Fall Capsule Wardrobe: Stay-At-Home-Mom 2017 Fall Capsule Wardrobe

The temperatures are starting to get cooler and pumpkin spice everything is out again. It seems like we’ve officially entered the fall season. I like to plan my capsule wardrobes to coincide with the seasonal changes, so today I’m sharing all the details of my fall capsule wardrobe.

I know a lot of people, myself included, look forward to bringing out their fall clothes again. The sweaters, the boots, the scarves, they’re all fun to play with. I love layering and scarves, so I enjoy dressing for fall. Because of my preference and the climate we live in (short summers and long, cold winters), I have more fall and winter clothes than spring and summer clothes. Not only am I drawn to sweaters and cozy clothes, but it’s also dang cold here a lot too!

You can check out my previous capsule wardrobes here:

Winter capsule wardrobe, Spring capsule wardrobe, Summer capsule wardrobe

My Capsule Wardrobe “Rules”

As with my previous capsule wardrobes, I follow a very loose, flexible set of capsule wardrobe rules. For me, capsule wardrobes are not about following a strict set of rules or obsessing about the number of clothes in my wardrobe.

Instead, I create capsule wardrobes to simplify and take the stress out of deciding what to wear. Having fewer clothes, but loving all of them, makes it quick and easy to decide what to wear each day. No more sifting through things I don’t like or are just ok, only to wear the same few favourites anyways. Now I go in my closet and only see my favourite clothes. So it’s super easy to pick an outfit I feel great in.

Why I’m Sharing my Fall Capsule Wardrobe

I’m always curious to see how other people make a capsule wardrobe work for them. I love seeing what other people include and why they chose that amount of clothing. I find it interesting, encouraging and inspiring to see other people’s capsule wardrobes. This is why I’m sharing a detailed look at my fall capsule wardrobe.

Your capsule wardrobe could look similar to mine, or include very different items. And that’s ok! Each of our wardrobes should be tailored to our bodies, preferences, climates and lifestyles. Sharing my fall capsule wardrobe is less about providing a shopping guide for you to replicate my capsule. And more about showing you what works for me, to inspire and encourage you to create a capsule wardrobe that works for you.

About my Fall Capsule Wardrobe

Before I show you a detailed look at my fall capsule wardrobe, here is some background information about me and my lifestyle to give some context for my fall capsule wardrobe.

What’s Included

I’m sticking with my flexible 40 item limit again for my fall capsule wardrobe. I’ve learned with my previous capsule wardrobes (winter, spring, summer) that 40 items are more than enough to give me a complete wardrobe with plenty of variety.

I ended up with 31 items in my fall capsule wardrobe. But again, I try not to get hung up on the number of items in my capsules. Instead, I focus on putting together a small, carefully chosen selection of clothing I love, to simplify getting dressed.

For my fall capsule wardrobe I am including the following in my 40 item limit:

• Tops
• Bottoms
• Outer wear
• Shoes

What’s Not Included

There are a few categories of clothes and accessories I chose not to include in my official fall capsule wardrobe. I carefully consider what to include and not include when I put together my capsule wardrobes. I want my capsule wardrobes to make my life easier. If trying to include a certain category of clothes or accessories in my capsule is stressing my out, forcing the issue would defeat the purpose of making a capsule.

For example, I don’t include jewelry or accessories, like scarves, in my capsule wardrobes. I like to have the freedom to choose from my collection of jewelry and scarves rather than limiting these items. I keep my jewelry and scarf collection relatively small and carefully curated, so it’s not overwhelming. And I really enjoy how these accessories can change the whole look of an outfit. I love that flexibility and giving myself room to add variety that way.

Again, make your own capsule wardrobe rules and do what works for you. If too many accessory choices makes deciding what to wear harder, you might prefer including accessories in your capsule wardrobe. But don’t follow someone else’s rules if they don’t work for you. Remember why you are making a capsule to begin with – to make your life simpler by having to spend less time and energy deciding what to wear. Use that as your guide for deciding what you include in your capsule wardrobe.

For my fall capsule wardrobe I am not including the following in my 40 item limit:

• Accessories – jewelry, scarves, and purses/bags
• Workout clothes – these are clothes I only wear for yoga and other fitness activities
• House clothes – I keep a few super comfortable items for lounging around the house, usually about 2 to 4 items
• Swim wear
• Pajamas and undergarments
• Formal and dressy clothes – I limit my capsule wardrobes to clothes I wear on an everyday basis. I have a mini-capsule wardrobe of carefully selected dressy clothes for more formal occasions

Lifestyle

I am a full time stay-at-home mom of two young children. The majority of my time is spent at home, outside or at various kid-centered activities around town. I also volunteer for a few extracurricular activities for my kids.

The vast majority of my time is spent in casual clothes. I want my clothes to be comfortable and functional for an active life with two young kids. But I also want to look presentable and put together. I always feel better and am more productive when I look and feel good in my clothes.

I want my wardrobe to be able to work for a variety of activities I do regularly. From cleaning the house, to running errands, to playing with the kids, to having coffee with a friend, to a date with my husband. I want my small capsule wardrobe to cover it all!

Climate

We live in central Alberta, Canada. Our fall weather can range from pleasantly warm, to cool, crisp days, all the way to cold temperatures and snow!

Layers are key for me during the fall to account for the wide variety of weather we can experience. My go-to uniform is a looser fitting top with a cardigan or wrap over top. I add a scarf on cooler days. And wear skinny jeans or leggings pretty much every day.

