It's time to add some new items to the capsule wardrobe based on this scarf, color palette, and mascot.
Here is where we left things in January, with a core of items in the navy blue neutral plus a few fun pieces in the form of the red T, striped cardigan, and rabbit tote.
For February, Janice introduced an outfit consisting of an accent color T, accent color earrings, button up shirt, neutral cropped pants, and ballet flats to each of the wardrobes. I said I was going to hew as closely as I could to her items each month, so I brought in a long-sleeved T and earrings in pink (the capsule's second accent color), a navy check button up shirt (because I desperately need some more prints in this capsule), and navy pointy-toed flats. The cropped pants were a sticking point for me because there is absolutely no way I would ever wear them in February in Minnesota! So I substituted a pair of navy skinny pants. I admit that 3 pairs of pants in basically the same neutral color and no other bottoms is feeling pretty redundant to me, but at least the skinny pants are a different silhouette and a brighter version of navy than the work pants already in the capsule. I am also simply incapable of considering an outfit finished if it has neither a scarf nor necklace so I put in this layered necklace that includes a set of 4 silver chains (1 with a coin pendant), a white faux pearl strand, and a silver Edelweiss pendant with a pink center (passed on to me from my mom, who probably bought it at the German-American Society Christmas market). To finish off the outfit, I added two DIY pink quartz bead bracelets that I made this winter. OK, that looks like an outfit to me!
Light sepia rose long-sleeved T - CJ Banks - 3X - $8.50 - 12/2020
Navy and white check shirt - thrifted, JCP - 2X - $3.60 - 12/2019
Navy skinny pants - ana/JCP - $9.79 - 1/2020
Pale pink 8mm oblong quartz bead bracelet - made by me - winter 2022
Dusky pink 8mm oblong quartz bead bracelet - made by me - winter 2022
Navy pointy-toed flats - Andrew Geller/Kohls - $60.00 - 9/2017
Silver coin pendant and chain necklace set - Kohls - $12.16 - 12/2020
Single strand pearls - Macy's - $19.50 - 12/2013
Silver Edelweiss pendant - gift
With our February additions, I am glad to see both the red and light pink accent colors in the capsule as well as two navy and white print pieces. But it's still so much navy! And without my extra necklaces and bracelets, it would be woefully lacking in accessories. As it is, I can't wrap my mind around winter with only one scarf! But despite these reservations, it's clearly easy to build additional outfits from these pieces.
Following Janice's model, I will show two new outfits for each of the garments that entered the capsule this month, starting with the navy skinny pants. In Outfit #1, I really wanted to pair the brighter pants with the candy red T and the floral scarf. To tone things down, I added the navy cardigan, utilizing the outer column/"suit" color formula. I am not at all bothered that the two pieces of this "suit" are different versions of navy; I think they work together very well and the variety adds an extra dimension to it! Ankle boots and bunny earrings finish off the look.
Outfit #2 is a very simple combination of skinny pants and a button up shirt. I like how the loafers with the two-tone tassels work with the two versions of navy in the outfit. I added silver and pearl jewelry, keeping the look monochromatic. This outfit is perfectly fine, but a little on the plain side for my style; I would be looking to add statement earrings and probably a scarf to jazz it up.
Next let's see how the pink T fits in with our existing pieces. I was excited to combine the striped cardigan and floral scarf in Outfit #3. Stripes + florals is one of the easiest, most satisfying print mixes there is.
Outfit #4 is simpler but I like that it combines a variety of textures and different versions of pink and navy. Once again, the outer column/"suit" color formula comes into play. Of course I really want to add a scarf here, but I think the layered necklace is a nice alternative.
Finally, the navy check shirt adds a little bit of interest to some otherwise rather ho-hum monochromatic navy outfits. In Outfit #5, the navy pants + pullover sweater make an inner column of color. I like that the rabbit tote starts to look a little more intentional now that some pink jewelry, repeating the color of the rabbit ears, has entered the wardrobe.
Outfit #6 utilizes the inner column of color formula as well, topped by a print shirt worn like a shacket. This is a pretty cute look, but as always when faced with a neutral outfit, I want to add some color to it. Wouldn't a cheerful accent color scarf look great here?
So far I'm enjoying this capsule, though it does feel both too neutral-based and too restrictive with its accessories so far. I can better understand having a basics-heavy capsule when it comes to clothing because if you want to limit the number of pieces while still having versatility, neutral garments make a good foundation for building outfits. But to me, there aren't nearly enough accessories to add the necessary pizzazz to these basics (and I have added bracelets and necklaces above and beyond the model capsules!). Outfits #1 and #3 that include the floral scarf have enough color and energy for me, but the others are still missing something. They are very nice outfits but are too minimal, subtle, or neutral for my typical style. I would readily wear them and look fine, but they do not express my personality and preferences as strongly as the other two outfits with the print scarf.
It's interesting to contrast the simpler, more basic outfits above with these three OOTD that contain many of the same pieces but have more going on in them and hence are more "me." I just looked in my OOTD folder for outfits that include some of the pieces above and that I haven't already shared on the blog, so I did not purposely pick outfits that were particularly maximal or ultra-Sally-like. But I think they do a good job of demonstrating some of the extra elements my outfits tend to have.
This first OOTD from February 2020 is a column of color based on the check shirt, pullover sweater, and skinny pants from the capsule, so the foundation is very similar to the outfits above. But notice that I've added both a scarf and necklace to break up the expanse of navy in the front and that there is a fun print mix component with the navy checks, navy-based floral print, and cheetah print. That scarf really ties things together for me because it has the navy and white of the shirt plus the tan of the shoes, and I love that it brings in some accent colors. All of these accessories would fit perfectly with the color palette of my capsule, too!
The second OOTD, which includes the navy work pants and navy loafers from the capsule, has print mixing and a necklace + scarf combination as well. The print mix here is definitely not subtle! This was a WFH outfit from last month, so yeah, even the pandemic has not led me to go easy on the accessorizing.
This third OOTD takes the striped cardigan, one of the most vibrant and noticeable pieces in the capsule, and turns the knob pretty far on the print mix scale with the floral blouse and leopard smoking slippers. Simple trouser jeans and a pretty soft blue scarf that picks up the color of the floral print finish off the pre-pandemic casual Friday work look.
This month's rabbit is anything but basic! Meet Quinn the magpie Harlequin, who is something of a print mix unto herself! The particulars of a Harlequin's coloration can vary (and for show rabbits, there is a challenging standard of perfection they are judged against), but the split sections of white and black (or blue, chocolate, or lilac) are fun and attention-grabbing in every iteration.
Now if only I could add these bunnies to my capsule's rabbit accessories bundle, I could wear the simplest outfits every day yet still be the most stylish woman in town!
Does your use of accessories tend toward the minimal or maximal end of the spectrum?
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