ago

Anonymous

cool

8 years ago

Anonymous

I think it's self explanatory, at least for me. That's pretty much the way I do things. I would never wear pants under a dress, so that's not a concern for me. Some call it a capsule. I call it mix and match. Purchasing garments in this way makes it very easy to go on a trip or whatever. I can pull what I need and have a capsule, if you will. I include shoes and accessories in mine, though. I don't like taking more than 3 pairs of shoes, max, on a trip. That would be dress shoes, athletic/hiking shoes, and my Alegria clogs that serve as house slippers at night. Everything has to revolve around that.

8 years ago

SarahD8

Veteran

I actually still don't get it.

It seems to me that if you have four shirts and four pairs of pants you have the same number of outfits as if you have four shirts, two pairs of pants, and two skirts. I mean, you have to cover the top and bottom halves of your body every day.

In her post (http://www.devastateboredom.co.....ecret.html for those who are also curious) she says that the different types of bottoms ("bases") give you different "looks," by which she means silhouettes. Ok, but not everybody craves variety in silhouette.

And I often find that the tops I would wear with skinny jeans don't work with A-line skirts, for example. In fact I would say that differences in silhouette are the biggest BARRIER to a fully mix-and-match wardrobe for me. The every-top-goes-with-every-bottom thing she is illustrating is very difficult to achieve in practice if you have different kinds of bottoms.

8 years ago

binkle

Veteran

My first impression was, "yes, all the bottoms should go with all the tops." In reading the comments I now see the point about silhouettes - though I don't totally agree. A variety of pants/skirts silhouettes can still work with a lot of tops, though I guess it takes a bit of discipline to buy within that constraint.

8 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

BC, I had assumed you were posting this ironicallly, thinking it looked overcomplicated.

SarahD8, I would say that differences in silhouette are the biggest BARRIER to a fully mix-and-match wardrobe, so you agree with her that to get a fully mix & match wardrobe, you get bottoms that are all cut the same way to match all the tops?

8 years ago

SarahD8

Veteran

fashiontern "so you agree with her that to get a fully mix & match wardrobe, you get bottoms that are all cut the same way to match all the tops" -- I read her argument as being the opposite, that you need different kinds/cuts of bottoms to make different "looks."

For example she writes, "if [your bottoms] are all a similar style than it doesn't matter how many different pairs you have, it's still all the same "look." Stop buying jeans, sistah! It's time to branch out. Think about what pieces you could add that would provide a whole new look for your existing tops."

So like if you had 4 pairs of skinny jeans and 4 tops you only have 4 "looks." But if you add 1 skirt that you can pair with the 4 tops then that instantly doubles your number of "looks" to 8.

But that doesn't make sense to me, I agree with your earlier comment that color and fabric also make a difference. To me dark-wash skinny jeans + top is a different "look" than gray skinny jeans + same top.

I mean if you have 4 pairs of dark-wash skinny jeans then that might be a problem, but buying a skirt isn't the only way to solve it.

BC sorry, I don't mean to dump on your link! It is obviously very thought-provoking. I think I have come across it before but didn't really grasp what she was saying. Now I do and articulating my reaction is helpful in a learning sense. Thank you for posting!

8 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

SarahD8, you are right.
I think I got it right on my first pass. My only excuse is that I feel lousy, have been retching all day and am in bed, trying to sleep it off, so am drowsy & not thinking clearly

8 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I am still scratching my head. I do my capsules differently.

8 years ago

Anonymous

I think, for me at least, it would be hard to buy different bottoms. My tops, for example, look great with skinny or boot cut jeans, but not with wide-legged pants. I pretty much wear the same silhouette because I happen to like it. Like I said, for me it's more mix-and-match to create different looks. I get the different looks from different colors, prints or textures--not from different silhouettes. I may be off base to some, but this system works for me.

8 years ago

Anonymous

BC, I thought your post was a joke. I first started trying to form a capsule by studying what Angie had in https://youlookfab.com/2013/08.....-for-fall/
I quickly found that there is lots of variety and that is what keeps it from getting boring. The 6 tops include a plain top, mixed media with lace, stripe, color block, graphic tee, and button down polka-dot. 3 bottoms were all pants, but very different from one another. For me, adding a skirt would mean completely different tops. I can't wear the same top for pants with any skirt and vice versa. Maybe I am too short or not the right shape to make it work. The exception may be a long topper over a short (skirt length) top with pants so something covers my rear. Try copying Angie's capsule from your wardrobe and you will see what I mean by the variety. I suspect that today that variety may be even greater with different lengths and widths of pants.

8 years ago

Anonymous

Joy, my post was a joke of sorts. My take from it is that creating a capsule doesn't have to be complicated. It all depends on what you want, of course, but it can be easier than some bloggers make it out to be.

8 years ago

Anonymous

YES! That was my take on it as well, BC.

8 years ago

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