My client, Mrs. Sublime, has been getting a lot of love here on the blog. She inspired a post about hidden finds and another one on building an outfit. I knew I was going to write this post because I was not only really pleased with how things have been shaping up with our work together but because I always glean new insights when I work with clients that I enjoy passing on to you.
Mrs. Sublime has, or I should now say had, her own set of wardrobe challenges, needs, and setbacks that are unique, but in terms of how I work with her, it’s no different than how I work with any other client. Women hire me because they are struggling with their wardrobes and have realized that they have reached the limits of their abilities without the help of an expert. Some think I swoop in with some magic powers. And, yes, I may have training, qualifications, and experience that make me more adept than the average person, but what really makes me successful at my job is being able to take what a client has been trying to do on their own and build on it.
In many ways, a stylist is a facilitator. Just like a therapist is a guide who asks their clients the right questions, is trained to notice certain patterns and listens out for certain cues, the same is true for a stylist. When I work with any client, what I am always looking for is what a client is trying to communicate even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. A good stylist can zero in on those small, often hidden, kernels of information. So, in many ways, I don’t necessarily direct how I style a client as much as a client tells me, often without realizing it, exactly what they are looking for. A client may not be able to communicate it, but if a stylist is good, they don’t have to.
As with all my clients, this was very much the case with Mrs. Sublime who took me into her closet and showed me plenty of misdirections and quite a few regrettable purchases. But among the things we could both could laugh about and happily cast off, what emerged had clear and consistent points of view that were very obvious to me. The more we cleared away the clearer things became. Was it as clear to Mrs. Sublime? Maybe not, but that is why I was there.
Obviously, nobody scales Mt. Everest as expertly if they don’t have trained guidance, so I understand that embarking on a wardrobe expedition to discover the gems that will help further excavate a personal style without any expert assistance is a much more daunting process. However, I can assure you, if you have clothes in your closet, you have intel that you can use.
Mrs. Sublime’s Starting Point
I will use Mrs. Sublime’s starting point as an example. My first impression of Mrs. Sublime was her deep, beautiful auburn hair and classic outfit she was wearing. Her stunning home looked straight out of Architectural Digest with its well-appointed, whimsical, and clever design details. Without even going into her closet, I had gathered a great deal. Inside her closet, despite her own recent closet purge, there was a lot in there. As I went through her wardrobe and removed the things that didn’t work, the clearer the direction became. Mrs. Sublime had these beautiful yellow shades, teals, and burgundy tones. It was all right there the whole time, it just needed to be developed which happened as we peeled the unworkable things away. The best and not surprising part was the pieces we kept were the pieces that Mrs. Sublime probably liked best to begin with. So as daunting as this process may seem to go at alone, much of it is just learning to trust yourself, leaning into your instinct, and not muddying the waters with purchases that don’t elicit that same positive response.
It’s also important to view your wardrobe from both a micro and macro view. This is a topic I would like to talk about in more detail in the future, but briefly, most people shop with a micro mindset. They see things individually without thinking about the bigger picture of their wardrobe and how one piece impacts the whole. As I clear out the things from a closet and am left with what’s being kept, I think about the wardrobe as a whole and what will be needed to strategically create balance.
After a closet edit, I have a lot of work to do to put a client’s wardrobe set in the right direction, and even though Mrs. Sublime and I are basically neighbors (a cool fact we didn’t know until she hired me), I decided to shop online. Shopping online is more efficient because I can jump around quicker from store to store, can take my time strategizing and planning my selections, and, given the supply chain issues that are currently happening in retail, online shopping is just more efficient. In addition to developing Mrs. Sublime’s style, I also had to take into account her lifestyle, physical characteristics— which includes physical limitations— and professional and personal goals.
Mrs. Sublime isn’t the first client to have foot issues— it’s more uncommon for a client not to have them— hers are at the higher end of the problem range. Heels are basically out completely, shoes need to have large toe boxes that are either round or square, and comfort is critical. For tall boots, Mrs. Sublime has large calves and a decent budget to spend which can be harder to shop for. It’s more common to find cheaper boots in wide calf sizes than from investment brands. All of these things, style direction, budget, physical limitations and characteristics, goals, lifestyle are all things that get factored in when helping a client develop their style.
