Oh hey there!
It was nice to take a few days off, but I’m happy to be back with you today to share my winter 2018 capsule wardrobe recap!
I’m going to be honest with you… it didn’t suit me.
I 100% thought it did and felt super confident about it going into it, but there was something very off about it.
Instead of speaking in general terms I thought I would actually just list out each piece I included and explain why it did, or did not, work.
But before I do that, I wanted to share an overarching lesson I learned:
accessories are not to be ignored. I honestly think this capsule would have felt a lot better for me if I would have had more modern accessories. I’m not just talking about jewelry, but sunglasses, scarves, and purses. I’m realizing that a wardrobe can stand the test of time when accessories are updated. So I took that idea to heart for my spring capsule and it does seem to be more refreshing and exciting.
Alright! Let’s move on to the breakdown:
White Tee: I do still like this tee, but it’s several years old and just starting to look yellowed and worn. Because of that I didn’t reach for it as often as I might have otherwise. I’m also realizing I prefer a crew neck style vs. v-neck… something I had in mind when I replaced this tee for my spring capsule.
Cozy Cardigan: Love this cardigan. It will show up in future capsules I’m sure!
Hoodie: I talked about my issue with the Everlane sweatshirts in this post. Because of that, I think I will be selling this sweatshirt. I’ve also realizing that this color of cream doesn’t work well with my coloring so I never loved the way it looked on me.
Oversized Sweater: this sweater will be in my closet for a long time. Love it so much! It makes me feel so good every time I wear it… which is funny because its the most unfitted item in my closet. It’s just so freaking cozy!
Neutral Cardigan: Also love this cardigan, and it will continue on in my wardrobe.
Vintage Sweater: This may be one of my new favorites! I went into this capsule not sure how I felt about it, but after figuring out how to style it I now love it. And the cream color is slightly more yellow than the Everlane sweatshirt so it works better for my coloring.
Turtleneck c/o: Also love this top. I didn’t wear it as much simply because it’s actually quite cozy and I found it to be a bit warm to wear around the house… and we didn’t get out much this winter.
Colorful Tee: Okay… let’s talk about this tee. It was a total impulse buy when I was picking up some needed sweaters from Madewell. In theory I like it. On me? I’m not so sure. The cream of the collar is bordering on not suiting me and the fabric is quite thick so it doesn’t drape very well (or at all). I want to give a go at it for my summer capsule, but I may have to chalk this one up as a mistake (as most impulse buys are unfortunately).
Classic Tee: I do really love this shirt, but it won’t be in my spring capsule. It’s also of a much thicker fabric and it doesn’t lay right with the inseam of my spring denim. It works a bit better with a midrise, although I’m going to play around with that a bit more in my fall capsule (planning ahead!).
Boxy Sweater: Love this so much. This sweater is probably my favorite Everlane purchase of all time. Its so incredibly soft and the drape on it is just beautiful.
Crew neck Tee: I also love this tee. From now on, I’ll be buying this style (or the micro rib) when I get my tees from Everlane. It’s also really soft and the crew neck sits at the perfect place… not too high or too low.
Chunky Sweater: This sweater is so old and it just keeps getting better. I love the length of it because it can be worn as a tunic, but it’s not so long that it can’t be tucked in.
Blush Sweatshirt: Also love this, and will continue to wear it. It does seem to attract stains, but it gets softer with washes so I guess that’s not so bad?
Striped Sweatshirt: I mentioned in this post that I will be moving on from this sweatshirt. It’s super old and it just doesn’t suit my style anymore.
Statement top c/o: So I absolutely adore this top, but with weight loss and my body moving around postpartum it doesn’t seem to be laying right on me anymore in the shoulder area… maybe? I’m going to sit on it for a bit, but I’m thinking of having the sleeves removed and turning it into a tank top. I just want to be absolutely sure because it’s such a beautiful top.
Boyfriend Denim: I’ve mentioned many times before, but I’ve really come full circle on these jeans! I went through a period of being unsure about them, but I now love them again and will be including them in my spring capsule.
Skinny Denim: Okay here’s the thing about these jeans: They feel like sweatpants and are ridiculously comfortable. But I’m going to be selling them for two reasons: 1) they just don’t fit anymore. Even with a belt they creep down throughout the day and I’m just over that. 2.) they are mid rise and I really have come to prefer high rise.
Striped Tee: Love this tee so much and it will be in my spring capsule! Like I’ve said before, the color is the perfect red… it’s just slightly faded so it gives it a nice vintage feel.
Colorful Sweater: I do really love this sweater, but I’m not sure what I’m going to do about it. Here’s the thing: I got it from Madewell and in the past my Madewell sweaters have held up really well. This sweater hasn’t. It stretched out a bit, which honestly isn’t that big of a deal because it still fits well, but it pilled up pretty badly. I’m going to attempt to fix it with a de-pillar in the hopes that it will look better.
Marled Cardigan: this cardigan is so old and it will be out of commission after this capsule. Its a cotton blend and the material has gotten that waxy feel to it and the white in the marl is yellowed. It has served me well, but it’s time!
