Capsule #3 / Outfit 31
I’m feeling conflicted.
I’m in this totally refreshed place personally, where I want to be present in the moment. I want to live up summer while it lasts. We still have two more months of hot temperatures and pool days here in Texas. So I don’t want to even think about fall right now — and I definitely don’t want to get caught up in wishing summer away for fall.
But …
On the other hand, lots of you have been asking about my Fall capsule. You’re ready to see it, and I totally get that. I mean, fall is fashion season. #theseptemberissue
And I’m super excited about sharing my fall capsule + tips on transitioning your summer clothes into fall-ish looks, too.
But honestly, I haven’t even started thinking about my fall capsule yet. Since my fall season officially starts October 1st, I wasn’t planning on shopping til mid September. But … is it going to totally bum you out to wait that long?
What can we do here to make you + me happy? Should we start talking about fall? Should I post my fall capsule early? Or should we just sit tight and soak up the rest of summer?
While you’re deciding, here’s my quick fall tip: Glasses + Birks. Two pieces you can add to your outfits to make them a little more fall-ish. Okay, I’m done.
And here’s the summer playlist I’ve been obsessed with lately.
Glasses: Warby Parker
Top: Zara (similar or similar)
Bottoms: Zara (similar)
Shoes: Topshop
Bag: Marc Jacobs
What a chic casual look! I’m perfectly fine with holding off on the fall conversation for a few more weeks. I’m not ready for the summer to end either : )
Oh dear! This post is timely. I’ve been reading since July, so excited by the idea and slowly paring and trying out in preparation for really Doing It in Fall. But I am going to admit that here, in NYC, I have been sort of pep-talking myself along the lines of, “You can do it…you don’t need Caroline’s example for your first try at a capsule (even though summer has been wonderful as you pare your closet skewing near Caroline’s summer capsule)…You can create your own Autumn (panic panic) capsule!”
I’m pretty sure here I’ve got to do Sept-November for Fall…it’s colder earlier here. Either that or follow your schedule and wear the jeans / trackpants part of my summer wardrobe for all of September. Which might be fine.
You know what the niggling worry is? It’s that the Fall lines are in the stores, and that make you panic-y that you’re going to miss something that might be Important to the Capsule. I am not a good, shopper (the amount I’ve purged recently as I really examine what I love and what works for me attests to that) and I’m trying to embrace your calm, Spend-for-Quality-and-because-you-have-a-Plan-For-Each-Piece approach. So, blurg, how are you going to manage shopping as late as October when the coat…you know, The Coat (that is perfect and might solve many getting dressed problems)…that you want might well be sold out because other people who recognize quality have snapped it up?
Anyhoo that’s where I am. Sorry for the nervous nelli-ishness.
THIS. YES. I’m feeling the exact same way. I’m here in Florida so my fall season will probably start closer to November (if it can even be called a fall season), but I’m having trouble picking pieces for my fall capsule and I’m eager to see what you (Caroline) pick so I can have a guideline of sorts since I feel we have very similar style.
I would be game for talking about fall a little bit – pieces you’re thinking of getting, etc. I’m super excited to see your fall capsule, but you should show us when you’re ready. This is YOUR blog after all! :)
Yes, I agree with everything said here. In the UK, fall is basically the continuance of spring so I probably wore my cut offs only thrice. And with most of Europe’s summer being kinda crappy this year…
Anyways, because we all love your style and want to “steal” a little of it for ourselves, you could do something like what Nicolle said – tell us what some of your key pieces will be for fall, maybe link us to a few items that you’ve got your eye on?
But only do whatever you feel comfortable with! :-)
Kat
I am 100% with you LITERALLY word for word on your first paragraph lol. (not. panicking. NOT.) I’m in Colorado and will be totally screwed if I don’t get my act together, or at least pick out some appropriate boots before the first snows come. I’m thinking September-November for my next season too, however, I have not made any sort of plan yet. I don’t even have a PLA (friends reference, anyone?)
