Creating Capsule Wardrobe

[Bluegoat]

Oh my word - these clothes are beautiful. :thumbup:   Never heard of this company before.  Thanks for responding!

 

Another company I like is April Cornell.  I find I have to be a bit careful about fit as the dresses tend to be boxy, and a whole outfit in her fabrics could be overwhelming, but there are some beautiful things, and the fabric and quality are really good.  Things I bought from them 20 years ago are in excellent shape still. Sale prices are very good too.

[MaeFlowers]

What I might try is two neutrals, one "white", two main colours, and then you can add a few, say 1 - 3, accent colours.

 

I can look pretty washed out in black, so I'm not going to choose it for my neutral - but I have some boots or tights in black, which can go with the grey or black and will be fine not next to my face, and I'll keep stuff I have like a winter coat, but I won't use it as a main colour. Instead I'm going to go for a chocolate brown (the colour of my low boots that don't make my foot issues flare up) and a grey. I don't tend to like beige type colours much. I'm better in something like ecru than a pure white and I like it better with brown and grey anyway.

 

The two main colours should be ones you like, are at least somewhat available, and look good - they might require a bit of thought. But I think you can be a lot more free with special accent colours for things like scarves - you usually will only be wearing one at a time anyway, so as long as it looks nice with your neutrals and main colours, that should be ok.

I kind of decided last night that I think I will do black and denim for my neutrals. After reading through her posts, it seems that the neutrals are mostly represented in your bottom half. Since I only wear jeans or sweats, those seem like the most available colors.

 

I was thinking for summer I might go with denim and khaki. I don't wear twill shorts but I could probably find chambray shorts and a khaki color linen short.

 

My understanding is that you need a capsule for each season? Since I live in the South, I am thinking I really only need two with some overlap between the two. Im still thinking that through, though.

[Bluegoat]

I kind of decided last night that I think I will do black and denim for my neutrals. After reading through her posts, it seems that the neutrals are mostly represented in your bottom half. Since I only wear jeans or sweats, those seem like the most available colors.

 

I was thinking for summer I might go with denim and khaki. I don't wear twill shorts but I could probably find chambray shorts and a khaki color linen short.

 

My understanding is that you need a capsule for each season? Since I live in the South, I am thinking I really only need two with some overlap between the two. Im still thinking that through, though.

 

I don't think you necessarily need one for each season.  

 

I've seen versions of capsule wardrobes that are not only each season, but each activity.  So, for winter you'd have work, casual, vacation, etc, and they recommend buying new things each season too.  To me - that is not really a capsule wardrobe any more, it's a lot of clothes!

 

Even where I am where you need three distinct seasons, I think you can, if you want, do only one capsule.  It will just be a little bigger and have a few items that will be out of use for the hottest or coolest seasons.  So - I need to include a winter coat, which obviously I'd not wear in summer, but it is still part of my capsule.  

 

I think this approach might be bigger than a one season capsule - OTOH, maybe it would be smaller than two single-season capsules.

 

Where it might be better to go with two is if there are types of clothes you have where there will be almost no cross-over.  If you wear totally different clothes to work, you don't need to coordinate them with your other clothes.  If you use work out stuff a lot but only for working out, it doesn't need to coordinate with your other clothes.  But if you mix up these elements, you might want them to coordinate.

[HS Mom in NC]

 

My understanding is that you need a capsule for each season?

 

No.  Some people have capsules for each season but some people don't.  Personality, lifestyle, and climate play into how many seasons people choose to have.

 

 

[TechWife]

My understanding is that you need a capsule for each season? Since I live in the South, I am thinking I really only need two with some overlap between the two. Im still thinking that through, though.

