It’s already been a year since my capsule wardrobe experiment began! Just to recap,last fall, I decided to do another closet cleanse to get back on track and out of the mindless shopping rut. Although, not as quite as drastic as Fashion for Freedom. Capsule wardrobes are often around 30-40 pieces of clothing, 37 seems to be a very popular number. The idea is that you have a set of basic pieces that can mix and match, and then you rotate in 5-6 new pieces for different seasons.
Over the last year, I’ve changed out my capsule for each season, ranging from 30-40 pieces in my closet each month (not counting workout clothes, pajamas, etc.). For this fall, I knew I wanted to shop the clothes I’d packed away last year, but I also wanted to add some updates for this fall’s trends.
Here’s eight trends I wanted to incorporate into my capsule:
1. Pink
Source 1: Pinterest, Source 2: Stitch Fix, Source 3: Wendy’s Lookbook
I’m LOVING pink for fall. It’s usually such a spring thing, but I love the ballet slipper shade with olive green. That’s why pink works well for a capsule wardrobe – you could wear it in the spring with other pastels, summer with white, and fall paired with olive green or deep purple.
I’m also loving the idea of a chunky, loose sweater, like the one above in the first photo, soft pink shoes, or a pink leather jacket to mix things up. Here’s a few ideas:
2. Sleeve Details
Source 1: Stitch Fix, Source 2: Tsangtastic, Source 3: Zara
Bell sleeves, Victorian sleeves, ruffled sleeves – there’s been an explosion of creativity with sleeves. I’m particularly excited about flutter sleeves or bell sleeves, because I remember when those were cool back in the early 2000’s! Remember how much Anne of Anne of Green Gables wanted puffed sleeves? That was me as a teen and flared sleeves! There’s something so romantic and elegant about how they flutter – even if they’re not “practical,” as Marilla Cuthbert would say.
Your capsule wardrobe should be mainly classics, but adding in a fun trendy piece keeps it from feeling too restrictive. Here’s a few of my picks:
3. Preppy Layering
Layering is a fall staple, and plaid is a fall classic, but I’m particularly loving the combo of preppy layering of a collared shirt under a sweater, finished off with a statement necklace. This is great for a capsule wardrobe, since it combines two pieces that can stand on their own to create a third look.
4. Ochre Sweater
Photo 1: Urban Outfitters, Photo 2: The Budget Babe, Photo 3: Banana Republic
Over-sized ochre or mustard sweaters are really having a moment – I’m seeing them all over Instagram and Pinterest. Probably because they’re so quintessentially fall, this color in a chunky knit embodies all of our autumnal dreams.
That sweater from Banana Republic also incorporates the sleeve detail trend – so it’s two trends for one. I’m definitely bringing back my mustard Target cardigan to my capsule for this fall.
5. Stylish Sneakers
6. Colorful Over-sized Coats
8. Beige Lipstick