You’re not alone in your nelliness.
I agree with Emily…I’m in Kansas City and was planning for my fall to be sept-nov so I could switch it up in time for the coldest of the cold this winter. I’m sure I could figure it out without you (hahaha) but I was looking forward to seeing your balance of warmer/colder pieces. With our weather here, it could be 100 and it could be snowing! I don’t want to end up with just shorts and snow boots!
My first comment! I have followed your blog for a couple of months now and I absolutely love it. So, thank you for doing what you’re doing! Like one of the other commenters, my fall wardrobe will be sept – nov. As a New Englander, our summer days are definitely limited. I would love to see your fall capsule sooner rather than later if that is what you choose! (But I totally get that you are in TX and don’t want to wish away your summer days thinking about fall too early!)
I am so excited to see your fall wardrobe!! But I don’t mind if it comes later. Here in the Midwest we often don’t truly get fall until October. There’s plenty of hot summer-like days in September still. But I would love to see it early too! Perhaps half way through September or something?
Hi Caroline!- I absolutely LOVE your blog and had been looking for something like this for a long time. A capsule wardrobe is an idea I have been toying with for a few years now and all the blogs or info I found about them made them seem like a mammoth undertaking! SO THANK YOU for making this so much more accessible.
I’m like the others, I would prefer the Fall capsule sooner rather than later. I’m a Texas girl too (San Antonio!) so I get why you would want to wait, but right now I live in Germany and Fall is already knocking! Our styles are very similar so I really am looking forward to your inspiration. I’ve kinda started looking on my own-and it’s been frustrating! I would really love to see your process!
Keep doing what you’re doing, It is awesome and inspiring!
Gosh, I could have written Emily’s post. Fall starts in Sept pretty much in England. I cannot even express in words how identical our styles are so to have found your blog has been nothing short of amazing. I already own a large selection of pieces from your current and previous capsule – not necessarily the exact same but certainly similar. (Already owned before discovering your blog) So, I cannot wait to see your fall capsule. It’s like counting down to Christmas as a kid! Any chance you could compromise and post it mid Sept?? That seems like the perfect solution to keep readers happy whilst staying true to the fact you live in a warm climate.
I love the direction your blog has taken recently – lots of outfit posts with other “lifestyle” posts sprinkled in. I think it would be great if you could post some fall inspiration around now. Show how you figure out what to buy for the next season, what your process is, how you find deals, etc. Might be interesting to see how you plan your big quarterly shopping trip before you actually have to buy the fall clothes! I also live in the northeast like many of the other ladies, and it’s been feeling like fall lately, so I’m planning my capsule soon and would love to see how you get ready for the next season! But, no matter what you decide to do, I’ll still keep coming back every day! :)
I’ll 2nd this – personally, my “fall” starts much earlier as I often time it with the beginning of the school year (since I both teach and am a graduate student). Definitely define your seasons how they work for you, but I would love to hear your thoughts on transitioning to fall while I’m making my fall capsule that I’ll probably start wearing in September. I could totally see this as a couple of “lifestyle” types of articles on seasonal transitions and fall layering, while your outfit posts could focus on the season that you’re actually in.
I too am a Midwesterner. I have been flirting with the thought of creating my own capsule wardrobe (thanks to you!), but how to accommodate seasonal transitions is where I get really stumped. Here in Omaha, it is truly possible to have weather that is suitable for both tank tops & a parka in the span of a few days (sometimes even the same day), and I am not sure how to accommodate that with the limited number of pieces. So even if you aren’t planning to roll out your fall look until October, I would really love to read your thoughts on handling seasonal transitions stylishly much sooner.
