End of Season Summer Capsule Debrief

Hello friends!

Seeing as it’s only two weeks until I’m supposed to put my fall capsule into action, I thought it might be a good idea for me to run though my summer wardrobe and see what lessons can be learned from this past season. This is as much for my record as anything else, but I really hope you’ll enjoy it as well!

First, a brief reminder of what all was in my summer wardrobe–

• 4 tank tops
• 6 t-shirts
• 1 long-sleeve shirt
• 6 dresses
• 3 jumpers
• 1 skirt
• 3 pairs of pants
• 3 pairs of shorts
• 6 pairs of shoes

Shoes

Let’s start with shoes, as that seems as good a place as any. There were some clear winners and clear losers in this category. The winners are definitely the camel colored Dansko sandals (all the way on the left). I’ve pretty much worn them everyday since I got them. They go with everything and they are easy to dress up or down. My only complaint is that the velcro is NOT strong enough. I wish they had used a regular old buckle. When I kneel down to tie a kids shoe or pick something up off the floor (so, all day, everyday) the strap pops loose, which is super annoying. The losers, surprisingly, are the Birkenstocks and Converse. Last year I wore the Birkenstocks a lot, so I was surprised I didn’t wear them more. I think the Danskos were just an easy way to elevate an otherwise casual outfit and the Birks really only work for casual situations. And then there’s the Converse… and they were just too warm. White tennis shoes seem like a summery thing, but practically they just don’t work. I think they will have to stick to spring and maybe fall, we’ll see. I think they definitely have their place, but summer just isn’t it.

Tops

This is an area where I didn’t have as clear a picture of what worked and what didn’t. Obviously, I reached for the white, or off white, t-shirt type tops a lot. They’re versatile and comfortable, so what’s not to love. I think the one I wore the least was probably the black silk tank. Not because I don’t like it, but because it always felt a bit too dressy to wear to grocery store or the park. And that’s what my life is these days. But I did wear it on occasion, so it was nice to have it if I needed it. The long sleeve button ups didn’t get as much play as some of the others, but they certainly had their place, like over dresses for a different look, or as a stand in for a sweater. I don’t think I’d take them out. All in all, I think my tops were all pretty solid choices this season! Woo!

Bottoms

So, this probably won’t shock any of you, but my shorts were much more popular than my pants this season… I know, I know. It’s a revelation. But seriously, there was a time in my life when I hated wearing shorts. I just felt uncomfortable in them, I don’t know why. But these Madewell shorts (the black pair and the blue pair) have changed that! They’re loose enough around the leg that you don’t get that uncomfortable squeeze around your thigh when you sit down. And the waist is elastic, so bring on the ice cream! The colors are universal, so they go with all my tops. Add the Danskos for a little height and you have a cute little date outfit (Ha! Like we have time for those). Or go with a flat sandal and you’re off to the park (much more likely). On the other hand, I can count the number of times I wore my jeans, white or denim, on two hands. I think I’ll remember that next year.

Dresses / Jumpers

As I mentioned in my original summer wardrobe post, I’ve really been digging the one-piece outfit this season. My dresses and jumpers got A LOT of action this summer, which is great! The most popular was probably the blue and white striped jumper from Target. I absolutely adore it. The down side to this item is that it’s from Target. I wish that it were more sustainably made and, well, better made. I’ve already had to stitch up one seam where it started coming apart. I love it so much that I want it to last forever, but it probably won’t. I also really enjoyed the denim shirt dress from Madewell, and the black cross back dress from Anthro. There were some pieces I didn’t wear as much. The short floral dress with long sleeves, by Free People, didn’t get much play because I didn’t have many excuses to wear it. It’s got a very “night out” or “date” vibe, and let’s be real, I don’t get many of those. I also didn’t wear the black silk suspender jumper from Anthro very much. I thought I would LOVE it, but I just couldn’t get it to work right for me, at least until last week when we went on a date and I decided to pair it with my new rusty orange tank from Madewell. You haven’t seen that item on the blog because I bought it for fall, but when it worked with the black jumper I just had to wear it (if you’re on IG you might have seen that outfit in my stories). So I don’t know what I’m going to do about that piece next year. Luckily, I have some time to figure it out!

Thanks for coming along on this little revisit today! I know I learned some things, and maybe you did, too! Now, I’m off to work on my fall capsule some. As much as I absolutely LOVE fall, I always struggle with my fall wardrobe. Stay tuned to see what  end up with! I’d love some suggestions if you have any!