Shop my Fall Capsule Wardrobe

Although all of our wardrobes will be different, I have included links to the items in my fall capsule wardrobe. Many of my items where purchased a few seasons ago and are no longer available. If that’s the case, I’ve found a similar product that is still available. I hope this makes it easier if you are looking for something similar for your own wardrobe.

**This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.**

2017 Fall Capsule Wardrobe

You’ll notice some of the pieces in my fall capsule wardrobe were also in my previous capsule wardrobes. I don’t have the budget or desire to have a brand-new set of clothes each season. I try to buy pieces that will work for multiple seasons. As layers during colder months or on their own as it warms up. Buying versatile pieces that work for more than one season is a great way to stretch your budget and get more wear out of your clothes.

I also give myself room to purchase a few new items during each capsule wardrobe season. Either to replace items that are getting worn out, or just to freshen my wardrobe with something new. Sometimes I buy new items at the beginning of the season, or add them in during the season as I find them.

Tops

The “uniform” I prefer and wear most often is longer, loose fitting tops, with cardigans or sweaters over top. Most of the items in my fall capsule wardrobe work well layered together.

My preferred color palette is usually dark neutrals like black and grey, and darker jewel tones, like burgundy and plum. I’ve noticed the longer I use capsule wardrobes, the more pronounced this preference is becoming. Dressing from capsule wardrobes over the last three seasons has made me better at determining the clothes and colors I really love wearing.

I’ve continued to purge my wardrobe as I’ve been making and dressing from capsule wardrobes. Each time I make a new capsule wardrobe, I really look at any of the clothes I’m not choosing. I’ve found I’m consistently choosing a few colors (black, grey, burgundy and purple mostly).

My goal is to only include the clothes I absolutely love in my capsule wardrobes.  So I’ve purged most of my clothes outside my preferred color palette, because I simply wasn’t wearing them often enough.

I love that making capsule wardrobes has allowed me to become clearer on my style preferences. And more confident to embrace those preferences and let go of clothes that don’t fit my preferences.

Fall Capsule Wardrobe Tops

1. black tunic tank – similar
2. burgundy tunic tank – similar
3. black v-neck tunic tee – similar
4. black v-neck tee (the Luxe tees from Old Navy are my new favourite top. They are so soft and comfortable. The fabric is flowy so they drape nicely and are flattering. They can easily be dressed up or down. This is not a sponsored post, I just LOVE these tops so much!)
5. round neck black tee – similar
6. burgundy tunic tee – similar
7. pink v-neck tunic tee – similar
8. black 3/4 sleeve tunic with split side seams (another Luxe top from Old Navy!)
9. black 3/4 sleeve v-neck tunic – similar
10. grey 3/4 sleeve top – similar
11. black long sleeve high neck top (and another Luxe top from Old Navy!)
12. grey boyfriend cardigan
13. burgundy boyfriend cardigan
14. taupe boyfriend cardigan – similar
15. grey cocoon wrap sweater – similar
16. fuchsia cowl neck wrap sweater
17. grey hooded wrap sweater – similar
18. black zip-up hoodie – similar

Bottoms

Skinny jeans and leggings are my go-to bottoms in my fall capsule wardrobe. They work well for life at home with two young children. And work for the types of activities I do on a daily basis.

I prefer skinny jeans with lots of stretch for ease of movement, usually in darker rinses. I love Rockstar jeans from Old Navy. They fit great and are super comfortable. The mid-rise fit is my favourite. And they even come in a tall inseam, which is perfect for me at 5’9”. Again, not a sponsored post, just sharing what I love!

All of my leggings are also from Old Navy. Their compression leggings are thick enough that they aren’t see-through at all. And the compression is enough to feel held in, but are still comfortable to wear all day.

Fall Capsule Wardrobe Bottoms

1. medium wash skinny jeans
2. medium wash skinny jeans
3. dark wash skinny jeans
4. grey striped leggings
5. black leggings

Shoes & Outer Wear

Function is important for my shoes choices. I want them to be comfortable and practical for life as a stay-at-home mom. The shoes in my fall capsule wardrobe give me some variety, and are functional and practical for my daily life.

As I said previously, our fall weather can be varied. To account for that, I’ve included a variety of outer wear choices. Which should cover me for mild weather and colder days.

Fall Capsule Wardrobe Shoes & Outer Wear

1. multi-colored Toms shoes – similar
2. grey Converse shoes
3. black elastic slip on shoes – similar
4. slouchy black boots – similar
5. denim jacket
6. black puffy vest – similar
7. black water repellent jacket with fleece lining – similar
8. grey wool peacoat – similar

And That’s my Fall Capsule Wardrobe!

That’s what I’ll be dressing from for the next three-ish months. I will dress from my fall capsule wardrobe from mid-September until mid-December. Then put together my winter capsule wardrobe.

Because we live in a place with four very distinct seasons, I change my capsule wardrobes out following the seasons. So far I’ve enjoyed dressing from each capsule for 3-ish months. It’s short enough that I don’t feel bored with the clothes in my capsule. But long enough that I don’t feel like I’m constantly changing out my clothes. It seems to be working well for me, so I’ll keep going with this system for now!

Have you tried a capsule wardrobe yet? I’d love to hear what you think of it! Maybe you’ve thought about trying a capsule wardrobe but haven’t taken the plunge yet. I hope this post encourages you to make your version of a fall capsule wardrobe. However it will look for you! Let me know what you think of the idea of a capsule wardrobe in the comments below!