 

:ohmy: I hadn't thought of different seasons. Oh, dear. I, too, live in the south, we tend to have all four seasons, though winter is pretty short. Unfortunately, winter is where I have concentrated my efforts. It was 68 degrees today.  There may be some shopping coming up in a few weeks. Somehow, spring and summer seem harder to think about as far as a casual wardrobe goes. I'm going to be giving this some thought, I'm starting to get a little excited. The spring Talbots catalog came today and I only liked a few things in it - they are big on colors I don't like this year. It was like being in the 80's in a big way - kelly green, navy and pink. There were a few accent pieces I liked and maybe one pair of cropped pants. I do a lot of shopping there, so I'm a little disappointed. I'll have to start looking at my wardrobe for spring & summer, though. 

[bolt.]

I think I do the exact opposite of a capsule wardrobe. I have outfits: wear together, wash together, hang together. Beyond outfits, I sometimes have 'families' (these three tops with those two bottoms) that sound like mini capsules.

 

(But it still sounds like I have a lot fewer actual articles of clothing than a lot of multiple seasonal capsules, plus accents, plus casual wear people!)

 

What's the connection between capsules and minimalism if it isn't about having fewer clothes?

[Bluegoat]

I think I do the exact opposite of a capsule wardrobe. I have outfits: wear together, wash together, hang together. Beyond outfits, I sometimes have 'families' (these three tops with those two bottoms) that sound like mini capsules.

 

(But it still sounds like I have a lot fewer actual articles of clothing than a lot of multiple seasonal capsules, plus accents, plus casual wear people!)

 

What's the connection between capsules and minimalism if it isn't about having fewer clothes?

 

I think it is largely about fewer clothes.  "Fewer" just depends somewhat on how many you are starting from.  

 

The other thing is about a more usable wardrobe - say you have 10 outfits in your system - the same number of pieces of clothing in a capsule system might give twice as many or more outfits.

 

You don't need to have a separate "casual" group.  For someone like me, all the clothes I wear regularly in public are going to be in the one group which will mostly be pretty casual.  What might be are old things that are no longer suitable - jeans with a hole, a shirt with a stain - that I only use at home for cleaning or gardening.  

[Negin]

I've never looked at that site, but I do follow that some of those 10-item wardrobe moms on YouTube.  Here are my favorite two:

 

The Daily Connoisseur

 

Joy Forney

 

I used to be very good about this, but I've been terrible at keeping it minimal recently.  There are very good thrift stores near here, and a lot my my friends sell LuLaRoe.  My closet and the storage spaces in the basement are currently overwhelmed by my clothes.

I love the Daily Connoisseur and have read all of her books.

I hadn't heard of Joy Forney and am off to look into her channel. Thank you!

[MaeFlowers]

I don't think you necessarily need one for each season.

 

I've seen versions of capsule wardrobes that are not only each season, but each activity. So, for winter you'd have work, casual, vacation, etc, and they recommend buying new things each season too. To me - that is not really a capsule wardrobe any more, it's a lot of clothes!

 

Even where I am where you need three distinct seasons, I think you can, if you want, do only one capsule. It will just be a little bigger and have a few items that will be out of use for the hottest or coolest seasons. So - I need to include a winter coat, which obviously I'd not wear in summer, but it is still part of my capsule.

 

I think this approach might be bigger than a one season capsule - OTOH, maybe it would be smaller than two single-season capsules.

 

Where it might be better to go with two is if there are types of clothes you have where there will be almost no cross-over. If you wear totally different clothes to work, you don't need to coordinate them with your other clothes. If you use work out stuff a lot but only for working out, it doesn't need to coordinate with your other clothes. But if you mix up these elements, you might want them to coordinate.

I sat down and made a list of what makes up the capsule. I think there ends up being two pairs of shorts. That just isn't going to fly in the heat here! I guess I could use the skirts and stick to one capsule but then, by her plan, I have very few warm weather shirts or very few winter tops.

 

I like the idea of a single capsule but the logistics are nearly impossible. After breaking her plan down, I decided to create two capsules with major overlap. (I guess you could look at it as one larger capsule.) One for spring/summer and one for fall/winter. The neutrals stay the same but the main colors change. I tried to come up with color schemes that compliment each other.

 

Im totally at a loss for active/leisure wear. I don't think I can work that into the same capsule. I think it will have to mainly be seperate.

