I came around to the idea of a fall capsule wardrobe while watching Ashley aka bestdressed on youtube and the concept is just so intriguing and interesting not to try.
Basically, it’s a mini wardrobe with preselected 30 to 40 clothing items that you totally love, fit you well, and you can mix and match for an entire season. It sounds like a minimalism technique for those who have a collection of clothes that they end up wasting hours digging through piles and trying to find the perfect top just to go to Target.
The goal of a capsule wardrobe is basically to help you easily put together an outfit since you just have limited options and lessen your decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue in decision making and psychology refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made over the course of long hours of decision making. This also includes small decisions like what to eat or what clothes to put on for that day. So the more decisions you make, the tendency is you will make worse decisions over time.
Second, it also fosters creativity in styling your pieces to make them look fresh for every outfit you wear. The third is for practical reasons. Having a capsule wardrobe defends you from the temptation of splurging and impulsive buying because you already have your set of clothes.
But hear me out, ladies. A capsule wardrobe is also a privilege since not everyone really has a pile of clothes to choose from and most really just have 30 items tops on their closet. Nevertheless, with the plethora of options for Fall outfits, we’re sticking to the basics and throwing in some trendy items to style our everyday fall look.
Coordinating Outfit 101
Before we go into curating our fall outfits, let’s first refresh the 101 on coordination. I think most people actually skip this part not only when they’re styling but also when they’re shopping. Most tend to buy quality individual pieces without considering whether it would fit their wardrobe style which in the long run turns the pieces into one-time gigs that you can’t wear anymore.
Here we lay out a few considerations and tips for your next styling or shopping session.
The Color Palette
As we switch from the summery vibes of sandals and sundresses to the full swing of October featuring sweaters and boots, our color palette also shifts from bright colours to darker shades mimicking the colors of the crisp autumn leaves and the sunrise and sunsets.
- Deep Yellow: This color is a staple color from spring through summer and to fall. But for this season we’re bringing down darker shades with mustard, butterscotch, and deep yellow hues.
- Burgundy and Berry: Pop some color with this fall and winter color palette — cherry red and soft, muted pinks and experiment with shades of rich purple and vibrant plum.
- Emerald Green: For the past few years, olive green has been the dominating color of this scheme but emerald green is also becoming a popular shade with its striking and statement-making effect.
- Caramel and Nutty Browns: This shade is never going out of style for fall and caramel and nutty browns and warm tans will definitely complete any basic fall look and also adds coziness (paired with hot choco or a cup of coffee).
The Fall also welcomes soft navy colors and neutral gray into its palette which creates balance with the warm yet dark tones of this season.
In terms of coordination, color palette plays a fun role not only on major statement clothing pieces like your top or bottom garments. An outfit is not just two pieces styled together but the whole package meaning it includes all your accessories — from bags to shoes and to different hair “gears”.
Although it’s good to have seasonal color schemes just like for fall, it’s also best to consider the color of your whole wardrobe and complement it with outfit accessories on the same family (which doesn’t mean monochromatic rather play with shades of the same color) color to make your whole outfit look put together i.e. pastel on pastel, pairing warm colors with earthy tones, and cooler colors with navy blue schemes.
Remember though that this is just a basic guide so don’t be afraid to experiment colors. If you do, try and check out more on the color wheel analysis to know which colors and shades match together well.
Styling Tips
Sometimes, the difference of a poor outfit to a good one is not exactly the clothing pieces rather depends more on the styling. Here are a few tips that you can swear by that will upgrade your “boring” outfit to a more fashionable and flattering one.
- Turn your stiff and awkward long sleeves and pants to a more comfortable and chic look by simply unbuttoning a few buttons up there and exposing a bit of skin (to a level that you are okay with, of course) or rolling up or scrunching your sleeves or the hem of your pants.
- Half tuck the hem of your shirt or loose sweater to create more drama than fully tucking it away which can be more on the formal side of things. But you can also try a full tuck but loosen it a bit to make it more comfortable.
- Emphasize your waist! This is helpful in creating a flattering silhouette especially with layers of clothes during the Fall and Winter.
- Put structure. Structure in an outfit like a belt or any stiff fabric clothing e.g. pleated skirt, blazers can instantaneously elevate any outfit by creating contrast. You can also accentuate with structured items like square cornered bags.