Flannel: Oh this flannel. I loved it so much in past years, but this year I just… didn’t. I may try it again next fall with a higher rise jean to see if that fixes my feelings about it. I won’t be getting rid of it yet either way because it is so freaking soft. If I don’t end up including it in my wardrobe next fall I will most likely put it in my lounge wear drawer.
Long Cardigan c/o : I absolutely love this cardigan. I wore it sooo much this winter and it looks good as new. Not a single pill and it has retained its shape beautifully. Also, this may weird some of you out, but I only had to wash it once because it just seems to repel dirt and stains. It’s so well made. I really can’t recommend it enough.
Gray Denim: these are the exact same pair as my blue skinny jeans and so my issues with those are the same with these. It’s time to move on from them.
Black Denim: I love these jeans for how comfortable they are, but I need to do some altering with them before they continue in my wardrobe. I’m going to get rid of the raw hem and I need to take them in a bit at the waist. I think they will probably show up again in my fall capsule.
Black pants: These pants. I included them because I wanted a pair of black pants, but it wasn’t in my budget to get a new pair. They were an old pair from my working days and I loved them then, but it’s also time to move on from them. They are too big on me now, and the knees are stretched out so they looked frumpy on me. Plus, they are mid rise and I really am just over mid rise. I wore them for about six years so they definitely went the distance!
Silk Tank: I love this tank so much. But I just accidentally put it through the dryer… so heartbreaking! I’ll be replacing it for my summer capsule because I honestly wear it so much.
Pullover Sweatshirt: Same feelings about the cream sweatshirt, but I think I will keep this one for my workout capsule. It’s perfect for throwing on when I’m on my way to the gym.
Black Sweater: This was a thrifted purchase, and I liked it for filling a hole in my wardrobe, but I don’t think it will continue on with me. The mock neck didn’t suit me and it stretched out quite a bit. A reminder to myself that it’s still important to thrift items of high quality.
Little Black Dress: Can’t love this dress more! It will definitely be in my spring capsule. It’s soft and roomy and oh so flattering. I adore it!
Comfy Sneakers: These sneakers are being relegated to “wear only when I’ll be on my feet all day”. They are ridiculously comfy and supportive, but I don’t love how they look for every day wear.
Statement Shoe: I have fallen in love with these shoes! Gosh I love them. They will definitely be in my spring capsule. They just make me feel so cool whenever I wear them and I need as many cool points as I can get!
Waterproof Boot: I have a love affair with these shoes (as I wrote about here), but I think they will be relegated to fringe footwear as well. They are perfect for hiking and rainy walks, but I don’t love them as a fashion item anymore.
Ankle Boot: I like these boots still, but I wore them maybe three times. I was just really into my sneakers this winter and didn’t reach for them. I think part of the issue is the heel and the fact that I thrifted them when I was pregnant so they’re actually slightly big on me now. I kind of want to swap these for a pair of Blundstones for my fall capsule. I think that style would be a bit more practical for my lifestyle.
Casual Sneaker: Again, love these so much. These and my high top converse were my most worn shoes from this capsule.
Warm Boots: If I did reach for a pair of boots, it was these! They are lined with faux fur and so they are incredibly warm!
Neutral Sneakers: It’s no secret that I’m a fan of my converse, but I didn’t reach for them simply because they weren’t weather appropriate. I’m actually thinking of getting a pair of high top black converse so I can wear these for warm weather and the high top version for cold weather.
Lace up Boots: Oh I’m so disappointed about these boots! I went to such lengths to get them, but they hurt my feet so bad! like bleeding blisters bad. I thought maybe they would wear in, but they never got better. Such a bummer!
Well! That was super long! If you’re still with me I applaud you.
I’m going to wrap things up, but I hope it was helpful to get inside my head a little bit. Hopefully this helps you understand my thinking for why certain things no longer show up in future capsules.
And don’t forget to stay tuned for Monday! I’ll be sharing my spring capsule and I am so ready for the changeover!
Until next time,
It’s great reading your thought process on each piece. If you still want lace up boots try Thursday Boots. I think I could see you in a pair of Natural President boots.
Thanks Mikayla! I’ll definitely keep that brand in mind if I decide to go for it again!
I like your approach on analyzing Edgar worked and didnt. Particularly things that used to work well and now don’t. I find that I have trouble letting those things go. I’m wading through my surplus of clothes and gathering the courage to let go some old favorites. They fit my life and body 5 years ago, not so much today. But I have great memories in those clothes so it’s tough for me.
Edgar is what btw. Autocorrect fail!
Haha! I figured. 😉
I know how you feel Jackie! One thing that helped me was to put sentimental clothing in a separate bin to go through slowly over time. I still have some clothes in that bin that I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of, and that’s okay! But at least they are out of my closet and not taking up space.
Thanks for the evaluations; we seem m to m have a remarkably si m liar style. You’ve given me courage to pass on a couple of things that don’t work for me. There’s always the age old conundrum: is it something I will really wear, or do I just want to want to wear it?
Clearly, I need some Converses (first, decide on a color!). I bought my first pair of Blundstones this last fall, and adore them. I bought them at Schuler’s during their boot sale.
I still struggle with that question! Even after three years of capsuling. I adore my Converse (clearly!). I just love how comfortable they are, but also chic. Do you find that the Blundstones run true to size? I’ve looked at some reviews online and it seems like there are varying opinions.