 

I was majorly inspired by this. It kind of helped me come up with a focus for my wardrobe. I took my Mom shopping yesterday at it made me really think about the items I picked up. I made an order with Stitchfix yesterday, too. I'm starting with jeans and I was able to tell them exactly what I was looking for! That's big for me. :)

[rutamattatt]

I hadn't heard of the capsule idea specifically until this thread, but I think I've been doing it accidently and didn't know it.  Because of medical issues, my weight over the last three years has varied by 25 pounds, so I was just buying whatever I could find that appealed to me and was cheap over that time period.   I ended up with a closet full of clothes of all colors, styles, shapes etc. and not many articles of clothing I was actually crazy about.  

 

My friend started selling a really beautiful clothing line for women, and it turns out they are like garanimals for adults.  Most everything goes with most everything.  My friend always says, "You wouldn't hang around a person who didn't say nice things about you.  Why do you wear clothes that don't say nice things about you?"  You'd be surprised how many of my clothes said, "Your butt looks big" or "Check out that muffin top"...  :laugh:   I emptied out my closet a month or so ago, got rid of 3 garbage bags of clothes, shoes, jackets, accessories that I didn't feel fantastic in, and I invested in some key pieces of clothes that I can mix and match and that I feel like a total grown up in.  

 

It's been life changing.  I swear my closet has an echo because there are just a handful of pieces in there, but every single outfit I wear I feel great in.  Picking out clothes has been stressful for me these last few years, but now I enjoy getting dressed to go somewhere because even though I have far less clothes, I know I will fel good in whatever I put on.  

 

 

[Katy]

I hadn't heard of the capsule idea specifically until this thread, but I think I've been doing it accidently and didn't know it.  Because of medical issues, my weight over the last three years has varied by 25 pounds, so I was just buying whatever I could find that appealed to me and was cheap over that time period.   I ended up with a closet full of clothes of all colors, styles, shapes etc. and not many articles of clothing I was actually crazy about.  

 

My friend started selling a really beautiful clothing line for women, and it turns out they are like garanimals for adults.  Most everything goes with most everything.  My friend always says, "You wouldn't hang around a person who didn't say nice things about you.  Why do you wear clothes that don't say nice things about you?"  You'd be surprised how many of my clothes said, "Your butt looks big" or "Check out that muffin top"...  :laugh:   I emptied out my closet a month or so ago, got rid of 3 garbage bags of clothes, shoes, jackets, accessories that I didn't feel fantastic in, and I invested in some key pieces of clothes that I can mix and match and that I feel like a total grown up in.  

 

It's been life changing.  I swear my closet has an echo because there are just a handful of pieces in there, but every single outfit I wear I feel great in.  Picking out clothes has been stressful for me these last few years, but now I enjoy getting dressed to go somewhere because even though I have far less clothes, I know I will fel good in whatever I put on.  

 

What's the line?

[ktgrok]

What's the line?

 

Yeah! I want gar animals for adults!!!!

[appyonthebeach]

 

 

My friend started selling a really beautiful clothing line for women, and it turns out they are like garanimals for adults.  Most everything goes with most everything.  My friend always says, "You wouldn't hang around a person who didn't say nice things about you.  Why do you wear clothes that don't say nice things about you?"  You'd be surprised how many of my clothes said, "Your butt looks big" or "Check out that muffin top"...  :laugh:   I emptied out my closet a month or so ago, got rid of 3 garbage bags of clothes, shoes, jackets, accessories that I didn't feel fantastic in, and I invested in some key pieces of clothes that I can mix and match and that I feel like a total grown up in.  

 

It's been life changing.  I swear my closet has an echo because there are just a handful of pieces in there, but every single outfit I wear I feel great in.  Picking out clothes has been stressful for me these last few years, but now I enjoy getting dressed to go somewhere because even though I have far less clothes, I know I will fel good in whatever I put on.  

 

I did the same thing a few years ago.  The amount of unflattering clothing I was holding onto was crazy.  I went out and bought a few things I felt great in.  What a boost for my confidence that was!

