In the first 2 articles in the building your wardrobe series, I took you through steps to help you both grasp your personal style and build the foundation of your winter wardrobe. Today you complete the 20 piece capsule wardrobe by selecting the colors and styles that will make your style unique.
Build your wardrobe step 4: Color in Your Style
Foundational pieces
Let’s begin by taking a look at the 12 essentials we picked for our capsule from the second article in this challenge series. Remember, these are the foundation pieces upon which you can create a very unique personal style.
Furthermore, these are the pieces that are resistant to trends and in which you should invest, as they will be capable of lasting you season after season.
As a reminder, the pieces we selected include:
- Black blazer
- White button-up blouse
- Black long-sleeve t-shirt
- Gray cashmere sweater
- Sleeveless black dress
- Classic trench coat
- Black tailored wool coat
- Dark wash jeans
- Black tights
- Knee-high boots
- Leather gloves
- Oversized scarf
Bohemian
The bohemian style is characterized by loose and flowy pieces with much movement, color and and sometimes some sparkle. A few key pieces can lend a carefree and summer like tone to your winter wear.
Here are 8 bohemian style pieces to add to create a boho-chic flavor to the winter capsule wardrobe:
- Haute Hippie black wide leg pants
- Tory Burch purple kimono
- East kimono
- Eric Javits black wool floppy hat
- Ash fringe over the knee brown boots
- Tory Burch pom-pom bag
- Tory Burch printed silk scarf
- Calvin Klein black fringe handbag
Here are four looks inspired by the bohemian winter capsule wardrobe:
Artsy and eclectic
As discussed in the first article of this challenge, the eclectic style is one that is very hard to capture in words, but you usually know it when you see it.
This style is really a mixture of all kinds of styles that create a very unique and hard to emulate look depending on the wearer. To truly capture this style and make it yours, the goal is to select pieces you feel comfortable in that are creative and artistic.
Here are eight artsy and eclectic style pieces to add a “one of a kind” spin to your winter capsule:
- Stella Jean graphic print skirt
- Solace London paint print wide leg trousers
- Finery floral dress
- Tanya Taylor asymmetric printed silk top
- Sophia Hulme gray leather tote
- Tory Burch cream and gold flats
- Bettye Muller blue brocade print boots
- Echo graphic print silk scarf
Here are four looks combining your basic pieces with your style pieces:
Minimalist
The minimalist style is all about exuding a less is more attitude. Clothes are extremely well tailored and high quality, and the simplest pieces make the biggest impact.
While color can be included, looks will generally keep prints and a variety of colors to a minimum. Simplicity is key for these looks.
Here are eight minimalist style pieces to add to create a simple, yet chic flavor to the capsule wardrobe:
- Reiss cream turtleneck sweater
- Ellesd black leather leggings
- Sam Edelman pointed toe tan pumps
- Eric Javits black wool floppy hat
- Ame Moi leather satchel
Here are four looks combining your basic pieces with your style pieces:
Classic
The classic style is usually timeless and classic as the name suggests. These are the pieces that usually last the longest in your wardrobe and are often the anchors of capsule wardrobes.
The style is often compared to preppy styles and is very much aligned with the sartorial choices of names like Jackie O, Oprah, and Lauren Bacall.
- J. Crew chambray shirt
- Reiss cream turtleneck sweater
- Reiss brown ankle trousers
- Brahmin black leather handbag
- Hobbs breton shirt
- Wilsons Leather blanket scarf
- Sam Edelman pointed toe tan pumps
Here are four winter looks utilizing pieces from the classic capsule wardrobe:
Trendy
The trendy and fashionable style is an embrace of seasonal trends. These fresh of the runway looks are about taking risks and gladly standing out.
Keep in mind that out of all of the different style personalities, this style profile tends to be less resistant to seasonal trends. However, a great style tip to keep in mind is to pay attention to what makes the trends stand out and incorporate elements of what you like into potentially timeless pieces (such as asymmetrical cashmere sweaters or bold skirts and shoes).
- River Island metallic pink pleated midi skirt
- Ellesd black leather leggings
- Tibi coral cashmere sweater
- Eric Javits black wool floppy hat
- Pinko fur gilet
- Marc Fisher berry suede pumps
- J. Crew red plaid shirt
- Foley + Corinna fur satchel
Here are four looks inspired by the runway and trendy winter styles:
This concludes our short series on how to build a wardrobe.
Which steps will you take to create that perfect wardrobe?
P.S. Coming soon! The 40+Style club will help you create the perfect wardrobe for your style. Monthly ready-made capsules, challenges, workshops and interaction will make this the most stylish club on the internet! Get on the waitlist and receive our free kickstart-your-style checklist.
You can shop the pieces featured in this post here below:
