Fall Capsule Wardrobe for Women Over 50: The 19 Pieces I Am Wearing All Season
Every season I update the capsule wardrobe on my Shop Worthy page, and fall is my favorite one to put together.
If you read one of my last posts about shopping your own closet, you know I came home from New York with a camera roll full of outfits and only four new things. So you might be wondering why I am now sharing a list of 19 pieces.
Here is the thing. This is not a shopping list for me. It is a blueprint.
I pull it up, stand in my closet, and see how many of these I already have. Usually, it's more than I think. Then I fill the one or two gaps that are really there.
Why a capsule works so well for me in midlife
I do not want to spend thirty minutes getting dressed. I want a small group of pieces that all go together, so I can grab three of them and walk out the door.
Last spring I shared a question I heard on a Mel Robbins podcast with stylist Erin Walsh: How do I want to feel today? I still ask myself that. For fall, my answer is warm, put together, and comfortable. This whole list is built around that.
The colors are brown, camel, cream, and denim, with one pop of orange. And suede. Suede was everywhere in New York, and you will see it on this list more than once.
Start with a great blazer
If I could only add one piece this fall, it would be this oversized blazer from ME+EM. It goes over jeans and a tee, over a dress, over the pants below. It makes a simple outfit look like you meant it.
My favorite way to wear it is belted, with the sleeves pushed up.
The jackets
Yes, the trench was on my spring list too. It earned its spot again. It is the layer for those fall days that start cold and end warm.
Then there is this suede jacket from Mint Velvet. I know, I have a lot of jackets. But nothing says fall like suede, and the pocket details make this one feel a little different. This is the suede jacket I could not wait to get home to after New York.
The tops
This cashmere tee from Boden is my fall version of the white tee. Soft, easy, and dressier than cotton. I went with the orange because every capsule needs one color that makes you happy.
You know I love denim almost anytime, so of course there is a denim shirt. I wear it on its own, open over a tee, or with the Lemon Twist jeans for denim-on-denim.
And you know I love a stripe. This striped shirt from ME+EM has a boxy cut and a shorter sleeve.
The pants and the denim
The Effortless Pant from Aritzia is back on my list because I reach for it all the time. It is comfortable, but when you put a blazer over it, it looks polished. I have them in brown, and my favorite way to wear them is with this blazer.
I already have the Mother Lemon Twist in three colors, and this grey one is my fall pick. The twist detail makes them a little more interesting than a regular jean.
And a darker denim. You know from my last post that this was the one gap I had. These FRAME jeans are a dark rinse, and a dark wash dresses up, goes to dinner, and works under a blazer.
For the fun piece, last spring it was fun pants. This fall it is this brown checked skirt with a hanky hem. Every capsule needs one piece with a little personality.
The dress
This sleeveless Veronica Beard midi dress works right now on its own. When it gets cooler, add the blazer or the suede jacket and boots, and it goes all the way to the holidays.
The shoes
My Veronica Beard sneakers were on the spring list, and this suede pair is the fall version. Same easy sneaker, warmer texture.
These STAUD boots make an outfit feel like fall. They go with the skirt, the dress, or jeans.
And these Dolce Vita boots are waterproof. Because it rains, and I am not ruining my suede.
The finishing touches
A good belt is what makes a blazer or denim shirt look finished.
For jewelry, these gold hoops for every day, and this wood heart necklace to make a plain tee look styled.
Scarves are everywhere this fall. This set is an easy way to try the trend without buying a whole new outfit. I like one tied on a ponytail or on the handle of a bag. But if you want a splurge, you can’t go wrong with this scarf. It is on my wish list.
And a brown bag goes with everything on this list.
One more thing I just found was these glasses! Every time I wear them, someone comments on them.
How I am wearing it
A few outfits straight from this list:
Blazer, cashmere tee, Lemon Twist jeans and suede sneakers
Denim shirt, checked skirt, belt and STAUD boots
Midi dress, suede jacket and boots
Effortless Pant, striped shirt, trench and the brown bag
That is the whole idea for me. Fewer pieces, more outfits, and a lot less standing in front of the closet.
Capsule wardrobe questions
Do I buy all 19 pieces? No. I would never buy all of this at once. I shop my own closet first and only fill the gaps I actually have.
What if brown is not your color? I am loving brown this fall, but black or navy would work the same way. What matters to me is that everything goes together.
If I could only buy one thing, what would it be? A great blazer or a great boot. Either one does more for my fall wardrobe than ten new tops.
One last thing
I do not want getting dressed to be the hard part of my day. When I know my pieces all work together, I get ready faster, and I feel better walking out the door.
You can shop the full fall capsule collection here, and it lives on my Shop Worthy page all season.
So tell me, which of these do you already have hanging in your closet?
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