Mixing and matching

When you have a capsule wardrobe, especially if there are no more than 33 items of clothing, it's important to change the combinations if you want to avoid boredom. Be aware that boredom often triggers the urge to shop and we are trying to cut down on unnecessary purchases! It's all too easy to always grab the same bottoms when you decide to wear a particular top and I'm as guilty of that as anyone.

In yesterday's post I wore the yellow striped top with my blue skirt for the first time, as I usually wear it with one of my two pairs of linen trousers. I rather liked the result of mixing and matching, so I thought I would look at other possible combinations.

The yellow top would go well with the three pairs of trousers and stone skirt above, giving me a total of five outfits. Changing my accessories and jewellery will create even more new looks.

The blue skirt can be mixed with many other tops in my wardrobe, including the ones show below.

This gives me eight more outfits, but if you then mix these tops with some of the trousers or with the stone skirt you have even more permutations (around 30) - not forgetting the option to ring the changes with accessories and jewellery. Remember that I am only showing 14 out of a possible 33 items and with them I have more than enough outfits to wear something different every day of the month.

Why not take a look inside your own wardrobe and see if there is a combination that you've never tried before? In fact, here's a challenge for you (you know how I love challenges!): next week try and create a new outfit every day, either mixing and matching your tops and bottoms in a different way, or through adding accessories and/or jewellery. Please comment on here to let us know how you get on and if you can send me a photo of your new outfit I will be happy to post it.