Spring Capsule Wardrobe

Now Presenting my official Capsule Wardrobe for Spring (March 1st - June 1st): 

Clothing

1. Trench coat
2. Silk Shirt Dress
3. Wool Dress (too warm)
4. White Skirt
5. Green Skirt
6. Khaki pants
7. Jeans
8. Beige Cardigan
9. Teal Sweater
10. Gray t-shirt
11. Olive-khaki t-shirt
12. White Blouse
13. Political Party Blouse

 Shoes and Accessories

1. Straw Visor
2. Black loafers
3. Leopard flats
4. Espadrilles
5. Leather Sandals
6. Brown belt
7. scarves (2)
8. Leather Tote
9. Sunglasses

 Housework and Gym Clothes (worn only for washing windows, landscaping and physical therapy):

1. Canvas Shoes (Tom's if anybody cares)
2. Baseball cap 
3. Old Jeans
4. Faded Button down
5. Mesh shorts
6. Tank top

First, a few notes about the accessories.  I don't have a purse but carry my wallet with a ribbon tied to the zipper.  The wallet is large enough to cram my phone inside and makes a sleek clutch for hoity-toity evening dinners at the local Mexican restaurant.  I wear the visor every day.  I wear it in the car since my commute places me in direct opposition to the rising and setting sun.  I wear it on my twice-daily strolls.  I absolutely love it and am toying with the idea of obtaining another straw hat for daily use.  What ever happened to the utility of clothing anyway?  I have several types of scarves. Most of them sit around in a canvas bin.  I don't know how many I've worn thus far but I'll go on record as having worn a few although I doubt it was that many.  I am not an accessories girl but I would be if gloves become a socially acceptable means of self-expression or a genteel form of politeness and propriety once again.  The shoes all get worn in their appropriate places (on my feet); no sandals at work and no stuffy loafers on the weekend.  Finally, I need hosiery.  Two to three pairs of nude hose ought to set me up completely but I have yet to purchase.  It feels good to waffle in contemplation and indecision as long as possible since I have to buy new. 

The shocking thing is that I don't even wear all these clothes unless I try very hard.  For example, I've worn the white skirt once since creating this capsule five weeks ago.  Noticing this, I plan to wear the skirt tomorrow but not for lack of other clothing.  The silk shirt dress has never been worn outside the front of my mirror.  It is at the tailor's acquiring a more modest length to make it appropriate for work and bicycle riding.  The white blouse, cardigan and sweater only just arrived last week and the knits are on heavy rotation for days when it is cold enough but there aren't many.  The wool dress is also too warm for most days, when the temperature is above 60 degrees.  It is best kept for winter and retired after in February.  I am having a dressmaker create a second shirt dress for me.  This will replace the wool dress as soon as it is ready.  I love shirt dresses because they are so effortlessly feminine and appropriate for practically any occasion.  Speaking of occasions, I also have two party dresses which obviously don't make it into the heavy rotation and aren't listed here.  One was worn for my daughter's birthday and the other for Easter brunch and egg hunting with the family.

This month will no doubt fly by like the others and I will revise my wardrobe at the end of May with a view to summer.  By then, I hope to have acquired a second-hand khaki skirt to replace the khaki pants which are too pale and drab for me. 

This capsule will be refined as time goes on.  However, I do no plan to deviate from this template of ~20 clothing items with 10 being the ideal, assuming I can get someone else to do all my household chores for me.  I do not wish to own more clothes than listed here.  I think, perhaps owning fewer clothes would be even better.  If I won the lottery, I'd still try to wear these clothes out before even looking for a second-hand replacement. 

Changing Clothes

The problem with almost all my clothes is that they are unwearable.  There is no consistent 'story' or style although if you asked me, I have a good idea about how I want to look.
Sadly, in this world of infinite solutions, there is a disconnect between my purchases and the statement I want to make. 
I am too easily sidetracked by beautiful models (honestly) and imaginings about how I envision my daily life.

I've absolutely neglected to buy anything I can put on in the morning and wear to work.
Honestly, there is always this disconnect between how I imagine I will look wearing something and the reflection in the mirror.  The reflection more often than not displeases me so I try again.
In the end, I asked myself what I would wear everyday if it magically washed itself at night.
Out of my closet, I found three outfits that fit the bill and have been wearing them once weekly every since.
I have wasted a great amount of money on clothes and now I am a bit gun shy about it. On the up side, I do really notice and evaluate what I see other people wearing from the "ok, if you're taking your child to the playground," to the "all the mirrors in your house must be broken".
Geez people, comb your hair and brush your teeth and hem your pants to the correct length.
Being an extremely (for America) slim woman, I have only recently become acquainted with a local tailor and with very happy results.
My aim now is to own enough outfits to manage seven days of very nice/ clean clothing.
I like to dress in as few colors as possible; three is a lot for me.
To the point, I have found colored bottoms (skirts/pants) to be much less versatile than colored tops.... actually I feel most comfortable in neutrals with a scarf or lipstick for color or no color at all.  I consider leopard a neutral by the way.  The main exception is party dresses where all-over scarlet, turquoise or coral feels appropriate.  

Anyway, I figure that if I can just line up one weeks worth or stylish and beautiful outfits and wear them every week for a month then I can start working, one day at a time on two weeks worth of outfits.
Again, I am close to retirement and this may change what I choose to wear everyday but I hope not too much since my work has a business casual dress code that every woman interprets very differently. 
Recently, I have identified a fashion muse who is similar to me in coloring and stature and that is actually quite inspirational.  Celebrity stocking her online has revealed to me several items I could put to good use in my own wardrobe as well as given me tips about makeup and an objective view of what will and will not look good on me.  For instance, Navy Blue is a horrible choice both for her and me.  I have made the mistake of thinking I needed a navy blue dress after seeing a stunning women in one but something about my coloring makes it look completely wrong.  It is fine for the sallow french.  I made this mistake more than once myself but seeing it on her, how absolutely awkward she looks and compared to so many other colors she can wear well, I absolutely realize that unless I become a sea captain, I need have nothing to do with navy blue.
Let her spend embarrassing amounts of money on clothes.  Someone will always snap a picture of her and post in online.  All I have to do is google her name and I can view the image results which don't lie about what looks good and what doesn't.  The main trouble is finding things I want to wear in colors that suit me.  (Lots of things to wear in colors that don't suit me.) Luckily, tomato red and scarlet are all mine. 
My hope is to pick a spectacular outfit/idea and copy it for myself. 

I love the American spin on French chic. Chic but with washed hair, painted nails, pretty smiles, anyone can look like the slept in the gutter and then put on a suit and pair or heels but you still look like you slept in the gutter.  Kudos to you for not wearing makeup or ever smiling but shiny lips, white teeth and smiles win hearts.

My next purchase will either be a black pair of shoes (1 1/2" pumps, which no one seems to make anymore).  These will definitely be useful but perhaps I could/should look at creating another outfit in my 'best' colors.  Or, perhaps I'll do that next. 

Other things I need include beautiful (real) jewelry and shoes.  That's about it.  As long as I can stick to my plan and purchase things in colors that truly suit me I can always be a shiny, happy person.