The Capsule Wardrobe Experiment: Winter Capsule Wrap-Up

Before I dive in to my spring capsule, I wanted to share a little bit about how my winter capsule - my first capsule - wrapped up. If you've been following along, you know that this is something I started working on in November, then committed to trying for 3 months in January, and now...those 3 months are up. It went a little something like this:

Worn Most: Grey tunic top, White/grey color block tee, chambray shirt, grey lightweight pullover sweater, burgundy tribal cardigan, and, by far, black booties | I'd never been a bootie person before this season but they are my new favorites.

Worn Least: Blue colorblock top (because color), Off-white loose cardigan, brown combat boots | I knew the blue top was a stretch when I put it in here in the first place, but I really liked it and had just bought it so I wanted to at least give it a shot. I'll probably leave it out next year because I just don't think it worked with everything else like I wanted. I included the cardigan because of the color, but something about the fit/shape of it has always bothered me so it's already on its way to Goodwill. It was one of those things I couldn't afford to replace this year, but I'll look for a better alternative in the fall. The combat boots are staying, even if I don't wear them often.

Not Worn At All: Everything with a big ol' X over it. I wore the black blouse and bow sweater for the holidays, before this capsule technically started, and I only wore them for special occasion, not every day. I never reached for the polka dot blouse for some reason, but it's a nice blouse so I will probably save it for work. The burgundy cardigan was too light and just didn't work very well for the winter. It's probably better sticking to fall. The black cardigan is years old and not my favorite style/fit, so I never really wanted to wear it. That was another item that I couldn't afford to replace this time around, but will be on the lookout for something different when fall rolls around.

A random sampling of what I've been wearing the last 90 days

Favorite Outfits: Tribal sweater + chambray + black pants + booties, white and grey colorblock tee + black pants + tan Oxfords, grey tunic top + black pants + booties (+ white infinity scarf) | I've already professed my love for the tribal sweater and for mixing different neutrals, so no surprise those landed on this list.

Least Favorite Outfits: Thermal top + purple vest + dark jeans + combat boots | I remember it being frigid that day, so this outfit seemed like a good idea at the time. Looking back at it, it wasn't.

Final Thoughts:
My first capsule went exactly how I wanted and expected it to. It required a lot of planning in the beginning, but once I had all my items hanging in my closet, it was so easy to put everything together. I never felt bored or sick of all my clothes. The only time I started to feel that way was toward the end, when I just didn't want to wear sweaters anymore (but had no choice thanks to Mother Nature), but even then I felt like I had enough variety that I didn't feel like I was wearing the same thing day after day. The lack of color didn't bother me at all - in fact, it was one of my favorite parts. I really tend to gravitate toward neutral colors and I feel like it's easiest to get away with that in winter.

This experience wasn't perfect, and there are definitely mistakes that I made - some I've learned from, some I'll probably make again. But ultimately this little experiment I started in November has turned into something that I've really embraced as a lifestyle. I've always found it natural and enjoyable to put thought and care into the things I have and the things I do, so it just makes sense that that should extend to my closet. Bring on Round 2! I might even think about taking outfit photos that aren't mirror selfies. Maybe.

(linking up with Anne!)