Dream a little dream of sweaters and slacks.

What with getting a house, focusing more on my diet and getting some exercise, and wiping the cutest butt I've ever seen, I've not really focused on my wardrobe here lately.

However, after rushing out the door in a pair of pants that, I discovered too late, had a stain on them (and unlike my spit up jeans, these had just been washed), I thought perhaps I should start replacing some of these things.

Which made me remember that I was going to go all Fabulous Capsule Wardrobe on my closet. (That's the sartorial equivalent of going all crazy on your--ahem--butt.)

I decided to sit down with a pencil and paper and play a game. If I had to start completely over from scratch, what core items of clothing would I want?

I didn't say you'd think it was a Fun game. Bear with me.

1.) Pick your color.
It's still pretty much a sauna outside here in North Florida, but we are approaching fall and winter. I don't think I look spectacular in black, and I get awfully tired of shades of brown, so I decided I would have several base colors that, I think, go nicely together as well as with a number of other colors: navy, cream/ivory, and light gray.

2.) Figure out what you need.
By that I mean, what kinds of clothes do I need. Here's a super scientific and mathematical break-down of how I spend my awake time.
70%              in office-appropriate clothes
25%              in casual/weekend clothes
4%                in workout clothes
1%                 in church clothes

If you're curious about the time I spend asleep, here you go.
100%            in PJs

You may have noticed that I haven't accounted for special events--parties, weddings, what have you. I'm only playing around with what I would need for a normal week's activities.

3.) What do I like to wear?
Not, "What's trendy?" Not, "What do I think I should start wearing?" Simply, what kinds of clothes to I reach for over and over again? Conversely, what clothes do I wear only when that's all that's still clean?

I prefer pullovers to button-downs, though they have their place. I have four button-down (or button-up, your preference) shirts and 9 times out of 10, I'll chose a pullover. Of those four shirts, only one actually fits well. The other 3 gape at the bust or are a little snug in the shoulders, which may have something to do with it.

I prefer pants to skirts, and especially slim-cut ankle pants, though a longer boot cut is nice when it's colder out.

I like layering tops--cardigans or jackets over a basic tank or tee.

I prefer dresses to skirt/shirt separates. 'Cause it's easy and always matches.

Even in summer, I prefer jeans over shorts. (Maybe that's because I've never found a pair of shorts that fits comfortably. Or because I don't shave my legs often enough. Whatever.)

Every so often, I do like to wear a skirt or pair of shorts, though.

In my dream world, I'd look well put-together, nicely tailored, but not stiff. Kind of like I just jetted over from my manor in the English countryside, with a lot less plaid. (I like a good elbow patch, though.) I tend to go for solids, but do like a little pattern.

4.) Put it all together.
Now I have to use my immense brain power to take that information and make it work for my new, imaginary wardrobe.

I mostly need clothes for the office, then a small weekend wardrobe, and a few things for church. If I were truly starting from scratch, clothes that work double-duty would be ideal since a) it cuts down on the number of items I need to buy and b) is cheaper in the long run.

BOTTOMS:
1. light gray slim cut ankle slacks
2. light gray boot cut slacks
3. navy slim cut ankle slacks
4. navy boot cut slacks
5. navy pencil skirt
6. cream/ivory slacks
7. dark wash denim (appropriate for casual Friday or a date when worn with heels)
8. casual, skinny denim

TOPS:
9. cream sweater (long or 3/4 sleeve)
10. navy sweater (long or 3/4 sleeve)
11. gray sweater (long or 3/4 sleeve)
12. blue button up
13.-16. other tops that coordinate with my colors, patterned or solid, whatever I were to find

DRESSES:
17.-20. Two well-tailored, and two a little looser in structure

COMPLIMENTARY COLORS
In the Fall:
jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, or plum or burgundy

In the Winter:
icy pastels like pale purple, ice blue, and mint green


As you see, I certainly have more than 10 items. A quick run of the numbers... carry the 7... times pi... tells me that I have double that amount. But I think this would be a very satisfying core wardrobe for me. If I added in some extras (a few tees, a few tanks/shells, a few cardigans/blazers) and some accessories (scarves, jewelry), I could seriously work with this.

By switching out some of my extras and maybe a few accessories as I transitioned from fall into winter, I could keep the wardrobe feeling fresh without blowing a ton of money.
 
Now, hasn't this all be Fun? And not even a little Boring? Well, it was Fun for me, anyway. Nevertheless, reality will intrude on my little game and make me recall that, oh yeah, I can't afford to get rid of all my clothes and start totally from scratch, can I?

Darn it.

What I can do is finally see what I have remaining my my stored-under-the-bed wardrobe after I went purge-crazy while pregnant. Maybe amongst the mishmash of items I've left myself, I'll find that it works together nicely, or will with a few clever additions to my wardrobe. That shall be my next task.

Until then, play along with me, if you like. What would your core wardrobe be if you could just start from scratch? What would your style be? Your base color(s)? Let me know! (Seriously!)

Cozy sweaters and cute coordinating accessories to you and yours,
xo