#OutfitInspo: Capsule Wardrobe Outfits 8-14

Hey everyone!

I'm back! I needed a break from the internet. I was spending more time with my laptop then with my friends and family, and I knew that was crazy! So I stepped away for a bit...except for Polyvore, because that site is kinda addictive 😝

Anyway, now that my hiatus is over, I wanted to share the remaining outfits from my 14 day, 14 piece capsule wardrobe challenge. 

Outfit #8

Outfit #9

Outfit #10

Outfit #11

Outfit #12

Outfit #13

Outfit #14

Lessons Learned:

1) The pieces in my capsule got a lot of use...

Which is great, because there were some pieces that often sat unused in my closet on most days (like the pink jogger-type pants). Putting them in this capsule wardrobe forced me to wear them and get comfortable with styling them.

2) ...But I ended up neglecting many other pieces. 

Of course, this was the nature of the challenge, as I had to stick to a limited wardrobe, but it is a perfect example of what happens in everyday life. I think rotating through different pieces in my closet 2 weeks at a time will help me avoid neglecting half of my wardrobe.

3) I have everything I need to get dressed, both in professional and casual settings.

Which is hard to admit because I like to shop...but its a very important realization, because 1) I'm broke and in need of a spending moratorium, and 2) you have to wonder, why continue to add to a wardrobe that already has everything it needs? 

I've given a lot of thought to the 5-piece French Wardrobe idea, and I like the thought of this type of wardrobe. I have tons of basic, neutral pieces, but I also have a lot of accent pieces, and accent pieces comprise most of my impulse buys. So if I limit my impulse buys to 5 a season, then I can force myself to really think hard about what I am spending money on while also soothing that craving for new clothes.

So tell me, have you guys tried any capsule wardrobe challenges? Share your experiences in the comments section!

Related Posts: Intro to the Capsule, First seven outfits, French capsule wardrobe

#OutfitInspo: French Wardrobe Challenge

Hi everyone!

Earlier this week, I spent some time reviewing my bank accounts and bills. I'm not the best with my finances - which is a post for another day 😅 - but I try to check on things once a month. 

Any-who, while going through my bills, I decided that I need to take a shopping break. But what's a girl to do when all of the stores have new Spring collections out? Well I decided that I just need to work with what I have!

As you have already seen, I'm in the midst of a mini capsule wardrobe challenge. While google-ing capsule wardrobes for more inspiration, guess what I came across?

The French Wardrobe Challenge!

Apparently this was a pretty popular challenge a few years ago, but has seen an increase in popularity recently. I think we all know the stereotype of the chic French woman with a closet of beautiful, high-quality items. The challenge is to have certain key pieces in your wardrobe, and you may supplement these pieces with 5 nonessential purchases each season. By limiting your purchases to only five pieces per seasons, there is an implied emphasis on quality over quantity.  

 Source: CocoandVera

The base pieces of the French capsule wardrobe vary based on your lifestyle and what you deem essential for everyday living. But some pieces that I have seen in multiple lists are:

Tops: 

3 Tees (black, white, gray)

3 Tanks (black, white, gray)

White button down shirt

Silk blouse

Cashmere sweater

Boyfriend blazer

Black dress

Black suit

Bottoms:

Black pants

Black skirt

Black shorts

Leather pants

Skinny jeans

Boyfriend jeans

Straight leg jeans

Outerwear:

Seasonal coat

Trench coat

Leather jacket

Shoes:

Black pumps

Ankle boots

Flats

Sandals 

Sneakers

Accessories:

Leather bag

Clutch purse

Gold watch 

Source: Pinterest

As mentioned before, you can customize this to fit your life. You may never need a leather jacket or pants, or you may prefer less black in your wardrobe (just remember neutrals are easier to incorporate into a capsule, a lesson I learned the hard way 😩).

Your purchases can occur in the Spring/summer season, or the Fall/Winter season. Oh, and purchasing new basics does NOT count; these 5 purchases are unique extras that add personality to your wardrobe.

So what do you think? Do you have experience with the capsule wardrobe? Leave a comment below!

Related Post: #CapsuleWardrobe: Wardrobe Update

#CapsuleWardrobe: Wardrobe Update

Hi everyone,

Here are my first 7 outfits from my wardrobe challenge:

Outfit #1: I purchased this flannel shirt with a plan of dressing it up for work, This was my first time wearing it since I bought it and I'm happy with this piece. Threw on the blue necklace for a pop of color.

Outfit #2: Sweater and skirt with boots, pretty straightforward.  The sweater is super warm, but I don't really love it. Jury is still out on whether I should give it away.

Outfit #3: I had some space in the capsule, so I added in this neutral black top.

Outfit #4: Same thing goes with this sweater. Needed another neutral top to get me through the week.

Outfit #5: I worked from home that Friday, so outfit #5 fell on Saturday. I placed a sleeveless turtleneck underneath the flannel shirt, along with my black jeggings and Nine West boots.

I was in need of a deep condition, so I covered my hair in VO5, put a shower cap over it, then wrapped it all in my black and white scarf 😁.

Outfit #6: Sunday found me in that black shirt again, along with my skinny jeans, boots, and Madewell necklace. 

