5 different styles, 5 different capsule wardrobes – Lots of examples
Fall is about reading, drinking hot chocolate, and going for long walks. There is also the occasional dinner date and festive celebration. If you are wondering what to wear and are curious about the idea of a capsule wardrobe, you have come to the right place. I give you examples of five different fall capsule wardrobes for women over 40.
Different styles, different outfits
Five different women. They all have their distinct styles. They also had wishes for what to include in their fall capsule wardrobes and color preferences.
I also go through 14 different activities and show how to get dressed for them based on the capsule wardrobes.
In the end, I go through 8 important lessons and tips for creating an ultimate capsule wardrobe for fall 2023 for women over 40.
5 different styles, 5 different capsule wardrobes, 13 pieces of clothes for each wardrobe
1. The modern-day Explorer
She likes spending time in nature, she also explores the city where she lives.
She is comfortable at dinner tables, art exhibitions, and out in the wild. For fall 2023 she wanted one elegant jacket and one jacket suitable for the outdoors. She also wanted a pair of blue jeans and a cable knit sweater.
Color palette
Her color palette turned out to be varied. She chose mostly basic colors but we also gave her wardrobe a sprinkle of burgundy.
Top row: Elegant black jacket. Casual green jacket. Camel blazer. Cable knit sweater.
Middle row: Brown mock turtleneck. White shirt. Black henley. Burgundy silk blouse. Burgundy printed dress.
Bottom row: Blue jeans. Brown jeans. Printed brown and burgundy skirt. Brown corduroy skirt.
13 pieces of clothes – Endless outfit variation
13 pieces of clothes is a good number for your fall capsule wardrobe. (Of course, you would also add a couple of tank tops and T-shirts.)
Looking at this capsule wardrobe you can combine the cable knit sweater with all different bottoms, it will look cozy with the skirts. It would even work over the dress.
When you need to dress up a bit you can also combine the silk blouse with all bottoms and get equally good outfits. This is the strength of a good capsule wardrobe.
2. The queen of comfort
You know her from my summer capsule wardrobe for women over 40 edition, she likes to be comfortable. She likes neutral colors. She is fuss-free, yet always somehow manages to come across as elegant.
Color palette
White looks chic and unexpected for fall.
She wanted a pair of white palazzo-style jeans. A knit polo and a cream-colored leather jacket will give her that casual nonchalance. White looks great with navy, and grey always looks sporty and relaxed. She also got two blouses.
Top row: Grey wool bomber jacket. Cream leather jacket. Navy knitted blazer. Grey sweater.
Middle row: Navy cable knitted sweater. Cream cashmere hoodie. Printed blouse. Navy silk blouse. White polo top.
Bottom row: Dark blue jeans. White jeans. Grey slacks. White pleated shirt.
13 pieces of clothes – Endless outfit variation
The white additions make this wardrobe fresh and interesting. Since the color palette is restricted, you can easily wear the chunkiest sweater and the lightest blouse with all the bottoms, the different jackets will complement any outfit you can come up with.
This is a casual, yet chic, fall capsule wardrobe for women over 40.
3. The romantic and innocent 40-plus
This woman likes long bubble baths, candles and vintage stores. She watches the leaves fall and gets melancholic, she listens to the rain and reads poetry.
Color palette
She requested tweed, suede, and two romantic dresses. Her fall plan is to fall in love and read Anna Karenina and therefore she needs soft colors and a dash of burgundy. She also wanted a white shirt and a plaid shirt. She wanted to feel the season on her skin.
Top row: Tweed blazer. Suede jacket. Chunky oat sweater. Striped cardigan.
Middle row: Plaid burgundy shirt. White shirt. White polo. Brown silk dress. Burgundy dress.
Bottom row: Leggings. Tweed pants. Pleated oat skirt. Burgundy tweed skirt.
13 pieces of clothes – Endless outfit variation
When you choose your 13 pieces, they don’t all have to match.
The important thing is that the bottoms can be worn with the tops. The tops don’t need to match each other, unless you plan to wear them together. The same goes for the dresses.
The best is if the two jackets work with most of your outfits.
4. The elegant art lover
She likes modern art and she is not afraid of an eye-catching outfit. Elegance and grace are her mantras.
She likes to immerse herself in culture and get inspiration for her outfits from what she sees and hears.
Color palette
She wanted to mix beige with a couple of statement pieces, she wanted color so I gave her orange. Fall made her in the mood for silk and wool and two new jackets. Also, she plans to test if the sweater vest is a trend for her.
Top row: Suede beige jacket. Orange plaid jacket. Plaid blanket scarf. Navy cardigan.
Middle row: Burgundy silk blouse. Orange silk blouse. White shirt. Beige polo. navy sweater vest.
