Winter 2020 Capsule: The Edit

Capsules CAN BE Colorful!

Happy day, reader dear!

It’s that time again! Winter Capsule Wardrobe time! Is it silly to get so excited about a “new” wardrobe? I expect so, but I do, and playing around with seasonal capsules lets me have a “new” wardrobe four times a year in a budget friendly and pretty sustainable way.

If you are here for the first time, Welcome! The quotes around “new” are because I shop my wardrobe and out-of-season boxes for my wardrobe first. If I can’t build out the wardrobe from what I already have (with maybe the addition of a new piece or accessory) then it’s back to the drawing board.

If you are returning, Welcome Back! I appreciate you! You know all that good stuff above already! But you may be asking Why do you like four seasons a year? Probably because I grew up in a a four season climate… Wisconsin. Those formative years really do affect our attitudes toward dressing, often for the rest of our lives. It’s always interesting to dig into that history with my personal style clients! Those formed attitudes can be a blessing or a curse when it comes to our style.

Each season I follow the same basic steps Imagine, Assess, Evaluate, Eliminate and Refresh. Some seasons it’s a cinch, other times I think too hard. That’s what happened this time! I had two different color palettes in my head, both of which I love, and spent WAY too much time weighing the options. I know better! The Sugar Plum Fairy palette was where my eye originally had been drawn, and the colors are simply better for my coloring. There’s nothing wrong with the Holiday Hygge palette! As a matter of fact, I’d decorate for the season with it in a heartbeat! But my style is lighter and more airy, elfin and a bit mischievous. (You might say sweet and subversive wrapped up in one package!) When I came back to my Style Cocktail words, Holiday Hygge was out. Done.

Imagine

First: What kind of look do I want? For fall I wanted Grounded. Composed. Modern. Ageless. I can still get with Composed, Modern, and Ageless, but I need something more lighthearted. (Don’t we all?) And I definitely want Ease. Ease feels more casual and less buttoned up. That should remind me to not worry so much about blazer style jackets. I have a thing for them, and it’s hard not to grab ALL of them.

Assess

Next: What do I have? Pretty much everything I need! Sweet. I have my green skirt and a blouse, a smattering of plum, plenty of grey and denim. I have white blouses, jeans, and pumps. I have a red scarf, skirt, tights and shoes. I would love a pair of red earrings to spark up a neutral column with red shoes. I let red fade out of my wardrobe for a few years, but fell back in love with red last winter. The cheer it adds is a boon in these dreary months, and 2020 needs an even bigger dose. Can I get a witness?

Evaluate

What pieces? AND How many? The what should be pretty simple, right? Mostly denim in blue and white, some colored blouses and sweaters for cheer, cardies for cozy and maybe some color (Cardigans are having a real style moment!), a jacket or two for warmth and polish. I LOVE me a jeans and jacket outfit, but this is 2020, style peeps. I need to get realistic about it.

Meanwhile, this jacket, scarf and cap look from the Holiday Hygge board has been taunting me ever since I pinned it into my Fall 2020 Inspo Board! Two seasons in a row… This image has me coveting a red blazer… If I can find a red corduroy jacket pre-loved, that would be a fun addition that I could relax into! I’ve got scarves and a newsboy cap to copycat this look! Hmmm. Are we looking at December’s copycat?

As for how many? Fall’s 30 piece capsule worked beautifully, and I didn’t even wear a few of them, so I’d like to shoot for about that number again. I imagine I may need a few more toppers since the weather will require layering every once in a while.

Eliminate

What to leave out? Now it’s time to clear the decks. It’s easy to add ALL the pieces. I have to be strategic about what I pull. I could put in all the jeans (because I have a serious thing for denim), but then I’d not have enough tops. Two tops to each bottom is a pretty good balance. One dress trouser should be enough. My new mantra? This is 2020; go more casual. I’ll leave out my dark grey trouser jeans for the same reason. Every winter capsule I can remember, I’ve included my navy tapestry jacket. That jacket is my default dress up, but I just can’t imagine needing it at all this year. It’s time to take a big deep breath and put it back in the storage box.

Refresh

Finally: What do I feel like I need to add? ALL the things, dear reader. It’s human nature! Can I comfortably make do without? Most likely! It’s time to get strategic. I really could use a cozy white/ivory sweater. (This problem comes up EVERY winter.) I have ordered one from Ebay… We’ll see how that works out. Red jacket? We’ll see what turns up. Red earrings? That would be an inexpensive addition.

So far Winter 2020 looks like this:

So how about you? Do you have attitudes and values about dressing that come from your childhood? What was your family’s attitude toward clothes, shopping, and dressing? What kind of feeling to you need this winter? (Or summer if you live on the south side of the globe?) The first time I ask a client how she/he needs her/his wardrobe to support her/him, I often get that head-tilted-sideways/what-are-you-talking-about look… And then we dig a little bit. There’s always an answer if you are willing to look! What would your ideal wardrobe look like? If you can’t imagine that, how do you want to show up in the world? Do tell! I love to hear from you…

(If you’re ready to show up as YOU, schedule a Free Style Discovery Call! I’d love to meet you and learn about your style goals. Really!)

Stylishly yours,