Outfit #7: Brought out the brown sweater and blush Uniqlo pants. The boyfriend blazer pulled it all together. Ballet flats added to the feminine feel.

Lessons Learned:

1. Unique patterns, prints and colors need to stay at a minimum in a capsule. 

I love bold patterns, jewel tones, and unique prints, but I'm learning through these mini capsule wardrobe challenges that they are difficult to incorporate. 

Why? 

Since these pieces stand out, people are likely to remember them. Which means you can only wear them once a week. More than that and it becomes obvious that you are reusing the same pieces quite frequently. There's nothing wrong with a wardrobe repeat. But if it's too frequent, then instead of looking like a chic professional, you end up looking like you can't be bothered to build a work wardrobe.

2. Layering really helps to add variety to your capsule.

Adding a button-down under a sweater or over a sleeveless top takes three items and gives you multiple outfit options. 

This trick allows you to stretch out the finite options in your capsule wardrobe. The more creative you are with this, the more options you will find you have.

3. Leaving some room in your capsule allows you to build it at your own pace and in a more organic way.

By leaving four open spots in my capsule, I was able to pick two pairs of shoes that best fit the included outfits, as well as two extra tops that had more longevity than the printed tops.


Any additional lessons learned in your capsules? Share in the comments!

Related: Check out the initial Capsule Wardrobe post here.

#OutfitInspo: Spring 2017 Trends

Hi everyone!

I've been checking out this Spring's trends to try to find some that work for my closet. Since the majority of my wardrobe is dedicated to work, I have to stick to those trends that will work in that setting.

1. Bold Stripes

Carolina Herrera, via Niche Magazine

Elie Saab, via Fashion Magazine

Proenza Schouler, via Niche Magazine

2. Modern Trench Coat

Michael Kors, via The Fashion Spot

Celine, via Vogue

Marni, via Livingly

3. Ruffles

Altuzarra, via Hazine

Milly, via PopSugar

Zimmerman, via Vogue

4. Blush Pink

Chanel, via FashionGoneRogue

Gucci, via FashionGoneRogue

Valentino, via PopSugar

5. Pendant Necklaces

Givenchy, via Elle

Mulberry,via Elle

Prada, via Elle

6. Statement Earrings

Isabel Marant, via Elle

Maison Margiela, via Elle

Yves Saint Laurent, via Elle

7. Blues

Elie Saab, via The Fashion Spot

Guccia, via Tod and Lorenzo

Michael Kors, via The Fashion Spot

Which trend is your favorite? Comment below!

Related Post: #OutfitInspo: Patterned Suits

#CapsuleWardrobe: Browns and Black

Hi everyone!

I'm trying out a capsule wardrobe for the next two weeks. 

I'm trying to force myself to wear some neglected pieces from my wardrobe. I'm also on the fence regarding whether to keep some of these pieces, so I think this will help.

I'm considering getting rid of this sweater. It's nice and warm, but it doesn't really go well with a lot of my clothes. I think neutral colored sweaters are best for coordinating with my wardrobe.

I purchased the flannel shirt in the Fall and never found a time to wear it. How crazy is that?! Just more proof that I gravitate to all the same pieces despite constantly shopping for more.

The blazer and turtleneck are H&M pieces that I like. No tough decisions here, just added them to round out the wardrobe.

 I threw in this jumpsuit as a wildcard. Great for grabbing drinks with friends, but I want to challenge myself to find work appropriate ways to wear this jumpsuit. At the top is a black pencil skirt while the bottom are grey work slacks. They fit pretty well.

The blush slacks are pretty comfortable, but I don't wear them often. Perfect reason to include it in the capsule. The black pants are jeggings from Uniqlo. They fit great, with a perfect amount of stretch. And the jeans are from H&M.

My goal is to get 14 days of wear out of 14 pieces. You may notice I'm missing 4. I left some room to fill out the gaps later on. I think this will be a more organic way to build the wardrobe.

Have you tried a capsule wardrobe? Share your experience in the comments!

Related Post: #WhatIWoretoWork

#OutfitInspo: Patterned Suits

I love these patterned suits that I've been seeing lately. 

L: @micahgianelli; R: @ladygracebyers

Here's another pic of Thandie Newton wearing the trend:

Source: Daily Mail

I'm looking for a suit for myself, any suggestions? Here are a few that I'm considering:

ASOS

ASOS

Banana Republic

Let me know what you think! Comment below!

#outfitinspo: Haul!

Hi everyone!

Have you taken advantage of the end of winter clearance sales? I've found a lot of great pieces that boost my work wardrobe.

These pieces are from Zara:

Two short-sleeve bodysuits for about $8, and floral skirt for $15 and a sun dress for $20. The sun dress won't work for work, since it has a bare midriff, but the remaining pieces should work well.

I also got this great pea coat from Old Navy for only $15! Make sure you check out the sales while you still can!

Rihanna's Harper's Bazaar Photoshoot

I am soooo in love with Rihanna's recent Harper's Bazaar photoshoot! She channeled her inner aviatrix in honor of Amelia Earhart; check out some of my fave photos here. The full spread can be found on Harper's Bazaar online. 

(Source: All photos are from Harper's Bazaar.)