Have you ever stood in front of your closet and thought…I hate my clothes. I have nothing to wear!!! What if you could look in your closet and love everything there?
Grab a shirt, a pair of pants, and a sweater and not spend 20 minutes trying things on where they end up in a pile on the floor.
What if I told you, you could love everything in your closet AND save money??? It is called a Capsule Wardrobe and it can save you time, money, and frustration. Essentially, you pick all your favorite clothes out of your collection and get rid of the rest. Choosing a color scheme that can be mixed and matched so essentially, everything goes with everything.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
This can save you time and MONEY!!!
For example, my base color is navy blue. I have pants, skirts, and sweaters that are navy. Then I picked a couple of accent colors like pink, grey, and olive. Most of my short sleeve blouses are print but everything else is solid colors.
Each piece is purchased with longevity and coordination in mind as well as A LOT OF THOUGHT. Don’t forget the textures and prints to break up any monotony you might feel.
Accessories, purses, and shoes are an important part of a capsule wardrobe. I did not really count these as parts of my capsule wardrobe yet more so in their own capsule.
There are limited purses, scarves, necklaces, and shoes in my closet and I own no more than 20 pairs of shoes for all seasons. Two everyday purses and a couple of formal as well as casual wristlets are the only purses I own.
One-piece always goes out when another comes in.
Saving money on clothes
This is where the money-saving part comes into play. I rarely shop. Because everything that I have, I love. I love the colors and the way they look on. They suit my style and life.
Not only do I have zero room for a lot of pieces in my closet, but I also don’t want to go grab things all willy-nilly just because they are pretty and I want them.
There is a thought process and trying on and making sure they compliment my other pieces. Long gone are the days of going to Target or Kohl’s (I really do miss, you K) to get an entirely new wardrobe every season.
You may grab one or two pieces each season as an update but unless some huge change has happened in your lifestyle, most of your clothes will carry over season after season, year to year.
Disclaimer: I feel I should remind you that there have not been any clothes shopping at all for the last 4 months due to the Spending Freeze (explained here).
However, it is almost warm here and I have been saving gift cards from my January Birthday. I have about $70 to spend and I want to replace some of the pieces that are looking a lot worn.
Why I decided to start a capsule wardrobe
About 3 years ago, we decided to do some house renovations to our upstairs. We changed the roof lines and put up some fantastic dormers that doubled our upstairs living space.
But while that went on, we moved our stuff into the basement and garage and lived in 700 square feet. Our dining room became our bedroom. We fabricated a closet in the corner.
My husband was given the bottom while I claimed the top. The length is 48 inches. That is it.
We each get that much space for our hanging clothes. So, I went through all of my clothes and pulled out the appropriate season’s wardrobe.
This totaled about 40 pieces including long pants, capris, short sleeve, and long sleeve shirts, a couple of skirts, and a couple of sundresses. All my jackets and coats are there, too.
Here is what hangs there. 2 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of pants, 3 flannel shirts, one denim shirt, 4 long-sleeve tees, 4 tunic tops, 5 short sleeve blouses, 4 sweatshirts, 3 fleeces, 2 vests, 4 lightweight jackets, 2 winter coats, 2 skirts, 4 pair of capris, and 5 dresses (3 of which are rarely worn pieces for weddings and special occasions)
My Summer items are in a storage bin under the bed. My sweaters, which include 5 cardigans and two “house sweaters”, are on a shelf with pajamas and yoga pants.
How to get started on your Capsule Wardrobe
So, here’s how to do it. I enjoy the pull-everything-out-of-your-closet-and-throw-it-on-the-bed-or-floor technique. Make four piles: Love, Nope, Not Sure, and Meh. And then chose some numbers.
Do you normally wear t-shirts and yoga pants? Then you might need 5 of each. Do you rarely get dressed up? Then maybe a pair of dress pants, a dress, and a skirt is plenty.
Do you have to dress in a professional manner for work? Well, 3-4 dress pants, 3 skirts, 4 blouses, and 2 dresses might need a place in your capsule wardrobe. Pick a number. I will stick with 40 pieces in my wardrobe and will not go over that number.
Here is a great site about a woman who chooses 33 pieces each season. It’s called Project 333 and she includes EVERYTHING in those 33 pieces including jewelry and shoes!
When you picked all your favorite pieces, did you notice a base color? Black, or grey? Brown or navy? Do you see a couple of accent colors occurring? Red, purple, pink, or tan?
There is your capsule wardrobe base color scheme! Go through the Not Sure and Meh pile and make decisions on those pieces. Sell or donate anything that you do not love. And keep in mind those colors when you are out shopping.
But, again, quality over quantity and stick to your numbers.
Want to give it a try? Could you live with a Capsule Wardrobe or would you NEED more clothes?
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