10 Piece Holiday Capsule

Oodles of Outfits from Just 10 Pieces

Most of Which You Probably Already Own!

Happy day, dear reader!

If this is your first visit, Welcome! And if you are returning, Welcome Back! Today I am sharing a post that I had the privilege to guest-write for Sarah of Get Real Image! Her post went live on my blog earlier this week. Sarah is an Earth-conscious curator of closets and transformation specialist! I’m not as knowledgeable as Sarah about the Earth-conscious  portion of the equation (Getting better!), but buying well and carefully is another way to be a good steward of our own resources, and the planet’s. I am all about making the most out of what you already own! With that in mind, let’s see what we can do about outfitting you for the holidays…

Where to Start?

While working in a client’s closet recently, I had holiday dressing on the brain. Why? Because the holiday season will be upon us in a trice! She said she didn’t expect needing anything for holiday events, but we pulled together a look (And some variations, because that’s how I roll!), just in case.

Which got me wondering… When I work, I always start with what’s in front of me. I’m not imagining some fantasy wardrobe I’d create from scratch. That’s not realistic, budget friendly, or environmentally sound. Since holiday dressing can be stressful, I decided to pull together a holiday dressing capsule and share with you a glimpse into my thought process. I’m a capsule wardrobe fan, and tend to think in numbers and with limits. My creativity works better that way. Yours may not. If it looks boring and uninspired, stay with me, and you’ll see how freeing (and budget friendly) those limits can be. At the very least, it makes for practical packing!

I decided to start with the sparkle to get inspired. The first 5 items I chose might be called Wardrobe Wonders, Interest Pieces, or Heroes. There are lots of names for these special items that don’t get a lot of repeat wears, last for years, and make a splash.

Start in your own closet, and see what you have in there already. Don’t worry about locating these exact items. You may be surprised at what you already have at hand… Can you find?

For elegant versatility, choose a bag and shoe in a metallic that mirrors your hair color. If you prefer more fun, then go for color!

Now onto the clothes! These are far less exciting, and I’d be startled if you don’t have most of them in your closet already. They belong to the category I call Building Basics; they are the workhorses of the average wardrobe. Pick your 5 from whatever neutral predominates in your closet. I would choose grey or denim/navy, because that’s what I have my five in. Yours could be camel, or olive, or brown. The following looks will work with any neutral base! I’d love to have the five in white…

Now that we have our 10, what do we do?

Now for some sparkle…

If neutral, sleek, and subtle isn’t your style? That’s just fine! Not everyone is. You should look like you, and not like anyone else! Choose the color accents that make your heart sing.

Or maybe you need something more along these lines…

What if your whole lifestyle skews more casual? We’ve got that covered, too!

And if you want more elegance in your casual, think Hepburn trousers plus a cozy sweater, add sparkle as desired.

That’s not even all the possible combinations, but these few are likely to keep you appropriately and festively covered through the holiday season! If anyone is rude enough to ask “Are you wearing that again?” I’d likely say “Yep, I sure am!” I am happy to wear the same thing repeatedly. It confirms that I made a wise choice, and am getting good value for my money. Most of all, it works with my need to keep things simple, and we can all use a little more simple during the busy holiday season!

That’s about it for today! I hope you found some inspiration, and ideas to make what you already own work harder for you. Thank you again, Sarah for invitation to come play with you on your blog, and wishes for a peace-filled and blessed holiday season to you and all your readers!

Stylishly yours,

PS: So, how about you? Do you have a go-to holiday look? Did you find any inspiration here? Do you already have some of these in your closet, or can you pull enough similar items to create looks that work for you? It’s all about working with what you have, making the most of that, and owning your own style! Does this 10 Piece Capsule look like something that could simplify your holiday season? Let me know! I love to hear your thoughts…

PPS: Thanks to Cherie at Style Nudge for hosting her witty Shoe and Tell Link-Up! I love it!