 

I also want to know what this clothing line is. :thumbup:

[Woodland Mist Academy]

The Pyramid Collection

 

This is my favorite tunic. I love the colors and different textures. It's just fitted enough in the top to give shape, but flows easily over my tummy and hips without adding bulk.

 

Have you ordered much from this company? What are your thoughts on the clothing quality? Is the clothing good quality for everyday wear or is it more suitable for costume parties, festivals, etc. (Some of the clothing seems to be more costume/festival oriented and not something most people would wear on a typical day. Although maybe I just don't move in those circles.)

[Aura]

Have you ordered much from this company? What are your thoughts on the clothing quality? Is the clothing good quality for everyday wear or is it more suitable for costume parties, festivals, etc. (Some of the clothing seems to be more costume/festival oriented and not something most people would wear on a typical day. Although maybe I just don't move in those circles.)

I have not ordered much, but I'm very satisfied with the quality that I've received.

 

The tunic is definitely more delicate and not designed for heavy use. I've had it since before Thanksgiving, and I pretty much wear it weekly. I do NOT have toddlers or babies anymore, though, so there's little pulling and tugging. 

 

I have this sweater, which is my go-to sweater/jacket when I go out. When I got it, it looked much more sheer than in the picture, but I was impressed with how warm it actually is. It's the perfect lightweight "jacket" for me. 

 

I think they have items for everything: some geared for festivals, conventions, etc.; some for more formal, ritual use; and some for daily wear. 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Thanks! How have you found the sizing? Is the sizing chart accurate?

[Aura]

Thanks! How have you found the sizing? Is the sizing chart accurate?

 

The sizing seems pretty standard. I typically wear a size L in tops. I tried both large and x-large, and the large fit great. The x-large was too big.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Thanks!

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Another company I like is April Cornell.  I find I have to be a bit careful about fit as the dresses tend to be boxy, and a whole outfit in her fabrics could be overwhelming, but there are some beautiful things, and the fabric and quality are really good.  Things I bought from them 20 years ago are in excellent shape still. Sale prices are very good too.

 

How have you found the sizing with April Cornell? I agree about much of the clothing looking boxy. (At least from what I've seen on the website.)  There seems to be quite a bit of extra fabric with some of the dresses. Is it overwhelming for daily wear?

[Penny_P]

I find this thread totally overwhelming. 😕. I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe, but actually weeding through everything seems depressing. I’ve unsuccessfully tried losing weight and still have clothes two sizes too small. Do I hang on to those or just donate it all? I’ve been in the same jeggings and jeans for well over a year. I don’t want to admit defeat and buy new clothes in a larger size. Sigh.

[eternalsummer]

I think I do have a capsule wardrobe, in real terms.  I don't wear a lot of neutrals, and I own no prints.  But I basically have a selection of skirts in various solids, 3 or 4 of them, and a selection of tank tops, t-shirts, and long sleeved shirts in various solids (3 or 4 of each) and a few solid colored cotton sweaters and a cardigan without buttons.  Also 3 dresses, all cotton, all solids.  I wear all of these interchangeably - a sweater with a dress, tank top with skirt, sweater and t-shirt with skirt, etc. - and while they are not neutrals, they are largely gem tones and pastels and so mixing and matching them works fine for me.  

 

It might look like: deep blue skirt, yellow t-shirt, forest green sweater

or: medium blue skirt, garnet sweater

or: dark green dress

or: gray skirt, lavender t-shirt, deep blue cardigan

etc.

 

 

What I wear on a given day is largely determined by weather (is it cold or is it not cold), then what is clean, then what is most comfortable of what I have left that is clean.

 

eta: I also wear foldover top leggings when it is cold enough, under the skirts or dresses.  I have blue ones, red ones, green ones, and purple ones.

Edited February 12, 2018 by eternalsummer

[eternalsummer]

DD6 has an April Cornell dress that is absolutely lovely.  I got it at a kids' resale place for very cheap, considering - maybe $5.  It is beaded and pleated and the pattern is beautiful and the buttons are shiny and it's lasted forever (it's a 4T and has fit for years).

