The Capsule Wardrobe Experiment: Fall 2015 Capsule

It's here! My fall 2015 capsule is here! I finally finished it and snapped the photos to prove it. I had a hard time putting this one together at first. Which makes no sense because fall is the best season (for clothes but also for weather, running, food, drinks, and life in general), and because I started my first capsule last November. Then I remembered that I didn't do a ton of shopping last fall, so most of the items I had from last fall were remnants of my old wardrobe and weren't necessarily things that.

So this fall...I bought a lot of new things. I've bought a lot of new things every season so far. But! I've now come full circle and have completed 4 different seasons worth of capsules (well not so much for summer but I've already established that summer sucks and is probably always going to be a wear-whatever-and-try-not-to-drown-in-a-puddle-of-sweat kind of wardrobe for me), which means I'll be in maintenance mode for the following seasons. Im not delusional enough to think that I won't want or need to do any shopping at all for future capsules, but the idea is that with the completion of my fall capsule, I now have one for each season that contains roughly 90% of items that will carry over from the previous year, and I'll only shop for a few new things.

My fall capsule includes 15 tops, 5 bottoms, 2 skirts(!), 2 dresses(!), 2 jackets, 1 vest, and 8 pair of shoes for 35 items total. I didn't include things like special occasion or workout clothes, or super basics that I keep in my closet year like tank tops and camisoles. 

Most of these items are new, but a lot of them are replacements for old sweaters (like the taupe and cream cardigans) or tshirts (like the black and gray tees) that were worn out and needed updating. I am loving the plaid trend that's going on right now and hope it never leaves. The gray pullover was purchased on our trip to Chicago last year and was one of my very first capsule purchases! And of course my trusty chambray shirt made an appearance! I've been rocking that thing for a year and a half straight with no plans to stop any time soon.

Last year I really struggled with finding jeans that were good quality and that fit me, but last winter I discovered that 7 for All Mankind skinny ankle are my jam. I now own 6 pair of them, 4 of which are included in this capsule: a dark wash, a medium wash, black ponte, and gray. I also threw in a pair of faux leather leggings just for fun...I've always been a little hesitant about wearing them out but every now and then I get a little daring. 

A new category for this year! Surprise! I'm definitely a jeans kind of girl but as I've gotten older I've felt the need to branch out from that a little bit. I don't think I would have known how to wear and style them on my own, but thanks to a little Pinspiration I was inspired to try to try my hand at a few more stylish pieces (all were purchased from Forever21 for less than $75 total, that way I didn't have to take too much of a financial risk!). So far I've worn every single one and have absolutely loved how I looked and felt in them (outfit post coming next week!).

The vest was a purchase I made over the summer, but the jackets are both items I've owned for a few years now. This vest was a staple in my wardrobe this summer (it even went across the country with me!) and I've had fun incorporating it into my fall wardrobe. I think moto jackets are fun and edgy so I definitely had to include that (faux leather, of course). The field jacket is the only one I'm on the fence about...I like the style, and I paid a lot of money for it so I'm hesitant to give it up, but I think an anorak style jacket would be more practical since I wear a lot of long sweaters in the fall, which don't really work with a shorter jacket. It works for now, but in the future, when I'm not spending a bunch of money building the majority of my wardrobe like I did this year, I'd like to swap it out for a longer jacket.

Most of these are repeats from past seasons, except the black flats and tan flats and the cognac booties. I've had the hardest time finding quality faux leather shoes, but I wear flats constantly so I keep buying and wearing out the same $20 Target flats over and over and over again. I was willing to pay however much I needed to for a good pair of shoes, but I just couldn't seem to find anything that quality faux leather. A couple months ago I ordered two pair of Breckelles in hopes of upgrading my old Target flats, and I've been really happy with them so far. They're already starting to wear a little bit, but I wear them constantly and am really hard with them, and they've held up better so far than my cheapos usually do. I think I might try some inserts to give them some extra life, but so far I'm a fan. I think I paid $30-$40 for them, but it looks like the price has dropped even lower than that on Amazon!

I always feel a little bit strange as definitely not a fashion blogger talking about my clothes and my wardrobe like I have any clue about anything, but then I remember that's the reason why I share it: because I've learned so much from others who have shared their stories. I felt excited but overwhelmed when I first started to consider a capsule wardrobe, and I know I wouldn't have actually followed through without guides and advice to follow. It really is a systematic approach for me (and a lot of trial and error), and my hope is that sharing my process is beneficial to anyone from the capsule-obsessed to just the capsule-curious.