in residence: mini capsule

Showing posts with label mini capsule. Show all posts

05 January 2016

wearing lately: January mini wardrobe

As promised, here is my mini wardrobe lineup for January, which I used the handy dandy Capsules by Cladwell tool to help me assemble. The process helped me realize two emphases for what I want/need to wear this month: first, versatility (crucial given the mix of work-from-home and work travel I have this month), and second, neutral but cheerful (given my love of mixing & matching neutrals but my need for a bit of happy color on dreary winter days).

As I mentioned yesterday, this mini capsule isn't meant to be restrictive, but it does feel helpful to narrow my wardrobe down a bit when I'm standing there trying to get dressed or pack for one of the two work trips I'm taking this month. Given that I don't have to dress professionally for work on most days, I don't have a very business casual-oriented wardrobe any more, so it's also helpful to consider what in my closet can swing both ways - work and weekend.

For starters, this cheery pop of pink was perfect for a breakfast date with Peter but works just as well with those ankle pants and necklace for the upcoming work meetings and with the pretty pencil skirt for church.

What are you wearing this month? (Anybody need a winter coat as big as mine? I'm thrilled with this purchase so far!)

Sharing on Hello Monday, Mix It Monday.

01 December 2015

wearing lately: December mini wardrobe

The holiday season comes with lots of reasons to dress festively, and I just love it. Even for the everyday, I just get more excited for outfits with a holiday season twist. So to make the most of the more festive items in my closet, I came up with this mini wardrobe lineup to mix and match for December. It doesn't have to be all about the red and green - plaid, sparkles, winter white, and metallics/gold all say "festive" to me too.

So for the first mix & match demonstration: gold. In particular, a metallic stripe tee styled all casual and cozy with jeans and a chunky cardigan, and then styled for something fancy with a sequin embellished wool mini skirt and some festive flats (actually wore this to church for the first Sunday of Advent - even if it wasn't quite yet December, I think that's still occasion enough for some "noel" shoes, right?).

In Residence - wearing lately: metallics for December

What are you wearing this month? I loved the little Christmas capsule I came up with last year too - 15 outfits from 15 items - and might have to pull out some of those looks again as well!

Sharing on Hello Monday, Mix It Monday.

10 November 2015

wearing lately: November mini wardrobe

What to wear in November? I'm going with layers of gray... Here are the items from my wardrobe that I picked out to be my go-tos for mixing & matching this month - so helpful in narrowing down the options when I'm staring at the whole closet every morning. And also so cozy now that it's gotten to real fall layering weather!

Speaking of layering... for the first ensemble, I guess pretty much the goal was to show as many of the pieces as possible in one outfit. Piling it on is perfect for a crisp fall Saturday, and when you've got stylish pieces like an embroidered tee and leather tote, plus cool pieces like black jeans and slip-on sneakers, it feels put-together rather than just practical. Wouldn't it also be perfect for some pre-holiday things like going to pick out a Christmas tree.

What are you wearing this month?

Sharing on Trend Spin.

06 October 2015

wearing lately: October mix & match wardrobe

My September mini wardrobe was so much fun to work with that I thought I'd head toward another section of my closet to get some inspiration for what to wear in October: the neutrals. This little exercise isn't meant to restrict my options in any way; rather it should help me be excited about using what's in my closet - and when I put these neutral items together in this way, I most definitely am feeling enthusiastic about the bold outfit possibilities that black and white and camel can combine to make for any occasion, from casual to dressy:

In Residence | fall mix and match wardrobe for October: black, white, and camel

This October lineup has some repeats from last month, and a bunch of things that have been used for several seasons now, all helped along in being awesomer with one addition, a big splurge thanks to my partnership with Shopbop: a leather jacket! Rather excited about this one, because I'm always on the lookout for what can make my outfits more cool for going out - and what's cooler than a leather moto jacket?

For starters, it was the perfect way to take my striped dress from day to night for the transition from my recent afternoon of walking around at Art Prize to the evening wine bar reception. Snazzy, right? Looking forward to pairing it with the black jeans for a cool date night outfit soon...

In Residence | wearing lately: October mix & match wardrobe

This Madewell moto jacket is amazing, by the way. The leather is so buttery smooth and the perfect weight, and I love the cropped length and cool silhouette. It's a major splurge to be sure - but if you like the idea, check brands like BB Dakota and Blank Denim for vegan/faux options.

Sharing on Third Thursday Threads, Hello Monday, Just Jacq, Mix It Mondays, Creative Closet dress for fall theme.

15 September 2015

wearing lately: September mix & match wardrobe

I didn't want to quite go the distance and tackle the full capsule thing again this fall, but I really was looking for some of the closet satisfaction and ease that it brought... so I thought: why not pretend my wardrobe is a suitcase? I always know what to do when I reduce things down to my mix & match packing lists, so breaking the closet into suitcase-like sections should work great for everyday life, right?

In Residence | September mini mix and match wardrobe

When I travel I'm always looking for pieces that can do a variety of things - dressing up and down - and of course that's exactly what's needed in regular life too, since some days I'm working from coffee shops, then momming, then having date night - but I want to keep my wardrobe size manageable. Hopefully this monthly mini wardrobe approach also helps get me excited about working with what I already have, but otherwise if I shop will point out closet holes or items that will fit in really well to my wardrobe and my style.

What I wear this month doesn't need to be restricted to these items by any means, but when I want to pull together something quickly (like when I'm throwing stuff into my gym bag to change into after my shower there) or am having one of those "nothing to wear" feeling days, here's a set of go-to items that mix & match to create great early fall outfits.

September always feels tricky with temperature fluctuations throughout the day, plus some summer-like weather when I feel like wearing more fall-like clothes, so I have lots of layers for cool mornings/warm afternoons and also items where I can go with bare legs or arms, but with fall twists (booties, rich burgundy and cognac hues). This mini wardrobe has a bit more color than I expected, but after tiring a bit of my summer wardrobe, I'm all excited about this navy/burgundy combo at the moment - but with the fun surprise of leaving white jeans in the mix to keep it feeling fresh.

Here are a couple of outfits already made from this slate, making the same shirt/cardigan combo suitable for a family cottage gathering and for church - extra handy when I had about 5 minutes to get ready for each. Exactly when a pre-planned outfit is called for!

In Residence | September mix & match wardrobe

Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for two ways to wear those white jeans for fall, plus two ways to wear the fab navy ankle boots. Plus I'm already all excited about the next section of my closet I'm going to mix & match this season: the black and white and gray part. Lineup coming in October!

Sharing on Third Thursday Threads plaid theme, Creative Closet jewel tones linkup, Just Jacq, Hello Monday.