- Rule of Three. Again, outfits are not restricted to coordinating your top with your bottom and like photography, the rule of third can also be applied in styling — that is, by adding a third statement item. It could be as small of a detail as an earring or necklace to a statement bag or attention-grabbing head accessory.
The Essentials of the Fall Capsule Wardrobe
This Fall, check out these nine must-have clothing items.
On top of the list is the signature trench coat of the fall. You can cop this item in varying hues, different styles like belted waistline, detachable hood, and with the different fabric innovations, there’s also the waterproof or water-resistant materials.
A majority of the Spring 2020 collection include a riff on the classic trench coat style and this is something that may continue on to fall.
The double breasted silhouette of this trench coat is characterized by overlapping front flaps with two symmetrical columns of buttons which are considered a timeless and practical piece for unpredictable transitional weather.
For your fall capsule wardrobe, you can never go wrong with the classic beige and similarly toned trench coat because it works in everything: from layering it over your casual denim look to your more feminine floral dress. Boots, heels, or sneakers? Everything fits with this classic item.
If you’re into a shorter cut and edgier look, you can ditch the coat and wear your black leather jacket. This also goes well for both casual to more formal looks. Although one thing about leather jackets is that good quality is expensive. But personal take, it’s always better to splurge on a clothing item that you can practically style with everything and in any season. (Girl, you’re getting your money’s worth. That’s for sure.)
Another fashion staple for every season is at least one to two pieces of dress and for the Fall, cop your dark floral frilled midi dress and your white poplin pleated waist dress shirt. These two items are very versatile pieces that you can easily style up or down according to your mood and your needs. Additionally, your shirt dress can also be modified to a top.
Also, we’re always digging for a good vintage tee that you can pair up with the classic straight cut jeans or the fancier faux leather pants. And it’s also good to have some basic white shirts as backup that you can easily layer with slip dresses or camis. And some sweatshirts you can layer over or if you’re just feeling lazy and you just want to slip in on a comfortable clothing.
And of course, since it’s Fall season, you mustn’t miss out on the chance to wear your favorite boots. And the best thing about boots is that you can choose whether you’d go for ankle high today or knee-high or you decided to be extra with a thigh-high boot.
There are also many different style options. You can go for the three strap moto that fits perfectly with a black leather jacket, or a suede boot for a more formal look, or a thick soled boot for grunge style.
And last but not the least is our classic sneakers. You can never go wrong with a plain old ankle cut or high cut converse but if you’re looking for a more dramatic look (or if you just want to inch up on the height department), chunky sneakers with platform sole is the best choice.
The Capsule Wardrobe: The 2020 Fall Trend
For this season, you can add these themes to your fall wardrobe capsule to catch up with what’s new and add flavor to your staples.
“Men are out but menswear are definitely in.” If Spring has short suits, Fall has skirt suits. This season, skirt suits trend in the business fall fashion with matching top and bottom garments or options for skirts alone. You can cop the skirt suits in different styles ranging from classic yet elegant looks to more feminine tailored tweed styles.
School Girl Staple: The Private School Uniform. Preppy or preppie is a product of the American youth culture and this season preppy is seasoned with patterns of tartan, plaid, and argyle. Though this trend is more reminiscent of the tartan pattern of Western Scotland. Check out this collection which features the combination of both chic and cozy.
The Chic Tassel. The fringe trend this season is all about elevating the casual boho style to a chic tassel look. This trend can be spotted from clothing items to your accessories.
Punky Plaid. Catch up with this trend by taking patterns like tartan, plaid, and gingham to a notch up with rebellious styles like nouveau grunge with incorporation of slip dresses, doc martens, and thick-soled boots.
Patchwork Perfection. Be more creative and extra this Fall with patchworks spotted on folkloric patterns to a more feminine-embroidered patchworks on denim shorts and skirts.
Born to Sparkle. This trend features sequins and heavy metal styles which are perfect for any TGIF party!
Sweater Dress. The sweater dress gets an upgrade with the different embellishments this season. But any sweater dress is already good for your fall outfit.
