I have a big secret for you... Right now, hidden in your closet is a capsule wardrobe you rely on daily. How can that be? Think about it.
If you’re in a pinch for a great go-to outfit on short notice what do you always choose? It’s that certain top, or great fitting denim skirt, maybe it’s a certain cardigan that seems to go with everything… Do you find yourself pulling these hard-working items out of the hamper before wash day? These very pieces form the core of your capsule wardrobe.
Have you felt overwhelmed by the vast number of capsule wardrobe options? Project 333, The 10 Item Wardrobe, SAHM (stay at home mom) capsule, career capsule, lounge capsule, travel capsule... Which capsule will fit you and your life style best? Today I'm sharing how to uncover the capsule already in your closet.
- Set aside your favorites!
- Purge worn, old, ill-fitting, off-color, off season clothing
- Evaluate what’s left (you may discover your color palette here!)
- Make a shopping list ~ fun part!
Here is where I found my best capsule wardrobe and where you can find yours!
So… this is the closet chaos I started with in October of 2017. Ugh. If this is similar to where you are starting ~ be encouraged, a capsule wardrobe is possible! In fact, you may have a higher quality, more cohesive capsule hidden in the chaos. Let’s dive in and discover your best capsule wardrobe. No more overstuffed closet, missing pieces to an outfit, terrible fit, ~ and not feeling cute in your clothes!
Cull the “noise”. You already know what you wear the most often. Pick these first, set then aside, and be ruthless with the rest! I scanned this capsule critically. If it didn’t fit, looked worn, was too much trouble to repair, or not my color palette it went. I was surprised how much there was ~ I pulled 102 items!
My focus for this purge was to create a capsule of pieces I absolutely loved and that truly worked for me. Not pieces I wanted to work, or might work one day...
Evaluate what’s left. Sigh… five pairs of gorgeously painful shoes… They’ll never be comfortable so I decided to sell them along with my nicer clothing. Tops, cardigans, and skirts that didn’t make the capsule cut ~ I wonder what I can make selling them?! On second look I spotted two dresses that didn’t fit quite right… a pair heels too worn to sell (or wear)… tops with a poor fit or wrong color for the palette… and two blazers better suited for cooler weather went into storage.
What do I really love in my closet? This simple question made the whole process easier!
And payoff, these are the favorites! The space between hangers is calm, and orderly. Everything is easily seen. The unified color palette increases the usefulness of the capsule. I adore patterns & prints, so intentionally buying solid colors has expanded my capsule even more!
Nine lovely dresses. Three for church, the rest I wear weekly. Dresses are the simplest way to look chic and stay cool in the summer heat ~ I’ve always got my eye out for a good dress! Six of these dresses were thrifted.
I have thirteen tops (can you tell I love ivory?) and one ¾ sleeve blazer.
I adore cardigans. I have too many cardigans… Time to be ruthless! By only keeping my favorites I cut my collection in half! These seven cardigans remain for my spring/summer capsule. I don’t miss the others and I enjoy these more!
Cardigans are ideal for completing an outfit. They are perfect for meeting a girlfriend for tea, for wearing with pencils skirts, or over dresses for church.
These seven skirts (eight, counting the one at the dry-cleaners) complete the outfit “formula” that is my go-to for nearly everything.
Here are the beloved ballet flats I wear every day… So far I’ve removed three pairs of well worn flats with two more soon to follow. I’ve included sandals and boat shoes for casual occasions.
Shoes take longer to replace since they can cost a bit more… Patience is good here since my goal is to upgrade to real leather well-made shoes I can wear for up to ten years. My plan is to use the money from selling my excess clothes to replace worn shoes. Stay posted for a post on how to buy quality shoes!
For fun here are three side-by-side photographs of my capsule wardrobe journey. Obviously, the difference from where I started to the second iteration is dramatic, but I find it amazing how much more streamlined the third capsule is. And I still didn't miss the pieces that were purged!
A streamlined closet with fresh, pretty pieces that I love ~ this brings peace and efficiency to the day! Getting dressed with my best capsule wardrobe of clothes reflecting the best version of me is fun, less stressful, and gives confidence! Your appearance matters! Getting dressed for the day is simple, and inspiring!
- We wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time (this is your true capsule!).
- You already wear your favorites.
- Consider putting excess clothing in a "time will tell" area.
- Try the capsule for two weeks.
- The gaps in your capsule will appear. Your shopping list will gain clarity.
