Reminds me I should look at my funeral capsule. Got rid of most of my matched suits recently so I only have a summer funeral covered. I could use a new good black suit to mix and match anyway. Last funerals I went too, everyone was so casual that it makes me apprehensive being in a full suit unless I know the church/family real well.
Weddings and parties tend to have good amount of warning but I have gone to a very last minute black tie/formal affair and was lucky at the time to have had a burgundy velvet dinner suit. Perfect for winter in SF. Not sure I would be so lucky currently.

Just thought of something else. Pajamas that you can wear in front of other people (or a nice robe to cover your regular pajamas), if you don't have these things already. They're nice for traveling if you have to stay in a hotel or with family, or if you have houseguests.

Ha, Ana, that is so true. Just last weekend I was spending the weekend at my in-laws' vacation house and realized that I had no decent summer pjs (normally I wear things that are ... a little skimpy). So I ended up in flannel pants and a tank in the middle of summer. Luckily it was not too hot where we were, but I really do need to get some lighter PJ pants.

I kind of try to think by dress code also, overlapping with actual event, and by season. I agree with other posters on, say, fall-winter/spring-summer. I run so cold in winter that I really have to plan for sleeves, or a warm topper, maybe wool or velvet fabric, even indoors, and not the glam straps or sleeveless dress thing. Yet those look way too heavy in summer.

So, "cocktail" for which you might do some sparkle and glam, then dressy non-sparkle (daytime weddings); and "holiday-attire-business is an annual thing--it overlaps with winter-cocktail, but might be less dressy.

The good thing is that these can overlap on the basics but use different accessories. Funerals don't require black, you just don't dress as for a party. But if you "do" sleeveless, a sleevless black dress might work summer and winter for parties, with different toppers and footwear.

I think "outfit creation" --meaing, try everything on together--is really part of being prepared, because part of what I get into is that I'm going somewhere a bit special, or with people from DH's office or mine or maybe meeting new people, and well, I want to look put together and want my outfit to look not only nice but interesting and stylish, in a way that fits me. So many times I have some of the "parts" but may not have really worked out the go-to whole outfit to have on reserve and not go into panic shopping. That means wardrobe review 1-2 times a year for this, to see if the outfit is still workable or needs something.

I always have a dark suit and/or pantsuit in my wardrobe that can span pretty much any season. That takes care of funerals/memorials that need to be shopped for in a hurry. Since I attend church pretty regularly, my christening/confirmation outfit is covered. I would not spend any money on a hypothetical wedding or other formal function unless I am planning to attend.

I am starting to think it's wise to have an 'emergency travel' capsule at the ready. Two summers ago, I rushed back home because my Mom had suffered a heart attack (she's just fine) - and I'd just gotten home from a business trip, so I was already mostly packed, just needed to run some laundry and get on the next plane. All the non-clothing items were packed, and I just didn't bother unpacking them. Things like toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, makeup, hand sanitizer, band-aids, Advil and so on. You know, the normal "stuff" you take on a trip (other than clothes).

Seems it's happening again (no heart problem, but maybe something else). This time, I am *not* coming home from a business trip and turning around and leaving again. So I'm rather unprepared. I have a bunch of stuff that needs ironing and/or dry-cleaning. Nothing tucked away in a suitcase in terms of the usual toiletries and so on. I don't know that I will need to travel at all, but it's at the back of my mind, and this time - I am not prepared, which is unusual for me.

I've traveled so much that I used to just keep half my suitcase packed with those kinds of things. Haven't traveled quite as much this year, so have slacked off on this. I've gotten kind of "comfy" in terms of not having everything at the ready (pressed/dry-cleaned and so on). Lazy, I guess you could call it.

Thing is - it really helps to be ready to go at a moment's notice.

So in terms of this thread - I'd recommend a carry-on bag or small suitcase already packed with everything but the clothing. I'd also recommend keeping on top of laundry, ironing and dry-cleaning/mending so as not to end up caught in a bit of a jam.

Keep a spare set of inexpensive basics for your suitcase - Ponds cold cream, basic skin cleanser, eye makeup remover, spare pair or two of contact lenses, trial size contact lens solution, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen and so on. Get the drugstore stuff and it won't be too expensive to keep a second set of stuff packed in the suitcase or at least packed in a cosmetic bag that you can just grab and go. Keep on top of the laundry, ironing, dry-cleaning and mending so that if need be - you can just fling stuff from your closet into your suitcase.

As an "Emergency Event Outfit" - I recommend being ready to travel at a moment's notice - and that means keeping spares of toiletries ready to go, and keeping on top of wardrobe maintenance chores so that if you have to leave and go somewhere suddenly (with no time to plan or come up with a nice trip capsule), you'll still be in good shape.