I'm Talking Fashion, Folks. Because It's Nice To Share Info About My Closet That Doesn't Involve The Remains Of The Pigeon Infestation We Enjoyed Last Year.

This weekend not only will we at the High House enjoy a pre-season lacrosse tournament (with expected temps in the high 60's and low 70's), but daylight savings time starts and we can move our clocks ahead on Sunday triggering a chain reaction of all things happy and Spring-like from that moment forward.  While snow may continue to fall in Colorado for the next couple months, the longer days will serve as a constant reminder that flip-flop season is right around the corner.  And with that it's time to consider our spring and summer wardrobes.

I like preparing a capsule wardrobe a couple times a year - one for Fall/Winter and one for Spring/Summer.  It's sort of my way of ringing in the new season - that along with switching from red wine to white.  I don't particularly like to shop - I like to buy.  So I get really organized instead and go about putting together my wardrobe in more of a hunter/gatherer fashion.  I think a capsule wardrobe is a wonderful way to ensure you always have something to wear that looks and feels good.  And if you put one together properly, it's easy to come up with a huge variety of cute outfits.  And we all want to look cute, am I right?

A critical aspect of creating a great basic collection is to stick to a color scheme.  Neutrals are best - I look for pieces in black, white, gray, khaki, and of course, denim to build my base.  Once that foundation is established, then I can branch out into other colors if I so desire.  I will probably add navy myself as an additional base color with a pop of pink or orange for some zing.  Green would also be a nice alternative to navy, if you're into that, and a bright yellow would make for a good accent color in lieu of pink or orange.  Wild Orchid is the Pantone color of 2014, so if you're looking to be super 'on-trend' you may want to find a few bonus pieces in that shade.  Wild Orchid would work great with both navy and green if you were using them, so fear not my fashion forward friend.

In a surprisingly anal retentive way, I actually categorize and list the pieces that are included in my seasonal capsule on paper.  The sections I include are:  tops, pants and shorts, skirts and dresses, shoes, toppers, and accessories.  I try not to put more than five items on average in each category - I think it complicates things otherwise and weakens the final product.  I review the pieces that will carry-over from past seasons - this is where sticking to a neutral palate really comes in handy because if a piece is still in good shape you can use it for several seasons - then I make a list of what slots remain to be filled.  

Knowing exactly what pieces I need and in which colors makes shopping so much easier and I can make sure I'm spending my money in a smart way.  I don't spend a ton on clothes.  I like to get good quality at a good price.  And since I work from a capsule collection, I wear each piece a lot.  This keeps my cost per wear low, so if I spend a bit  more on something I want to know I can use it for a few springs and summers.

Here is my 2014 Spring/Summer capsule collection:

Tops:
White t-shirt (will need more than one - obvs.)
Black t-shirt (ditto)
Striped shirt
Ethnic print shirt
White peasant top

Pants and Shorts:
Skinny denim jean
White skinny jean
Wide-legged linen pant
Ankle length black pant
Khaki chino that can be rolled to ankle
White shorts
Khaki shorts
Printed shorts

Skirts and Dresses:
Denim pencil skirt
Short printed skirt
Solid maxi skirt
Solid summer dress
Printed summer dress

Shoes:
Gladiator sandals
Thong sandals
Flip-flops
White sneakers
Strappy black heel
D'Orsay flat

Toppers:
Black blazer
White blazer
Long cardigan

Accessories:
Statement necklace
Long delicate
Long pendant
Cuff
Bangles
Statement earring
Two scarves
Daytime tote
Evening clutch

I'm going to add a little info about each section in upcoming posts so you can see how easy it is to put together a cute and useful wardrobe and still leave money in your budget for food, wine, and college tuition.  I'll start with tops on Monday.  I hope the anticipation won't cause you to lose sleep over the weekend.

Celebrate the start of daylight savings time with something tasty.  A white would be appropriate - I think the Beach House Sauvingnon Blanc is tasty and it has a screw top.  Bonus.  Enjoy the weekend, friends!

I'm wearing this:

Guess what?  It's snowing!

gratitude:  longer days, the start of lacrosse and soccer season, the bunnies in our backyard, Jon Stewart

thanks and love.