As I was building my Fall capsule wardrobe, I wanted to try a few new items to swap out for older items that weren’t as versatile. These are all pieces I thought I would loooove. They look so cute, don’t they? Welp, they didn’t work for me and I wanted to share the reasons why—in case you’ve been eyeing these same pieces or something similar.

1. Cashmere Mockneck Sweater Tee – I was super tempted to keep this. I love the color and the material. The only hesitation I had was that it was a bit short. I’d feel a little self conscious wearing it with anything but overalls, so it clearly wouldn’t have been smart to keep. Runs tts; 100% cashmere.
2. Eyelet Mockneck Ruffle Top – The material was a little stiff and the sleeve length with the ties was awkwardly uncomfortable. Overall, I decided it wouldn’t be worth the money for this cute top because it isn’t practical enough for me, even though it is definitely a statement-maker. Runs true-to-size.
3. Silk Side-Button Floral Skirt – I love the print, side buttons and length. Unfortunately, it just didn’t fit my figure well. It made me feel wide in the hips and the midi length didn’t flatter my legs so it was an easy return.
4. Espresso Cardigan – I loved the casual look of this photo, but when the cardi arrived it was a little too thick for what I wanted. I’ve been loving this Madewell cardigan because it’s light (but warm) and stretchy, so when I got this tan one, it felt more like a stiff sweater coat than a cardi.
5. Funnelneck Tie-Sleeve Striped Sweatshirt – I loved the unique details of this with the ties and funnelneck, but it just wasn’t that unique when I put it on. I ordered a small, my usual size, and wonder if it would have looked better if I sized up. Either way, it was an easy decision to return it.
6. Silk Star Scatter Tie-Sleeve Top – I recently tore my black polka dot blouse (last seen in this blog post) and I thought this would be a good replacement. The neckline was lower than I wanted and the shirt was a tad short in the torso. Since the material is light, the wrist ties didn’t bother me. Still a super cute blouse if the neckline and length aren’t an issue for you.
7. Leather Slides – I wanted to love these. They looked amazing on the model, but they were super clunky and a little too similar in color to my favorite Free People flats. It wouldn’t make sense to keep both and I love my FP flats more than my entire wardrobe so the slides easily went back.
8. Rainbow Stripe Tee – Aren’t these colors gorgeous? I thought this was a tee I could wear every season, but when it arrived, it just didn’t have the same appeal. I ordered an XS like I do in most Madewell v-neck tees and it was too small. The colors didn’t pop like I thought and it just didn’t feel all that versatile.
9. Striped Midi Skirt – I saw this pic on Pinterest a while ago and loved it, so I thought this skirt would give me a similar look. The fit was tts, I ordered a small, but the material was a bit heavy and it just didn’t look flattering on me. I felt like a pioneer woman. 🙂 So I returned it.

. . .

Finding your favorite capsule wardrobe items isn’t always easy, especially if your style preferences have evolved, like mine have. I always look for versatility when I shop now, so it does require some trial-and-error to see what really works with my other capsule items. I just want pieces I truly love that I can wear for years to come!

Come back later this week to see how I built my Fall capsule wardrobe. I can’t believe it’s already time to start moving on to Winter.