I’ve still got a several pieces to to hunt down for my Spring capsule but I’ve made a good effort on my sixth collection. One thing I thought might be helpful to mention to anyone contemplating a capsule wardrobe is that it’s as much about the things you don’t buy as the things you do.
When I first Marie Kondo’d the heck out of my closet I noticed some repeat offenders in the charity bag pile. Yes, wide necked tops I’m looking at you. As I have a small frame it’s quite easy for a jumper with a wider neck to slob off my shoulders. It drives me round the bend and so if I find myself cooing over a pretty shade of knitwear with the perfect cable detailing but a wide neck I have a word with myself and remind myself said knit will be making its way to Barnardos by the end of the season.
Then there are the bottoms which don’t have pockets on the derrière. For some reason I don’t feel comfortable without some form of detailing on my behind. I live out in the sticks and rarely make it to decent high street so I got a bit overexcited in Brighton recently and bought some plain backed trousers sans pockets which quite frankly weren’t right and are unlikely to see the light of day.
Fluted flouncey sleeves seem to be all the rage this season and on my wish list is a casual patterned dress. I added one to my basket from Mango with the cutest print and three quarter flowy sleeves and then promptly took it out when I remembered I don’t like getting my clothing in my dinner. I very nearly faltered with Warehouse’s Botanical dress but I knew the sleeve would bug me. Then there’s culottes – absolutely love them on other people – but they’re a no on me.
What I Would Like To Wear
Before I embraced the capsule I probably would have indulged in a fancy sleeve and a patterned pant because I liked the look of them but when you only have a limited amount of items in your wardrobe you have to be ruthless. There are some items that just don’t suit me no matter how much I like them on others. In the past I perhaps would have bought items just to fill the quota but now I hang out for the perfect piece. It takes flipping ages though. I’m not convinced I’ve tracked down the perfect pair of casual jeans or the easy breezy shirt dress, or a pinafore that’s longer than a thigh-skim. I’ve included a few contenders below to fill the big gaps in my spring attire – just one of each mind, obviously not all of them.
Casual Shirt Dress
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Slouchy Jeans
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What styles are your repeat offenders? Anything you’re a sucker for which you ultimately discard because it doesn’t spark any joy whatsoever? Any thing hanging in your wardrobe which you bought on a whim but you’ve never worn? You can tell us. I promise we won’t judge.
Ah so with you on the culottes! I love them so much and everyone else looks so good in them, but at 5ft nothing I just know I can’t pull them off!
Same with roll necks unfortunately, they just make me look frumpy. I bought the loveliest one from Massimo Dutti just before Christmas (mainly because it was the most gorgeous dusty pink colour) but as expected, I never wore it. Still, I like to think of the happy person that picked themself up a real bargain in my local Oxfam! xxx
Oh Kate, I feel your pain. Good on you for sending your lovely rollneck to the charity shop. I would have left it haunting me for a while 😉
A timely post, I currently have over 20 items listed on ebay waiting to go to new homes…..all clothes and accessories I bought without properly thinking through the purchase. Yes I’m looking at you short sleeved jumper, those jeans with no stretch that are 4 inches too long, and all those tops with a v neck as they’re always too low on me and expose my under-garments, and those dresses I knew I’d only ever wear once. And if they don’t sell on ebay I’m taking them to H&M for my recycling £5 voucher!
And now I have a half empty wardrobe and nothing to wear eeek. x
Oh yes, I forgot about the H&M voucher. Though do you just end up buying things with it that you don’t need?! x
The problem with me is that I don’t buy clothes often enough. I am someone who wears clothes to death and then ends up in a style rut. I have recently been buying a new USA spring holiday wardrobe which is mostly jeans, and a range of vests, t-shirts and 3/4 length sleeve tops that can be dressed up and down. But I do feel I’m playing it quite safe. I think I need someone to help inject a bit of glamour into my wardrobe.
Lots more fashion posts coming up soon. Charlotte’s sharing her spring wardrobe next week. There’s bound to be some glamour in there 🙂 x
Loving the jeans picks there Lauren.
I’ve been all heart-eyes over Lorde’s outfit at Coachella last weekend (cropped, elasticated ankle Chloe jeans, over fishnets with vintage Chanel boots) so im on the lookout for a high street version. But then I remember I’m old enough to be her Mum and probably shouldn’t try to pull that look off ?. Your picks here are a perfect alternative xx
I reckon you could pull it off Karen. Mwah x
3/4 sleeve jumpers – if I’m wearing a jumper its cos I’m cold, and I want /all/ my arms i be warm. I often forget this though!
Straight skirts. I see so many I love but I have to keep reminding myself its not ever going to work on my body shape no matter how supportive my under garments!!
I had to laugh Rachel I ended up binning a load of short sleeved jumpers a few years ago. I can kind of forgive a three quarter sleeve but a short sleeve? What’s the point in that?!
After years of impulse buying and having a wardrobe bursting at the seams with little in it that made me feel good – I was always a repeat offender on floaty dresses/tops which just made me look like a sack of spuds – I now deliberate most wardrobe potential purchases before buying (do I actually need another cute grey jumper??) – but I have to confess I have just impulse bought a pair of those Oasis jeans (but in my defence I have been looking for a pair that I really liked for a while and they are offering 20% off online for denim – so it would have been rude not too :D)
Absolutely Jane – and if you’ve been after something for a while AND it has a discount then you simply must purchase.
Love the ASOS floral shirt dress you’ve featured – its currently sitting in my basket, but I think it may well be a ‘what not to wear’ for me. I suppose I could just try on and send back….
Great refunds at ASOS Nicola. I’ve ordered it too 😉 x
Sleeves are a funny thing. I have recently realised that I can’t stand long sleeves that finish right where my hand starts (if that makes sense) and cannot be pushed/folded up. I have some tops where the material is either too stiff or tight for that and it bugs the hell out of me and makes me avoid said garments. I think I feel the same – although not as strongly – about flouncey sleeves too!! Great post xx
Thanks Diane! Sleeves are indeed a funny thing!
Mine is high heels – they look so pretty but I really cannot be bothered with tired feet so they never get worn! Or anything for regular wear that needs dry cleaning – let’s be honest that won’t happen much!
Adoring your shirt dress choices Lauren, just bought 2 from oasis at the weekend though so no more of those for me!
Ooh Fran which shirt dresses did you buy? Oasis have some cute ones in!
Been there done that with the dry cleaning – so tedious (and expensive) to keep taking your garb there.
I got a khaki short sleeved one and a navy/cream/flowery one to wear to my cousins wedding (Casual dress code dilemma sorted!). Was really tempted by the anchor print one though – oasis are definitely killing it with the shirt dresses this season!