how to create a capsule wardrobe | no. 26
The concept of capsule wardrobes has been around for years: pare down your clothing and feel more confident and less anxious about what you're going to wear on any given day. Not everyone has adopted this way of dressing and if you're someone who never jumped on the capsule wardrobe train or wants to gain fresh inspiration for your closet, I'm deep diving into all things capsule clothing. We'll cover what it is, what to consider, how to incorporate and appreciate your current clothing, properly care for your clothes to make them last longer, and more! I encourage you to save this post for later so you can refer back for fresh inspiration and encouragement on your simplifying journey.
my capsule wardrobe journey
In 2017 I got married and moved out of my parent's house for the first time. About 6 months later I was moving again, this time with my husband for a new job. I was not employed and found myself sitting on the couch surfing Netflix when I came across a documentary called Minimalism. If you've been in the minimalism space at all, I'm sure you've heard of or watched this documentary. If you haven't, take the time and watch it now, it's currently free on YouTube!
This documentary, as well as other YouTube videos, introduced me to the idea of living with less. I'd always been passionate about keeping my possessions intentional but never had an organized method of making it a lifestyle. I decided to tackle my clothes first. I didn't necessarily have an overabundance of clothing, but most of it I'd had since I was 13, and being a newly married 19-year-old, I was ready to find a style that complimented this new season.
It's been almost 7 years and my style has changed considerably after becoming a mother and learning what I like my clothing to do for me. If there's one thing I've learned through being intentional about my clothing it's this: quality clothing that gets repeat wear always beats cheap clothing that lies unused in a drawer or wears out after a few washes, and the fewer choices I have for clothing the more excited I am about what's in my closet and actually wearing what I have.
what is a capsule wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a small and intentional collection of clothing including items that pair well together and allow for outfit combinations for any occasion without owning an excessive number of pieces. The goal is to feel good in everything you wear, be adequately prepared for your lifestyle events/responsibilities, and do it with a smaller quantity of clothing. You want your clothing to work for you, not the other way around. A capsule wardrobe might be just the thing to shift the scales in your favor.
things to consider when creating your capsule wardrobe
When planning your capsule wardrobe, it's important to keep a few things in mind. Comfort, style, workplace requirements, climate/geography, space, and occasions. Let's dive into each one.
Comfort
Possibly the most important thing to you when planning your clothing is being comfortable in what you own. There is nothing worse than putting on jeans that cut off your circulation by the end of the day or wearing a sundress out to a party, only to realize that in the heat the fabric takes on an unsavory texture and glues itself to your skin in all the wrong places. When trying pieces on and deciding what to keep, make comfort the dealbreaker and you'll find yourself wearing your clothing more often.
Style
What is your style? For some, that is a loaded question, and one with overwhelm. Do I even know who I am? What do I like? How do I answer that? Maybe you're someone who has nailed down what you like since high school and you're sticking with it. Regardless of the answer, style (i.e. feeling good in what you wear and seeing consistency throughout your clothing choices) should go into your decision-making process. If you notice a piece doesn't really "flow" with the other items in your closet or you haven't worn it in a long time and you just can't put your finger on why, it's probably not your style. Let these pieces go without guilt. As Marie Kondo encourages, thank them for teaching you what isn't your style and pass it on to someone who will appreciate it.
Workplace Requirements
Having a job that requires certain clothing separate from your personal clothes is not uncommon. If you're able, see if your pieces for every day will function dually for work. If not, be limited with the clothing you use for your profession. We all think people will notice a *GASP* repeat outfit, but 9 times out of 10, it's only us who care. Choose pieces that mix and match so you have more outfits available with fewer clothing items in your closet.
Climate/Geography
Some of the most extreme capsules I've seen are people who live in temperate climates. That means no puffer jackets, thermal leggings, or mittens. While it's enticing to see such minimal capabilities in others, consider your own climate and where you live. If you're like me, living in 4 distinct seasons, there are some things you just can't go without, even if you only wear them half the year. I choose to put away my heavy winter gear in the spring/summer (jackets, mittens, hats, thermal leggings, scarf, chunky knit sweaters, and snow boots) and leave the rest available for the temperamental PA weather. Conversely, putting away sundresses, shorts, and sandals in the winter. With climate-controlled buildings and homes, I find myself getting too chilly and too warm in seasons that should require opposite clothing. So, I leave what can be layered in my closet year-round to give myself options during any season.
Occasions
There are some things like weddings, funerals, and fancy dates, to name a few where we need special clothing that gets worn infrequently. Rather than keep a mountain of "one-off" pieces, I had to purchase a bridesmaid dress and decided to keep it as my "special occasion" dress. I wear it to anything fancy and it's just one dress in the back of my closet that takes up very little space. If you don't own a fancy dress but have an event coming up, see if you can borrow what you need from a friend instead of spending a lot of money on a dress you'll need infrequently.
Space
Finally, consider your space. If you don't have the space for things, don't save more than you need in case you move to a bigger house or somehow get more storage. Value the items that you own by storing them in a respectful way, not shoving everything into bags in your basement and forgetting they exist. Don't store things unless it's out of season or maternity and you expect to get pregnant again. Even then, only keep a reasonable amount that can be easily accessed when needed and protected from moisture.
how to shop for capsule pieces
If you've decluttered your wardrobe and realized that you've donated almost your whole closet, you may need to replenish some items. If you have a very small number but it includes what you need, I encourage you to try it out before buying more. You may discover it's exactly what's right for you. If, however, you do need to purchase more, there are ways you can do so intentionally.
