The Transitional Capsule Edit (Edition #016)

Because capsules aren't "neutrals" only

If your notion of a capsule wardrobe is that it’s built upon core pieces in a simple palette of grey, white and black… Well, your perception of the “capsule” movement wouldn’t be wrong. Often, that very minimal aesthetic is what is idealised, but I find that if you’re not careful, it can lack individuality and feel rather… homogenised.

For the September capsule - the transitional season edit - I wanted to remind you that:

1 | Capsule wardrobes are more fun when you inject dashes of colour

2 | Elements like texture and shape will always, always make your outfit feel interesting

If you’d like to see some previous transitional season capsules, here’s my last one, or you could check out this spring version, or this autumn edit. I’m starting to realise I’m leaning in on the same colour tropes so expect to see pink, green or yellow featured in next month’s edit (requests always welcome!). But, hopefully this helps you to visualise how even those less obvious capsule wardrobe staples can be versatile from month to month (I’m looking at you, Madewell oversized pocket tee).

The breakdown of this capsule includes:

• 3x tops (short & long sleeved options)

• 2x sweaters (something neutral, something fun)

• 3x bottoms (a skirt, a pair of pants & your favourite jeans)

• 1x comfortable flat shoe

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the ten items

The textured top | Ideally something you can layer over other pieces (like a vest), but moreso I like to consider this “that” piece which will be a core staple for adding in that quintessential touch of visual interest. Pictured: Oroton
Alternatives: Sezane | Ozma | David Lawrence | & Other Stories | Everlane | Friends with Frank

The long sleeved top | I went with a shirt for this capsule, but with a twist. Remember, there are three ways to make outfits feel interesting. Through colour, shape, and texture. Pictured: Fabrique (12% off with ToJamie12)
Alternatives: Arket | Madewell | SEA | Quince | St Agni

The casual short sleeved top | Something chill, slouchy, with built in ease. Obviously a tee is a no brainer but not the only option. Go with colour if you’re feeling it. Pictured: Madewell
Alternatives: Madewell | Ozma | Cotton On | H&M | DISSH

The neutral knit | The sweater that will work back with all your bottoms, as a grounding piece. It feels low effort, easy to style. Pictured: Frank & Eileen
Alternatives: Jenni Kayne | Everlane | Sezane | Fine Day | Friends with Frank | Quince | J.Crew

The coloured knit sweater | For that playful touch, injecting some personality… pick a knit in a colour you love. I recommend tailoring the rest of your capsule around this core colour piece. In my case, you can see I’ve gone with blue as my main accent. Pictured: JAG
Alternatives: Glassons | La Saison Sportive | Sezane | YMC | COS | Bec&Bridge

Transitional weight jacket | I’m not going to tell you that a trench is a must have. Your taste dictates the style; as long as it’s something you can wear majority of the season, you’re good. Pictured: Sezane
Alternatives: Arket | ONTE | Henne | Good American | UNIQLO | Everlane | COS

Midi to maxi length skirt | I like a longer skirt as I think this adds drama; something in a neutral colour will be most versatile but you could play things up with print and colour here too. Pictured: Blanca (old)
Alternatives: Reformation | Bec&Bridge | Quince | Goelia (10% off with 10JAMIE) | Matteau | COS

Cropped or full length pant | My next suggestion is going to be denim, so this is your last chance to get creative with the colour palette (or print). Think about the fabrication - a medium weight option will be best especially with the changing temperatures. Pictured: Sezane
Alternatives: Ozma | DISSH | J.Crew | Madewell | H&M | Unison

Jeans... | Any jeans. We all have our favourite. Skinny. Straight Leg. Wide Leg. Cropped. Full Length. Cigarette. The brief is: something solid, that you feel amazing in. Focus less on what’s trending and more on what feels good. Pictured: Toteme
Alternatives: H&M | Citizens of Humanity | Levi’s | Everlane | Henne | Neuw

Flat shoes | I went with a ballet flat here, but you could do a loafer, a sneaker, a moccasin, a clog etc etc. Again, another type of item that will truly be dictated by your personal preferences. Neutrals will obviously be your best bet, but this could be a fun way to add in a burst of colour. Pictured: Everlane
Alternatives: Bared | Tony Bianco | Le Monde Beryl | Emme Parsons | Sam Edelman | Arket | Asics

the outfits

(Am curious to know which look is your favourite?? You should be able to pinch and zoom in on all the outfits otherwise you’ll be able to check out the video edit on my Instagram this evening.)

finishing touches

I’ve been thinking a bit about the ways that we signal those shifts in seasons through our accessories. There’s the obvious ones. Scarves and gloves when it’s cold. Raffia everything and sun hats when it’s warm. Then there are the more subtle hints. How we switch up our makeup, our core jewellery pieces, and the textures of our belts, bags and shoes.

For jewellery, I’ve found I’m coincidentally operating on a monthly capsule basis to a degree. I’ll rotate the pieces I’m wearing, sticking to a uniform look for day-to-day, and choosing to bring in “special” pieces for occasions or when the mood strikes. Right now I’m loving these small teardrop hoop earrings and box chain necklace from Medley, my garnet ring (along with this mosaic ring) from Mejuri, my late Yiayia’s engagement ring, and two-tone watch from Larsson & Jennings.

Depending on which hemisphere you’re in, your beauty notes shift might look a little different. I love a peony pink hued lippie for spring. Something that looks fresh and vibrant - I’ve been using the bare minerals Dewy Lip Gloss-Balm in the shade ‘Soul’, a cool-toned rose mauve. For autumn (or fall, depending on where you live), something a little ruddier, earthier, with rich brown tones might feel more apt. My personal favourite is now, and will forever be, the MERIT Lightweight Lipstick in ‘Tiger’. So much so that I’ve managed to completely use up an entire lipstick (now onto number 2!) - which should tell you everything you need to know. Also for those outside of MERIT’s shipping zones (aka me!), I use mail forwarding to get access to the brand. I’ve recently switched to Planet Express and while the dashboard is clunky, it’s faster and cheaper than the previous service I used.

Then let’s talk about those other core elements. You know I love to drone on and on about texture. Bags can feel like the cliff notes edition to nailing this part of your outfit. Especially when it’s something worn crossbody. Rather than have my accessories dialled too heavily in the direction of spring or autumn, I went for something I’d reach for at both ends of the spectrum. A caramel hued tote in a woven leather - this one is from Bob Ore but it’s giving Bottega (thankfully at a fraction of the price).

Like my August capsule, I scaled back the number of shoes included to feature just one style. Shoes are something of a weakness of mine, as they’re an incredible tool to use to signal the mood, vibe, or overall feeling of your outfit. But they are just one piece of the puzzle, and a carefully selected pair will be able to see you go from day to night and weekday to weekend. It’s why I went with the obvious choice here - a simple black ballet flat from Everlane with a high vamp. A detail I like as it signals a sense of modernity while being fairly minimal and simple in design.

The final items I included within the capsule were a chic silk scarf from Arket (I love the neutral tones of it!), a soft-edged pair of sunglasses from Quince, and a smooth black leather double belt from Alexander McQueen (which is honestly serving as a reminder that I need to wear this more!).