Last week this pretty Kate Spade necklace showed up as an item in my inbox and I was impressed with how well it tied together the colors from Pantone’s Spring/Summer Fashion Color Report. It inspired by create another mini-capsule. This version uses 20 pieces in total and we’ve shown 16 outfits to get you started in thinking about how to use the pieces. It’s a brighter palette than the spring capsule and I love the way the orange, pink and blues all work together. Hope you’ll love it too!
This post is part of Color & Grace’s Wednesday Link-Up!
Today’s post marks the final day of spring/summer capsule foundation pieces in our Building a Capsule Wardrobe series with a focus on shoes. Next up will be the fun stuff – adding color, pattern and accessories!
Spring/Summer Casual Capsule Foundation Shoes
The two shoes that I think will get you through 80% plus of your spring casual wear needs are pictured below: a simple white sneaker and a neutral slide sandal. Don’t panic yet at the thought of just two shoes – we can add something else in an accent color when we get to the next step!
Simple White Sneaker
Budget: H&M Sneakers
Mid-Range: adidas Originals Stan Smith NOTE: Most women (up to a size 9 or so) can wear the “big kids” version of this shoe. Look for the posted sizing equivalents and save a couple bucks.
For office wear, pumps are the foundation workhorse. While some work environments allow for open toed shoes and while some women prefer a loafer to a pump when wearing a trouser; a classic, pointed toe, mid-heel will get you through nearly all work situations.
Neutral Pump either close to your own skin color or in a dark neutral (black/navy). I love the neutral shoe because it goes with everything and makes your legs look longer when in a dress or skirt.
Welcome to the fourth post in our series on building a capsule wardrobe. Today’s focus is on dresses and outerwear. We’ll wrap up the foundation pieces next week with shoes and with a strong foundation in place, we’ll move on to the fun stuff!
Spring/Summer Casual Capsule Foundation Dresses
Dark Neutral T-shirt Dress
Budget: Old Navy jersey swing or fitted v-neck tee dress
Mid-Range: Gap Softspun A-line tank or tee dress
High: Eileen Fisher ballet neck dress
Eileen Fisher Ballet Neck Tee Dress
Shirt Dress in a solid, denim or stripe. NOTE: A style that buttons all the way down (as opposed to a popover) increases versatility by letting you style it as a dress or unbuttoned as a layering piece over trousers.
Budget: Lulu’s chambray shirt dress or Target Merona shirt dress
Neutral Sheath Dress (a fit & flare style works if you find sheaths a difficult silhouette to wear)
Budget: Liz Claiborne sheath and NY & Company 7th Avenue sheath, Target Merona sheath and Old Navy sleeveless sheath
Mid-Range: J. Crew offers several good options including the cap-sleeve v-neck, the buckle dress, the portfolio dress and the resume dress
High: Theory Eano sheath, Theory Betty sheath, Boss Dirusa sheath and Kate Spade Sicily sheath
J. Crew Resume dress J. Crew Cap Sleeve V-neck
Spring/Summer Capsule Foundation Outerwear
A sporty, lightweight jacket. This could be a denim jacket, lightweight moto or bomber in either a cropped or just-at-the-waist length for layering over tees and dresses.
Neutral Trench in black or tan/taupe. Mid to upper thigh lengths are most versatile.
Budget: Old Navy trench
Mid-Range: London Fog Heritage trench, Michael Kors hooded trench or Calvin Klein trench
High: Burberry Kensington or Sandringham
The Iconic Burberry Trench
Friendly Reminders for Capsule Foundation Pieces
You don’t need every recommended piece but should work toward collecting at least a few of them.
For most foundation items, buy the best you can afford. These will be the workhorse pieces that get a lot of repeat wear.
Keep foundation piece silhouettes clean and minimal. Decorative details are fun but limit versatility.
Commit to a primary color palette for the season – a dark base of either black/charcoal, navy or brown with a light base of either light grey, white or ivory for black/charcoal and navy or either tan or ivory for those choosing a brown dark base.
