Using MyBodyModel to Plan a Capsule Wardrobe, by Kelsey

Kelsey shares how she broke out of a creative funk and got her sew-jo back by using her personal croquis templates from MyBodyModel to plan a capsule wardrobe.

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As this year is winding down, and the outdoor temperatures are getting colder, I’m looking for more reasons to stay indoors, and honestly, drink more coffee. I’m also trying to take time and reflect on my creative journey from this past year. 

I picked sewing back up a few years ago, shortly after my son was born. When I started sewing again, I couldn’t imagine that this long lost hobby of mine would capture my heart the way that it has. 

But like with everything in life, it’s easy to lose focus and passion for something you once loved. As the year progressed, I found that I wasn’t intentional about what I was making. I found myself jumping from one project to the next and the joy that I had once found while sewing was starting to fade away. I knew something had to shift because I didn’t want to let go of this hobby. 

How did I change this? I took some time off from sewing. When you’re in a creative funk, this isn’t hard to do. But instead of trying to push through it, I took some much-needed rest to regroup and figure out how this hobby could still fit into my life.

…What did I land on after my break?

I decided to sew a Me-Made Capsule Wardrobe.

Once I landed on this idea, I immediately got excited, and it felt right for me in my next step into my creative journey. I immediately jumped in and started to plan out my wardrobe and projects in a way I hadn’t done before.

I already had success with capsule wardrobes, mostly using store bought garments. To plan a capsule wardrobe of me-made clothing would be taking it to the next level.

To some, planning out your makes for the season might feel like it would stifle your creativity. I get it. But for me, it did the exact opposite. I was inspired and ready to start sewing again.

How I’m using My Body Model to help me plan

When I find a fabric I love, I usually have an idea of what I want to make with it, but this becomes more challenging when I’m trying to plan out projects for multiple fabrics at once. I wanted to create both pieces that I loved, but could also be mixed and matched together. This was an extra step and took a little bit of planning. 

I’ve sketched out ideas in the past, but one thing I’ve found that was challenging was that my sketches didn’t look like me. So when I found MyBodyModel, I was excited to start sketching and planning again.

And let me tell you – this process had been crucial to plan my capsule wardrobe.

Why? Because after making the sketches, some of my plans have completely changed! 

Planning Out My Handmade Capsule Wardrobe 

Step 1: Choose colors and fabrics

Every capsule wardrobe needs a few base colors. And while I did select navy as one of my base colors, I couldn’t help but pick a nice bright red and a few bolder prints. The deep and bright tones are perfect for the holidays and will transition nicely into the early months next year. 

Step 2: Create a checklist of garments and sewing patterns

When creating a capsule wardrobe, it’s important to be able to mix and match pieces so you can get a lot of wear out of them. To do this, I first start by creating a checklist of items I want to add to my capsule. Next, I work on finding patterns that could be hacked into two different pieces or ones that look good together.

Step 3: Draw outfits on my body model templates

I used my body model croquis to sketch digitally using a drawing app on my iPad. Sketching out different patterns helped me narrow down and determine what I wanted to make for the upcoming season – and also what not to make.

Here’s what I’ve planned out so far.

Fabric 1: Florenza Crepe Dress Fabric in Red

If I have extra fabric, I plan to make a top that I can wear with the red pants or with other garments in my capsule collection.

Fabric 2: Tencel Twill Fabric in Navy

Fabric 3: Art Gallery Sonata Floral No. 9 Bold Jersey

I purchased the Tres Belle Wrap Dress Pattern awhile ago, and although I’m excited to make this pattern, I ended up using this material for a different dress pattern that I’m testing. The dress pattern is beautiful, and I cannot wait to show you. 

I do have extra fabric leftovers and am still deciding what to make. I may end up making another skirt or a top that I can mix and match into my capsule wardrobe. What would you make? 

Fabric 4: Art Gallery Fabric in Red Vintage Florets Trinkets 

I am so glad that I sketched out what I was planning on making with this fabric because my plans are completely changing after I sketched it out. Don’t get me wrong, I love how this pattern and material look, but the pattern isn’t practical for winter weather in Ohio.

Instead, I plan to make the wrap dress that I had originally planned for the blue printed fabric from Art Gallery. 

Fabric 5: Lady McElroy Florenza Crepe Linen Look Fabric Blue & Cream

I’m excited to start cutting into my fabric and working on my new makes for the winter season. Want to see what I end up creating? Follow me over on Instagram @seamlinedliving. 

Have you tried using MyBodyModel to plan a capsule wardrobe? Let us know in the comments below!

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More capsule wardrobe planning inspiration:

• Designing the Fall/Winter Wardrobe of My Dreams, by Sarah
• Kari’s Core Wardrobe Mini-Capsule: From Sketch to Finished!
• Sketching my Kibbe wardrobe with MyBodyModel, by Doctor T
• Planning a Summer Capsule Wardrobe with My Custom Croquis, by Jaylyn