In 2015, I divested myself of most of my personal belongings and furniture and briefly lived in France.  Before I returned home to the U.S., I decided to continue down my path of minimalism and made plans to create a capsule wardobe – for me, it was a small collection of clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories in a coordinating color scheme that fit my personal style, used to form the basis of my outfits for (pretty much) all occasions.

Now it’s two years later and I’m still living this unique capsule wardrobe lifestyle, and yes, really loving it.  The benefits have been plentiful, including:

• Giving me a better sense of my own fashion.
• Learning how to put together a successful outfit (and take a few fashion risks).
• Saving time when picking an outfit for the day or packing for a trip.
• Saving time and money when shopping for clothes.
• Reducing closet churn (like I’d been guilty of in the past), which reduces wasted money.
• Having serious appreciation for the pieces in my collection.

 

Fall 2017 Pieces
I still plan to add a couple more pieces and then store or retire a few of the warm weather items, but here are the pieces in my collection as I head into the fall season.

Tops

Overs

Dresses

Bottoms

Shoes

Accessories

Style
Primary colors: Black, White, Gray
Secondary colors: Blue, Olive, Brown
Accent colors: Gold, Silver
Description: Smart Casual – the bulk of my outfits should transition from a casual work environment to drinks with friends to weekend fun.

Summary
15 tops
6 overs (vests, jackets, cardigans)
3 dresses
7 bottoms (skirts, pants, shorts)
6 shoes
18 accessories

Total: 55 pieces
*Excluding PJs, underwear, socks, and gym clothes.

 

Stay tuned for the dozens of different outfits that I build with these pieces in the next three months.

Questions?  Suggestions?  Add them to the comments – I want to hear from you.