My Summer Capsule Wardrobe

I joined the Capsule Wardrobe bandwagon this spring. I cleaned out my closet (not that it was ever very full) and put a lot of thought into what I kept. There is a wealth of information out there about this concept but my favorite source is Becca DuVal and her blog FreeNotion.There is a Facebook group she runs as well. All the ladies give great feedback and suggestions on fitting advice, color choices, patterns, fabrics, etc.

I am a minimalist at heart anyway, so reducing my wardrobe to the recommended 2 dresses, 2 jackets, 9 bottoms and 16 tops doesn't freak me out. I haven't counted lately but I'd say I have 3 dresses, 3 cardigans, 2 capris, 4 shorts, 2 skirts, and maybe a dozen tops that I actually wear regularly. My pieces are an approximate 50-50 blend of handmade vs RTW.

Above are some of the tops I've made myself recently. The tanks are from some basic Simplicity pattern that can be a top or dress. I love both and wear them a lot. The top right one is         made with rayon but with a knit neckband. It hasn't gotten a lot of wear because I feel like it's too dark for summer. And yet, the black with white stripes Deer & Doe Plaintain Tee is getting regular wear. Weekly, I'd say. The coral feather print in the bottom middle is some crazy variation of a basic tee with lots of pintucks and a banded waist. I'm meh about that one but I wear it around the house anyway because I like the color. The last one is coral with shoulder accents using the Maria Denmark Kimono Tee. I wear it plenty too.

These shorts were made last week using the Peekaboo Patternshop Summer Lovin' Shorts with the longest inseam. They have slanted pockets on the front and a comfy knit waistband. I added pockets to the back and narrowed the legs. They are made out of stretch cotton sateen from Joann's. I think I'll wear them quite a bit. They can be dressed up or down so that is great for the capsule wardrobe thing.

I pushed myself to cross off a sewing bucket list item - I made proper shorts with a zip fly! I was pretty proud of myself. They are the Greenstyle Creations Taylor Shorts. What a nice pattern. The advantage of making my own is that I can adjust my waistband because my waist is quite a bit smaller than my booty. I still haven't gotten any real pictures of them but here's a bad out-of-focus selfie for proof that they exist. I used navy stretch cotton sateen from Joann's for these.

I crossed off a second bucket list item - a buttondown shirt with collar and collar stand. That really wasn't difficult either. I made it sleeveless, so that's a bit of cheat since it eliminated the cuffs and corresponding plackets. I used some light blue gingham so it feels vintage. Or maybe just frumpy. This time of year, my hair can go crazy with the humidity, and I can't stand eye make-up because of allergies so I feel frumpy quite often anyway. I made this shirt for Sew the Show: Parenthood. I'll post about it separately. Also not shown, is a boring and basic gray knit skirt. Simple, A-line, comfy and useful.

I'm feeling pretty well set for now so I can't help but start thinking about my fall wardrobe. I'm curious to see how many pieces from summer carry over with added layers. Anything I make from here on out will definitely keep that in mind.