Fall 2014 Days 62 and 63

Yesterday and Today

• Cream Thermal
• Purple Camisole
• Straight Leg Jeans
• Black Dansko
• Brown Cardigan
• Striped Top
• Skinny Jeans
• Low Brown Boots

I was so focused on getting out the door yesterday, that I missed posting pictures.  It is bound to happen.

Yesterday, I had a site visit over the mountains - 6 hours of driving (round trip) for a 2 hour visit.  At least I was comfy and somewhat put together.

Today is well, crazy.  I have a school event for Sam at 11 am and one for Rae at 2 pm.  I am trying to look put together without looking frazzled, which is how I feel.

Fall 2014 Day 61

Start to a Short Week

• Purple Crew Cardigan
• Paisley Cami
• Black Skirt
• Black Boots

Some years, I love the lead up to Thanksgiving and knowing that I have to only work 3 days.  This year?  Not so much.  I have a GIANT to do list, which I suspect will have more added to it.  My in-laws are in town.  Sam has a school event that I would like to attend on Wednesday, and Rae has conferences on Wednesday. It is more than a little insane, to be honest.

All of this is why I am wearing one of my uniform outfits.  It was so easy to just pop this on and not have to worry about that one detail.

Fall 2014 Day 60

This was Saturday's outfit

• Brown Sweatshirt
• Purple Cami
• Skinny Jeans
• Gray Converse

Today's outfit was very non-capsule.  The Sounders are playing in a championship series, so I wore my Sounders shirt.  Then we did family pictures, and that outfit, other than the jeans and boots was not in the capsule either.

I am definitely looking forward to switching things up in a few weeks, but I know there will be a lot of things (like this entire outfit) that will make the switch over.

Fall 2014 Day 59

Finally Friday

• Brown cardigan
• Gold tunic
• Skinny Jeans
• Low brown boots

Oops.  Somehow I had so much fun getting ready, doing my hair, and doing my makeup that I didn't realize it was 15 minutes past when I was supposed to get the kids up. Oops.  Good thing I have two kids that can rally when needed (and that I have a bit of extra time built into our morning schedule).

I have a busy weekend ahead of me.  My in-laws are in town, my company holiday party is Saturday and we're doing family photos on Sunday.  Oh and we need to shop for Thanksgiving at some point.  I am tired already. 

Fall 2014 Day 58

Happy Thursday

• Tank jacket
• Blue striped shirt
• Jeans
• Red heels

I am actually pretty happy with this outfit today. Except, well, I think maybe it isn't really a fall outfit?  It may trend more toward spring?  Or maybe I have been fully sucked into a world of cozy sweaters and boots, which is making me not see this for the cute, fall outfit it is.

I have a conundrum tonight.  Sam has a birthday party at a trampoline place and I am going with him.  I don't know if parents will be jumping (it is a great work out) or if Sam would be totally embarrassed by me jumping.  Thankfully I can still ask him how he feels and he will be brutally honest. So do I go dressed to jump in a pair of my workout pants and one of my cuter work out tops? Do I go in the outfit I am wearing right, only with sneakers?

Fall 2014 -The Capsule So Far

I am just about 60 days into my fall capsule.  I have learned a lot about my personal style and what makes me feel good.  The winter capsule is coming up, and I think it is time to reflect a bit on what worked and what hasn't.

(Yes this means I have already been thinking ahead to the next capsule.  I may have even done some shopping for it.  Ok. I did.)

 My Favorite Outfit So Far

The capsule experiment has definitely been interesting over all.  I am very happy with the concept and what I am learning, but it also hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be.  I still have those odd days where I feel like I have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear.  I still struggle with wanting to just wear the lounge clothes to run errands or pick up kids.  I do have to admit that those days are much fewer and are now much further apart than I expected.

That's enough babbling.

I am going to break this down into a few categories because I feel like a lot of my lessons learned fall into a category or five.

Camisoles
 I have really struggled with camisoles.  I love them as layering pieces, and I had intended to use them under cardigans a lot in this capsule.  I don't know what happened.  It might be because I limited my colors to black, white/tan, purple, and paisley.  Honestly, the black one was the only one I felt comfortable using as anything other than a layering piece. Now I am considering not including any camisole that is purely worn as a layering piece to not be a capsule item.  I am not 100% sold on this idea yet. It feels like a way for me to cheat, especially when I use those layering pieces as an integral part of my outfit.  It is very likely that I will split these up - layering camisoles don't count, but ones worn as tops do. It might mean that I start investing in some sleeveless blouses/tanks for the office.

Of course I love it, it is a polka dot. Now only if it was in a color.

Dresses
Before I started this capsule experiment, dresses were the first thing I grabbed when I went to get dressed for work. I had a huge variety in there and rotated them pretty regularly.  Only having 2 in my capsule, and one of those being a patterned dress, has left me not going to my dresses as often.  I am going to try adding in an extra dress and sticking with solid colors to see if that helps.

