Have you heard of Capsule Wardrobes? People are chatting about this approach to their personal fashion and style all over social media…
As an organizer and design professional, I’ve been doing this all along and didn’t even know there was a name for it! I’m sure I’m dating myself here but it probably all started with my mom’s fashion consultations with a “Color Me Beautiful” professional…in the 80’s. I loved it, learning what looks good on you based upon your skin tone, finding shades/hues that look great together and are flattering and building a wardrobe based upon color principals.
A capsule wardrobe goes one step further than focusing on color.
Proportion, drape, body shape, size, lifestyle, profession and personal expression, social responsibility and seasonal attire are all factors to consider when creating your own Capsule Wardrobe.
How to create your own capsule wardrobe:
Begin by examining your entire wardrobe, jewelry, and accessory collections. One blogger recommends created one large pile on your bed to encourage you to complete the task before bed. Pile or not, from here separate your belongings into different categories. Consider the following as labels for your sub-piles:
Love – pieces that are absolute staples, pieces that you actually fit, pieces that make you feel good and want to wear
Maybe – pieces that you just can’t seem to let go of, but are unsure why
Donate – pieces that don’t fit, are never worn, or you simply do not care for
Trash – pieces that are in poor condition or could possibly be used for a fun adaptive reuse craft!
Now, revisit your ‘Love’ and ‘Maybe’ piles. Try these pieces on and as you do, ask yourself if each one is something you would be excited to wear and if you would make the same purchase today. Ask yourself if it is something you could wear 6 months or even 6 years from now. If you said no to any of these questions, transfer them to the donate pile.
The point of a capsule wardrobe is to build on basic’s and items you absolutely love, that are quality made and will last. When you do this, think about how you dress daily and if you will need more office, casual or other type of clothing. The goal is to pare down your wardrobe to around 30 pieces that can comfortably be worn interchangeably and repeatedly. It is helpful to consider broad sub-categories such as pants, tops, dress, skirt, jacket, etc. With these sub-categories, you can then determine which of your remaining pieces align as your essential go-to’s.
If you’re like me, you may find this process not only helpful but somewhat cathartic. I blogged about Kids Capsule Wardrobes awhile back and the same principals apply to adults, except you probably won’t be outgrowing your wardrobe as rapidly (depending on weight factors) as growing children do. This process is about creating a versatile, mix and match wardrobe that will last through seasons and fashion trends.
Are you interested in creating a capsule wardrobe?
Fellow Professional Organizer Geralin Thomas has prepared helpful and FREE wardrobe capsule worksheets that you can download here. She was also recently featured on the Smead podcast where you can listen to for even more ideas about creating capsule wardrobes. Fall is the perfect time to edit your wardrobe, this isn’t a fashion trend, it’s a lifestyle change. Are you up for it?