The "Colour" Capsule Edit (#011)

not all capsules have to be white, black and grey...

Apr 01, 2024

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about the capsule wardrobe concept is that you’ll open the door to your closet and find a sea of white, grey and black basics staring back at you. And, if “capsule wardrobe” guides are anything to go by, they’re usually filled with core basics in what we’ve come to identify as “minimal” neutrals.

While there’s no denying the simplicity and ease of this type of capsule, it’s the louder, more playful, colourful ones which are the most fun.

Admittedly, I haven’t stepped too far off the mark with my April edit; leaning on what I have in my wardrobe and building a palette around it. I may be guilty of wearing a lot of black, but do love a colourful moment as much as the next person.

Capsules are only as good as the groundwork you put in; the foundation you’ve laid for colour palette. If the colours you picked don’t work together, you’ll find your edit can be a little limiting. Personally, I like to choose two hero/key colours, and two or three supporting acts.

I’ve chosen light blue and chocolate brown as my key colours here, complementing it with shades of pale beige, dusty lilac, and rich navy.

The breakdown of the April capsule looks like this:

4x tops (a mix of sleeveless, short and long sleeved options)
1x knit sweater (cardigans are most versatile but I chose a crew neck with voluminous sleeves)
1x dress (the same one from my March capsule!)
2x bottoms (I went with two slip style skirts - for variety you could choose a different silhouette or swap one out for trousers)
1x lightweight jacket (an oversized blazer to add in a layer of formality)
2x shoes (one pair of woven ballerinas, and one pair of heeled strappy sandals)

For those of you who did the math, yes this month’s capsule includes not 10, but 11 items - a bit of a miscount on my part, but it was fun to have the added bonus of a lightweight/transeasonal jacket in the mix too.

If you were expecting a capsule packed with primary colours, I hope you’re not disappointed. Instead, it’s a soft-toned capsule that utilises less typical neutrals (navy, chocolate brown and a tan beige) as a base. What I like is that even without white or black, you can still incorporate elements of contrast (dialled up or down) with these pieces.

And if you do enjoy these monthly capsules, find that they give you value, outfit inspiration and ideas on how to maximise what you have, then I hope you’ll consider subscribing or upgrading to a paid subscription (which will get you access to all my paywalled posts). Keep scrolling to see the 43 (!!) outfits I put together using the below ten items…

the ten items

#1 | short sleeved casual top: The relaxed element of the capsule. Something that can easily be dressed up or down depending on the styling. Personally I love a printed tee for this as something as simple as a blazer instantly elevates it. Pictured: Sezane
Alternatives: Dazie | H&M | DEMYLEE | Peter Do | UNIQLO | Sezane

#2 | a knitted tee or tank: Top of mind is the fact that it’s still the transitional season. That funny, in-between time when we can wear cosy knits with shorts, yay. Knitted pieces are great ways to layer in extra texture with minimal effort. Pictured: Quince
Alternatives: COS | DISSH | & Other Stories | Goelia | ONTE | Country Road

#3 | a long sleeved top: Maybe in a print (I’ve gone with a subtle stripe here). Shirts are something I often use in my capsule due to the obvious versatility, but feel free to go big here. Think voluminous blouses with many many ruffles. Micro or maxi printed pieces. Embellishments abound. Pictured: Quince
Alternatives: UNIQLO | Elleme | Blanca | H&M | Zimmermann | Birrot

#4 | dressed up top: The type of fabric used for a piece can convey a lot. Silk for example, is something I’ve always associated as having an elegant, refined quality. But you could choose a lace, a structured piece, something with a cut out. Block colours will be more versatile (easier tone down to a “wallflower” than something printed!). Pictured: Grana
Alternatives: Everlane | Sezane | H&M | Venroy | Mango

#5 | the fun sweater: I was incredibly tempted to include this button back cardigan from Alex Mill, but though better of it in lieu of something colourful instead. This one uses both colour and the cut (those big fluffy sleeves!) to convey a sense of fun and whimsy. Pictured: Ceres Life (old)
Alternatives: Venroy | Country Road | & Other Stories | Camilla & Marc | Loewe

#6 | the dress you can layer: If you caught my March capsule, then you’ll already have seen how much more versatile this dress is than it might look on first impressions. Personally I love how it looks layered with silk skirts, worn more like a tunic length bandeau. Or, with a slouchy knit over top. Pictured: Bondi Born
Alternatives: Henne | Reformation | COS | Bec + Bridge | Country Road | Venroy | Everlane | Oroton

#8 | the full length piece: you could easily switch out this skirt for a trouser instead. The proportions it adds to an outfit would remain the same. Basically we want length; happy to forgo the fluid nature of the piece I picked for something with structure too. Options are good. Pictured: Quince
Alternatives: Oroton | Aligne | Henne | & Other Stories | UNIQLO | SIR. the Label

#9 | the interesting flat shoe: Texture, embellishments, cut outs and the like. But think core closet staple that feels special in some way. If you’re after a quick fix to update something you already own, an easy personalisation hack would be to add a small charm to the shoe on a lace or strap. Pictured: Loeffler Randall
Alternatives: Everlane | Madewell | Alias Mae | Mango | Loeffler Randall

#10 | the heeled shoe: Going galactic with my pick here, a silvery strappy affordable alternative to my beloved Jil Sander agnoletto sandals. What I suggest looking for here is a different cut at the toe, and also different colour to the first pair of shoes you pick (if you can). Pictured: Tony Bianco
Alternatives: Sezane | Arket | Mango | Tory Burch | AERE Label

the outfits

accessories

Normally in these capsules, I’ll draw from my box of accessories to add in a fun little flourish. It’s amazing how much impact something as unassuming as a silk scarf, a belt, or even a brooch can have. But, these items really spoke for themselves, so I kept it simple. Instead, choosing to style the outfits with two bag options, both of which convey a different mood.

The carry all, slouchy hobo tote is a recent addition from Madewell, which I love both for its size, and the relaxed nature of the design. The leather lazily sits on itself when resting, the size generous enough to fit a laptop, the actual silhouette simple with the chic adornment of the adjustable buckle strap. Full review incoming on my website if you want to keep an eye out.

For a bit of variation, I’ve also included the Tilly Bag from Saben (15% off with JAMIELOVESSABEN15) in a beige-toned nude pink. I like this as it can be worn a few ways; as a crossbody (for the bare bones essentials), as a wristlet, or as a clutch - even as a little “WOC” if you’re travelling. Also ties in to those slightly lighter colours I’ve picked for my palette.

The Monthly Edit

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