Color
This has probably been my biggest struggle with the capsule.  I love color. I just need to have colors that work together.  That red pencil skirt and those red shoes?  They don't get worn much because I don't have a lot of other colors to go with them. I need color and I need colors that work together.  I need the right neutrals to go with those colors. My next capsule will be much less neutral heavy and only have three main colors.  Any other colors will only be brought in via accessories, or that tiny orange dot on my cream polka dot sweater. 

My Favorite Color Combo Outfit

Uniforms
I absolutely have a "uniform" - one for work and one for home.  I think that most of us do, actually. That word uniform just sounds boring. My uniforms are based on a pencil skirt and cardigan for the office and jeans and an awesome sweatshirt.  If you look back at my photos, you will see these themes a lot. These are also the outfits that I tend to feel best in.  I am hoping to build my winter capsule around this concept.  I will have several variations on the uniform and some non-uniform outfits to mix things up.    



Odd and Ends
I am so not a long flowy open cardigan girl.

I never thought I would love my skinny jeans.

I love bright colorful footwear, but it has work with the other colors.

The white shirt is still my nemesis.

I can't do hoodies and plain sweatshirts.  There has to be something interesting to them.

 I think I need another pair of work pants.

Fall 2014 Day 57

In the Office Wednesday

• Purple dress
• Black leggings
• Black boots

A little rushed and discombobulated today.  I think it is partly because I got up early and partly because I came into the office today after being home for two days.

I had a hard time figuring out what to wear. I wanted to wear jeans because it is a short day. I wanted to look nice because I am actually in the office and planning to wear jeans tomorrow.  I wanted to wear dress pants, but I have flagged some of the shirt options that are dressy enough to go with it for later in the week.  So the dress it is.

I am pretty sure that I need another dress blouse for work to wear with pants for days just like this.  I thought I would wear more camisoles with sweaters, but I am finding that well, my camisoles are just too low cut since I bought them for length and layering and not necessarily modesty.   Maybe the solution is a nicer sleeveless top or 2 with a higher neckline?

Fall 2014 Day 56

Sick Kid Tuesday

• Cream sweater
• Straight leg jeans
• Low brown boots

I am home with a sick kid today.  It is that sick kid that is starting to feel better, so there is no "sleep all day so mommy can work."  Ahh, the joys of being a working mom.

I decided to treat today like a work at home day and made sure I put on jeans.  I wanted desperately to put on stretchy pants, etc, but I am trying to get some work done, so jeans it is.  Funny how that works. 

Fall 2014 Day 55

Monday, Monday

• Purple boatneck top
• Gray tweed skirt
• Black boots

The squeak is back.  :(  I wore the boots for a longer walk and seem to have reactivated whatever the squeak was.  I was told that if the gluing didn't fix it, there is something wrong much deeper in the shoe.  Considering what I paid for these and that they are starting to get worn in the uppers, I am just not willing to invest any more money into them. I guess my next capsule will include a new black boot.

Fall 2014 Day 54

Shopping Sunday

• Brown cowl neck sweatshirt
• Paisley Cami
• Skinny Jeans
• Gray Converse

Simple Sunday outfit, again, but hey when it is you and 2 kids facing Target on a Sunday, well you gotta be comfy.  :)

Fall 2014 Day 53

Sunny Saturday

• Galaxy top
• Black cami
• Straight leg jeans
• Black Danskos

Cowhide.  That's what my phone auto corrected to when I tried to write blah. :)  I get the pictures onto the blog from my phone using the blogger app and add placeholders for text.  It is usually something that I want to say about my outfit so I remember what I was thinking when I come back to edit the post on the computer.  This morning I didn't have much to say, hence the blah, or cowhide.

Fall 2014 Day 52

Absent Minded Friday

• Cream open front cardigan
• White Shirt
• White cami
• Skinny Jeans
• Brown boots

I am trying to figure out what happened with this outfit.  It was going to be one of my favorite casual Friday/weekend outfits. I think this is maybe the 2nd time I have worn it.  Maybe it was the unusually warm fall? Maybe it is because I found tons of other stuff to wear with my skinny jeans?  Maybe this particular shirt doesn't work under it?  I just can't pin it down. 

Fall 2014 Day 51

Freezing Thursday

• Cream sweater
• Red skirt
• Black leggings
• Black boots

Ok, I am trying, really trying. I think I just don't like the skirt, at all. I know it is a great pop of color, but I think it isn't my pop of color. I know this won't make it to the next capsule and will probably be given away. 

The good news is that the boots don't squeak!

Fall 2014 Day 50

Brrr! Wednesday

• Cream top
• Purple Cami
• Straight Leg Jeans
• Gray Converse

It is FREEZING today.  Holy cow.  We had a front of cold, dry air come through, and it is like winter came over night.  It makes for a beautiful day though.  I might have to bust out the camera for some photography between work, kids, dinner, and a meeting tonight.  :)


I am 50 days in to this capsule, over half way there. I can't believe it. In the end it has just been so easy. I definitely want to stick with it. I also want to do a "half way" tally and analysis/look back so I don't lose the ideas and things I have learned so far.  Maybe sometime this weekend.

Fall 2014 Day 49

It's Tuesday, Again.

