I’ve heard from a bunch of my capsule friends in this Facebook group and on Instagram that even with the smaller number of clothing in their closets they still mostly wear the same few pieces over and over again.
I know that’s certainly true for me!
If you follow my weekly outfit roundups then you know that I pretty much wear a pair of (thrifted) converse every day. They just really work for my lifestyle and I like the way they look!
When I first started noticing that I wasn’t wearing all of the clothing in my wardrobe equally, it kind of bothered me.
But then I realized: I have a capsule within my capsule.
What do I mean by that?
Even with the smaller amount of clothing in my closet, I still have fringe pieces that don’t get as much mileage as others.
But I’m not willing to get rid of them and pare things down even more.
Why?
Because I may not wear them as much, but they are invaluable to have when the occasion comes up where I DO need them.
Some of my fringe items are:
– my blazer
– my black dress
– my heeled boots
Some of my core clothing items are:
– my basic tees
– my skinny denim
– my converse
– my black booties
It made me realize that building a capsule should be done with a formula that accounts for this. First build up your core items and then start adding the fringe items until you have a complete capsule that accounts for pretty much any situation.
Easy right?
What are your fringe and core items? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time,
Outfit Details:
Cardigan: Thrifted. Similar Ethical Version.
This is definitely true for me too! My reason is mostly the weather. Sometimes it’s a lot warmer or colder than I expected. You picked the right kind of capsule withing a capsule, LOVE Converse for ever haha! And thanks for the Facebook group tip. More inspiration is always welcome.
– X Marloes
That’s definitely a part of my reason too! They’re my jam haha!
My capsule is very similar. I wear a uniform of jeans and button-down shirts on most days, so those items get a lot of wear. Skirts and dresses don’t get that much wear because I kind of need to be in the mood for them. But I wouldn’t want get rid of them in my wardrobe – they have their place there.
I’m the same with with dresses and skirts… it really depends on the activities we have planned that day.
A big yes to this Karin! For my A/W wardrobe I actually went ahead and divided it into two groups, foundation (core) + extras (fringe) 😉 It’s exactly like you say, those extras you’d would survive without, but they bring a new dimension to your foundation items that can make all the difference. And the fun thing is, depending on your mood, you can make an outfit from foundation items alone, extras alone (for quirkier or dressier moods) or mix them together.
With my looser capsule rules, I have pieces inside my wardrobe that aren’t part of the capsule because I don’t wear them often enough, but they’re great pieces I do sometimes feel in the mood for. Like the other day I wore a brown corduroy skirt that my mum purged from her closet and I hardly ever wear brown but it was the perfect day for it. So while my capsules stay around the 38 item mark, I’m not ashamed to admit I have about ten of these floater items that offer a pick up when I need it. It just works better for me like that.
Have a great week!
xo Kat
That’s a great method Kat! I love that you have looser rules because I will probably eventually move in that direction as well!
I have my Basics (two colors of denim, tees, and either booties or sandals) and then I add my extras (sweaters or blouses, accessories, skirt, LBD, etc). My basics keep my capsule almost year round so I’m not stressing about a complete overhaul every 3 months or so. And I can try out trendy or new colors with my “fringe” items. I’m absolutely loving a more intentional and curated capsule wardrobe!
So good Sarah! I really tried to do that with this capsule… build up my basics… for that exact reason!
When we get into the habit of continuously editting out things from our lives, we can become so ruthless that we forget how important it is to have variation or things for special occassions. If something brings you joy, even if you don’t use it regularly, keep it around! In my current capsule, my fringe pieces consist of a seersucker blazer, pink sweatshirt blazer, and a lime green scalloped tank. I’ve considered removing all of these pieces, but I’m recognizing how important it is to still have some bonus items in my capsule.
So true Lauren! I think that’s why my fall capsule was such a dud and why I’m having such fun with this capsule!
Yes yes! My fall/ winter capsule felt so sparse compared to my previous one. This time I’m opening up my options more and switching to intentional instead of just capsule. Love!
Perfectly said: “intentional instead of just capsule”. Love that!
Completely agree with this, I definitely have a capsule within my capsule. Over winter I stuck to the same outfit formula most days (jeans+chunky knit+boots) mostly because of the weather but also because that’s what i was comfortable with. That doesn’t mean I want to remove my filler items as everything has its place and some days you do want to wear something different.
So true Jen! I like to feel a bit fancy some days and if I didn’t have pieces to accomplish that I would go crazy!
I try to make sure I wear all of my tops equally. My jeans are what get worn more than anything. I have two pairs of jeans that I can’t wear enough!
Good for you Erin! My jeans are DEFINITELY some of my most worn clothing!
I think this is so true! I don’t quite have a capsule wardrobe but I did pare down my closet recently. I still find that I wear some things more but I find it important to keep all the clothes that I didn’t get rid of during the purge.
I think that’s one of the biggest things in your first round of purging… don’t go so totally crazy that you’ll regret it all later!
So true for me too. Fringe items include the “occasion” little black dress and the dressier pants I keep for wedding photography gigs.
Exactly!
I have a separate dressy capsule which includes a couple blazer/jacket items, dressy skirt, LBD… They stay under dust covers on one end of my closet. Within my everyday clothes capsule I still have a few fringe items in the form of color and pattern that I am only occasionally in the mood for… But without them, my closet would be a boring sea of neutrals 🙂
Totally! That’s exactly how mine is too Brandi. I have about three fancy dresses and some blazers/suits (for if I go back to a dressier work environment eventually) that I also keep in the back of my closet.
My black blazer is definitely in my fringe items too! I love the idea of it, but rarely seem to wear it. Now if I had a sick leather jacket maybe I’d be wearing that all the time… Love that sweater!
I DO wear my leather jacket all the time! 🙂 And thanks! It’s one of my faves!
I have been interested in capsule wardrobes and minimalism. I need to spring clean and make the change!
I hope it goes well for you!
I work with a thrift store chain and it is the best thing that could happen to me as I get to buy inexpensive outfits and then redonate them. I love this way of living – reusing, and making the best of less. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve thought about doing that at some point as well! It would be fun to work in a thrift store!
Nice!!!!! I love this idea. I wish that I didn’t love color so much. It would make creating a wardrobe capsule so much easier on me ? Thanks for sharing!!! I might just try it!!
Xo,
Angelle
http://www.dadhingdarlin.com
I think you can definitely do it with color! It just takes a bit of strategy. 🙂
Hm fri he items would have to be my dresses, and core items are my black yoga pants, yes still lol.
You gotta love chucks! I would love it if you would visit my blog and add a link to this post to my fashion blogger link up. I think my readers would really like your style.
http://sydneyfashionhunter.com/2016/04/camel-pants-fff27.html
This is so true! I wear my jeans and t shirts all the time and my dresses and button-down shirts are still necessary for a few occasions but I don’t get much wear out of them.
Exactly!