A (fashionable) capsule wardrobe for a SAHM?!?!

[Scruffybear]

Hi folks
OK, I really need your help! I used to work full time until 2010, but have ended up being a stay at home mum since, we now have two daughters and I never, ever buy any clothes. I have heaps of clothes that were 'work clothes' but I don't wear anymore and I scruff about in the same jeans and tops day in day out.

I look like one of the people that Trinny and Susannah (where DID they go, did Gok bump them off?!) used to berate and then drag round town to sort out! My 2 yr old Starts pre school in the autumn though and I want to spruce myself up a bit and feel better about how I look. I want a few things that are decent looking for the school runs so i dont look like an enormous frump to other mums i could make friends with too ;-) DH has told me to go on a shopping spree for clothes that I will wear and have a clear out of the other stuff but I don't know where to start. I never read mags, or even watch the fashion bits on tv really either, so I have no clue about what's trendy (not that I plan to be cutting edge here, just avoid looking like a total disaster)

So, what would your recommendations be for a bit of a capsule wardrobe, the absolute must haves, or is there even a shop that you would recommend I focus on? Thanks in advance for any tips, I shall become an avid S&B board reader for starters

[MrsBingo]

hi, am wondering the same at the moment, i live in rags!

First you want to think about this "does your wardrobe reflect your life". So you will need to dress in certain key areas:

(say if you are a SAHM)

1. daytime clothes for kids duty
   
2. daytime clothes for work from home
   

For me these two would be the same, quite smart casual (in my mind), but inexpensive and easy to care for. (some Mums may be more outdoorsy, so 1 and 2 would be different type of clothes needed i guess, but we live in town and don't really need "old pair of jeans"..). I guess in reality these two categories are often yoga pants etc.

1. daytime clothes for meetings
   
2. evening clothes for work
   
3. evening clothes for going out
   
4. evening clothes for staying in ;-)
   
5. clothes for special upcoming events if you still have the budget
   

And then i guess

1. holiday clothes, or summer clothes (which i mostly use when going on holiday).
   

1. oh and don't forget undergarments
   

Sorry, not very specific (see, i have no capsule wardrobe yet.... but someone will be up soon to give us proper input)

[MrsBingo]

sorry, i meant

if you are a freelancing SAHM

[WaitingForMe]

I'd probably book a free personal shopper at Debenhams and start there.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

What size/shape/height are you and what type of budget are you thinking?

[GillyMac93]

Hiya,I think it's easiest to start with some basics,depending on what you like .mine are 2x skinny jeans
black boyfriend Cardigan
Biker jacket/blazer
Then you can just add a pretty top.iknow they're hated on here but I love tunic dresses and leggings for playing on the floor with toddler. As for shoes the choice is so vast it might be easiest to start with black ballet pumps and biker/riding boots?
Also look at style blogs for ideas ,even if you don't like what they wear!hthx

[Sheila]

I might have known, my 'mum wardrobe' staple, the tunic dress and leggings, is a no-no.

[Whitershadeofpale]

I'd reccomend a few dresses too. Tea dresses or jersey dresses are great as you can wear with flip flops, ballet pumps or tights and boots. You can layer with cardis or wear long sleeve tops or polo necks underneath in the winter. Plus the jersey ones don't need to be ironed if you hand them up when damp!

[trixie123]

do you have a few shops that you often gravitate toward? Just go in and browse perhaps. As far as shoes go, I'm a big fan of things you can step into/ out of while holding a baby but can't go to flat as I am v short and then the bottom of my jeans get wet (cannot do jeans inside boots for the life of me). Last winter I lived in denim skirts with leggings and boots. Am v jealous of the chance of a wardrobe revamp - enjoy!

[adeucalione]

I would make an appointment with a personal shopper at a department store.

I did this at John Lewis about a year ago - came out with 2-3 outfits and good ideas for several more, that I bought elsewhere.

I didn't feel any pressure to buy but she did force me to try things I wouldn't usually consider, and some of them actually looked good.

All she asked for was an idea of my lifestyle, what clothes I felt most comfortable in, and budget.

[PurpleAndPoppyWearer]

I wouldn't claim to be fashionable, but I am a SAHM and also having a bit of a wardrobe-revamp after finally losing baby weight from DC2.

I'm starting with a few pairs of skinny jeans, ankle-length. One pair in denim, then a couple of pairs of coloured denim ones.

So far I've added a brightly-coloured watch and a couple of pairs of bright-coloured shoes and scarves as well.

[Scruffybear]

Ooh ladies, you lot are most helpful!! I am so grateful for your tips and getting a clue about where to start now having pondered a bit.