Bottom row: Plaid pants. Grey wool skirt. Beige silk skirt. Multicolored pleated skirt.
13 pieces of clothes – Endless outfit variation
In this example, you can see that bringing in more colors and patterns limits the amount of good outfits you can create.
For example, you might not be able to wear the orange blouse with the beige skirt.
If you have a lot of colorful clothes, you need to make sure that you have enough basic pieces to support your statement pieces.
5. The aging femme fatale
Being sexy is not about age. This woman is in contact with her sensual side, she feels comfortable in her skin and she likes to celebrate her unique beauty. Her sexiness is subtle and grown up.
Color palette
She chose to keep things simple and focus on the drape and cut of her clothes. She likes it when the clothes drape nicely against her skin.
The simple color palette makes her wardrobe functional and suitable for many different situations. Her clothes are all about the right detail.
Top row: White fur jacket. Tweed blazer. Grey sweater. Fair isle sweater.
Middle row: Navy wrap sweater. Cream draped sweater. Sweater with shirt. Black silk blouse. Black see-through blouse.
Bottom row: Grey pants. Black jeans. Navy silk skirt. Black knitted skirt.
13 pieces of clothes – Endless outfit variation
This is such a good basic capsule wardrobe, you could even add a couple of statement pieces and have them nicely blend in with this very functional wardrobe.
8 tips for creating a fall capsule wardrobe for a woman over 40
1. Balance the basics
Make sure you have a good balance between basic clothes and interesting clothes. A functional capsule wardrobe is all about balance. You want your clothes to all work together, but you don’t want to wear boring outfits. Make sure you have a mix between standout pieces and supporting basic pieces.
2. Include prints
Printed clothes can bring a lot of interest to a wardrobe. For a 13-piece wardrobe, I recommend including 3 printed pieces. The color of the prints should reflect the colors of your capsule wardrobe.
3. Casual versus festive clothes
Another important balance to take into consideration is the balance between casual clothes and festive clothes. We all have events and dinners we need to dress for. At the same time, we live most of our days in casual clothes. When you evaluate your capsule wardrobe, make sure that you have a good mix and a mix that reflects your lifestyle.
Creating these 5 capsule wardrobes, I made the conclusion that at least one of the bottoms and two of the tops should be more festive. Including a dress is another smart move. One of the jackets should also be more dressed up.
4. Decide on a color palette
The color choice is one of the single most important decisions when you create your capsule wardrobe. Too many colors and it is simply not a capsule wardrobe, it is just a bunch of clothes. Too few colors, on the other hand, will make you bored with your clothes. 4 colors are a good middle way for a 13-piece capsule wardrobe.
5. Balance dark and lightness
Another important lesson I discovered while creating these wardrobes is that a combination of light and dark colors works best. Adding a white shirt, or a cream-colored silk blouse makes wonders for the kind of outfits you can create. In all aspects of your capsule wardrobe, you need balance. so make sure that you have both light and dark clothes.
6. Pick your favorites and build outfits around them
If you feel unsure about where to start, I recommend starting with a couple of items you want to include in your fall capsule wardrobe. These can be a specific jacket, or a cable knit sweater, or a pair of pants. When you have a list of 3-5 items you absolutely want, the other items easily fall into place. You realize what you need to be able to make outfits with your chosen items. You might realize you want a white shirt to wear with your born pants.
7. Decide on what and how many to include
Another pro tip is to decide on the number and kind of items. In all my wardrobes, I include 4 bottoms and two jackets. I include 3 dressier pieces. The sweaters should go from heavier to lighter. Deciding how many, if any, skirts you want to include, also helps.
8. Lay everything out and start creating outfits
You never know until you try. This is certainly true when it comes to fall capsule wardrobe for women over 40. I recommend that you lay out your chosen clothes exactly like my pictures. Pick a couple of activities and ask yourself which clothes you would choose. Get dressed; take a picture.
A final note on Fall capsule wardrobe for women over 40
Creating a fall capsule wardrobe is a fun and interesting exercise that will teach you a lot about your style.
You will find out what works for you and how you like to get dressed. You can create a 13-piece capsule wardrobe and use it for as long as you want; 1 week or 3 months.
Having a capsule wardrobe is not meant to be restrictive. Instead, the fact that you have a limited amount of choice will unleash your creativity. You will get to know which clothes you like.
Moa Ailert is the founder and editor-in-chief of Her Brilliant Friend.
She has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and plenty of insight into human psychology from traveling and living in different places around the world.
Moa is currently based in Portugal where she has a guesthouse; Villa dos Irmaos.
She has various websites, among others Ericeira Insider, but Her brilliant friend is her true passion project.
