If you were stranded on an iceberg, what 20 items of clothing would you take with you to look good?
It's a bit of a silly question but it got me thinking.
Winter is closing in here in New Zealand, and it's time to get cozy and stylish with the perfect pastel capsule wardrobe. As a fashion enthusiast and creator, I'm excited to share my winter 20 piece capsule wardrobe with you. Join me as we explore my thought process, inspirations, and carefully curated collection of 20 pieces that will inspire you to revamp your own winter wardrobe.
Last week, during the interview with Liz Klebba, Liz and I share our mood boards for our wardrobes for the upcoming seasons (hers being spring and summer and mine being fall and winter). My wardrobe mood board was based around the pastel colours, of purple, aqua, green, and pink. The neutrals I chose are denim blue, light grey and white.
These colours reflect my personality and style, creating a cohesive and harmonious collection.
I have talked before about how I was greatly influenced by Imogen Lamport's 7 Steps to Style course. I actually did a whole series of interviews with Imogen last year. You can see those here if you would like to watch them.
Imogen's course helped me understand my personal style and colour palette. Through this course, I discovered that I was cool-toned, and overall light. My hair and skin are very light, however my eyes are quite dark. This means that under the 7 Steps to Style system, I am a tranquil colour palette (overall light), with medium to high contrast.
I don't have much of a waist so my body shape as an H (rectangle). These insights shaped my choices in selecting pieces that not only look good but also make me feel confident and comfortable.
Here's is the Tranquil colour palette. Isn't it beautiful. As you can see, these are all cool toned shades of the colours. Most people can wear all colours, they just need to choose the right shade that works for them. If you are interested in learning more about your colouring you Imogen Lamport or Liz Klebba can help you with that.
I broke down my capsule into five categories – bottoms, tops, layering pieces, sweaters, and jackets – and meticulously chose each item to ensure versatility and functionality. From a pleated pink skirt to the self-made wool trousers, and denim pieces, my collection covers a range of styles and occasions. I chose a selection of casual items and more elegant pieces that fit my lifestyle. I always like to have an unexpected item or edge to my outfits so I had to take that into consideration as well. I'm not very rock chic, but I wanted to be able to create pastel edgy outfits.
One of the key aspects of a capsule wardrobe is the ability to mix and match pieces effortlessly. In the video, I discuss which items go with each other and why I would, or would not, wear them together. I consider colour coordination, levels of refinement, and personal style preferences when creating outfits.
No outfit is complete without accessories, and my choice of jewellery adds a final touch of elegance to my ensembles.
As a jewellery maker, it was really hard to choose only a few pieces for my capsule but I did. I chose six necklaces that I think will work for any occasion, including a layering piece and statement designs, and feminine and edgy pieces. The versatility of these accessories allows for endless possibilities in creating different looks with the same wardrobe staples.
I'd love to know whether you think a capsule wardrobe would work for you? No matter what season you are in, selecting just a few pieces can make it much easier to plan your outfits daily.
I hope you join me in celebrating the beauty of pastels, the functionality of capsule wardrobes, and the joy of expressing yourself through fashion.
Next week I will be sharing some outfits that I made with my 20 pieces of clothing so make sure you come back then.
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May 14, 2024
Hi, my name is Carol Karl. I live in little old New Zealand. My family and I strive to live the most ‘real’ life we can – by that I mean that we eat real food, we live real lives and just generally be our most authentic selves.
