Here are the elements of my first-ever capsule wardrobe.  The items cover Fall 2015, which includes October, November, and December.

• 10 tops (i.e. blouses, tees, sweaters)
• 4 overs (i.e. vests, cardigans, jackets)
• 7 bottoms (i.e. jeans, leggings, skirts)
• 11 accessories (i.e. scarves, necklaces, purses)
• 5 shoes

37 total items to interchange throughout the season to make a (nearly) limitless combination of trendy outfits that I enjoy wearing.

Note: This capsule wardrobe does not include things like pajamas, gym clothes, or work clothes.  These are clothes for my everyday life.  For more details see the Capsule Wardrobe Planner notes below.

 

         

 

This was my first capsule wardrobe, but unlike many other ‘capsule wardrobe first-timers’ it was strategically launched after I had already purged a large amount of clothing in preparation for a move to Europe… and then purged most of the rest before I came back to the United States.  (I really didn’t want to maneuver too many luggage bags.)

You may find the prospect of the first big purge the most daunting aspect of starting a capsule wardrobe… but it was disturbingly easy for me.  I think the ease came from one major motivator – I wasn’t excited about my existing wardrobe.  It was easy to part with the items because I didn’t really want to wear half of them anyway.

That’s what I love about my capsule wardrobe journey so far, only a month in.  I love the stuff that I own now.  These are items that I’ve selected carefully with a specific plan and purpose in mind.  It’s taken a while to piece it together, but I believe that each season will get easier, because I’ll already have great pieces to ‘cycle’ in.

 

Capsule Wardrobe Planner: Fall 2015

Speaking of having a plan, in order to really think through my style ahead of time I completed the Capsule Wardrobe Planner on Un-Fancy.com (pretty much the greatest site that I’ve found on this topic, by the way).

Here are some of the key excerpts of mine (yours will be different based on you)…

LIFESTYLE
Everyday: Working at home and in cafes, spending time with friends, dating, traveling for fun, networking

STYLE WORDS
Chic, effortless, smart casual

STORES / BRANDS
Old Navy – Seriously, I probably ended up buying 80% of my capsule wardrobe here.  Their sizes fit me well, I can order online (and easily return to the store or via mail), and they have frequent sales.  Best of all, they are quite trendy.
Kohls – Nowadays I’m just a fan of their purses.
Charming Charlie – This is a new discovery for me, and I am slightly in love with this place.  Lots of gorgeous accessories in nearly every major color.
Lane Bryant – I hadn’t spent much time here in the past, but I have to say they generally have nice, stylish clothing that fits me well.  They are a little pricier than is typical for me, but I get the impression they also have frequent sales.
DSW – This is my go-to place for shoes, because they have a wide selection.

COLORS
Major colors – Navy blue, black
Minor colors – Light semi-neutrals (white, cream, peach, gray) so my outfits aren’t too dark
Accents – Green, gold

BUDGET
Budgeted: $1,000 – like I said, I was starting with almost no base pieces… like three.  So my plan incorporated buying the rest.  But I only used about 75% of my whole budget, and I know that I will be amazed at how much money (and time) I save later on because I won’t constantly be clothes shopping.

MY CAPSULE WARDROBE ITEMS
Tops (i.e. blouses, tees, sweaters)
1. Lace-Front Top in White (new from Old Navy)
2. Banded-Bottom Embellished Tank in Black with Gold Polka Dots (new from Lane Bryant)
3. Feather Dolman-Sleeve Graphic Tee in Cream (new from Old Navy)
4. Classic Chambray Shirt in Light Blue (new from Old Navy)
5. Plaid Flannel Shirt in Heather Grey (new from Old Navy)
6. Three-Quarter-Sleeve Tee in Black (new from Lane Bryant)
7. Long-Sleeve Constellation Tee in Grey (new from Old Navy)
8. Lace-Yoke Long-Sleeve Tunic in Black (new from Old Navy)
9.Textured Boatneck Sweater in Beige Blush (new from Old Navy)
10. Cable-Front Turtleneck in Winter White (new from Old Navy)

Overs (i.e. vests, cardigans, jackets)
1. Down Feather Vest in Black (new from Marshalls / Calvin Klein)
2. Open-Front Long Cardigan in Green (new from Marshalls / Premise Studio)
3. Denim Trucker Jacket in Medium Blue (new from Old Navy)
4. Jersey Blazer in Black (new from Old Navy)

Bottoms (i.e. jeans, leggings, skirts)
1. Original Skinny Jeans in Dark Blue (new from Old Navy)
2. Mid-Rise Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans in Black (new from Old Navy)
3. Mid-Rise Rockstar Skinny Jeans in Grey (new from Old Navy)
4. Mid-Rise Rockstar Skinny Jeans in Dark Blue (new from Old Navy)
5. Mid-Rise Rockstar Skinny Jeans in Dark Rinse Blue (new from Old Navy)
6. Basic Long Leggings in Black (new from Old Navy)
7. Seamed Mini-Skirt in Black (new from Old Navy)

Accessories (i.e. scarves, necklaces, purses) – Note: Un-Fancy.com treats accessories as limitless, in order to add subtle or drastic changes to an outfit.
1. Cashmere Scarf in White (new from Off Broadway Shoes)
2. Loop Scarf in Tan (new from Ann Taylor)
3. Paisley Pashmina-Style Scarf in Blue-Purple (new from Charming Charlie)
4. Paisley Pashmina-Style Scarf in Blue-Green (new from Charming Charlie)
5. Pashmina-Style Scarf in Black (new from Charming Charlie)
6. Chevron Necklace in Gold & Dark Silver (new from Ann Taylor)
7. Medallion Necklace in Gold & Diamond (new from Ann Taylor)
8. Devon Pendant Necklace in Silver (new from Charming Charlie)
9. Charm Necklace in Gold (new from Ann Taylor)
10. Laptop Tote in Black (new from Charming Charlie)
11. Messina Wristlet in Black Shine (old from Kohls / Simply Vera Vera Wang)

Shoes
1. Sneakers in Grey and White (new from Off Broadway Shoes / Vans)
2. Ballerina Flats in Black (new from DSW / Me Too)
3. Suede Ankle Books in Black (new from DSW / Crown Victoria)
4. Leather Pumps in Black (old from DSW / Nine West)
5. Suede Winter Calf Boots in Black (old from Bass)
(Okay, maybe you are thinking – wait… FIVE PAIRS?  AND FOUR OF THEM ARE BLACK?!!  But relax… what works for me may not be what you need.  And that’s okay.)

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my Fall 2015 Capsule Wardrobe.  To view some of the outfits I’ve put together, check out the Outfits category.