Old Navy Square-Neck Jumpsuit + Old Navy Denim Jacket + Sloan Rancher Hat
+ Freebird Santo Boots (similar)
I've unofficially wrapped up my capsule wardrobe experiment, and while I fell short of my goal of sharing 20 outfits (chalk that up to beginner's optimism/delusion) I did learn a lot in the process that I think will be valuable in my future fashion adventures. Here's a quick recap of what I found to be the good, the bad, and the ugly of my capsule experience!
THE GOOD
1// Getting Dressed With Lightning Speed. Having a capsule shortened my daily dressing time substantially, as the limited pieces kept me focused. There was none of my usual waffling about which patterned shirt would pair best with my jeans, because there was only one patterned shirt. Most days, life is hectic enough and I appreciated that my closet wasn't adding any additional stress or wasted time. While limited options might not seem like it would be liberating, it definitely gave me a sense of calm when I entered my closet everyday because I wasn't overwhelmed with choices, and I was in and out in a matter of minutes. And while I may not have used the extra time wisely (Instagram scrolling, anyone??) I still appreciated having it.
2// A Closet Worthy of a Photo Shoot. My capsule consisted of 17 items which took up a shockingly mere eight inches of my closet space. Not to mention that they looked impossibly chic and coordinated when arranged together, which my OCD self smugly reveled in. And if it weren't for the rest of the closet square footage (which still housed my sizable non-capsule clothing collection) I totally would have called California Closets to market my space for their next catalog.
3// Pinpointing Your Personal Style. With only a few items to work with, I learned quickly the pieces that best fit my style. The ones that were comfortable, functional, and made me feel definitively like ME. Of all my capsule outfits, I loved the overalls and jeans ensemble best, because they best fit my lifestyle in form and function. I also love the outfits when I got to mix patterns - stripes & plaids are my jam - and having mix-worthy pieces like these will always make me happy. On the other hand, I realized some pieces just aren't as functional, like the green jumpsuit. I adored it initially, but realized quickly that it wrinkles easily and requires ironing after washing, so I wasn't as apt to grab it to wear on a regular basis (though I love it with my jean jacket above!) Experiences like these help me define my style, and ultimately, shop smarter to find things that fit into that style.
THE BAD
1// The FOMO Was Real. And by FOMO, I mean Fear Of Missing Outfits. While I wanted to stay strict to my capsule selection, I still found myself thinking there might have been better options beyond those 17 pieces. I struggled most with shoe selections, as I only had four pairs in my capsule. As an admitted shoe-aholic, it was hard to put on the mustard mules knowing I had more appropriate suede saddle booties (or tweed desert boot, or aubergine mary janes, or autumn floral peep toes or even the vintage riding boot...are you seeing my dilemma??) Perhaps for me, and any other shoe crazed girls out there, excluding footwear from your capsule is the way to go. Otherwise you'll be caught constantly looking over your shoulder longingly at what might have been the perfect pair.
2// The Weather Doesn't Care About Your Capsule. I should have known that creating a capsule for October in Colorado would be challenging. It can be 90˚and sweltering one day with snowstorms and school closures the next. But I was lulled by the temperate fall days and didn't give rain, snow or sub zero temps much thought when selecting my pieces. Because it's fall for gosh sakes and a chunky knit sweater and cozy plaid scarf (with the requisite pumpkin spice latte) are all a girl could ever need! Well Mother Nature set me straight by serving up a crazy snow storm, leaving me and my plaid scarf wishing for a puffer jacket and Sorels. Lesson learned.
3// Online Oogling is Off Limits. I follow a huge number of fashion bloggers and influencers on social media, and I truly enjoy seeing their styling, input and advice for all things apparel related. But when you're working within the constrains of a capsule, the last thing you want to see is all the latest and greatest retail fashions. That are likely not included in your capsule. (sad face)
THE UGLY
1// No One Mentions The Laundry Dilemma. The basis of a capsule wardrobe is to have versatile pieces of clothing that can be worn many ways. And while in theory, that sounds practical, in reality, it means you might be running a late night emergency laundry load that consists of one white tee shirt that you happened to spill pico de gallo on at dinner. (And by YOU, I mean all clumsy, Mexican-food loving girls who might overload their chips with too much salsa and then fail at the attempt to shove all of said chip into her mouth. You know who you are, right?) But even when I wasn't spilling on myself, I did find that I was visiting my washing machine much more than usual. Because even if people are impressed that you can style a shirt eight different ways, they may not be so impressed with the stink it tends to gather after those eight wearings.
2//Neutral Isn't For Everyone. In researching capsule wardrobes, one common thread I noticed was the selection of generally neutral pieces (ivory, gray, tan, camel, black) and while that totally makes sense for mixing and matching purposes, it's kind of like eating oatmeal for breakfast every morning. Nothing wrong with it, but sometimes a girl just wants Lucky Charms. Or Pop Tarts. Or even the occasional huevos rancheros, ya feeling me? And since I consider it my personal fashion mission to pair the un-pairable patterns (think you can't mix camo & stripes? Or houndstooth & floral? Let me prove it!) neutral pieces often leave me, well...bored. Are they easy and dependable? Of course. But then again, so is oatmeal.
So there you have it! And all sarcasm aside, I did enjoy my capsule experiment. It's been eye-opening to see what type of items I love wearing and that work for my lifestyle, and challenging to try to incorporate my love of all things patterned. What's resulted is a greater appreciation for pieces that can do double (or triple!) duty in my wardrobe and are good enough quality to hold up to all those wearings. (Madewell Overalls, I'm talking to you!) It will most definitely change the way the way I shop going forward, which by my count will start in approximately three days. So long, No Shop October! I'm coming for you November...