This look is lovely! I would also love to see your capsule wardobe sooner because my fall will start in September (I live in Montreal so it starts end of August… sigh…). But I totally get that it is hard to plan and especially buy all your pieces for fall when you are still in the middle of your summer!! Maybe a solution would be to write few posts about some fall key pieces (like The Coat!! as Emily said) that you already have ou would like to get and how to pair it with other pieces, it will give us some ideas! You could also use pictures from Pinterest of nice/minimalist fall outfits and explain why you like them and why you think they would work for you. That way you don’t have to buy/decide anything but it will get us inspired about our own fall wardrobe. :)
I am ready to hear about your fall capsule as I’m new to capsule wardrobes…but I agree, it might be a little early! Perhaps a few notes from you to guide us would be appreciated!! I can’t wait to see what you come up with, but I, like you, will enjoy every last second of summer! (Fall comes quickly in New England)! :)
Although I’m another Canadian loving your blog, unlike Montréal my fall won’t likely start until the end of September. However, a lot of retailers make up for our need for something fall-like in September by putting ‘BTS’ (back to school) collections together… even for adults who don’t attend school anymore. They’re sometimes labelled ‘BTS-Fall’, but often it’s just the BTS collect, and they tend to be fall-inspired (colour, cut), but summer weight. Maybe a mini-series on BTS inspired looks? You offer some of those tips already! I would love to see the ’20-degrees-to-snow-in-a-day’ transition range as well, though. Guest post time?
Love your work so far. Thanks for sharing!
When we’re excited for something we always want it to come by fast right? Of course I’m curious about your fall wardrobe capsule (and maybe start my first semi-capsule wardrobe!), buuut I’m also curious about your winter capsule (when I’m hoping to set up my first true capsule wardrobe) and I’m also curious to see how your style will have evolved between your first spring capsule and your second spring capsule (or was summer the first one? I haven’t been following you that long…)
Anyway, point of all that blah blah is that we always want to get our hands on new and exciting things as fast as possible. But sometimes waiting a little longer makes it all the more exciting when it’s actually here ya know? Maybe post something on transitioning clothes and other “capsule preparation” posts if you want to, but I wouldn’t start on your fall capsule unless YOU feel like it’s time.
I was planning to delve into the fall capsule at the end of September, when it’s suddenly no sun all rain down here where I live (do we count rain boots as part of the capsule wardrobe? Because that’s the only shoes I would require). And I am already pinning some stuff onto my secret capsule board (Pinterest is great, isn’t it?). So it would be interesting to see how your picks will be totally different from my picks so I would rethink and return everything. Nah, I’m only kidding, it would be interesting to challenge myself to create the capsule on my own without blindly repeating your picks, but it also would be great to have your advice along the way (if you will post your capsule a bit earlier). Either way, I’m in!
Just wondering… is there maybe another blogger who does capsules to do a guest post on the topic, if you are not ready to share a fall capsule. Which makes sense, considering how hot it is for you in TX.
Hi Caroline, love your blog. I have been toying with the idea of a capsule wardrobe for ages and just discovered your blog. The idea of seasons is genius, why didn’t I think of that myself? Honestly, that has been a major hurdle in my thinking.
Living in England it seems like Fall (Autumn) has come already, boo, so I am definitley planning to kick off with my first ‘true’ capsule for sept-nov. It would be fun to hear your thoughts about how to put together a Fall capsule. My style differs from yours so I think I will be ok selecting specific items myself (already well on my way with that) but some more about approach, layering, colours, accessories, tricks etc would be fun.
Thanks!
I’m going to be starting my first capsule wardrobe in September for fall as I live in DC and I don’t think I can survive living off my fall capsule in December… So I’m with the comments that state they would like to see Fall capsule wardrobe early because it would be nice and helps a lot with my first capsule if I can see some inspiration! It doesn’t have to be a full capsule yet, as I’m sure you need time to plan and shop for the pieces you need, but maybe like a images of a few key items you think would be important for fall and are consider getting would be nice!
Thank you for doing this blog, it’s very inspiring and really helps motivate me to shop smarter! :)
I am absolutely loving your blog. It is such a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of other fashion blogs I read. I live in Maine and sadly, we are already having some fall like weather. I’d say the sooner the better… but I totally get if you wait a little while. I’m still trying to get rid of old clothes, sell clothes, and save up to start investing in good quality pieces.. so take your time :) Thanks!