Mrs. Sublime’s Capsule
Shop the pieces in Mrs. Sublime’s Capsule
1.Ellette Wool Blend Dickey Jacket 2. Parke Blazer in English Shetland Wool 3. Parke Blazer in English birdseye Twill-Wool 4. Tie-Waist Lady Jacket in Italian Knit Wool 5. Garnet Tweed Jacket Choupette Merlot 6. Scoop Neck Stretch Jersey Top 7. Pearl Crepe Chiffon Blouse 8. All-Over Print Blouse 9. Slim-Fit Blouse in Stretch Poplin 10. Ashwick Puffer Coat 11. Treeca Pant in Good Wool 12. Workout Performance High Stretch Twill Skinny Leg Trousers 13. Clever Crepe High Waisted Trousers 14. Mejia Pant- Rust 15. Meija Pant- Haze 16. JEN7 by 7 For All Mankind Ankle Skinny Jeans 17. Stretchy Toothpick Jean in True Black 18. Single Button Blazer in Seasonless Wool 19. Tailored Trouser in Seasonless Wool 20. Vintage V-Neck Tee 21. Silk Blouson Sleeve Top 22. Balloon Sleeve Top 23. Relaxed-Fit Sleeveless Top in Washed-Silk 24. Mongolian Cashmere Tee 25. Side Slit Cardigan 26. Australian Merino Wool Open Cardigan Sweater 27. Frederick Cardigan – Fine Alpaca 28. Edale Knitted Jacket Rust Wool 29. Long Sweater-Jacket 30. Verona Pump 31. Silk Georgette Crepe Bateau Neck Shell 32. Silk Georgette Long Crepe Shell 33. 4-Way Stretch Twill Top 34. Nellie Stretch Silk Blouse 35. Recycled Nylon Hooded Coat 36. Gucci Jordaan Leather Loafer 37. Nims Oxford 38. Grace Loafer – Leopard Suede 39. Baguette Stone Drop Earrings 40. Tortoise Link Necklace 41. Alpaca Stand Collar Coat 42. Roxie Center-Seam Ankle Boots 43. Eve Slip-On Loafer Flats 44. Carisa Bootie 45. Oliveira Medium Brown Leather Knee High Boot 46. Gold Petite Link Pendant Necklace 47. Comfortiva Laina Loafer 48. Patsy Mid Pump 49. Gigi Loafers 50. Merino Wool-Blend Turtleneck 51. V-Neck Cashmere Sweater 52. Lou Sweater 53. Howell Wrap Sweater 54, Crewneck Sweater in Extra-Soft Yarn 55. Alex Printed Shirt Dress 56. Allerton Knitted Dress 57. Long-Sleeved Dress with Belted Waist 58. Stretch Virgin Wool Shift Dress 59. Margot Long Sleeve Sweater Dress 60. Kelmscott Skirt 61. Pencil Skirt in Leather 62. Mabel Necklace 63. Buckle Braided Leather Belt 64. Baby Rebound Leather Belt 65. Petit Square Buckle Leather Belt 66. Britten Belt
This is a replica of the first pass of the capsule I presented to Mrs. Sublime after editing through her closet. A few points to note:
- Not everything was expected to be a success. I’m good at my job but I’m not that good. I have better averages than most but clients understand that not everything will be a win. Some things won’t fit, some things a client won’t like and some things will sell out faster than a client can get to them. I over-select pieces for these reasons and I like to capsule things is so a client can see the patterns and how I envision things working toether so they can make informed shopping selections. If a client has a preference for one item, they can track it’s use and easily see which additional items would make the most sense to also buy.
- Not all things were selections made by me. When I can, I try to incorporate things a client already owns into a capsule so they can see how their existing wardrobe works in. In order to protect Mrs. Sublime’s privacy, I subbed out things from her wardrobe for close matches currently available in stores.
