what i learned from my summer capsule: comfort in my wardrobe is very important to me. a few of my summer capsule pieces didn't last the summer with me because every time i put them on all i did was fuss with them. most of the time i'm either handling a baby, chasing a kid or hauling someone's something & i need to be comfortable doing it. sometimes the pieces just didn't fit properly. sometimes it was how they were made. sometimes it was because of the material they were made out of. for future buying...buy comfy.
so the last week of august, i began the planning for my fall capsule wardrobe. i started pulling out my sweaters, flannels & long-sleeved tees. as i started to bring them into the mix, i realized that i will still need to make a separate selection before i actually go into winter. my attention right now should only be for fall. (however, i like to keep a list of items that i want to add/buy for an upcoming season capsules & think on them throughout the current season to see what it is i REALLY may want to add.) before starting my capsule wardrobe, my closet was basically divided up between "warm clothes" & "cold clothes." i have to say, making it 4 distinct divisions/seasons makes me look forward to wearing items that haven't been in the current season rotation (and i don't get so tired of the same ole thing). so for fall (sept-nov) i picked only the pieces i would wear for fall & kept some of my heavier items for my winter selection--something to look forward to in the doldrums of winter!
okay, back to fall, as far as sweaters, i chose my thinner knits. i also picked, what i call, my pumpkin sweater (even though it's a chunkier knit) & my plaid flannel (NATURALLY). but here's the real-life issue i ran into. i live in ohio. i don't know if you know this or not, but our weather is bipolar. you never know what you're going to get. for instance, this past week has been in the high 90's...and it's SEPTEMBER. someone please let mother nature know that mcdonald's is selling their pumpkin spice lattes already. when it came to my final decisions for fall, i definitely had to take our ohio weather into account. so i also included (and chose carefully) some pieces from my summer capsule that are either short-sleeved & can be worn with a cardigan OR sleeveless & would be great for layering. i needed to still give myself some realistic options.
decision-making time. to be sure i had enough warm days/cool nights options for fall in ohio, i put my top (versatile) picks from my summer capsule on the left side of my closet & put the new fall items on the right. then i could easily tell that the options were pretty even as you can see from the above pic. next i organized all the pieces according to color. this was a trick i read about years ago & still do today. also, investing in good hangers or at least the same hangers help give a cohesive look & makes my ocd happy.
my fall capsule style: i have been inspired by a more boho look lately. (AND HATS OF COURSE). but i'm also obsessing over clean silhouettes made of natural materials like linen. sometimes i wonder if i even have a "style" because i just like what i like. but then again caroline from un-fancy.com says to mix two different styles with each capsule--so that all works out for me. my fall plans: i will be throwing on every knit in my fall capsule with my vans. i will be wearing socks with my birks because i'm that person. i plan on trying to NOT wear my brown boots every day of my life (even though i totally would). i will be layering because our fall mornings are cool & afternoons can be sweltering.
my fall capsule count: i included tops, bottoms, a casual dress & shoes in my wardrobe count. i have one basic purse that i carry everyday (but really it's more like a wallet in a diaper bag). what i did not include in my count: i have a couple of old, favorite sweatshirts that i will keep around for in-home snuggling/etc, workout clothes, lounge clothes/pjs, special occasion dresses & accessories. for my summer 15 capsule wardrobe, my clothing number was 42. my goal number for fall was to get down to un-fancy's 37 pieces. i am happy to announce that my fall 15 number is 37!
my fall 15 capsule wardrobe (37 items):
top left: lucky brand
top right: free people
bottom left: old navy
bottom right: free people
top left: diy
top right: madewell
bottom left: old navy
bottom right: madewell
(not pictured: short sleeve striped tee from forever 21)
top left: madewell
top right: free people
bottom left: walmart!
bottom right: forever 21
top left: flax designs
top right: madewell
bottom left: walmart!
bottom right: target
top left: old navy
top right: i don't remember! have had it for years.
bottom left: madewell
bottom right: forever 21
top left: aritzia
top right: madewell
bottom left: madewell
bottom right: target
top left: thrifted vintage
top right: target
bottom left: old navy
top left: forever 21
top right: forever 21
bottom left: old navy
bottom middle: target
bottom right: forever 21
top left: cato
top right: target
bottom left: vans
bottom right: birkenstock
{update: i forgot to include my mocs in my shoe selection for fall! i can't believe i forget them since they are the one pair i was really looking forward to adding into the mix. please forgive me, friends!!} source: minnetonka moccasin co
i'll be glad when this hot weather is gone for good. don't hate me. i just hate sweating. and i hate bugs. i want the crunch of leaves under my feet. a cool breeze through the windows. lit candles & warm soups. halloween costumes & caramel apples (my mom always made them in the fall). the shorter, darker days may seem dreary & ominous to some, but i find them to be full of magic & mystery & the fondest of memories.
also, i'm still throwing around the idea of doing an outfit-a-day blog post through one month this fall...maybe october? november? idk. i'll think about that. good luck to all of you who are also making these tough decisions! ;)