Two thoughts.
One: as another midwesterner who’s starting her fall capsule October 1, a little sneak peak in September would be, well, divine. You have this deliriously wonderful gift of taking something overwhelmingly chaotic (for beginners) and making it effortlessly lovely. And there’s some serious truth to our anxiety — uhoh, I’ve used the ‘a’ word. Maybe I need to reevaluate where my heart is — over all the great finds getting snatched up before we can lay our hands on them (hello, all those great fall steals that our fashionista friends nabbed at Target are already sold out). But you should absolutely do what YOUR heart desires. If starting falls shopping takes away from your moment, then to heck with us all. We’ll get creative. Which leads me to my second point.
Two: Ladies. We all want Caroline’s style. Like bad. It’s exactly the style we always wanted but never knew. If only there were a digital place where she could store all of her favorite fall looks as she comes across them, and it would be public for all to see, but wouldn’t get in the way of her blogs very summer vibe. Wait. There is. On a little site called Pinterest. And her fall board has been crazy handy as I’ve started to build my own. So go on, stalk and shop away. http://www.pinterest.com/caroline_joy/
And Caroline, thank you so much for all you do. You’re opening so many minds and hearts to freer, simpler, happier, {and trendier} lives.
Huh! Thanks for reminding me about this. I guess that’s Pinterest’s intended use…(I just use it to remind myself of stuff I want, but yes, stalking. I get it now.)
that’s quite a connundrum! being an east-coaster i’d love to see your fall capsule now for guidance. since you have another month to go before you even begin your shopping though, i’d suggest just writing up a post with tips for fall and trends that you already have you eye one – maybe even a lookbook with all the peices from your favorite stores that you are considering. you did a great job with it on today’s post by sharing one tip: glasses + birks. that kind of info would be enough to get me going in the right direction. and once you share your wardrobe in october, it’ll be fun to see what you came up with versus the rest of us!
I think it’s your blog and your wardrobe and you should do what’s most convenient for you. I look forward to seeing what you come up with when you’re ready to share it.
I live in northern VA where fall can be unpredictable. I think we’ve got at least a month left of summer temps, so I’ve started thinking about what I want fall to look like, but I haven’t bought too many pieces yet. (This is compounded with the fact that I had a baby 7 months ago and I’m still losing weight/dealing with a changing body). I know that for my palette I’m looking at a lot of heather grays, forest/deep greens, and dark denim/navy.
Also, for the gals struggling with plunging into a capsule wardrobe, I urge you all to check out the Wardrobe Architect Series that Sarai Mitnick of Colette Patterns ran earlier this year. It was an immensely helpful exercise for identifying and building a core style and capsule wardrobe. Also, you don’t have to be a sewist to do it. http://www.coletterie.com/category/wardrobe-architect
I vote for waiting! It’s definitely too soon for fall. I’m still waiting for the real summer to arrive, it has not been warm enough for my liking for more than a few days here in Michigan. Jealous of your super-long Texas summer!
Girl, take your time. Out here in coastal California the good weather doesn’t officially start till September. I’m just considering shorts and what not now. Fall for me will start November 1.
I love this outfit. I think it is my favorite of the Summer Capsule so far! That top is just the best ever. :)
Please live in the moment and wait until you are ready to post Fall stuff! Life is all about living in the moment. I can understand that you want to keep your readers happy, but if your heart is not in it, it will not be a true Fall Capsule. It is a little harder since you haven’t had a full year here on this blog yet, next year will be a lot less stressful because people can refer to the archives. :) I think it is possible to do some of the awesome suggestions above like have a guest post and maybe do a general post on seasonal transitions (maybe incorporating more scarves or tights that wouldn’t be included in a Capsule wardrobe).