- Some modicications were made. For the sake of example, I like to use product shots in flat-lay outfits. Not all retailers feature these types of images. So in some cases, I subbed a close alternatives for pieces I chose for Mrs. Sublime when product shots weren’t available.
- Multple shoe choices. Quite often, I like to show mutiple shoe options to a client because shoes can be an easy way to change up a look. It can also be helpful when a client has very tricky feet. Instead of seeing Mrs. Sublime’s foot problems as a limitation, I chose to lean into them and work with her issues. And if there was ever an argument against having a closet full of black shoes, this capsule is it. By offering Mrs. Sublime a variety of different shoe colors and styles, she gets a lot of options while still being very strategic in her choices. Despite there being a lot of shoes, there is still a one-and-done, no wardrobe splitting, strategy to each style which means that each shoe does something unique and specific.
- Cut yourself some slack. If this looks hard, go easy on yourself. Pulling this capsule together took many hours within the span of a week to accomplish. If it takes you a while to capture your style and then develop your wardrobe, remember, this is my full time job. I’m supposed to make this look effortless.
Outfits Created from Mrs. Sublime’s Capsule
There may be a lot to choose from in Mrs. Sublime’s capsule, but from it, I created 114 outfits, and I could have created more. Check them out and get some ideas for your own wardrobe and building your own capsule.
As with all my clients who allow me the opportunity to give all of you a peek into my work with them, I want to thank Mrs. Sublime for generously granting me permission to share our work together. We’ve come some way since this initial capsule and I look forward to continuing the journey.
What a beautiful, versatile wardrobe! I love the color combinations and the comfy shoe options! Thanks for taking the time to share this capsule.
Thanks, Carol! I was really pleased by how it all turned out and it definitely helps that I can wear every color in it. It doesn’t help that Mrs. Sublime is my neighbor and we basically wear the same size. She better keep her windows locked or she is going to get a visitor in the middle of the night and find a few things missing in the morning. That Veronica Beard blazer is amazing and it was such an integral piece in setting the direction. When Mrs. Sublime responded positively to it I knew we were on our way.
As somebody who has wide calves, I’m really interested in how well the calf measuring for the Duo boots worked for Ms. Sublime, and your take on the quality of the boots
Hi Cindy. We so wanted to love them but the problem Mrs. Sublime ran into was the 41 was too big and the 38 was too tight. So she was in between two widths. The next brand we tried was from a brand called Adelante which has a larger range of widths and more customizations. I don’t know where we stand on those boots but we should have an appointment next week. https://adelanteshoes.com/
She can always get the too tight stretched a little by a good cobbler.
I agree with Patricia. My cobbler has stretched my leather boots’ calves and even toe areas several times for me. They can’t stretch calves more than about a half to 3/4 inch but that can make a difference in comfort and look. Must be leather too.
Definitely. As I said to Patricia too, I had a cobbler stretch a pair of boots 2″ once. I don’t usually recommend that much but he’s sort of amazing.
No doubt. I had a cobbler stretch out a pair of boots of mine by 2″ once. He’s a magician.
Super helpful and detailed post – I love seeing the range of color! That’s one of my favorite parts about your style/capsules; the colorways come across as ‘curated’ instead of ‘tight’, and enough variety not to get bored. (sticking to 2 neutrals and 2 accents is “2 few” color options for me) I’m sure putting it all together took a long time; thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks Ezzy. This is critical, that you can give a client enough to not feel that it is too one note, unless it is intentional like I did for Mrs. Radiant, but is cohesive enough that they can get the most from their wardrobe. It took a very long time to gather and mix all this. That’s for sure.
It was nice to see something that worked so well! You both must be so pleased. Here is a resource for barefoot shoes if her feet ever need them. https://anyasreviews.com
Inspirational. You showed me new ways to wear what I already own. I don’t take enough advantage of my collection of blazers. Even though I live a more casual life than Ms. Sublime, I can still step up a little more than ALWAYS jeans and sweaters.
