It’s SPRING!!! Usually, at this time of year I would be talking about transitioning your wardrobe from Winter to Spring and how to utilize both seasons items for maximum wear. This year is a little different in that we are in the midst of a global pandemic and so my styling tips are very much not required during this time. Instead, I want to shift gears and focus on helping those of you who are currently decluttering or looking to use this time to revamp your wardrobe! Today is all about maximizing your capsule wardrobe, which is especially important if you’ve just gone through your closet and had a major “OMG WTF WAS I THINKING” and chucked the majority of your trendy pieces, leaving you with a handful of t-shirts, jeans and perhaps some sweaters.
I have a number of Capsule Wardrobe collection posts, one for each broader aesthetic group. The one I’ll be referencing the most is the Casual Capsule Wardrobe because it’s the most basic and has the items that you are most likely to be keeping/wearing around the house.
To recap: A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of basic/foundation pieces that are the core of your wardrobe, the pieces that you could have and not need anything else to look stylish, fashionable and put together.
To me, maximizing your capsule wardrobe is all about how to make your basic pieces dress up or dress down with little to no additional purchases.
I’m going to use THE most simple, basic and arguably my favourite outfit of all time that is the very centre of my own capsule wardrobe: Jeans and a T-Shirt as my example. There are so many variations on this out there and you can pick and choose the cut and colour of both items to match your personal style. For me, it’s a crisp crewneck t-shirt and a pair of mom jeans (some say these are going out of style but I’d like to point out that 90s revival is happening and Jennifer Aniston + FRIENDS + Mom Jeans = Staple 90s Main Stream Fashion Inspo).
Dressed Up:
To dress up my jeans and a tee, I’d first pop on a pair of strappy high heeled sandles in either a neutral tone OR in a mid-toned denim blue (just my preference as red/orange shoes aren’t my thing, if they are by all means!), then depending on the occasion either a leather jacket or a slightly oversized blazer. To round out the look I’d layer up some dainty jewelry and grab a small handbag or clutch.
Brunch:
I love brunch, there’s nothing better than good food at a reasonable time of the morning with mimosas optional and time spent with your friends. For brunch, I’d pair my basics with neutral crew neck knit (tied around my shoulders all preppy), some fun black sunglasses, chunky sneakers and my everyday bag.
Casual Friday:
While I work from home, if I was meeting up with some friends for after work drinks on a casual Friday I’d pair my jeans with a light neutral toned or mid-toned denim blue blazer, slick my hair back into a low pony tail, pop on some tennis shoes and grab a wicker or cult gaia esque bag for a casual but sophisticated twist.
Day to Night:
If you are going to be out all day and have plans in the evening, I’d tie a black crewneck sweater diagonally around my shoulders for when it get’s cooler and pop on a black belt (you’ll always see me in my Gucci one because a girl’s got to get her cost per wear down) to cinch in your waist. Because you’ll be out all day, I’d recommend a medium sized black structured bag (Sac Du Jour Esque for a smart, polished vibe) that can hold all your essentials as well as a small makeup bag for touch ups. For shoes, this is really dealers choice if you are going to be walking all day then a clean pair of tennis shoes or comfortable flats are ideal, but if you are going to be out at a coffee shop working or in meetings then I love a pair of booties for some height and fun! Black or a neutral print snakeskin would be so fun and give your outfit a little edge while staying daytime appropriate.
Let me know how you maximize your capsule wardrobe!
xoxo S