Since it is all about minimalism and a lot of the pieces you use come from previous seasons as well as what you already have, I think if people want to start their Fall in September, why don’t they start with what they have in storage from last year, live with it, see what they need, and then how they can build on it in October when you post your ideas.
Of course, I live in South Florida, so Fall doesn’t really exist at all. And our winter is more like pre-spring. But I would still encourage you to live up Summer and work on Fall when your heart tells you it is time.
To second one of the comments above, I think it’d be great if you could do another post or two on the choosing and finding of pieces for the capsules. Where are your favorite places to look for outfit inspiration before shopping? If you only shop within a two-week window, how do you ensure that you get good deals on the items? I think these types of posts will tide people over until the actual fall capsule reveal.
In the meantime, keep up the great work! You’ve inspired me to try and build my own fall capsule for September-November. Fingers crossed!
First off I’d like to say that you have really inspired me! I have been needing something like this to get me out of my shopping slump/overspending. With that said, I found that it really helps me stick to stricter shopping guidelines if I can keep in mind what is in your capsule. It’s really good motivation to say “nope I don’t need that as I can make so many outfits similar to yours! I also live in Canada so fall creeps up on us rather quickly :). Selfishly I think it would be super helpful in planning my fall shopping to pick your brain and see what items qualify as your “essentials” that will fit in many outfits. I think this would help whittle my own list down for sure. But do what will be best for you! Either way keep doing what you’re doing please :)
I like the sneak peak idea, but don’t introduce your whole capsule until Oct since that makes sense in your climate. Or maybe have a few more post these remaining few weeks about shopping, or the fashions this season you may be using. Just an idea….
Personally, I will be starting my next capsule September 15 – Dec 1 because the days start getting cooler here then. Plus, I like “new” things to wear for the Christmas season. I will start shopping September 1st. I started this capsule plan just recently so I am not ready to give it up on September 1st. :-)
It will be definitely fun to get all fall-ish soon, but It’s still summer! Mid-late Sept is when I start really longing for real fall, so I am on the same page with you, right now LATE SUMMER FUN. ;)
I’m new here- what’s your Fall capsule? And I live in Chicago so we have about a month tops of warm weather left and I’m SO not ready for Fall!! I love the pumpkin spice lattes and the cozy sweaters, but that means winter is just a short hop away. I’m not mentally prepared for that hell haha. But on a HAPPIER note, love your look here! Berks all the way :)
xo marlen
Messages on a Napkin
Caroline, I would love to see a sneak peek of your outfit plans for fall! Maybe even just what you’re thinking color/texture wise, it doesn’t have to get too crazy ;)
Thank you!
Ahhh, I totally agree with what everyone else has said. I think in most of the country, Fall starts in September and I know in Ohio, where a lot of my family lives, they’re already experiencing fall like days. As someone who used to live in Texas, I totally understand that you have a few months of summer left though (it’s never ending!). So I think if you had your fall capsule out in September it may be a more helpful time for readers – but of course, the whole point of the capsule is to not add stress to your life. So if you can’t do it early, we’ll all suffer and wait ;)
I’ve been reading since the beginning and can’t wait to see more! I love how simple and chic your style is and it’s really inspired me to find a comfortable but still stylish wardrobe of my own. As a stay at home mom, I’ve fallen into the yoga pant trap quite a bit and although I wanted to bust out of it, there wasn’t much motivation to do so. Seeing you pair up things like these track pants with a cozy top made me realize I could still dress nice and comfortable….fit for a park play date or errands or even a lunch date with my husband with a swap of some shoes. xoxo
I live in a cooler weather climate (the pacific northwest!), so I’m already thinking fall outfits. If you don’t want to do your whole capsule, what about something like a 10 essential pieces post, with some items you are planning on carrying over from spring or summer for your fall capsule and a handful of items you are thinking of buying? But you are the blogger, and your content is so good because you do what you want! So keep true to yourself!
