I’ve been wearing my spring capsule wardrobe for a few weeks now. And I’m really enjoying the selection of clothing that I’ve chosen but I did make a few changes.

It all started when I came across my ideal spring coat this weekend. Navy, lightly quilted, no collar and the perfect length. It was a little expensive at $27 for a secondhand coat but it’s in excellent condition and I knew I would wear it a lot and for years to come. Another bonus is that it’s the perfect layering piece when the weather gets colder. I can wear it as an extra layer under coats in the winter.

I have a goal this year to minimize my closet further which means letting go of some coats. I’ve always had a thing for coats and I use the excuse that I live in a place with really cold winters to justify the amount that I own. Having this extra layer will help with that.

I’m trying to be more realistic about the amount of clothes that I own, and actually wear, and how that makes me feel.

Having “too many” clothes makes me feel anxious and it sucks up a lot of my time, from thinking about to taking care of it. The more I get rid of, the lighter I feel and the more I enjoy what I do own. Having less also fuels my creativity.

I would love to get to a place where I just have a warm weather capsule and a cold weather capsule full of items that I consistently wear. And eventually I think that’ll happen. This year, I’d like to identify warm weather only clothes, cold weather only clothes and those items that work for year round. I’d like to get rid of any excess that don’t fit my slow living lifestyle, which is not something I see changing.

What I removed from my spring capsule wardrobe

Ok, back to the changes I made. After I added my “new” jacket, I knew that I would prefer to wear it as a light layer instead of my charcoal wool blazer (4th from left in photo below) so I removed that. I also removed a Levi’s denim shirt (3rd from left). I keep trying to like denim shirts/jackets but I’m just not sure they work for me. I might hold on to it until I put together my summer capsule or I might list it on Poshmark.

I also removed my cream quilt pants. I had included them as a warm layer for the first part of the capsule which is usually still cold. But I haven’t reached for them and it’s only going to get warmer. Plus, I like the idea of putting them away and feeling excited when I pull them back out again.

I removed my long black mockneck dress (6th from left) that I LOVE. I’ve worn it once but I have a black slip dress that I can combine with other black items that would give me a similar silhouette. Like my quilt pants, I’d like to put it away and feel excited when I take it back out in the fall.

I removed a grey t-shirt (2nd from left) that I haven’t worn. I did attempt to wear it once but switched it out for the grey ribbed shirt in my capsule, which made me realize that I only need one. Maybe I’ll include it in my summer capsule.

Finally, I removed my black short sleeve jumpsuit (5th from left). I was on the fence about this one when I initially made my capsule. I’m just not excited about it. I’ll see how I feel about it when I put together my summer capsule. It might be time to let it go.

What I added to my spring capsule wardrobe

In addition to the navy jacket, I added 2 pairs of pants.

I’d wanted a pair of white jeans for a while. I actually bought these back in December. They’re from my favorite denim brand (Agolde) and I found them secondhand so I thought I’d try them out. My other 2 pairs of denim are 100% cotton but these are 98% cotton, 2% spandex. I’m not sure how I feel about the spandex element which is why they’ve been sitting on a shelf.

I figure I should try them out to see if I like them. They are definitely more comfortable when sitting than my other ones but they stretch out…and I’m not a fan of that. I’ll wear them throughout the spring so I can evaluate if I will keep them or replace them with a 100% pair.

The second pair of pants that I added are a pair of vintage linen pants that I found last summer. These are the most perfect fitting pants and I love them. They also add an extra “light” element to my rather dark capsule which I like.

Final thoughts

A “perfect” capsule wardrobe doesn’t exist. There’s no definite prescription. Nothing is set in stone.

It’s a tool to make your life easier. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Put one together. Make changes if you need to. Be intentional and realistic.

If you’ve been wanting to try a capsule wardrobe but you feel intimidated by all the “perfect capsules” out there, know that they didn’t just happen overnight. And the owner probably still sees changes that can be made.

I’ve been working on my wardrobe for the past 7 years and I don’t know that I’ll ever get to the “perfect capsule” utopia but I do know I’m a lot happier with my wardrobe now.

Leave me a comment if you enjoyed this little capsule update!