MrsBingo great idea to categorise, it will definitely help me to see just how much stuff I have that doesn't fall into an of the right categories, hence my 'nothing to wear' wailings. The charity shop at the end of the road could do rather well out of this project!

waitingforme / adieucalione I must admit, I thought about it, but because I think of personal shoppers as more for 'events' I was a bit too scared to do this. Plus a part of me is fearful I will spend 3 times what I planned as I get overexcited at seeing anything that suits me, regardless of whether it's something I would wear. However, given the rut I've been in, maybe I should give it a go as I'd like to be put in something I wouldn't normally choose.

mrscampbellblack I'm 5'4, pretty slim, a 12 in most stores, but I'm quite booby and not a fan of my thighs! I think I will spend around £200 to £250 as if I get some boots and a nice pair of jeans, most will go on that. But I don't need loads of outfits so once I get a feel for what is useful I can add the right kind of pieces to my wardrobe over the winter.

gillymac93 and Sheila tunic dresses? Hated? Oh dear. Note to self. What's wrong with them then? I own a couple, and they get worn a fair bit, esp when we are going to something I have to take the baby to, I figure one of them with leggings saves me showing my pants above the top of ill fitting jeans!!! That's probably the bigger crime against fashion non? Don't feel bad ladies, I definitely have plenty of tunic dress wearing mum friends, they mustn't have got the memo

whitershadeofpale that's a great idea. I must try and include something a tad more feminine like this as it really annoys me when DH makes a comment about me 'wearing a skirt for once' as if I have always dressed in my SAHM scruffs! including one of these (I don't do ironing so the jersey bit is especially key) will save me shouting 'you try wearing a bloody pencil skirt and spending all morning grovelling around the carpet and all afternoon chasing round the garden and see how practical it is.' plus I like to think that if such items survive the baby sick years, they may see the light of day once more...

trixie123 I always see people looking good in a denim skirt with opaques and boots, but never see the right skirts myself to give it a go. Where's a good place for these? I do have a few shops I like, but am very easily distracted by items that I will never have a chance to wear. Have been known to wander about town convincing myself there is a wedding/christening/DH work do that a certain item will be perfect for, only to buy it and have it remain in wardrobe longing to see the light of day!

purpleandpoppywearer good on you! Both for losing baby weight and having some colour in your wardrobe. 50 shades of grey sounded like my wardrobe until I discovered it was something rather different !


Am going to get the jeans mission underway first as that can take a while, and find leggings if poss. Is there anywhere anyone particularly recommends for leggings, that aren't for the super long legged?!

[PurpleAndPoppyWearer]

I am short of leg and have found the M&S leggings and jeggings (you can get the jeggings in short lengths) good, plus Boden leggings have always served me well, although I haven't bought any for about 18 months so can't vouch for the quality of this season's ones.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Another vote for M&S jeggings - and then I'm never going to mention them again because I've been raving about them since at least April!

I would start with -

a pair of dark denim skinnies
a pair of black skinnies
a pair of ankle boots
a pair of ballet shoes - red, silver or leoprad print maybe
2 slouchy t-shirts with short sleeves
A blazer or biker jacket or both
2 plain jersey dresses, and/or a Breton dress
some camisoles/long sleeved tops
a bum length cardigan, perhaps in a linen/wool or cotton/wool mix
a jumper in navy or grey
an over the knee or just on the knee casual skirt - perhaps denim, or cord, or that canvassy cotton stuff

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

leopard

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Oh and a denim shirt or denim jacket - but neither to be worn with the dark denim skinnies or a denim skirt!

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I'm a SAHM. Not particularly bothered about being fashionable as such, but I like to look reasonably pulled together.

I mostly wear skinnies or linen-cotton mix trousers (the cotton stops the awful bagginess that you get with linen and they don't crumple so badly) in the summer, and then skinnies or leggings + dress in the winter.
I also have a pair of straight leg jeans which I wear with basic jersey tops from places like FatFace or Gap, this is my toddler group/crawling around on the floor uniform!

I have a lovely small cross body bag which I use every day, a decent watch, and I don't buy cheap shoes.

I have just purchased a soft blazer for the cooler weather, in navy, and I will be on the look out for a warm, waterproof winter coat.

[madmomma]

I've being trying to nail this look since giving upwrk 2 yrs ago. I've 2 under 2 so everything has to go in the wash and withstand me being on the floor with the toddler.
I'm finally happy with my wardrobe.
It contains (mainly):
teadresses, (to wear with opaques + boots),
black blazer,
denim jacket,
trench,
various styles of boot,
brogues,
superskinny jeans + straight jeans in grey and blue
cowl neck jersey tops in 'my colours'

I always wear shitloads of make up and have clean hair. That way if the outfit goes wrong at least my head looks ok

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Where do you get your cowl neck jersey tops from, Madmomma? I have a few and love them but haven't seen any nice ones lately.

[madmomma]

remus Initially I got them from Isabella Oliver,but I've just bought a lovely red one more cheaply from H+M. The neckline makes the tops a bit more special than t-shirts and the ruching hides any flab. They're ace.

[AmberNectarine]

remus I've had a couple of decent ones from Phase Eight.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Thanks. I've got a couple of nice ones from Hobbs and a couple from M&S but neither seem to have any good ones so far this season. Will look in H&M. Isabella O no good, as I like to try things on in a real shop!

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Thanks Amber. The Phase Eight ones have always seemed rather short and made of strange fabric in the past - but will have another look.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Phase Eight is polyester city this season - I had a quick look the other day.

madmomma - is the H&M one cotton do you know?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I saw one possible grey one on the Phase Eight site but looked v expensive for what is essentially a thin t-shirt, and I already have a grey one anyway. Why are so many expensive shops using so much polyester?

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I actually bought a couple of things in Laura Ashley the other day, because they are cotton.



Actually the main PITA with polyester and expensive shops, is that everything is then labelled hand wash or dry clean, which just isn't practical.