[Ausmumof3]

I think I do the exact opposite of a capsule wardrobe. I have outfits: wear together, wash together, hang together. Beyond outfits, I sometimes have 'families' (these three tops with those two bottoms) that sound like mini capsules.

 

(But it still sounds like I have a lot fewer actual articles of clothing than a lot of multiple seasonal capsules, plus accents, plus casual wear people!)

 

What's the connection between capsules and minimalism if it isn't about having fewer clothes?

Yep. My wardrobes are sometimes capsule like but always way way smaller than these people even when I have clashing stuff.

[Bluegoat]

How have you found the sizing with April Cornell? I agree about much of the clothing looking boxy. (At least from what I've seen on the website.)  There seems to be quite a bit of extra fabric with some of the dresses. Is it overwhelming for daily wear?

 

In general I've found the sizing pretty accurate, but I look for the shape of the piece before I buy.  I tend to avoid the very boxy things and dresses in particular and go for skirts or some of the tops that are a little more fitted under the bust. Those I find go well with slim pants or skinny jeans without being too tight around my belly, which doesn't work any more for me.  (She seems to show a lot with her leggings but the embroidered legit thing is just a bit too precious for me.) Her sweaters can be very nice too.

 

I think the boxy look works better for people who are smaller through the chest, for me it tends to make me look enormous.  There have been some exceptions though.

 

Essentially, I find I need to be judicious about her stuff, but the quality level is really high and it fills some gaps in what I can find elsewhere.

 

Her little girls things are really lovely too if you have someone to buy for.

[Bluegoat]

I find this thread totally overwhelming. 😕. I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe, but actually weeding through everything seems depressing. I’ve unsuccessfully tried losing weight and still have clothes two sizes too small. Do I hang on to those or just donate it all? I’ve been in the same jeggings and jeans for well over a year. I don’t want to admit defeat and buy new clothes in a larger size. Sigh.

 

Sometimes it can help to take all that stuff (assuming you actually do like it) and pack it in a bin and put it elsewhere.  If you lose some weight, you can go open it up.

[Bluegoat]

Yep. My wardrobes are sometimes capsule like but always way way smaller than these people even when I have clashing stuff.

 

I think a lot of people who blog about this are actually really into clothes.  So even their "pared down" tends to be large.

[Aura]

I find this thread totally overwhelming. 😕. I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe, but actually weeding through everything seems depressing. I’ve unsuccessfully tried losing weight and still have clothes two sizes too small. Do I hang on to those or just donate it all? I’ve been in the same jeggings and jeans for well over a year. I don’t want to admit defeat and buy new clothes in a larger size. Sigh.

 

I've packed up boxes of clothes and labeled the box with the size. My weight has kinda stabilized, but for years, it would fluctuate based on pregnancy, post-pregnancy and "normal". My closet is too small to keep up a wardrobe in 3 different sizes, but I knew that my weight would change, so I didn't want to get rid of clothes I no longer fit.

 

I would suggest hanging on to the clothes that you love, and donating the others. When you get back to that size, then you'll probably want a few new things anyway. If you never get back to that size, you'll eventually reach a point where staring at that box is more bothersome than just taking it and donating it.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I guess I can call what I do a capsule  :lol:  I am a minimalist at heart though so I have never really thought about it.

 

Black leggings x 6

Tanks with matching scarves x 6 (blue, pink, purple, orange, red, black)

Black cardigans x 3 (can be layered over the tanks in cooler months)

Cotton dresses x5 (can be put over the leggings and add a cardigan in cooler months)

Dressier dresses x2 (yep, I still manage to put these over leggings)

 

Maybe you see my trend here....leggings and black  :lol:   The color comes from the colored shirts, dresses, and scarves.

 

Shoes

 

Nice leather SAS sandals in black and brown.  

Nice boots in black and brown.  

1 pair of athletic shoes.  

1 pair of bogs (for mud and rain).