Lingerie. This Fall 2020, we’re welcoming the sexy side with camis and corsets that you can use to layer your basic shirts or to put more definition on your silhouette.
Mix and Match: A Week’s Worth of Fall Outfits
Monday: The Man
Monday is reserved for the start of the week-long hustle for the workaholics as we’re all grabbing a cup of coffee or some pumpkin spiced latte (care of the Fall/Halloween season) to wake our senses up for this busy day. Today’s outfit is inspired by Taylor Swift’s “The Man”.
As Taylor said, “I’d be a fearless leader, I’d be an alpha type.” This matching suit skirt look is defining subtle elegance in a business outfit. This is perfect for your busy day jam packed with meetings — from managers to clients. The tweed fabric patterned in tartan gives contrast to the black clothing layered underneath and the full tight tuck also adds to the professional businesslike look. This is best paired with suede ankle-high boots.
Tuesday: The Preppy School Girl
Tuesdays are for your preppy and chic style ready to strut out on the street. This look is perfect for your after work or school hang out with your girlfriends at your nearby aesthetic coffee shop. #ForTheGram
This look kind of reminds me of Gossip Girl with a more cozy feeling, care of the turtleneck sweater that is completely tucked in the patterned skirt. The thigh high boots add edge and sexiness to the outfit perfect for your instagram #OOTD. You can dress this outfit down by wearing a vintage tee instead of a sweater, switch to a pleated mini skirt, and three-strap moto ankle high boots then layered with a black leather jacket.
You can also try a corset vest shirt dress like this one which defines your waist and flattering your silhouette.
Wednesday: Dark Floral
For Wednesdays during the Fall season, well, we never wear pink. But we’re switching to the dark shade florals for our fashionable afternoon casual strolls with our dogs. Here are some styles you can try:
Totally digging this grunge floral maxi dress layered with a black leather jacket and paired with ankle-high boots. There’s something with the continuity of the dress to the boots that make it a well-put outfit. You can also experiment with doc marten boots for this look for the total nouveau grunge style.
You can also go with a softer, feminine look with a soft pleated tiered maxi dress paired with strappy heels. A midi dress version of this style coupled with classic sneakers or chunky sneakers is great for a dressed down casual look.
Thursday: Folklore
For the Thursday look, we’re borrowing again from the fashion style of Taylor Swift. This time it’s from the Folklore album which I may or may not have played for a week or so after its release, heavy vibing on “The Exile”. This is inspired with the cabin in the woods away from the hustle and bustle of the city life.
When I think of Folklore and cabin in the woods, I automatically think of cozy sweater dresses and for the fall outfit, matching it with a pair of chunky sneakers adds some modern vibes to it. This is definitely a very comfortable look and the thigh high slit gives a little bit of detail and adds “drama” to the straight cut dress.
You can also layer it with the signature trench coat fashion of the fall which also adds to the warm feeling especially when the air becomes crispier and chiller.
The white beanie and the crossbody sling Louis Vuitton bag definitely finished the look.
Friday: TGIF – Party On!
Of course, Fridays will always be the “let’s grab a beer or a cocktail at the bar” then profusely sweating out on the dance floor. This day is reserved for fun and relaxation after a busy week of work.
This long sleeved sequin top paired with a matching sequined skirt is a celebration of the sparkle trend of Fall 2020 and is one of the most popular party outfits. Complete this look with strappy heels and a clutch and you’re good to go.
You can also try this sequin look.
This is an edgier style of your sparkly look with your sequined skirt paired with a graphic tee and thick soled boots. This is quite a hard style to dress but if you’re up for some Friday challenge, then this will definitely be a look for the books.
Saturday: Casual Get-up
Saturdays are lazy days and the designated grocery shopping and other errands day. For this look, we’re styling with the Fall essentials.
This is your classic basic white shirt, straight cut denim, and classic white converse. You can throw in your trench coat or black leather jacket to add a bit more personality to the outfit and also provide warmth (or you can switch the white shirt with a half tucked sweater). This will also look good with a bucket hat!
Sunday: Fringe Day
Sundays are for your extra chic look before stressful Mondays come in again.
This fringe skirt also incorporates the sparkly trend of Fall 2020 and paired with a black long sleeve turtleneck and heels which is perfect for the fall weather.
