As an acknowledged shopaholic, the idea of a capsule wardrobe - limiting your clothing options to a few classic pieces that are easily mixed & matched - has always given me slight anxiety. Because when it comes to my clothes, I want options. Like, LOTS of options. Options to match all my different moods, options for the schizophrenic weather of Colorado, options for days when my waistline is screaming for stretchy pants, not skinny jeans. Having a wide selection of choices has always brought me comfort and my closet mantra has always been if one is good, four is better!
But lately, I'm starting to get overwhelmed by the choices in my closet, and I'm spending way too much time debating between them. True confession - I spent 20 minutes trying to decide if a navy striped tee or a black striped tee looked better under a jacket...only to have my daughter tell me they looked EXACTLY THE SAME. And I have to admit, she was right. Even if her verdict came with an exasperated eye roll reserved specifically for me.
I love the creative aspect of styling one piece in many different ways, but it becomes less of a challenge when your closet contains endless options (and so much easier to second guess yourself). So while I'm not quite ready to haul off half my wardrobe to Goodwill, I am craving some simplicity in my closet, and the capsule wardrobe promises just that.
Plus, after a few months of not-so-thoughtful spending on clothing, I'm ready for a break from shopping. Ok, I'm totally lying. I should say my credit card is ready for a break. So I'm declaring it to be No Shop October and putting myself on a self-imposed clothes shopping black-out. Of course, typing it out here sets it in stone and holds me accountable, right? And my capsule will be integral in getting me through the month, proving it's possible to do more with less!
So how did I select my capsule pieces? To get started, I cleared out a small space in my closet and starting looking long and hard at the clothing items I wanted to fill it. It was a lot like speed dating: "Ok Cardigan, you have 10 seconds to tell me why I should spend the next few weeks with you instead of the plaid blazer - GO!" but I ultimately ended up with 17 pieces that I'm excited to style together.
My capsule is compiled of a few of my consistent go-to items (striped tees and comfy jeans), several on-trend fall pieces (a chunky long cardigan, plaid scarf and denim overalls) and classic basics that play well with a variety of things (tunic sweater, white tee and a denim shirt). I should also note that I didn't include jewelry, purses, or outerwear in my capsule, though I'll definitely be mixing some of those in here. And if Colorado throws in a huge snowstorm in the middle of this, I'll be swapping the capsule for Sorels, fleece leggings and a box of red wine. Fair enough?
1// Madewell Skinny Overalls (cheaper options at H&M and Free People)
3// Lizard Thicket Jackson Hole Cardigan (similar sweater)
4// Spanx Faux Leather Leggings
5// J. Crew Classic Stripe Tee
7// Old Navy Faux Suede Booties in Mustard
8// J. Crew Leopard Kitten Heel (similar Banana Republic)
9// Old Navy Floral Bell-Sleeve Blouse (similar J. Crew blouse)
10// Old Navy Square-Neck Cami Jumpsuit in Olive
11// Vintage Lace Blouse (similar at Madewell)
12// Gola for J. Crew Sneakers
13// Matisse Butch Booties (similar Seychelles boot)
14// Old Navy Cropped Flare Ankle Jean
I plan to style at least 20 outfits with this capsule, and I'll be posting them to my Wardrobe Wednesday blog and Instagram if you'd like to follow along. There are several outfits that I'm delighted with and some others that will be pushing me out of my comfort zone, but I'm determined to do Tim Gunn proud and make it work! Be sure to let me know if you're playing along (or if you've ever done a capsule, I'd love to hear about it!)
Happy (No Shop) October!
