My 2018 Winter Capsule Wardrobe

I wanted to take a visual look at my 2018 winter capsule wardrobe and analyze it a little bit.  The outfit pieces above are pretty similar, if not exact items that I already have in my winter wardrobe this season.  This way it makes it easy to start mentally putting pieces together in my head.  Keep in mind, I didn't add my necklaces and my reversible vegan leather bag which in total gives me 38 outfit pieces.  However, these 32 pieces are actually stored in my Cladwell OUTFITS app and believe it or not, Cladwell calculated 465 outfits with just these 32 pieces alone.  I can't say that I like every outfit they curate, but 465 outfits is a lot of options.

Ultimately, the visual above is still very helpful because I look at my wardrobe and realize that my color palette isn't as versatile as I would like it to be.  I already know what I would like to change for the spring season, which is invite a lot of pretty pastel colors into my wardrobe.  I know, I know.  A year ago I probably would have barfed at the thought of wearing pastels, but as I'm evolving, my style is evolving too.  So don't be surprised if you actually see me wearing violet or pink this year.  

My Winter Color Palette:  achromatic colors (black, gray & white), but I also have a bit of olive green, navy, cream, camel and cheetah print. 

I didn't buy anything new this season.  All of my winter wardrobe were pieces from last winter, however I did buy a used Giorgio Armani blazer this past October from Etsy, and I did buy the black and white tees from Alternative Apparel at the very beginning of summer.  Other than that, it's all the same pieces that I've had within the last year.

Actually 18 of the 32 pieces in the picture are core/neutral pieces.  If you don't know what core or pieces are, they're the items of clothing that you can actually wear throughout the year with other accessories and outerwear.  Core items, sometimes called neutrals, basics, or key pieces, are essential for a capsule wardrobe because they make up the base of your wardrobe that you'll need throughout the year.  Basically, you can switch up the scarves, the cardigans, or the jackets, the blazers, and the jewelry, but the core pieces will be the same for the year as long as the piece lasts you.  A lot of time these core pieces are black, white, gray, shades of nude, and of course, denim in all shades.  Below is a list of all the core items from the picture that I can wear given the weather patterns with my lifestyle in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

My Core Pieces:  Black and white striped long sleeve shirt, chambray, white tee, black tee, black bodysuit, long black cardigan, long sleeve gray shirt, long sleeve white shirt, plaid blazer, long sleeve black tunic, black sheath dress, black trousers, black wide leg trousers, black pencil skirt, black leggings, denim straight leg jeans, black and white sneakers and black running shoes.  In addition, my reversible vegan leather bag, as well as my jewelry are considered part of my core pieces.

I know you might think it's strange to have cardigans and long sleeves in my core items for the whole year, but come to the San Francisco Bay Area and then you'll understand that we have some pretty cold summers.  Our temperatures are much more mild than areas with more seasonal climates. Someone from San Francisco or LA will have a completely different capsule wardrobe as someone from Vancouver, New York or Paris.  In fact, if you're living in Miami, you might not have much of a capsule wardrobe at all because the seasons stay pretty warm.  And because the weather is mostly warm, your color palette wouldn't need to change much with the seasons either.

Seasonal items:  Gray sweatshirt, navy blue blouse, gray cardigan, cream colored short sleeve sweater, camel colored sleeveless turtleneck sweater, navy blue long sleeve tee, black peacoat, olive green anorak jacket, black puffer vest, black chelsea boots, cheetah print flats, black scarf, cheetah print scarf and colorful print scarf.

Notes for next season:  More eccentric pieces and more color.

So what do you think about the pieces in your capsule wardrobe?  Are there gaps or must have items that you realized you needed for your core items?  Or are there pieces that you could live without that are wasting away in your closet?  Leave a response in the comments because I would love to see your feedback.

Cheers!

Shelbi

If you don't have a capsule wardrobe but you've been wanting to give it a try, here is a downloadable guide to help you get started with the basics.  I think it's the best way to help you create your own personal style.  It's just the beginning, but it will help you break down the process!  Good luck!