I don't for work as I haven't worked in years, but I do when I travel...though I haven't traveled in years now either, thank you covid.

I like to start with a print, be it a scarf or a blouse, then pull colors from that to build the pieces. Usually navy pants, black pants, maybe gray. Then pick colors for the tops with either jackets or sweaters as I'm often cold. In this case, for a 2 week trip, it started with the print skirt:

I pulled colors from that for the tops

And then added accessories

What kind of work clothes are you looking for? Business casual?

No...but I have a formula of sorts. Layers. 7 years working at JCP from HS through Grad school we had to wear a 3 piece ensemble of some sort. I have continued that into my professional life for the most part. The older I get the more it wains. The world has become sooo casual it doesn't fit the culture most days.

I’m the lab tech in a high school so I wear clothes that I won’t mind if I spill chemicals on them or set them on fire or whatever. Not that I have yet, but there is potental. So I wear all my oldest, dark pants, and I have a large collection of science, school or just whimsical T shirts. Most are purple, blue or green, which goes with my purple, blue and green hair 🙂

I only became aware of capsule wardrobes when I was planning my last trip. I was on a facebook page which had great info. (Travel Fashion Girls)

Anyway so many people were sharing their capsules and I thought it was great but I couldn't really get the hang of it. I can pack efficiently but there are definite outfits and not everything will go with everything. I'm impressed with those who can do it and I get that it makes the wardrobe very interchangeable. While I do have countless black pants, with tops I feel like I am wearing the same thing every day.

So I will be very curious to see more examples. That was a good one , AD.

Now some will say that that kind of dressing means you wear the same colors all the time, but, eg, in the wardrobe above, gray slacks with yellow top is nothing like white top with jeans or teal top with black skirt.

Not normally but am making one for my upcoming trip. I'm only bringing a carry on bag so looking for lightweight, thinnish pants. I have three L.L. Bean pants so far, one black, one Navy blue and one sand. I have another black pair but they are wider legged and I think I'll keep them at home to wear "to work". I don't really care for the super wide legs. Thinking of getting two more pair.

After I decided to take this trip I went into JC Penneys and found a Navy blue cardigan, dark green sleeveless top with black polka dots to wear with the cardigan, a longish coral short sleeved top, and Navy blue t-shirt. I also have another Navy blue t-shirt that is quarter length sleeved, and a coral colored t-shirt quarter sleeved from L.L. Bean. After googling the average weather in the places we'll be in I also may take a sweater with me. I have an Alfred Dumer one that is Navy, light blue, and off white. I'm also taking a set and a half of Cuddle Dud long underwear, just in case. They are super thin and won't take up a lot of room.

I found a pair of black Sketchers the other day in Carnival Shoes. I had almost given up on finding something comfortable to wear that didn't look so much like jogging shoes.

Two years ago when I first planned a trip to Scotland only, I bought a nice, black, lightweight raincoat, so that will go with me.

Like Coleenoz, I work in potential catastrophe;^) Elementary Art :^O

I have 10 pair of black pants another 4 black jeans, 4 blue. 30+ 3/4 sleeve v- necks. That's what I call my uniform. Most everything thing else I own is like Garanimals with turquoise as one circle and pink/red as the other. White/ black black/black, pink /pink. White/ pink and on and on...

@Kathsgrdn, I’m happy to stand corrected, but IMO a green top with black polka dots will not look well with a navy cardigan.

With capsule wardrobes the colours don’t all have to be variations of the same colour, but they have to complement one another.

I don't work. I like the basic black wardrobe for traveling. I add in different tops for color and variety. I have a couple of lightweight sheaths and sweaters in black that I can carry with me if I need another layer.

Colleenoz, sounds off but I tried them on and I liked it. I am not into fashion and never have been so there's that.

I was in the drive thru of a sushi place when the notice came up from Colleen, long wait so I took my phone out. Home now and decided to add a picture of the two pieces. I liked the green top, Liz Claiborne, on sale. I needed something a little nice for the Military Tattoo we are booked for. I didn't want to wear a tshirt to it.

I still think it looks okay:

The foundation of my work wardrobe was always a crisp white shirt. That pairs with any skirt or trousers. Then there were always various blazers, navy, tweed, beige being the basics. I also always had two or three shift dresses, navy, black and gray. The black was especially useful for days I would go out immediately after work.