• Black polka dot shirt
• Black cami
• Black dress pants
• Black kitten heels

Lots of black.  :)  And yes, you've seen this one before, too. I am pretty impressed that it took to me about half way through the capsule to really start repeating outfits.  I actually tried this one on with my gray tweed pencil skirt, but I wasn't really feeling it.

Fall 2014 Day 48

The start to one of those weeks.

• Brown cardigan
• Purple Dress
• White Cami
• Low Brown Boots

I am at work early today, tomorrow, and possibly Friday. Other than my normal workout routine (which will be all rearranged), I have three "social" engagements this week in the evenings.  Add to the festivities on Saturday, that's a lot, even for a somewhat extroverted introvert like me.

Oh right the clothes.  I am just fine with this, I guess.  I wouldn't call it a favorite, but it should keep me warm enough in the office.  The black boots are in getting fixed, so I am without them until Thursday.  That's harder than I expected.

Fall 2014 Day 47

Party and Post Party

• Brown sweatshirt
• Purple Cami
• Straight Leg Jeans
• Copper Flats

But before we get to that, here's what I wore last night:

I really loved my dress and felt great in it.  Not just great, I felt beautiful.  I had a wonderful time celebrating my friends' wedding.  It was a great to just have a little time with my husband, too.

This is what I wore for our breakfast this morning.

When I got home, I switched to my sweats.  :) 

Fall 2014 Day 46

Saturday!

• Tan Jacket
• Striped shirt
• Straight leg jeans
• Copper flats

I have a very busy day ahead of me, and I can't wait.  Today is the day that I get to celebrate my friend's wedding!  Yifan and I are turning it into almost a full 24 hour date.  First up is grocery shopping and then a mani/pedi.  Hopefully by the time I am back, my mom will be here and Yifan and I can go to the city.  (That sounds so fancy!) 

We lived in Seattle for 10 years, and as much as I love the neighborhood we are in now, there is a part of me that misses the city.  So we're going to have lunch at our favorite restaurant (hopefully!), walk around the city, check into our hotel, and get ready to celebrate. 

I curled my hair today using a no heat method. My hair doesn't tend to hold curl well, despite having a natural wave.  This is one of 2 methods I have used with a fair amount of success.  The curls tend to last most of the day.  I am wearing my hair up tonight, but I need a little curl and texture to help hold up the style.  I thought it would be fun to add a little curl and volume for my day date, so this should accomplish that and leave me with the texture I need for tonight.  ;) 

Fall 2014 Day 45

Friday

• Purple Crew Sweater
• Straight Leg Jeans
• Gray Converse

It is one of those crisp, sunny fall days that I love.  I am sure the rain isn't far behind again.

Took it super casual today.  I just didn't feel like doing work casual today; probably because I did it yesterday.  At least after some massage therapy, my back is feeling 90% better!

Fall 2014 Day 44

Thursday!

• Tan Jacket
• Purple Boatneck
• Skinny Jeans
• Low Brown Boots

I decided to try something new today, and it didn't work.  I was reading the post over at Un-Fancy about how to wear ankle booties with socks.  I was nervous about this concept because it just seems so young and has a whiff of the 80s and all those pegged jeans I wore.

But, as I am trying to push myself a little, I thought I would try it with my not quite ankle boots.  So I rolled up my skinny jeans and put some socks on under them, leaving the rolled up part to  I was so undecided about how they looked that I took pictures and even asked the kids which they thought looked better.  Sam liked the rolled look, and Rae preferred the tucked in look.

As a side note, my kids have an amazingly good sense of fashion, so I often ask them about this stuff.  Although, I am starting to wonder about Sam.  In protest of me not letting him wear shorts in the winter, he has started tucking his pants into his City Line socks.  And he wore this for picture day.  Oh boy.

Anyway. After looking at the pictures, I decided that the rolled look made my legs look short, and well, I don't need that.  I also thought it made me look like a woman in my mid thirties trying to look young.  I don't need that either.  That's the thing about fashion trends, not all of them work for me, even if I want them to. I may revisit this in the next capsule when I pull out my actual ankle booties, which you will see worn for my special event on Saturday. 

Fall 2014 Day 43

Wednesday!

•  Blue striped sweatshirt
• White Cami
• Straight Leg Jeans
• Converse

A baseball cap is a big giant red (or in this case orange) flag and usually means that I am having a "I really don't care" hair day.  Totally true today.  I woke up in a cranky mood with a giant knot under my left shoulder blade.  So I am home, switched to my favorite lounge pants, doing some chest openers to get the knot to loosen, and contemplating a noon yoga class. All while trying to focus on work.  

Fall 2014 Day 42

Tuesday!

• Blue dress
• Black leggings
• Black boots

I am trying to see if I can mix up the look of this dress with accessories or other pieces.  I am ok with the scarf, though I am wondering if I should have pushed a little more and gone with my dark kelly green scarf instead. 

I really need to take these boots to the cobbler.  They are super squeaky and I don't know if they can be fixed.  They were cheap, as boots go, so the material around the heel is peeling off, too. I wonder if they can do something like replace the heel and sole since the boot is otherwise in good condition.  Considering how much I have worn them this capsule (and in past years), I am ready to invest in a similar pair made of real leather, if the cobbler can't work any magic.