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.
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