1 pair of keen sandals for the beach or water type stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

All of the following can be done in a minimalist way or on a grand scale:

• capsule wardrobe that one can mix and match for several somewhat different looks 
• complete outfits that can be worn in rotation 
• identical sets of a signature uniform

There are many variables to consider -- not the least of which is how minimalism is defined. So much is in the eye of the beholder. What may be minimalist for one is extravagant to another. 

 

All of the above wardrobes can produce polished, effortless looks. They each have pros and cons. Personality matters. Know thy self.

 

(ETA: I'm not a minimalist. Less is not always more.  ;)  I have, however, at various times done a variation of all three wardrobes I've listed above.  I've settled somewhat on the middle path. )

Edited February 12, 2018 by Woodland Mist Academy

[guilfordlake]

I have not ordered much, but I'm very satisfied with the quality that I've received.

 

The tunic is definitely more delicate and not designed for heavy use. I've had it since before Thanksgiving, and I pretty much wear it weekly. I do NOT have toddlers or babies anymore, though, so there's little pulling and tugging. 

 

I have this sweater, which is my go-to sweater/jacket when I go out. When I got it, it looked much more sheer than in the picture, but I was impressed with how warm it actually is. It's the perfect lightweight "jacket" for me. 

 

I think they have items for everything: some geared for festivals, conventions, etc.; some for more formal, ritual use; and some for daily wear. 

That sweater is gorgeous!

[Woodland Mist Academy]

 

All of the above wardrobes can produce polished, effortless looks. 

 

Rethinking effortless...

 

I remembered something that I recently read  (I can't remember where) that questioned the idea of "effortless" in regards to dress. Maybe effortless isn't the correct word to use. It takes effort to take care of one's self and one's clothes. Putting together a wardrobe -- capsule or otherwise -- takes effort. 

 

Rolling out of bed and going out in public in nightclothes (or clothes we slept in from the day before) is effortless. Somehow I don't think that's the look most of us are hoping to achieve...  ;)

[TechWife]

Rethinking effortless...

 

I remembered something that I recently read (I can't remember where) that questioned the idea of "effortless" in regards to dress. Maybe effortless isn't the correct word to use. It takes effort to take care of one's self and one's clothes. Putting together a wardrobe -- capsule or otherwise -- takes effort.

 

Rolling out of bed and going out in public in nightclothes (or clothes we slept in from the day before) is effortless. Somehow I don't think that's the look most of us are hoping to achieve... ;)

I think the idea is limiting where and when the effort is made. With a capsule wardrobe, the effort is made when the planning and shopping is done, which makes getting dressed effortless on a daily basis.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

edited....just thinking aloud, which could lead to thread derailment!

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Woodland Mist Academy

[Woodland Mist Academy]

TechWife, 

 

How is your capsule wardrobe coming along? Are you still using the app?

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Woodland Mist Academy

[TechWife]

TechWife,

 

How is your capsule wardrobe coming along? Are you still using the app?

I am! Overall, I’m pleased. I’ve added a black suit to my lineup. It’s really eye opening to see all of the clothes in my closet that I’m not wearing. I’m not sure how spring & summer will work out - I haven’t started working on warm weather clothing yet. It’s going to be harder, I’m very much a gym shorts & t-shirt kind of person when it’s hot.

[stephanier.1765]

I am! Overall, I’m pleased. I’ve added a black suit to my lineup. It’s really eye opening to see all of the clothes in my closet that I’m not wearing. I’m not sure how spring & summer will work out - I haven’t started working on warm weather clothing yet. It’s going to be harder, I’m very much a gym shorts & t-shirt kind of person when it’s hot.

 

Skorts help with that a lot. You can still wear the t-shirt but because it looks as if you are wearing a skirt you automatically look more put together. Easy and comfortable fix.

[Carol in Cal.]

Skorts help with that a lot. You can still wear the t-shirt but because it looks as if you are wearing a skirt you automatically look more put together. Easy and comfortable fix.

Even more comfortable is a shortish skirt, either a flippy one or a denim straight one.