I like this idea! We know you won’t be shopping for fall outfits anytime soon, but surely you’ve already started thinking about what summer pieces you’ll want to carry over (like the Shooties). This would be a really fun post as some of those pieces are on sale now!
Yes!! This!
Hi Caroline!
I just discovered your blog yesterday, and I’m already hooked! I’ve been feeling really uninspired by my closet lately, and I’ve mulled over the idea of some major changes and steps toward a more minimal style. It’s just like you say—you buy cute, trendy pieces, but you always end up reaching for your favorites anyway. I just didn’t really know how to go about it, but our styles are very similar and your approach seems really wonderful and totally doable (even if it is a bit intimidating at first!).
I live in Atlanta, and our seasons don’t quite follow typical patterns (we really only have summer and winter, with one month of fall and spring at most). I was originally planning to start my own fall capsule in October as well since things won’t cool down until then, but I agree with some previous comments about being worried that the fall clothes will be picked over. So I think my plan will be to buy a few items earlier in Sept., because I have a good idea of what I’m looking for already, and then get inspiration for the rest from your capsule whenever you decide to post it. Thank you for giving me the inspiration and the courage to finally take some much-needed steps toward being happy with my closet! :)
This is my first time commenting, so first I’ll say thank you so much for what you are doing with this blog! You’ve inspired me to clean up my wardrobe, and I love that you’re a good “style match” for me, which is hard to come by! I love every single outfit that you’ve posted!!
Here in Southern California, we don’t typically see a true “winter” season and I would say our “fall” season probably doesn’t start until November. BUT I’m sure a lot of other readers are in places where the fall season probably begins in September. In my head, it makes sense to go with a fall capsule from Sept-Nov and a winter capsule from Dec-Feb, but that’s just my opinion! It will be hot here for another couple months, but I’m anxious to start shopping for some fall pieces now. :p
One other thing… I love your hairstyles, and I’m curious about whether or not you think you might do any hair tutuorial blog posts? I have never been able to achieve wavy curls like yours, but I would love to learn how!!
Thanks again for all you do!! I’m hooked!
Agreed on hair posts! Your hair gorgeous.
As someone living in Houston, I can’t even THINK about fall right now. In fact, I might only be doing three capsules – summer, winter, and transition. We don’t really have all the seasons!
This is a very timely post. :) I am currently enjoying my summer capsule and haven’t tired of it at all yet. However, as a teacher that’s headed back to school next week, I must say I have blurred the rules a bit and prepared my more professional fall capsule early. I have been so anxious to see what you select for fall… but I can be patient, too. :) LOVE every one of your posts and am so thankful I found your blog earlier this summer!
PS I am still so curious how you forgo your urge to shop in between capsules. I have read your wisdom about it on the blog… but I’m not quite there yet. Maybe it’s because I am too much of a planner, but I felt like I wanted to spend my whole summer (while enjoying my summer capsule wears) anticipating/shopping for my fall capsule items. #hellonordstromanniversarysale
Caroline! I think that you hit the nail on the head– there has to be a better metaphor– okay, tied the laces on the shoes– still not right but moving on– when you mentioned #theseptemberissue. Perhaps a series of inspirational posts regarding #theseptemberissue and upcoming trends/key pieces would align your blog with what is going on in the fashion world more seamlessly. But then again, I love what you are already doing and totally understand why you have set up your capsule seasons given where you live. I’m happy with however you choose to proceed. :-)
I love love love your blog!! I think I sort of agree with the others-perhaps chatting about fall a little sooner than planned wouldn’t be so bad. I think that you have done a really good job making your summer capsule work well into the fall. You have some long dresses and tops with sleeves, etc. I, however, can’t wear a shirt with real sleeves in the summer to save my life, and pants are forgotten in lieu of shorts and dresses. So, my summer wardrobes starts to become too cold as September creeps closer.
Luckily, I live in the Southwest where the weather is great all year and you can get away with shorts/t-shirts etc… well into the Fall. I can see where some of the East Coast readers are getting a little stressed; when I lived in PA, summer was basically over by September 1.
