Spring Capsule Check In
Happy day, Dear Reader of Mine!
How goes it? Such a simple question. With potentially complicated answers!
It’s an important question to ask about many aspects of your life, but you know me…
I’m asking about your closet this season. (I specify this season, because trying to answer that for your entire wardrobe can feel overwhelming.)
What are you wearing to death?
What isn’t being worn? Why?
Are you missing something that will make it work?
Or are you simply over it?
I’ve taken a quick look into my closet to see what is and isn’t working to answer How goes it?
SPOILER ALERT: You can bet your britches the answer(s) will inform my Summer Capsule Wardrobe choices a few weeks from now!
How to Know How It Goes
My favorite way to find out what is and isn’t working in my wardrobe is to start the season with a Working Wardrobe Exercise to find out what I really am wearing. I can look back at selfies (WHEN I am good about taking them daily…) for the same information, but there’s nothing like a quick peek at the closet rail at the end of a month or two to let you what you have and haven’t worn.
What’s Working?
Most everything, thank goodness! At the end of March, a quick look at my closet rail showed only two pieces hanging outside the ribbons. My new linen shorts and my long green skirt. This spring, cool temperatures lingered, which is not our norm; I expect the shorts will see more wear now that May is here and our temps are rising… Here they are!
Those same cool temps meant that my navy wool sweater saw far more wears than I ever expected and I was glad to have kept it in my capsule. Now it’s time to switch it out for a navy top that’s more warm weather friendly!
What’s Not?
(AND What I’m doing about it.) The green skirt. Why isn’t it working? (Because asking why is powerful.) Well, I’ve managed to take off some of my Covid poundage, and the skirt is now too large in the waist, so I replaced it with a polka-dot skirt I LOVE! Thank you, Noom. #notanad I need to take the green skirt to my seamstress to ask if it can be altered. I doubt it’s worth it. I’m sad. Don’t have a seamstress? Here’s why you need one!
Some other things that aren’t working: My pink twirly dress doesn’t feel right. I wore it one time the first week of the season and not since. It’s not too dressy, I simply want something with a little more sass. I replaced it with a dress that was living in my jammie drawer. No, it really doesn’t fit with the palette I envisioned, but that’s okay. A dress can stand alone.
How About You?
How goes it in your wardrobe this season? What are you wearing to death? What isn’t seeing the light of day? Why? Are you missing something to make it work for you? Are you over it? Do tell! Have you done a Working Wardrobe Activity this season? Last season? I love to hear from you!
Stylishly yours,
Style Challenge: Cool Things Hunt
6 Comments
NATALIE K
Liz, I almost don’t feel we have a Spring. Perhaps our Spring weather just comes early and I need to begin preparing for it instead of being angry for our so soon over colder weather. Otherwise, I’m really missing dressing for Spring or it’s just so short as well!! Ready with my Summer Wardrobe and adding more linen pieces this year that will mix & match with the pieces I already own. I really love my linen pieces in our hot Arizona weather!!!
Liz K
Spring is when your weather determines it, not the calendar! Sounds like your spring is early and short and you may need to rethink your calendar, Natalie! Some places don’t have four seasons, maybe you live in more of a two season climate?
Lise
Wore my midaxi skirt on a cooler day with leather blush pink pumas and a T, with denim jacket with sleeves, and one warmer day with sleeveless Levis denim jacket (made sleeveless by me and sandals. Liz, not clear on your advice about relegating to lounge/sleepwear? I will only sleep in those T’s or wear them under a knit…
Liz K
Sounds like fun styling, Lise. Sorry for the confusion: It’s easy to end up with far more lounge/sleepwear than we need when we “downgrade” without also letting something else go. It’s important to edit that collection as well!
Lise Sabev
Hi Liz, well my Spring capsule is two-part, Cold Spring and Warm Spring – which started today (Yay) and lasts until around mid-June. My Cold Spring capsule has been totally on track. I wore everything except for 2 knits. One is a Magenta one that I did not wear last year either. I suspect it has more to do with the shape than the gorgeous color. It is quite long and boxy, ie. not so flattering. The other one is a 3/4 sleeve blue knit which I wore to death last spring when I found it so useful (the sleeve length just perfect while doing household chores) and have no idea why I did not wear it this year. I did add in a few extras as I went along but still managed to wear all the cold spring items happily. I did notice after one wearing of a long sleeve black T and another of a short sleeve black T that they are not so pristine anymore and are being relegated to lounge and/or sleep wear. Now I cannot wait to wear the warm spring items! I already added as an after thought a long maxi skirt I that have been dithering over getting rid of for years and it suddenly feels very 2022. Just shows sometimes when you hang on to something for long enough fashion cycles come around again and with the right styling can look fresh again.
Liz K
I understand that cool/warm shift, Lise! Glad your capsule is working well for you! I’m a fan of 3/4 length sleeves, too. Just make sure your sleep and loungewear isn’t taking over as you add “downgrades” from your wardrobe. How are you planning on styling your refound midi?