Part 2- Modifying your Capsule

Hi friends,

Alright so part 2 in this series is sharing with you some tips on how to modify your capsule for the changes in the seasons. We seem to have jumped right into summer this year (after an rough winter), but I’ve still seen a few spring days here are there, so I’m going to talk about transitioning to Spring!

Spring is my favourite season. I love how it brings about new life and a desire to clean and refresh. Plus I love the anticipation for summer! I’m a big fan of Spring clothing, everything is so white and bright and, ah I just love it.

So when you’re transitioning your capsule to a new season, I feel there are a few steps you should take to start:

1. Think about what items you tend to wear more in the season you are in. For example, in Spring do you tend to wear a lot of pants or do you prefer skirts? Do you like layering (tank tops with cardigans) or do you prefer light sweaters? Find themes in your clothing and figure out the types of pieces you wear the most. Make a mental list of those. Those are the items you want to keep in mind, when buying some staple pieces.

2. Purge anything you didn’t wear last year. If you didn’t wear it last year, you likely wont wear it this year, so clear those items out.

3. Figure out your colour palette. You’ve probably already started doing this with your Winter or Fall capsule, but that might change for Spring. For me, my wardrobe colour palette tends to consist of white, black, grey, blues and greens. The overall palette doesn’t really change depending on the season, but I might wear more of a particular colour in a certain season (more white in summer, less black, etc). So if you tend to wear lighter colours in the summer, make a mental note of that too. Having a colour palette that you generally stick with, will also help you with outfit planning as everything can be mixed and matched and works together!

At this point, you’ve got things somewhat sorted. You’ve got a mental list of the following:

– items you wear often

– colours you wear most

and you’ve paired down your wardrobe to just the things you love.

Now, your next step is to fill in the gaps. What items do you need that will help get you through the season that you don’t currently own? What items do you need that will work with your themes and colour palette?  What items will be helpful in allowing you to transition pieces from one season to the next, therefore making them more versatile? This is my list of the top 6 items that have helped me to transition from season to season:

– Denim jacket/green field jacket

– Vest

– Long Sleeve shirt

– Cardigan

– Boyfriend jeans

– Comfy shoes (that you can walk/run in)

I feel each of these items can be paired with clothing from all seasons, making them incredibly versatile and staples in my wardrobe:

A denim jacket is a staple- I don’t tend to wear mine as much as my green field jacket, but its dependent on what else I’m wearing that day. Both are incredibly versatile and work with various outfits.

Thisdenim jacket is my current fav. Its a great price, the colour will work well for various seasons and its well made.

A vest is another great option. I actually made this one myself out of an old jacket (I just cut off the sleeves and hemmed the edges), but Abercrombie always has some great options, like this one. A vest can be paired over a long sleeve, short sleeve shirt or a dress.

A long sleeve shirt that buttons like this one from Urban Outfitters, is a fantastic option. It can be worn alone on cooler days, but also worn unbuttoned as a cardigan over a tank or tshirt on warmer days. You can pair it with shorts, pants, skirts, you name it.

I have a thing for cardigans. Honestly, I have about 5 in my capsule, but its because they are the most versatile pieces! This one from Old Navy is one of my favourites, but there are tons of other options out there from various retailers. I would suggest buying medium length, likethis oneas it can then work with pants, jeans, shorts and dresses.

Boyfriend jeans are a great piece to have, that are just a slightly change from the ordinary. I have 2 pairs in my capsule- one lighter and one darker and wear them both a ton in Spring, Summer and Fall. There are tons of options out there, distressedor not, but these American Eagle ones are some of my top picks.

Lastly, you need a pair of comfy shoes. As a mom, I am constantly running around after my kids…they never stop! So having a pair of comfy shoes (that aren’t runners) are a nice option for both Spring and Summer as well as Fall. Along with my Nike runners, I have these Superga shoes,  a pair of black classic TOMS and my Adidas Superstar In terms of casual shoes, those 4 are pretty much all I need!

The pieces you need are going to vary depending on your style, your lifestyle and various factors, but those 6 pieces are some of the things I wear the most and get a ton of use out of, regardless of the season. Focusing in on some key investment pieces will help you keep your capsule on track and help you to easily mix and match outfits too!

Melissa