Capsule Outfit #36

With just a week or so left in the capsule, I thought I’d find the items that get the least amount of wear and see if I can find new ways to style them. If I can then maybe they’re worth keeping; if not… maybe we’ll try again next season.

One of those items is this pair of pants. I like the plaid and the color, it’s just that I’m not used to straight-legged pants like these, since all of my pants are either skinny or wide-legged, so it’s going to take take some more experiments before I can declare them a keeper. I’m happy enough with this outfit (it feels very 1950’s to me, which not a bad thing at all), but I may still get the legs taken in a bit.

Sweater & Pants: local shops, Flats: Vagabond

Capsule Outfit #35

Posted: December 16, 2014 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Capsule, Clothes | Tags: blue, brooch, brown, brown riding boots, capsule fall/winter 2014, chambray shirt, gray, gray cableknit sweater, gray circle scarf, green, green coat, navy skinny jeans | 2 Comments

I think one of the reasons I deemed this capsule a failure (other than the fact that I keep shopping all the time to add to it) is that I felt a bit stuck with my style. But it’s a fine line, isn’t it, between being stuck in a style rut and having a go-to look. Like this silhouette, for example – I’ve been wearing it every single day this month, either with riding boots or ankle boots, but I don’t even notice it. So maybe I should just tell myself that there’s nothing wrong with always coming back to a look that works for you. And that is not being stuck, that is just developing your own style.

Shirt: Esprit, Sweater: H&M, Jeans: Mango, Boots: Aldo, Brooch: gift, Scarf: hand-made, Coat: thrifted

Capsule Outfit #34/At the Piano

Posted: December 15, 2014 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Capsule, Clothes, Style Imitating Art | Tags: black, black jeans, black riding boots, capsule fall/winter 2014, maroon cardigan, mustard scarf, red, style imitating art, white, white button-up, yellow | 1 Comment

Yes, this is a new cardigan. Yes, I’m still categorizing this as a capsule outfit because I’m using this cardigan to replace… something. I don’t know, something I haven’t worn yet. If my memory is correct, there are at least three pieces in this capsule I haven’t worn, and it doesn’t look like I will wear them in the foreseeable future, so it doesn’t matter which one I’m replacing. And it’s a nice and warm cardigan, and I don’t have anything maroon/burgundy in my closet (I refuse to call it “oxblood”, which is so 2012 anyway), so I think it’s a justified purchase, don’t you?

Of course, this is also my outfit for this week’s SIA, inspired by Whistler’s “At the Piano”. It’s pretty self-explanatory: the cardigan reflects the deep red of the carpet and the piano, the jeans and boots are for the lady’s black gown, the shirt for the little girl’s white dress, and the scarf and the brooch are for the picture frames and the details on the wall. I am very thorough when it comes to SIA 🙂

Don’t forget to check out Jess’ blog for more interpretation of this painting!

Shirt, Cardigan, and Boots: local shop, Jeans: Hermes, Scarf: Forever21, Brooch: vintage

Capsule Outfit #33

Posted: December 12, 2014 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Capsule, Clothes | Tags: black, black riding boots, blue, capsule fall/winter 2014, navy skinny jeans, pink, pink sweatshirt, stars and stripes scarf | 4 Comments

Is it hard to find a color that goes with pale pink? I’m legitimately asking, because I like this sweatshirt, but I almost always have to wear a scarf with it, and none of my scarves really go. This is the closest I could get, and even then I’m still not altogether happy with the result.

Another thing that annoys me about this sweatshirt: the “elbow” patches are absolutely ridiculous. I’ve tried to ignore it, but I can’t. I mean, look at this shit: even if I pull the sleeves down all the way, the patches would be nowhere near my elbows. Did they think elbows are located somewhere along the upper arms?

I am grumpy today, apparently.

Sweatshirt: Zalora, Jeans: Mango, Boots: local shop, Scarf: gift

Capsule Outfit #32

Posted: December 11, 2014 | Author: Salazar | Filed under: Capsule, Clothes | Tags: black, black polka dot pants, brown, brown suede ankle boots, capsule fall/winter 2014, red, red scarf, white, white cableknit sweater | 5 Comments

Apparently I’m losing my mind, because I thought that my capsule would end in January, not December, and that the turtleneck tunic I wore on Monday was part of this capsule (it wasn’t, although I don’t know if it matters or not, I’m constantly pulling stuff out and putting new stuff in anyway). At the same time, I also forgot that certain pieces, like these pants, are in the capsule from the beginning.

It just goes to show that this whole capsule wardrobe thing isn’t working out as well as I’d expected. I will stick it out until the end of December, but I’m not sure if I’ll keep doing it in the upcoming year. I like the idea of a wardrobe where everything goes together; it’s just that I need a better method to build it.

If my goal is to make the best of my closet and not shop so much, then I think I need to get rid of the idea of a “capsule” altogether. It’s useful for when you’re traveling, but in normal, everyday life, it doesn’t make sense to limit yourself to an arbitrary number of items. That will only bore you and make you want to shop even more. I need to stick to what I have and learn to work with those first.

So, I don’t know. A shopping ban? I tried it once and it didn’t work out so well for me either. Outfit planning? Like a weekly capsule, instead of one for the entire season? Maybe. Any suggestion?