Lately I have been giving much thought to a style request that I find is increasingly popular.
The Capsule Wardrobe
Let me break it down to what I think is driving this…
We have so much to do and so little time. We are exposed to endless images of glamorous and gorgeous people, looking so stylish and appearing to lead charmingly stylish lives. It is only natural to crave an easy solution that has us feeling fabulous every day yet without huge effort.
Hmmm.. … however, I think it safe to say that we are living in a time of the highest consumerism as well as the fastest fashion trends and item production in history.
So the question is : How do we create a capsule wardrobe that delivers this simplicity yet is not stale or boring ?
The answer to that takes some planning, so bear with me here.
A standard capsule wardrobe involves a basic colour palette of black, white, navy, grey and tan that you can conservatively put together. It is a reasonably good starting point. However it will soon fall short of delivering that fabulous feeling!
For an authentic style I start by selecting the key colour and shades. Here are your important points to ponder:
1. What colour can you count on to look and feel great in?
2. Is this colour trending now?
This is a very practical question. There will be few options available in a shade that is not trending. Colour trends are useful. When a colour that works for you hits the fashion frontline, grab it! Find it in all the long term key items that can build your style foundation or in the smaller items that add personality to your style.
3. How does your chosen colour fit in with your work environment?
Are you visualising a colour that can be your core, foundation shade? Or is it a bright colour that needs moderation in the office space?
Bright, strong colours are great in small doses in prints, or in your scarf, bag, shoes and sometimes your coat.
4. What other colours and shades will your core colour harmonise well with?
Your core colour needs compatible colour options that create depth, interest and an easy variation of looks. It needs to sit easily next to your skin tone and create a base for an interesting colour pop or print.
5. What prints will it work with?
Any capsule wardrobe is stronger with a good white shirt and some black pants but I aim to have those items as the indispensable EXTRA’S, not my focus pieces, in order to create a more unusual capsule style. I recently created a wardrobe based on the shades that fall into the term ‘jewel colours’. Think inspiration from sapphire blue, emerald, ruby, amethyst, and topaz yellow.
From this palette, and stock availability, I selected these particular shades:
TEAL
OCHRE
DEEP FOREST
BURGUNDY
WHITE
With this palette I can add dusty apricot, dusty pink, camel, tan and of course black. Camel, tan and black tell me that leopard will be the key statement print to use.
LEOPARD
I assessed the current wardrobe, finding the items that I could tick off my list. We had some black pants and a good white shirt. I had planned ahead encouraging my client to purchase pencil skirts in navy and burgundy, as well as a burgundy blouse the previous season which was a nice start to kick off with for this winter!
It is helpful to keep in mind that you will not likely tick off everything in one shop or possibly even in one season. However it’s not a bad thing to be left with a little wishful thinking. A good part of this capsule is going to evolve into the next seasons capsule which is why future trends are relevant now. Knowing what you are looking for makes spending far smarter than shopping on a whim. Those items that you add later will refresh the wardrobe, which is an important factor in feeling stylish.
There is a basic list that you need to aim towards:
This is a list that should be tailored according to your body and your work environment. You will know how often you choose heels, how warm or cold the office space is, perhaps you wear dresses and not skirts etc.
To summarise, I have captured a few of the outfit idea’s that can be created following my tips!
Soft, dusty apricot and floral silky blouse, burgundy blazer, black pants, black handbag, black slingback kitten heeled pumps.
Teal silky blouse, deep green long knit cardigan, forest green trousers, ochre handbag, leopard print heeled pumps.
Teal silky blouse, camel wool coat, burgundy skirt, burgundy handbag, leopard print heeled pumps.
White blouse, burgundy blazer, black trousers, leopard print belt, ochre handbag, black slingback kitten heeled pumps.
Burnt apricot silky blouse, camel wool coat, black trousers, leopard print belt, black handbag, black slingback kitten heeled pumps.
Soft, dusty apricot and floral silky blouse, deep green long knit cardigan, forest green trousers, black belt, burgundy handbag, black slingback kitten heeled pumps.
White blouse, burgundy blazer, deep navy skirt, ochre handbag, leopard print heeled pumps.
Soft, dusty apricot and floral silky blouse, deep green long knit cardigan, burgundy skirt, burgundy handbag, burgundy flat pumps.
White blouse, black trousers, camel coat, burgundy handbag, leopard print heeled pumps.
This small sample collection is using less items than I have suggested for your list. Except for handbags! My weakness, they are just so simple to use for style variety! However I hope these images show how a well planned wardrobe can stretch stylishly through the weeks. Good luck in creating your own personal capsule wardrobe!
You can always call me if you would like some help!
Clothing available at http://www.woolworths.co.za , Country Road, Witchery, Studio W, http://www.zara.co.za
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