This is the 5th and final installment of my fall collaboration with Appleseed’s. Appleseed’s is a great place to find quality staple pieces and that is exactly what you want when putting together a capsule wardrobe. I’ve selected my pieces from Appleseed’s this month with a capsule wardrobe in mind, and I’m very excited to share my thought process around those selections with all of you.

I honestly believe that capsule wardrobes are the easiest way to make sure that your time isn’t consumed with trying to figure out what to wear. And that your budget isn’t stretched thin with trendy pieces that call out to you enthusiastically from the racks only to go radio silent when you get them home and realize that they don’t actually work with anything else you own. But most importantly, I believe that when you own quality well-fitting pieces that work for your lifestyle, you always feel good about what you’re wearing. I’m a huge proponent of making it easier to feel your best. Streamlining your wardrobe is a fantastic way to do that while looking effortlessly chic. 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with a capsule wardrobe, the term was coined in the 1940s but got a resurgence in the 1970s by Susie Faux- the owner of a London boutique called Wardrobe. According to Faux, “a capsule wardrobe is a collection of a few essential items of clothing that do not go out of fashion, such as skirts, trousers, and coats, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces.”

A capsule wardrobe usually consists of about 25-30 pieces that you can mix and match. I make one every season but mine usually consist of fewer core pieces and more outerwear for fall/winter. Cardigans, jackets, and blazers are typically where I splurge. For the other items, I look for quality classic pieces at a reasonable price. Appleseed’s is a great partner on this post because that’s exactly what they’re known for.

The first place I tend to start when crafting my capsule is with my tops. I love analogies so let’s pretend you’re casting for your next big feature- Le Capsule Wardrobe! Tops are what I’d consider the main characters of your wardrobe as these are what people tend to focus on first. Blouses, sweaters, button-downs, and tees all fall into this category. Here are a few that I hand-selected:

The Crew Neck- This ribbed crew neck sweater in Balsam featured above is a wonderful staple piece for a capsule collection because it’s versatile enough to use as a layering piece or it can stand on its own. The army green shade is perfect for fall but acts as a nice neutral base as well.

I’d pick a couple of neutral tops like the one above and add a turtleneck. I love this one in camel for an elegant look and a great neutral base (here).

Then I’d select a few stand-out pieces like a pop of color-see this Ribbed Cotton Crewneck in goldenrod or an interesting one like this Denim Cable Sweater. Think of these as rising stars. Speaking of rising stars, a white button-down like this one is a great layering or stand-alone piece to add if you work outside of the home. And a slightly dressy tee like this V-Neck Tee in paisley which works great either way. You could wear this under blazers and cardigans too.

After selecting your main characters it’s time to add a few bottoms-these are your supporting players.

A pair of black pants are always a great pick too, I like these corduroy pants (see them here).

My capsules always include denim-these Slimsation Ankle pants come in 3 different denim hues.

And this caramel-colored pair works beautifully for fall too. If corduroy isn’t your thing, the Slimsation pants mentioned above come in black too.

I’d also add a skirt because that always expands your options. This Corded Velour Skirt in Navy would pair well with several of the tops (think paisley tee, white button-down and the denim sweater) and give you a few additional dressier occasion looks.

And speaking of looks, your capsule can’t be complete without a great coat. This is your leading lady or man- the star! After all, a great coat can easily take center stage. You know how much I love this one if you’ve been following along with this series. Any standout outerwear piece can do the trick but you won’t find many of this quality at the price point found here. In the fall-winter months, your outfit (no matter how chic) just can’t shine under shabby outerwear. Your coat will be the first and last thing people see.

That’s pretty much it for a small capsule- just throw in a few good accessories that you could wear with pretty much every look and you’re done. If you like to keep it simple like I often do,  just keep in mind that accessories are like the movie extras of your wardrobe. They just complete the scene or help with the visual vibe. 

You don’t have to go crazy with them. Just top off your look with a few extras like a great bag-this hobo is perfect for fall and a versatile shoe like this pair of Bandolinos, and you can create several amazing effortlessly chic fall looks with just a few key pieces.

I’d love to hear what your thoughts are on capsule wardrobes and whether or not you’ve ever given one a try. 

Until next post,

Xo Tonya