Easy and Comfortable Fall Outfit for Busy Days
While on a video chat with a friend yesterday, we both acknowledged that we can no longer tolerate any clothing that’s tight, stiff, or constricting. But we still both need some structure in our outfits to feel put-together and polished. Here’s a comfortable, casual fall outfit that ticks all of the boxes for me!
My sizes: Jacket – XS, Sweater – Medium, Jeans – 8
The jacket is the Mini-Belfast from Frank & Eileen. I purchased this jacket in the off-white color when it was first introduced, and absolutely LOVE it! I’ve been figuratively drumming my fingers on the desk waiting for them to add brown, and they finally did. This brown is a close match for Dark Brown in the Spring and Autumn palettes, but I think it’s also close enough to Summer’s “Cocoa” brown that some of you could wear it too. But if brown isn’t your thing, it’s now offered in lots of other colors.
The 100% cotton jacket is machine washable, and would be a great travel piece. If you live where winters are mild, you’d probably be able to wear this 9 months out of the year (I do here in Los Angeles). And it’s made here in California!
(The actual color isn’t as purplish as it looks here.)
The sweater is the Shrunken Cashmere Crewneck from J.Crew. I have it in a few colors now, and it’s one of my most-worn styles. This sweater, the jeans, and loafers were all included in my fall travel wardrobe for London & Paris last month.
Some thoughts on capsule wardrobes
One of my goals in writing this blog is to share tools that make getting dressed easier. For many of us, having too many choices can be stressful and overwhelming. If you have a closet full of clothes, but struggle to get dressed in the mornings, you may be experiencing what’s known as “decision fatigue.”
That’s where I think capsule wardrobes can be helpful. I define a “capsule” as a cohesive group of pieces that can be the foundation or framework of daily outfits. Sometimes when I present capsule ideas, I’ll get feedback from people who think I’m suggesting they limit themselves to just those pieces. Pas du tout!
To me a capsule is like a foundation or framework, a starting point for your outfits. It might be 10 pieces or 30. You might have separate capsules for work and weekend, or for travel. You can always add more color or variety, swap out pieces as needed, or ignore your capsule altogether on days when you’d rather be more outside-the-box with your style.
If you find yourself wearing the same few pieces over and over, that’s a good starting point for your capsule. Try adding a few more pieces that you might not wear as often, but that work with your base.
But a capsule shouldn’t feel limiting. If it does, maybe you’re restricting your choices too much, or maybe a capsule wardrobe isn’t a good tool for you. I’ve shared some other style formulas here that can help take some of the overwhelm out of putting outfits together.
Do you use the capsule wardrobe concept to simplify getting dressed?
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I am having trouble imagining how a garment will look on me when I see it hanging on a rack in the shop. And I find it even more difficult to imagine from a picture with the garment laying flat on a surface.
But you are right, I do tend to grab the same easy to wear pieces all the time. Must do better, make more of an effort.
Greetje
Would you mind giving your height and weight so we can have a better idea of sizes we need to order? Thank you.
Yes, I’m 5’1″ and haven’t weighed myself in over a year, but am probably around 120 lb.
Hi Susan, I’m 5’5” and 170 lbs, 77 years old and trying to figure out how to translate your smaller size clothes choices to my size. I love the pieces you’re choosing and they are so appropriate to living at St Simon’s island, Ga. Can you give me any suggestions?
Thank you so much.
Susan, I guess I was thinking out loud. I just need to see what works on my body and what doesn’t work.
I love your style. Keep up the good work.
Thanks.
No worries, this is a great topic for a blog post, and I’ll be working on it. Thanks!
I really like your definition of capsule, Susan, and the concept of multiple capsules potentially very useful. It’s all about adapting the conceptual frameworks to our needs and values, rather than the other way around isn’t it?
I have a pair of black and white small checked pull on pants with pockets(pockets are the only pants I’ll buy) and a white Pima cotton elbow sleeve scoop neck t shirt. I loved it so much I bought a second set, so I would always have a set to wear. My closet have a number of pants with pockets and the elbow sleeve t shirt.
But I do change it up with a red v neck pullover, or wear the top with different bottoms adding a jacket or blazer to change it up. And of course, the accessories change the look also.
You look good, Susan. I like the choices.
Thanks, Linda!
I love that jacket, and I just want to let folks know that it also comes in a longer (non-mini) version for those of us who are taller. I’m 5’8” and can’t wear anything described as ‘mini’ or ‘shrunken’
I love the capsule wardrobe concept precisely for reasons you mentioned and more. Since retiring, I’ve been purging the “clutter” clothing that I rarely wear and using the capsule approach for organizing my wardrobe and re-building it with quality pieces that work well for my casual lifestyle and travel. I also think that a benefit of a good capsule foundation is it’s much easier to add pieces to refresh and update an existing wardrobe that is coordinated and cohesive, and it also helps to minimize wasteful spending when working within the capsule framework. Your outstanding blog is my favorite source for capsule style inspiration and resources!
Would like to hear how the jacket fits you in the arm length. I’m a petite with shorter arms and am always on the lookout for outer layers that don’t require rolling back or altering.
My bad! I switched from my phone view to my PC screen and can now see that you have the cuffs rolled back! Apologies for the unnecessary question.
No worries. Yes, they’re rolled back, but because the edges are raw and there are no buttons, they’d probably be easy to shorten.
Your post on capsule wardrobes got me thinking. I tend to wear 1 or 2 pairs of pants for a week. If I picked out a week’s worth of tops & 3rd layers all at once, I’d have all the decisions made for a week. This, a weekly capsule wardrobe!
Yes, exactly! It’s a concept you can tailor to your own life/needs.
I like your take on Capsule Wardrobes being the core of the wardrobe but not the only pieces in the closet. I have been struggling to build a capsule for several years and finally realized that I basically do have one. The pieces I wear most often are black, grey, white, tan and red which mix and match very nicely. Added to that are a selection of jeans and I have finally gotten to a point where I can easily pull together lovely outfits. The remaining items in my closet vary in color so add relief to the neutral palette that I typically wear.
Hi Pat, yes! It sounds like you’ve come up with a system that works for you.
I need a capsule wardrobe of dressy/festive pieces that can be mixed and matched for winter parties and occasions.
I’m working on some ideas for that…stay tuned! 😉
Hi Susan, I love your style sense, and am often inspired by so many of your outfits. I’ve been trying to find barrel jeans that won’t overwhelm my 5’2” 113# frame. The Rutis would be a splurge for me, but they look great on you. Do they run a bit smaller than US sizes? I’m usually a 4. Thank you!
Hi Cynthia, thanks so much! I do think they run slightly small.