Last week we talked about What is a Capsule Wardrobe and Where to Start! So if you have no idea what I’m talking about definitely start there. If you read last weeks post and you’re utilizing my hanger trick then YAY!!! This week we are going to cover Choosing Your Capsule Wardrobe Colors.
It’s Color Time
Now we get to talk about colors! As you start to wear the clothes in your closet and you notice those hangers getting turned back around you might start seeing that you tend to pick certain colors. Or you might have a favorite color that you love to wear and it makes you feel good! Those are two very easy and basic ways to get started setting the color scheme for your capsule wardrobe.
I personally love NAVY & WHITE as you can see from my website :)! In the Spring I tend to like pastel colors like pink and mint. So I based my Spring capsule around those colors. I considered navy and white as my anchor colors and then pink and mint were my accent colors.
We will talk about shopping to fill in your capsule in the coming weeks and you’ll see how picking a color scheme will help you not make random purchases that you’ll never wear!
Season Changes
So what happens when the season changes? Well for me I just went All American and went red, white and blue! Not a big change which is fine because it allowed me to blend seasons so much easier. In Virginia we can have an 80 degree day with 60 degree nights so for that time period I kept more pants and sweaters from my spring capsule in my line-up. Now that we are in the dead heat I only kept my distressed blue jeans and occasionally my white jeans as options.
As we moved into fall last year I dropped the red, the pink fell back to a smaller percentage and I focused more on navy and white. This fall I might add in gold or mustard for a richer accent color. But I promise it will still be navy and white as my base!
Vacation Test
Remember the articles in magazines of how to pack for Paris for 10 days in just a carry-on? I used to love those! I was always amazed at how many cute outfits you could make from just a few pieces. Well my friends that is a very small capsule wardrobe! So if you are on the fence I challenge you to try it out for your next vacation or weekend trip. You can find tons of inspiration on Pinterest and I bet you can shop your own closet. Just remember to pick a color scheme and then use guides like this – Vacation Packing Guides – to figure out how many pieces you need.
How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe Steps:
- Turn all the hangers backwards in your closet. Bonus if you do the same to your coat closet!
- Pick your color scheme and remember you can change it with the seasons.
- Try out the vacation or weekend test with a mini capsule!
Next week we are going to talk about finding your style and what I like to call capsuling for dummies!
Melissa Arlena is an award winning lifestyle newborn photographer in Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia who has earned her Master Photographer Certification from NAPCP in maternity, newborn and family photography. Her natural and simple work has been featured in magazines and online blogs worldwide. She has been named Best Maternity and Newborn Photographer in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA in 2023.
