Color Palette Challenge: Building Color Into My Capsule Wardrobe

A simple strategy to curate a timeless wardrobe with the clothes you already own.

A Simple Life in Layers

Introducing the 3rd blog in my 4-part blog series about the connection between slow fashion and sustainable living. This blog is about my attempt to use the Color Palette Challenge to curate my summer-inspired capsule wardrobe collection.

• 5 Adventure Challenge
• Personal Uniforms & Simple Routines
• Hacking The Color Palette Challenge
• What’s Wrong With #Repeating?

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As my blog series winds down to an end, I wanted to challenge myself to create a personalized capsule wardrobe of my own.

Others inspired me who have completed the Color Palette Challenge, and I wanted to use this blog as an opportunity to put my skills to the test and see what looks I could come up with from my closet.

For those who may not know, the goal of the Color Palette Challenge is to create a capsule collection composed of pieces you already own and that fit within a chosen color palette. Some attempt the challenge to spice up their usual routine while others use it to hone their signature look.

Despite the different goals or expectations one might have going into the challenge, the idea is to look at your closet from a different perspective, taking inventory of the items you own and coming up with creative yet practical ways of how to style them for everyday wear.

Whether you’re interested in attempting the challenge yourself, considering creating your capsule wardrobe, or simply looking for an entertaining read, follow along as I document my experience giving a go at the Color Palette Challenge.

Crafting Your Capsule Wardrobe Color Palette

Going into the Color Palette Challenge, I was feeling a bit nervous about how difficult curating a capsule wardrobe would be in practice. Most days I feel as if my sense of style is all over the place, and that I have never really been able to nail down the image of myself I want my clothes to convey to the world.

I was hoping that the challenge would give me some sense of direction as to what colors and styles of garments I already own and help to inform what pieces I should search for in the future.

To begin, I took inspiration from past challenges and uploaded pictures from my camera roll to Canva’s Color Palette Generator.

I wanted to create a palette inspired by adventures in nature that I’ve taken over the past few months, yet still made up of neutral shades that would be easy enough to mix and match.

I compiled my favorite shots of landscapes that I’ve captured throughout the summer and used the generator to identify the most common tones in each photo.

After some experimentation, I settled on a color scheme perfect for my capsule wardrobe, consisting of neutral shades of cream/white, bright blue, navy, pale green, charcoal, and earthy brown.

To me, the tones are reminiscent of an ocean landscape, which makes sense since most of the pictures I uploaded to Canva were taken off or on a beach.

The palette is basic but not boring and reminds me of the sea, the sky, and the sand, which are elements of nature I wanted to replicate in my capsule collection.

Sort Out Your Capsule Wardrobe Staples

Color palette in hand, it was time to venture into my closet. I went through my clothes, pulling out pieces that adhered closely enough to the color scheme to be satisfactory and putting aside those that didn’t quite fit. Once I had cataloged everything, I went back to the items I had chosen and sorted through them again, ensuring that each one was comfortable and in good condition.

I wasn’t too surprised to find that a lot of pieces I already own match my palette, as I have always found myself gravitating toward neutral colors.

I made sure that my favorite Oliver Charles staples, the Cardigan Vest and the Short Sleeve from the Summer Line, are a part of my capsule wardrobe since they pair well with practically everything.

I also settled upon a dress, a skirt, one pair of athletic shorts, a pair of comfortable shorts, one pair of leggings, one t-shirt, a tank top, and a jean jacket to round out the collection. It was important to me that each piece be versatile enough to be worn either at home or out, as well as comfortable for all-day wear.

Once the work in my wardrobe was finished, it was time for the fun part: assembling the outfits! Read along to see the final looks I came up with using the selected items from my curated capsule collection.

Outfit 1: To Wear When Working From Home

From the beginning of the challenge, I knew that my capsule wardrobe had to include the perfect outfit to wear while working from home. Wearing a sweater with athletic shorts might seem a bit contradictory at first glance, but it is the secret formula to achieve maximum comfort and focus when working nomadically.

Outfit 2: To Wear When Out On The Town

To create the ideal dinner party outfit, I chose to pair an ankle-length dress with the Oliver Charles Summer Cardigan Vest, which is a necessary piece for adding a bit of coverage or warmth when out at night. Stylish when worn both on or off the shoulders.

Outfit 3: To Wear When, Well, Anywhere

This is a number that is fitting for pretty much every occasion. Playful yet elegant, it is comfortable enough to lounge around the house in or to wear while visiting with friends and family.

Outfit 4: To Wear When Out And About

An outfit that is casual yet chic, and can easily be dressed up or down to one’s liking. Well-suited for running errands while looking effortlessly stylish.

Outfit 5: To Wear When Working Out

My capsule collection wouldn’t be complete without an outfit to exercise in that is versatile enough to be worn during most physical activities. The vest can be quickly thrown on when heading to or from the gym, or it can protect from the wind if working out outdoors.

Final Thoughts On Color Palettes And Capsule Wardrobes

Taking the Color Palette Challenge was a far simpler task than I thought it would be, but more importantly, I found it to be a super enjoyable experience.

Despite my initial hesitations, I was able to try something new that encouraged me to get creative and think outside of the box in terms of my personal style.

Not only did it help me declutter my wardrobe, but I was also able to get a better grasp on developing and refining my signature look, which is something I’ve struggled with for a long time.

Throughout writing this blog series I’ve been lucky enough to learn a lot about the practically endless stream of benefits that come with curating your personal capsule wardrobe.

Challenging yourself to reinvent your style and your closet never goes out of season, and is a meaningful way to make an impact upon the Earth so that everybody wins.

So, why not try the Color Palette Challenge for yourself? There’s nothing to lose and, well, pretty much everything to gain.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.