My Fall/Winter 2014 Capsule Wardrobe

In my previous post I discussed the theory behind having a capsule wardrobe.  I also listed the parameters I set up to create a core wardrobe that works for me.

Essentially, I am doing a modified Project 333 wardrobe.  However, I am only counting my daily wear pieces in the 33.  I am not including my scarves and jewelry, nor did I count my special occasion items in that number.

To show that you can easily do this without breaking the bank, I'd like to point out that EVERYTHING listed below was already in my wardrobe.  I will list the 4 pieces purchased new this season in a separate category at the bottom.

Please note:  My core wardrobe reflects the fact that I live a very informal lifestyle.  However the same approach will function equally as well for someone who works in a differnt environment.

Labels are not important to me, but I have tried to include the name of most items, just in case you might want to shop for something similar.  However, bear in mind that many of these pieces are likely no longer available since they are not current season purchases.

Now, on to the nitty gritty: actual clothes I am using in my core wardrobe...

Bottoms 

--jeans - Levis Curvy 529 Skinny Leg (a great fit if you are not stick-straight)
--jeans - Lucky Brand Easy Rider boot-cut jeans (I've worn these to pieces!)
--skinny micro cords - Lauren Conrad (a darker berry color than they appear in the photo)
--black skinny pants with zipper detail on the cuffs - Lanalee
--knee-length black skirt  - Exact Change (I've had this one for YEARS & it still looks great)

TOTAL: 5 pieces

Tops

--3 long-sleeved tees (sapphire blue, charcoal, black from Old Navy and JCPenney)
--1 berry plaid button-up - St. John's Bay
--1 white cotton button-up - Apt. 9 (still searching for the perfect white shirt!)
--1 plaid flannel button-up - LLBean
--1 charcoal turtleneck rib-knit sweater - Basic Editions
--1 sapphire v-neck rib-knit sweater - Basic Editions
--1 white sleeveless shell - Lanalee

TOTAL:  9 pieces

Cardigans/Jackets

--charcoal hand-knit cabled cardi - MicheleStitches (me!)
--black hand-knit cardi - MicheleStitches
--burgundy hand-spun, hand-knit cardi - MicheleStitches
--black & white swing cardi - Alison Sheri

TOTAL: 4 cardigans

Shoes

--brown Chaco hikers
--brown Danskos
--black Alegria clogs
--black flats

TOTAL: 4 pair

Bags

--black leather bag - LLBean
--brown leather bag - American Angel

TOTAL: 2 bags

NEW for Autumn 2014

I went shopping this weekend at Dress Barn and Brown's Shoe Fit Co., adding a black jacket, 2 patterned shirts, and a pair of tall black boots to my capsule. I have waited several years to get a pair of basic leather boots!

--black zippered jacket (I bought this in leiu of a traditional blazer) - roz & ALI Textured Moto Jacket

 
--blue/black patterned button-neck blouse - Plumage Print Popover

--chevron, pleated, button-up bohemian blouse - roz & Ali (sorry no link available)

--black leather riding boots - Bussola "Trapani Tall" - these are super comfortable & a great price for tall, full-leather boots (I paid $30 less than the suggested retail on the company's website.)

TOTAL:  4 new pieces


That equals 28 items to make up a core wardrobe that should give me a great variety of outfits for daily wear.

I did not list the following special-purpose items in my capsule wardrobe, but they are on hand to be used as needed:

--Outerwear - 1 lighter jacket, 1 heavier coat, 1 pair of snowboots

TOTAL: 3 pieces outerwear (bringing my grand total of daily wear to 31 items!)

--Transition pieces - 3 to 4 short sleeved shirts for those days when the early fall weather is still warm
--Accessories - my small collection of jewelry as well as scarves & shawls
--Underwear & sleepwear - that's none of your business!  :-D
--Work-out wear - athletic shoes, 2 pairs of old yoga pants & an assortment of older t-shirts
--Cleaning clothes - 1 older pair of jeans & a few shirts I don't care if I ruin

In addition to these, I also have 2 nice dresses, 1 pair of black dress slacks, and 2 pairs of dressy boots to wear on those rare occasions when I need to be more formal.

So, whaddaya' think of my capsule wardrobe?  Have you ever tried to have a core wardrobe of fewer items that all coordinate well?  I'd love to hear from you!

