Effortless Style: Casual Looks from My Capsule Wardrobe
Many of you have told me that my capsule wardrobe building exercise has been helpful, so today I’m sharing a few more outfit ideas from my own casual winter capsule wardrobe. I’ve added a couple more pieces from my closet, which brings the total number of clothing items to 11. If I were using this as a travel wardrobe, I’d probably add one collared shirt, but even with just these pieces (plus accessories), I can still create lots of of looks.
Casual outfits from a capsule wardrobe
To start, here’s a remix of a couple of pieces I’ve shown previously, the leopard collared cardigan and straight leg jeans. The Murano bead necklace is a souvenir from our first trip to Venice. The cardigan layers easily underneath a coat or jacket, and can be worn open as a top layer, so is great for travel.
Started with: Confetti sweater. I’ve been wearing this one on repeat. It just works with everything!
Added: Barrel-leg twill pants (similar) for a bit of color. I first shared these pants in 2023 here Throwing a curve: 3 easy outfits with barrel-leg pants. This color is no longer available, but Ruti has just brought back this style in a bunch of colors! You can still use code SUSAN15 for 15% off.
My sizes: Jacket – 6, Hoodie – Small, Pants – 8
Started with: Jacket and pants (similar).
Added: Cashmere hoodie (similar). I’ve been wearing this hoodie under my jacket for chilly morning dog walks, so decided to bring it into the capsule. It’s another piece that works well for travel, and keeps my head warm without incurring “hat head.”
Takeaways from this capsule wardrobe exercise
In addition to streamlining getting dressed, the process of creating a capsule wardrobe like this one can also:
- Encourage experimentation and creativity
- Help with building travel wardrobes
- Re-acquaint us with what’s already in our closets
- Help define and refine personal style
To elaborate on that last point a bit, I’ve been feeling like it’s time to update my 3 style words. This is a method that helps me keep my style focused, and avoid being drawn into trends that don’t suit me. The 3 style words I’ve landed on are Neat, Cool, Quirky.
Neat: Some structure. Nothing sloppy, floppy, too distressed, or extremely oversized.
Cool: A relaxed attitude, understated, androgynous. Nothing fussy, frilly, contrived, or uptight.
Quirky: Funky, whimsical. I really need this element to feel like myself.
Have you tried this capsule wardrobe building exercise? Has it helped you discover anything new about your own personal style? Let me know if you’d like to see more outfit combos from this capsule.
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Nice to see all those combinations in action, reminds us of the financial and sustainability benefits of shopping our wardrobes (closets on your side of the pond). I find the three word definition very useful, mine are Edgy, Classic and Colourful
Edgy for me is a nod to 1980s punk, I’ll always love a black leather biker jacket and zips and it balances out classic.
Classic as in no bohemian flounces but I always stop short of where classic sets into frumpy.
Colourful because I’m a bright winter and I look my best when there is bright colour in my outfit and definitely near my face.
I love this exercise! I’m at a spot where I want to remix what I have before adding anything else. So thank you for forgoing the consumption caravan! It strikes me how well this works when one has already focused their wardrobe on their seasonal palette. Everything goes together so easily! I do miss your tomato red, it’s such a spectacular color on you! I especially love the hoodie look!
Your style words struck a cord with. I live in a very rural area yet do not ever want to look “slumpy, stumpy, and dumpy.”
Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi, I followed your link to Quince for a similar cashmere hoodie. I assume you have bought from Quince? I have not. Their cashmere pieces look very nice and are priced very competitively with free shipping and free returns. Plus they sell men’s cashmere full zip hoodies and cashmere pants/joggers–very hard to find. I have bought women’s cashmere hoodies and joggers from woolovers (UK/Ireland) and Bloomingdales, and a dress from Nordstrom’s. (Macy’s charter club hoodies are too short for my torso). Quality is fine, but higher, and men’s options are limited. So thanks once again!
Hi Marie, I haven’t purchased their hoodie (mine is from another brand, a couple of years old and no longer available), but have purchased other sweaters from them and find the quality to be very good for that price point.
Hi Marie,
I have several Quince pieces and find the quality okay. I did buy the zip front cashmere hoodie and returned it as the zipper was very difficult to zip. Ordered another thinking it was maybe an issue with the first one. The zipper was still difficult to use so I returned it. I have an older JCrew zip cashmere hoodie that has lasted well and the zipper works. Hope that helps.
Love all the looks but especially the Ruti pants! What size do you wear in Ruti, Susan? I think I would wear the same size.
Hi Kathy, thanks! I wear size 8 in most Ruti pants.
Great post. I adore every pant that Ruti makes. Question: does the bottoms’ color matter as much regarding the right color for your coloring?
Thanks, Katie. I do think you can “cheat” a little bit with colors on the bottom half, as long as the color isn’t too far outside of your palette and works with the rest of your wardrobe. These mustard pants lean more toward the Autumn palette than Spring, but still work with most of my neutral tops.
Hi Susan , I’m really enjoying this series and find it very useful. Question for you. What would you use as a coat or jacket with this capsule? Thinking of travel and perhaps 4. – 10 C weather. Thanks!
Hi Terri, I’d probably pack my Lands’ End down coat https://bit.ly/3PaHLXO as it’s also waterproof. (I get chilled easily, but if a full coat feels like overkill, the jacket version here https://bit.ly/4f46Wqb is also good.)
Thanks! I struggle with outerwear choice. I love the outfits you’ve put together and would like an outerwear that enhances them. So often when traveling it is your outerwear that sets the tone. I appreciate the work you put in for us!
Thank you for this post. It really sparked some new ideas for my closet. You look lovely in each picture.
Thanks very much, Claudette!
I think you did a marvellous styling job.
Greetje
Thanks, Greetje!