Brooks Brothers white shirts were/are my staple.

White shirts....I have struggled all my life for white shirts and have never found any that are just right. I have a camp shirt that is close, but it needs ironing which I seldom do so it sits. It's also a little tight in the chest. Then I have a slightly off white one that was from chicos...very soft very pretty, but the collar is not a standard collar...it looked like one on the hanger, but is cut too high or something so doesn't quite give that classic white shirt look...it doesn't sit open nicely, and when I button it, it looks way too formal. Then I struggle with how see-thru they are. Then there are the nips which tend to show thru ...even with lightly padded bras...can't find comfortable ones with the concealing petals any more...and I find light-colored shirts show them a lot more than do dark or printed shirts. So I used to always look for shirts with 2 breast pockets to help hide them, but that only made my search that much harder.

And then there's the wearing...Murphy's law seems to guarantee that if I'm within 50 feet of a ketchup bottle, chocolate sauce, coffee or anything else dark, I'll get a spot on a white shirt, and in a most unattractive location.

Bottom line: no white shirts for me, as much as I love the classic look.

This shirt hangs dry perfectly, for anyone interested.

I have 4 pairs of black Worthington work pants. And 9 months out of the year I wear simple shirts that my company provided an allowance for and I picked out. "Teamwear" they call it. Its easier. Clean undies, clean black pants, pick what color shirt to wear, done.

Now, October through December has its own work wardrobe, and its own room that I keep it in. I will wear the same pants when I do not want to wear my spider web or Santa clause dress. I have NUMEROUS tops for the holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and of course Christmas,as well as special holiday shoes, jewelry, Headwear, Eyewear, etc. Must be festive from head to toe, quite literally.

Thanks for reminding me. All December long last year, I wore glittery flats, one foot red and one foot green every work day. I need to get new red glitter flats.

To AMAZON!!!!

Must be professionally put together at all times! 🤭

I love the of this, especially for vacations. I pack way too much.

I have too many clothes, mainly because I am moody. I like lots of choices.

I know the basic concept is staying with a color palette. Everything needs be interchangeable.

When googling, I found you should have 27-50 pieces, I think per season.

@Kathsgrdn, your jacket and top/blouse look very good together, IMO>

I'm a fan of Vivienne Files and fell in love with this lion and peacock scarf, so I ordered it and have used it to help define a wardrobe for me, but for winter as the colors tend to be dark. Once I got the scarf home, I was amazed at how many colors worked so well with it...navy, black, brown, blue, teal, aqua, gold, tan, beige. This was her collection, not mine.

It looks like it's best to have solids as the majority for the pieces.

Kath, I like the green shell and the cardigan you shared.

@Kathsgrdn, That combo looks OK from your picture. The navy reads as black, really, and the polka dots are tiny. I was imagining larger dots, like the size of a quarter.

When i traveled for work i always had black pants, black pencil skirt, unstructured jacket, a couple of dresses i could wear with the jacket, white T (rolled and in my carryon bag in case of an accidental spill), a white shirt, and some knit blouses in solids I could pair with the slacks or skirt. I hardly ever wore prints unless it was maybe a slightly printed dress or plaid. Simple inexpensive necklaces were my friend.

I actually haven’t veered too far from that after retirement except for the professional look has been replaced by far more casual wear. I was never a fan of scarves (too busy for me) or khaki (except for hiking maybe). I always felt too casual or dowdy in it and I usually needed to look polished and pro around a bunch of men.

Eld, it's funny 27 to 50 pieces per season sounds like a lot, but I am not far from that range at all, I even exceed it in winter.

When I was young, I used to pack "special" things that I never wore at home, thinking that traveling would bring the right occasion. It never did. Eventually I realized that I would be among strangers and no one cared how I looked. In fact, I was there to sightsee, not to be seen. Where I now live, we do a lot of walking, and I often see tourists hobbled in shoes that look like they were purchased for their fancy trip, sometimes even wearing open toes in the winter!

I am hoping someone with a capsule wardrobe for work sees this.

I think though it depends on if you need suits, dresses or can be more casual.