Working on a "Capsule Wardrobe"

You know what a capsule (or core) wardrobe is, right?  The concept has been around for ages, but I am happy to report that more and more people are currently embracing the idea.  For some real inspiration and a challenge, check out the Project 333 by my hero, Courtney Carver.

Simply put, a capsule wardrobe means having fewer items of clothing, preferably of high quality, that coordinate well with each other.

A capsule wardrobe does NOT have to be boring, limiting, or unfashionable.  A capsule wardrobe can eliminate the problem so many of us have:  a closet full of clothes, yet feeling as if we have "nothing to wear!"

Developing a capsule wardrobe and thinking carefully about your clothes can save you tons of time & money.  No more mountains of laundry.  No more impulse buying, filling your closet with "bargains" you don't actually need or wear.  You will find that even though you have less clothes, you have more outfits that make you feel great when you wear them.

When I went through my closet and drawers to work on my core wardrobe for cooler weather, I was astonished at how many clothes I had kept around that were getting quite shabby and did not fit well.  These items were muddying the waters, making it hard for me to see the clothes that I really enjoy wearing. 

I started to ask myself this question:

WHY am I wearing clothes daily that make me feel like a slob? 

It dawned on me that wearing faded yoga pants and worn-out tees does not really show much respect to myself and those who have to look at me every day.  (Sorry, dear family!)  Don't get me wrong, you won't see me doing the dishes in pearls and heels. (Sorry, June Cleaver.)  My daily uniform may be extremely casual (jeans, t-shirts, clogs) but it can still be well thought-out and put together in a pleasing manner.

Here are some of the "rules" I am using for my Fall/Winter Capsule Wardrobe:

 

1) Shop my closet and try to work with things I already own as much as possible.

 

In a dream world, I would probably toss a large portion of what I have and buy new, carefully coordinated basics.  Sadly, that money tree I planted in my back yard is not bearing fruit.  So, I am trying to be creative and work with what I have.  Fortunately, most of my clothes fit (although losing 5-10 lbs. would give me a little more wiggle room!)  While some of my long-sleeved tees are not in "new" condition, they are not so shabby that I am ashamed to wear them.

2) Let go of any items that don't make me feel "good." 

 

Clothes should fit and flatter.  I have several basic tees that have shrunk in length and are worn and faded.  I have gotten my money's worth of wear out of them.  Every time I put them on, I am constantly tugging at the hem line.  NO MORE!  They will be tossed out or designated to my "work-out" and "chore" clothes.  Once again, in an ideal world with a limitless budget, I would not even save these less-than-stellar items for exercise and doing chores.  I truly believe we have a right to feel great about ourselves no matter what we are doing.

But for right now, baby steps.

3) Core items (tops & bottoms) should frequently work as a blank canvas, adding accessories to perk things up. 

 

I actually like solids.  Also, I am a knitter, which means I have quite a few scarves and small shawls that I can drape around my neck or shoulders to add color and interest.  Years ago I created and sold jewelry.  I still have a pile of unused supplies.  Perhaps this will spur me to use some of those beads and get creative.

4) Core items should coordinate with each other as much as possible.

 

Ideally, every top will work with almost every bottom.  No one-hit wonders allowed.  Math geeks will appreciate the following concept:

If your closet contains tops that only match one specific bottom and bottoms that only match one specific top, you get:

1 top + 1 bottom = 1 outfit

2 tops + 2 bottoms = 2 outfits

3 tops + 3 bottoms = 3 outfits

4 tops + 4 bottoms = 4 outfits

Get the idea?  8 items gives you barely over half a week's worth of different outfits.

HOWEVER, if your closet contains tops & bottoms that all coordinate with each other, you will have:

1 top + 1 bottom = 1 outfit

2 tops + 2 bottoms = 4 outfits

3 tops + 3 bottoms = 9 outfits

4 tops + 4 bottoms = 16 outfits

WOW!  8 items and you have more than 2 full week's worth of different outfits, including weekends!

5)  My wardrobe needs to reflect my lifestyle, location, and culture.

 

I am a stay-at-home mom who works part-time as a nanny.  Therefore, I do not require office-appropriate apparel.  Nor do I have many fancy dress occasions.  I don't need a closet stocked with suits, cocktail dresses and high heels. I live in Wyoming where the weather can be severe and the culture is very practical and relaxed in regards to fashion.  Dresses and skirts in winter aren't my best bet unless they are a style that works well with leggings or tights underneath.

