What is a Capsule Wardrobe and How to Build One
If you’re looking to simplify your life, your closet is one of the best places to start. After all, one of the first things most people do in the morning is get dressed and it’s a lot easier to do that when your closet is clutter-free and aligned with clothing you will actually wear. That’s why most people can benefit from purging their closets and creating a minimalist capsule wardrobe!
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What is a capsule wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is essentially a set number of clothing, shoes, and accessories that you actually enjoy wearing. The idea is to have a collection of pieces that will work together to make several outfits. So instead of having one pair of pants that only work with certain shirts, you would opt for a pair of pants that work will all or most of your shirts. Same with shirts, accessories, and shoes.
Why you should build a capsule wardrobe?
Capsule wardrobes allow you to see what items you own. When you see what you have, you will use the items. It also simplifies your laundry, reduces the items in your closets and drawers, and ends up saving money in the end because you’re not purchasing more than you need.
How many clothes should be in a capsule wardrobe?
This is subjective. There are some challenges (like Project 333) that give a set number to see if you can meet the goal. If you consider yourself a minimalist, you may opt for far less than someone who is just looking to declutter a bit. The goal though is to avoid decision fatigue and actually wear what you have.
How to Build Your Capsule Wardrobe:
Clean Everything Out
You’re going to want to remove all of your clothing, shoes, accessories (like jewelry and handbags) and place them on the bed or floor of your room where you keep them all.
Remove the Obvious
If you live in Minnesota and it’s January, you obviously won’t need shorts and sandals. Place them in a pile for seasonal items. If you had your baby 11 months ago, set aside your maternity jeans in their own pile. Pull anything you won’t be wearing this season aside and you can either declutter if needed or put away in storage for the time being.
Separate Your Favorites
Now that you can see all the viable options for the current season, pull out your absolute favorites. The things that fit, that you feel good in, and you know you will wear all the time.
Find Pieces For Your Lifestyle
What season of life are you in? Do you have an office job with a dress code? Are you a stay at home mom? I am currently a homeschooling mama, so I don’t need 3 pairs of dress shoes. I maybe need 1 pair for church or an event.
Let Go of Your Fantasy Self
Your fantasy self is the person you want to be or aspire to be. When I first started making capsule wardrobes, I tended to keep my cutest, fanciest shirts because I love them. The fact was though, I only wore them, maybe, once a week. I’m not going to get all dolled up to have spit up ruin my shirts everyday. I’d end up opting for my comfy tshirts or sweatshirts. That’s okay. I have a couple of dresses for church and a cute date night top. The rest of my shirts are tshirts. That’s where I am right now and that’s okay.
Purge
Now that we’ve weeded all those out, you probably have a pile left of “meh” items. Things that you don’t feel confident in, they don’t really match most of your favorites, you have no where to wear them. These will likely need to be donated. If you’re not so sure, you can pack them up and give them 3-6 months to see if you end up going looking for them.
Be Intentional
Now that you have your capsule wardrobe, its important to avoid shopping for new pieces. The best part of this is that you can actually see when you need to replace pieces. If one of your 6 shirts is starting to fade or gets a stain you can’t remove, you can replace that one. It truly allows you to see what you have and what you need.
There you have it! Your guide to creating a minimalist capsule wardrobe in no time!