Whether we start talking about Fall early or not, I will still enjoy reading your posts! I’m hooked on your minimalist approach. Also, bravo for making track pants work-they look terrible on me, I totally can’t pull it off ha!
Hi! I just wanted to tell you that I discovered your blog yesterday (via Kate from the small things blog) and I poured over basically every single post last night! I am so excited to try the wardrobe capsule concept. I’m 7 1/2 months pregnant so I sort of have to work with what I have until October but I’m already thinking about my fall capsule of “regular” clothes! You’ve inspired me to clean out my closet, stop buying new things until baby comes and be much more selective with my shopping moving forward. I’m so excited to get started and to continue following you in your journey as well! xLiz
It’s getting chilly up in Canada and I had to bust out some of my fall pieces early!! Rather than seeing your specific outfits before you actually use your fall capsule, I’d like to see a few more inspiration posts and ideas, maybe some posts detailing your planning and shopping process? Not just a ‘how-to’ but sort of an account of what you did that day and how much of your planning was completed.
I’m starting in Sept and am jonesing for your Fall capsule!!!
I have to admit, I’m like the others, and just this past week I’ve been thinking “I wonder what Caroline’s going to include in her fall wardrobe?”. ;) I live in West Texas, so I totally understand how summer here can last until Thanksgiving. BUT… learning from experience, if I wait until then to start planning my wardrobe and then going out to buy stuff, it’s all sold out online and I end up settling for what’s left, which is kind of a bummer. I didn’t start reading your blog until this summer, so I’ve been preparing my big capsule wardrobe launch to be this fall (or maybe even the New Year, depending on my budget the rest of the year). I want to do things right, but I also don’t want to settle on a wardrobe that’s made up of what’s been picked over in stores. ;) So to answer your question, I’d love love love to see some sneak peeks, even, or tips on planning for this fall season!!
Cute outfit! I wish Warby Parker had the at-home try-on for the Miles glasses. They look so great on you, but I wouldn’t want to risk getting them with my prescription and not have it work.
I’ve been following for a few weeks after finding you on Instagram. It’s been a great motivation to get high quality pieces I’ve had my eye on for – literally – years. Since I only recently found you, my closet’s in a sort of in-between capsule right now. Part summer, part fall. Fall is my favorite time for clothes so I don’t need too much guidance, but I am eagerly anticipating your fall capsule like everyone else.
I think as others said, some information about your preparation for fall would be great – inspiration, pieces you have your eye on, your actual process of shopping for the fall capsule, etc. But I think you should definitely wait until you’re ready to reveal your fall capsule. I will admit, however, that I’ll be bummed if I finalize my fall capsule and then end up wanting a bunch of your pieces!
I live in California where it’s still in the 100’s, so no need for fall clothing anytime soon over here. I don’t even start thinking about fall until mid/late September!! Take your time and enjoy summer :)
I would love to have you talk about fall early since I’m in Oregon! Thank you so much for this blog though – you totally inspired me to clean out my closet last weekend and to only keep pieces that I truly love.
Hi Caroline,
Are there any items you wish you had included in your summer capsule or ones you regret including? Would love to hear more on this.
Here in Chicago it never really got very hot, and I anticipate jackets will be necessary by mid-September. I am looking forward to trying my own version of a fall capsule wardrobe (let’s not count puffy coats, mittens, or wool socks in the 37 items because I will then have no room for pants) but will probably have to start it a little earlier than October 1. I might start planning and sorting through my own closet this weekend.
your style is sincerely fab! love the clean lines, comfy look
ladies in navy
I didn’t read all the comments above, so I’m probably not the first to say this. I think it is beautiful that you are teaching patience and moderation. The point is not to go shopping, but to pare down, be more thoughtful and need less instant gratification. I know people have different seasonal situations, but I feel like you’ve provided us with the tools we need to make it work. You do have flawless taste, so I can understand that people want to buy what you buy, but again, that’s not what your blog is about. I appreciate this approach to style and also taking one aspect of life and taking the anxiety out of it. You’ve really done well with this. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and time in creating such a needed system.