So there you have it, my overarching plan for creating a workable capsule wardrobe.  I'd love to know what you think.  Have you ever lived with a capsule, or core wardrobe?  What were the results?

Coming Soon:  I'll go from theory to application, giving you the nitty gritty details on what items I am planning for my Fall/Winter 2014 Capsule wardrobe.

Finished and Blocked!

May I introduce to you my Twilight Sonota (yes, that IS how the designer spells it) which is knit using a new yet-to-be-released pattern by Kay Meadors.


This is my first time knitting with beads, and I must say this pattern was a good introduction to the technique. There are beads scattered throughout the body of the shawl, which are lovely to see in real life, but don't seem to show up well in my photos, so here is a closeup.


And beads dripping from the lace border.


I am so thrilled that the weather is finally cooling down a bit in the evenings and early mornings. Twilight sits delicately over my shoulders right now. The beads add just the right amount of weight and the drape is lovely.

I applied the beads using, of all things, Oral B Superfloss! Romi Hill has great tutorial demonstrating how to do this on her blog: Rosemary-Go-Round.

Once things turn colder, I will probably wear it over sweaters or turtlenecks more like this:



I wish the colors were showing truer in my photos of the finished project. Here is a more accurate picture of the yarn:



Please use your imagination and picture the colors of the shawl looking more like that! ;-)

All the project details can be found on my Ravelry project page for Twilight Sonota. Here are the basics:

Yarn: Serenity Sock Yarn - 2 skeins in Amethyst colorway (almost 460 yds.)
Needles: US size 7 (4.5 mm)
Beads: approx. 19-20 grams size 6 round seed beads in a assortment of purple shades

A New Red Cap

A good friend gave me a skein of Manos del Uruguay yarn in a lovely cherry red...just MY color!


I decided to knit it up in fun "slouchy" hat (or beret) using the "Star Crossed Slouchy Beret" pattern available as a free download on Ravelry.

You get the "beret" shaping by blocking the hat on a dinner plate!


Too busy knitting to Windex my bathroom mirror...as can be seen in the following photo!


The pattern has some funky cabling going on...which doesn't show up as well in the yarn I used because it is a "thick-thin" sort of yarn.


Getting good photos of a hat can be a challenge when you are photographing it on your own head. Hint: since you are in front of the camera instead of behind it, use a hand mirror in one hand and hold it behind the camera so you can see the viewer screen.

Brilliant!!

Ever found a piece of fabric you love, but there isn't enough of it to actually make anything that would fit a grown woman??? Well, I have found the answer. It is easy, cute, thrifty, and just plain ol' brilliant!

Today I found a tutorial that teaches how to make a cute skirt out of just one yard of fabric. Yes, it really, truly only takes one yard of fabric!

Thank you, Darling Petunia, for posting this tutorial on your blog.

Things that inspire...

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong country. Much of American "fashion" does not appeal to me. However, I just love the things made by this designer! Gudrun Sjoden I get so excited when a catalog shows up in the mail. I also like that there is variety in her designs. Sadly, the prices are beyond me, but I can look, can't I? I am hoping to spend some time sewing for myself some day...and I hope to make a comfortable wardrobe that is an expression of me.

If you should take some time to browse around her site, you may even see the 66 year old designer wearing some of her clothes. I loved her Autumn 2007 collection. You can glimpse a bit of it if you mouse over the "Right Now" tab at the top and click on the "Gundrun's Favorites."

I feel sooooo SPOILED!

Being on a limited budget and being the mother of many children means that often your wants or needs come last. But lately, I have been spoiled rotten! It started out on my anniversary (December 20). My hubby had received an unexpected financial blessing and he gave me some $$$ and told me I had to go out and buy myself some clothes with it. Now, I know that many, many women shop as a hobby, but I am not one of them. I hardly ever, ever go out and buy clothes. In fact, my new clothes usually come in hand-me-down bags. (But don't translate that to she-wears-old-ugly-stuff! I have been most fortunate to have a friend who has a sister who is one of those shop-as-a-hobby folks. Often I have even gotten things with the tags still on them!!) I am so thankful for the things I have been given. But that is not the same as being able to pick out something that is uniquely you and makes you feel like a princess. Well, that is just what I did. I went to my favorite shop in town and bought myself this bee-yoo-tee-full dress. I can not begin to describe it. It is 100% black cotton layers with lace, made in India and totally awesome!! I wish that I could relate it's style to you, but I don't know how to describe it...it is a little ethnic looking, a little "hippy" looking and a little like something out of the 1920's. I will try to get a photo of it posted sometime...but I am sure it will be hard to do, since it is black. I also got a lovely red pashmina to wrap over my shoulders with it.

