Capsule Wardrobe // Fall (Least) Favorites
After discussing my top 10 favorite fall capsule pieces, I thought it only fitting to follow-up with my 10 least favorite. Now I want to start off by saying, I haven't disliked any of my capsule pieces. It was actually quite difficult to come up with 10 when I'm only working with 37! The reason I chose each item ranges vastly from fit, quality, purpose and even wear-ability. I simply chose these items because, looking back, I would have chosen something a bit different. Let's check it out!
t o p s
Swiss Dot Tee (similar) : J.Crew // Green Cargo Shirt (similar) : Madewell // Black Cardigan (old) : Gap
These three tops all fell into my least favorites for different reasons. The black swiss dot tee is cute - don't get me wrong. It's actually quite soft and the sleeves are really flattering. The problem? It's just too chilly in the fall to go sleeveless and when you throw on a sweater or jacket, you lose the cute detail. Bummer!
The green cargo shirt was something I previously owned and decided to throw in because it's nice and heavy, and the color looked fall-ish. I actually REALLY like this shirt, but it proved to be a little less functional than I was hoping for because I didn't feel it was dressy enough for work. At the end of the day, that's wear I spend the majority of my time, so my pieces need to be wearable in many settings. Good to know!
As for my black cardigan, I have had this thing FOREVER. Seriously. I think I bought it sophomore year of college or something. I still love the way it drapes and looks over dresses, but the sleeves have lost all of their oomph. You know what I mean, right? The kind where about 5 minutes after you put it on the sleeve band is all big and lose? I hate that. I'm glad I had the sweater, but this one needs to be retired.
j a c k e t s
Colorblock Soft Blazer : Banana Republic
This blazer came in handy so many times over the past three months. It's soft, warm, and is that nice mix between sweater and jacket. I like to call it a "shacket". :) My biggest problem was the color. Yes, it's black and white which seems simple enough, but I always felt like the pattern was too.... busy? I like it and would recommend it to a friend, but it just wasn't versatile enough for me. I felt okay wearing it to work, but I wouldn't wear it casually.
b o t t o m s
3" Chino Shorts : J.Crew // Boyfriend Jeans (old) : Joe's Jeans // Skinny Skinny Jeans in Madewell Rinse : Madewell // Leather Pocket Dress : Madewell
All four of these picks were the most difficult. I love all of them, but someone had to fall into the bottom 10! Let's start with my green chino shorts. These things are AWESOME. I love them and will definitely be pulling them out again next summer. For fall, though? The color was spot on and I definitely needed them in early September, but I didn't pull them out a single time in October or November. It's difficult to justify giving up one of your 37 spots to an item you can only wear 1/3 of the time - and not even to work!
My boyfriend jeans were a great "trendy" pick for fall. I love the way they look with heels and I like that they're just a bit edgy. The problem? I can't wear them to work. Bummer. The other problem? They've always been HUGE in the waist. Like the kind of big where if I don't wear a belt, my pants will fall straight to the ground. I don't mind throwing on a belt for the sake of cuteness, but it does sort of limit your options a bit.
Moving on to my Madewell skinny jeans. I bought these right before my capsule started, so I felt obligated to include them. I knew I didn't need 3 pairs of jeans (I can only wear jeans to work on Fridays), but I threw them in anyway. I really like the jeans and will be including them in my winter capsule, but I would have picked something different for fall in hindsight.
And finally, my leather pocket dress. This thing is SO CUTE! I absolutely love leather accents and this dress is extremely comfortable. I only have two complaints.... length and sleeves. If you look at the model on Madewell's website, the dress hits her several inches above the knee - very flattering! On short old me? It hits right at the knee. I just need to get the dress shortened about one hem length and it should be perfect. As for the sleeves, it's the same story as the swiss dot tee, short sleeves just aren't the warmest so I always have to throw on a sweater. Sweaters and jackets cover up the cool zipper detail in the back, so the dress loses a bit of it's pizzazz.
s h o e s
Sandals : Cole Haan // Nike Vintage Sneakers : J.Crew
The story for these shoes is very similar to the other pieces - just not as wear-able. The sandals were worn VERY little over the past three months. It's just too chilly for a lot of open-toe action. I LOVE these sandals, though. I literally walked all over the North and South Carolina this summer without sore feet. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.
My vintage Nike sneakers were a purchase in San Francisco last May, and I really like them. They give a nice tomboy vibe to casual outfits and are VERY comfortable. The only reason I threw them in my bottom 10 was because of the versatility. Once again, I can't wear them to work and I prefer heels if I'm going out at night.
Hopefully this gives those of you considering a capsule wardrobe a little more insight into what I see as a successful capsule. My biggest piece of advice? Consider where you spend the majority of your time. I may like distressed jeans and graphic tees, but I just can't wear that stuff to the office. I plan to keep all of these ideas in mind as I'm finalizing my winter capsule which begins DECEMBER 1ST! Stay tuned for some sneak peaks in the days to come. Have a great weekend!