I don’t have time to read everyone else’s comments, so this may have been said before… but:
1. You do the capsule wardrobe for YOU, not for us, so we can be patient and wait for your capsule to happen when it’s supposed to!
2. While I love the OOTD format of your blog, I think more “behind the scenes” stuff would also be helpful. And they could also help bring fall to us sooner. So, for example, in September when you start filling out your fall wardrobe planner, maybe let us in on it step-by-step? You could show us clothes you think will extend from summer with other items you’re thinking of purchasing (i.e., you wouldn’t have to be wearing the outfit to show it to us).
3. I’m a college professor and my fall quarter starts the last week of September, so my fall capsule will be starting closer to October than September… so that may be biasing my responses here a little bit!
Here is the thing, Caroline, we all love your style and sage advice. And, yes, the fall lines are out in stores and we want the best. While we don’t want to ruin your summer, we are dying to see your fall capsule. You’ve inspired many more people than you probably realize. I know that my stress level has fallen as I’ve been working through your program. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with others…we truly appreciate you!
YES PLEASE! I just found this blog and I’m desperate to start on a fall wardrobe!! at least some ideas for those of us behind….
I found this blog at the beginning of summer, and I love it! It’s refreshing to be able to read a fashion blog that also is all about simplicity and minimalism. I really like your blog and want you to keep posting, so my vote is to do whatever makes you happy and motivated to keep writing :)
I am a teacher in New England so my Fall definitely starts September 1st! I would love some tips on how to transition some summer pieces onto fall!
Back to school shopping starts now on the East Coast! I would love it if you could share your wardrobes a few weeks before the actual start of the season so that we could have time to shop!
Thanks for the inspiration.
I know there are many comments already but I truly believe you should keep your initial shopping schedule and let us wait in anticipation:) if you do shop too early you’ll be all screwed up for shopping for winter when all the best sales will be after Christmas and they will start putting spring stuff out by January. That just my two cents;) live in the moment of summer for a few more weeks.
First of all…I just found your site and I’m SO glad I did. I feel like I’ve been looking for something like this for so long and you just put everything into words!
I’m planning my first capsule wardrobe for Fall after I have a baby ;-) I live in Austin too and the weather is seriously such a dilemma! I think I might try breaking up the seasons into Sept-Nov Fall, Dec-Feb Winter, March-May Spring, June-August Summer. I know September is still hot around these parts, but Fall is for layering anyway, right? So I’m thinking I’ll just wear less layers in September. Just thought I’d share that little idea. You are most certainly the expert and I love everything you have to say!
I’m from Sweden so here you have already started to feel some autumn chills. I think it would be great reading about how you make the transition and how you can get the most out of your summer wardrobe until the very end!
I can’t wait for the fall-posts! (btw, is it fall or autumn?)
As for many, our fall starts in september in the Netherlands and we’ve been having lots of rain already, so I really need to get shopping on my fall wardrobe – but I’d love to read your thoughts as a guideline.
Although I like your style, I can’t copy 1 on 1 since I have a different shape; but I do like your style as an inspiration!
The only thing that bumms me is that I haven’t been in to this whole capsule thing that long, meaning there might not be that much of a budget… :(
It’s the middle of August, & in The South that means “the middle of Summer”. Live in the moment, enjoy these lazy, hazy days. While you’re lying back gazing at the sky, go ahead & dream about your autumn wardrobe, but enjoy that what you’re feeling on your arms is the warmth of the sun & smooth summer breezes–and not an autumn sweater, which you’ll be shoving your arms in soon enough.
Lovin’ your blog, Caroline. Now, off to the beach…
Hi! I heard about the capsule idea from my sister this summer. I love your style and blog. Living in the mountains summer is just around the corner and I would love to see your fall capsule to get some ideas. Thank you!