Thanks, Patricia! We can all use a little inspiration from time to time to see new ways of wearing our wardrobes!
Gosh how different we all are- thank goodness! My soul rebelled against this capsule wardrobe- where is the fun, the clear colous and Patterns! I could see the careful logic of it, but oh so deadly- now I know what’s not for me. Fun btw does not equate with ‘novelty’ in my world but with gorgeous fabrics and a certain dash.
Hi Susanna, as the saying goes, “that’s why there is chocolate and that’s why there is vanilla.” Although I’m not totally clear on what you are saying. Are you saying you don’t like it and it is lacking clear colors and patterns? Every clients’ needs are different and I wouldn’t be a good stylist if I didn’t style what was right for them. My client doesn’t wear a lot of patterns and she certainly doesn’t look good in clear colors.
I just wanted to say how fabulous this wardrobe is. The accent colors are not my preferred colors, but I see much of my own style here, and you’ve given me ideas as to how to make my wardrobe more cohesive.
Hi Janine! That is so great! Yes, this is very personalized to work with Mrs. Sublime’s preferences and coloring. It works with mine too which is why I found this capsule to be so covetable for myself. There are definitely colors in this capsule that are very specific and only work for a few people so I can see why they wouldn’t be perfect for everyone. Good luck with your own wardrobe!
I loved this post! I love to see the real outfits you put together for real people. Often your outfits include a jacket. In the past I was a suit person, but my life is much more casual now, so I wear cardigans or perhaps knit jackets. But I am not so casual that jeans are my uniform. I wonder if you have done a capsule wardrobe that would be less business like and yet not super casual. Let me know if there is one in the archives. Otherwise I will keep looking to see if you do one in the future.
Thanks, Barbara. I’d have to go back and look if I have actual client capsules that are more casually driven. You can certainly search in behind-the-scenes client sessions, which is easy to find, but the thing to know is that the majority of my clients are in executive leadership, so this is usually the focus. I most certainly have built casual capsule posts on this blog that may not be actual client posts, but they are capsules. I hope that helps!
Thanks Bridgette, I will check out ‘behind the scenes’.
You’re probably better off searching the topic of wardrobe capsules on the blog vs. behind the scenes because, again, most of my clients are professional women. Many readers found this casual capsule post helpful. It’s a few years old but you may still find value. https://www.bridgetteraes.com/2016/11/14/minimalist-mom-wardrobe-capsule/
I’m clearly focused on figuring out shoes right now, because I’m looking at what shoes you chose for different outfits and I’m feeling mystified. There’s a beautiful mustard yellow top that you paired with the burgundy leather skirt, but you didn’t put the yellowish-brown ankle boots with it as I expected. How do you choose shoe colors for outfits?
Hi Angela, the first thing to keep in mind is that putting a capsule together like this takes hours and hours to complete so I get to the point where I am just going to miss some options. However, when I went back and looked at your suggestion, I don’t know if I would have put the cognac booties with that look. But I can’t say definitively why. I think I’m just drawn to the other shoes. That’s not to say the cognac booties wouldn’t work. There is a level of subjectivity to fashion where it’s simply a matter of opinion. For me, I tend to trust my gut and go with what feels the most balanced to me. I wish I could be more helpful but if you were wearing this outfit and felt inclined to wear it with cognac booties, I wouldn’t say it would be wrong.
I just want to clarify that I hope I’m not coming across as rude. I just feel lost at sea when it comes to choosing shoes for outfits. I only know how to match the shoe with the outfit, and I see that you are using a different principle, but I don’t know what that principle is.
Not at all, Angela! I totally got that you were genuinely asking for direction and I was bummed I couldn’t be more helpful. It’s often a matter of gut instinct and often I have to stop myself and really think through what guides my decisions because after nearly 30 years of being in the fashion industry, a lot of what I do is on autopilot and I just don’t think about it. Often I try not to be too matchy-matchy and I try to create harmonious looks without being too obvious because that is what I think creates a look that is more interesting.