Then there was Christmas which included several lovely gifts including a stainless steel travel mug for my coffee, other goodies, more $$ and gift cards to shop with. I went out and bought myself the most exquisite, killer cowboy boots in the whole universe. These are not your dusty, kick around boots (although I now want a pair of those too.) These are so purdy, they make me want to cry. And, the owner of the shop gave me a great deal!



And, as you see two posts down, I got a fabulous book for myself.



Well, the other day my neighbor brought by a late present. It was a nice cookbook, and I was so pleased. But, as I browsed it, I realized that there was a good number of recipes that just wouldn't be to my family's liking. I contemplated keeping it to provide occasional variety and inspiration, but she had so kindly put a gift receipt with it, so I trotted off to Barnes and Noble to see if there was anything I preferred. Baby, I hit the jackpot!



This first book (Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) I can not recommend too highly! If you are a knitter, especially if you are one who finds yarn and needles and anything else knitting-related addictive, then you will find a kindred spirit in this author. She writes in a conversational style and she is hilarious! She understands and sympathizes with my obsession. Also, she gives lot of good and useful information without talking "down" to you. Alshough this is not a book of patterns, she covers the basics in sock, scarf and shawl, sweater, and hat construction, giving you all the tools you need to make your own pattern! I read this book the way I read a novel. I did not want to put it down. That is how good it is. You can also visit her blog here: (Well, I TRIED to put a link, but I think my filter is blocking it! Our filter is pretty sensitive to any terms that might trigger "adult" content and you know how spicy those knitting blogs can get!! So, I will type it out so you can get the idea!) Her site is "www.yarn*h*a*r*l*o*t.ca/blog/" but remove the **** in the address.

And here is the other book I got: Spinning in the Old Way by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts. (What is it with these authors and their hyphenated names???)



I dream of spinning my own fiber. I regularly visit sites that sell spinning wheels and drool. But alas, I have neither the budget nor the space. Granted, if I had the budget I would find the space! This book is by a lady who not only spins using a simple high-whorl handspindle, but actually prefers this method. I have not really sunk my teeth into this book yet, but the print and drawings are a pleasure. It looks very warm and user-friendly. And best of all, hand spindles are affordable and don't take up much space! I am eager to get my own and give it a try!

So now you can see why I feel so spoiled! New clothes, new boots, new books...what else could a gal want????

One of Life's Petty Annoyances

I admit it. In some ways I am an old fashioned . I cook, from scratch, most of my family meals. Okay, I confess to the ocasional frozen pizza. I like to hang our clothes on the line whenever possible, and I iron my husband's shirts. It is not that love cooking. Nor do I have lot's of time to hang out at the clothes line or have a passion for my ironing board. It's just that in a family our size you have to economize as much as possible. (I've tried to convince them to stop eating, but that is a habit no one around here seems willing to give up.) Now about the ironing...you do the math. 5 shirts a week times 52 weeks and that is a lot of $$$ spent at cleaners. Not me! No way! That would buy a lot of frozen pizzas!

So here is my dilemna...my dear hubby, bless his heart, likes 100% cotton shirts and he does not like polos. Hence, I must iron. Anyone who irons will know that you need steam to press a cotton shirt. For steam, you need water in the iron. What I want to know is: am I a clumsy stupid oaf or is there some serious design flaw in every iron I have ever owned?? Never, not once have I ever been able to get the water in the iron without making a huge mess!!! They put this teeny tiny hole on the top of the iron that no self-respecting stream of water wants to squeeze in. Then they ignore a basic law of physics...no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time...so where does the air inside of the iron go when you fill it with water?? Right! It tries to escape out of the same miniscule hole the water is trying to go in. The result? A big, wet mess!