Get specific about what you need. Don't go shopping yet. Make a list of the pieces you know are missing from your capsule wardrobe and be specific about color, material, fit, and as much detail as you can! Then, unless it's something like bras and underwear, go thrifting first. You can give clothing new life and save yourself a lot of money in the process. Plus, if it doesn't work out down the road, you will feel more able to donate it without feeling guilty about the money spent. If you can't find it thrifting, search for sustainable options. If it's something that you will wear for a long time (as it should be) and you find it's fairly expensive from a sustainable company, use the cost-per-wear method to aid in your decision-making.
Let's say you predict you'll wear a dress 1x per week for 6 months out of the year. That's about 24 times wearing it in one year. Now let's say the dress is high-quality material and you care for it well and it lasts you 10 years. That's 240 wears over its lifetime. Imagine the dress costs $95. If you divide $95 by 240, you get about $.40. That means that every time you wear the dress, it costs you 40 cents! Looking at higher priced items that way, make the purchase more approachable and reframes your thinking to actually wear the dress for the time you projected. Even if you only wore it 100 times, it would still only cost you .95 cents each time. That's less than any "fast fashion" dress you'll find - even secondhand!
Here are some slow/transparent brands I've personally purchased from that I love. If you can't find what you're looking for at the thrift store, this is a great start for finding it sustainably:
rediscover your current clothing
Your current clothing is the best clothing option for two reasons. 1, you already paid for it and 2, at one point you decided you really liked it. It's true that tastes change, but if you've decluttered your closet what you're left with should be clothing that you love and that works for you. Even if it's not a lot, try to notice any common colors, styles, materials, etc. Then, inspire yourself to be excited about what you have left without purchasing more for no reason. Go on Pinterest and look at outfit ideas utilizing similar colors and pieces. This will give you fresh ideas for styling your pieces that will make you fall in love with them all over again, saving you money in the long run.
altering your clothes
Another way to appreciate the clothes that you already own, but aren't quite right is to alter them. You can do this on your own if you are skilled in that area, or pay a tailor to do it for you. Instead of spending a lot of money replacing the piece, you can alter it by spending a little bit of money and extending its life even longer. I've done this by taking a dress in, taking a waist in on jeans, hemming a jumpsuit, adding embroidery over oil stains on a favorite sweatshirt, and patching knee holes in jeans. Some things I've paid for and other things I've done myself but every time is worth it!
the art of rotating clothing
If you've decluttered your wardrobe, but you'd like to experiment with even more of a minimal capsule, try rotating clothing. Pair a set number of pieces to stay out in your closet (I've seen people go as low as 10) and place the rest in a plastic tub or some other storage method that works for you. Spend a while wearing your minimal capsule and see how you feel! Sometimes you find an item that just doesn't work, even if it made the cut before. That's okay! Simply donate it and move on. Other times you find you really love a piece you didn't think you loved that much. Overall, you'll find new ways to pair your clothing and see how little you truly need to feel good in your clothes. Then, after a few weeks, you can do it again with a new pairing of pieces.
It's important to note that this is not an excuse to keep more clothes than you need. Rather, an experiment to see if you need even less and get inspired with the clothing you already own.
how to make your clothes last longer
An important part of having a capsule wardrobe is caring for what we have. We don't want to be replacing things all the time. For new purchases, it's so important to purchase high-quality. If you spend money on clothing, you don't want it fading, piling, or unraveling in the first year of purchase. Take time to research where you buy and choose wisely. If you have quality over quantity, you'll actually have more long-term.
For the clothing you already own, even if they are of lesser quality, there are ways to care for your items and make them last longer.
wash and dry your pieces less
This may seem gross to some of you, but truly unless you work a manual labor job or are doing 2-hour workouts where you leave dripping in sweat, our clothes actually aren't dirty. A great way to handle bacteria that could cause a smelly shirt without washing it is to simply hang it in the sun! It brightens, clears up stains, and kills odor. If you are ready to wash your clothing, you can choose to line dry instead of using the dryer. This keeps the integrity of the fibers intact longer. If you are worried about "crispy" clothing, toss a cup of distilled white vinegar in the rinse cycle of your wash. It won't smell, but it acts as a natural fabric softener. Additionally, you can line dry and then toss your clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes, and that softens them up well, too!
Get stains out immediately
There is nothing worse than a stain on a favorite piece of clothing. Take it from a person who gets stuff on everything somehow.. Take your clothes off as soon as possible, spray the stain, let the spray soak for 15 minutes, and scrub it out in the sink using cold water. Hot water can set stains like blood and oil. A good trick for oil that I found is to take baking soda and Dawn dish soap, apply it directly to the stain, and scrub it in, creating a paste. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then toss it in the wash on cold. CHECK that the stain is removed before drying as this sets the stain! You may need to repeat the mixture again once or twice depending on the severity of the oil.
Store them mindfully
Whether it's in your closet or storage for off-season items, care for your capsule wardrobe by storing the items carefully. Hang items that need to be hung to prevent permanent wrinkling. Fold pieces with care. I love using the Konmari method of folding. Store off-season items in a clear plastic tub to keep moisture away while still being able to see what you own.
intentional shopping after creating your capsule wardrobe
After wearing clothing from your capsule wardrobe for a while, you may find you need a few pieces. Do this intentionally by asking yourself these questions before purchasing:
- Do I need this? Why?
- Will this piece still be exciting for me in 5 years? 10?
- What is the quality of this piece and what do reviews say? How long does it seem like it would last?
- Do I already have something that can serve this purpose?
- Do I need this often or can I borrow it from a friend when needed?
- Am I ready for the responsibility of decluttering or selling this item if it was a bad purchase?
- Will this piece have multiple uses in my wardrobe or just one function?
By pausing before purchasing, you can shop with confidence and save yourself from impulse buys that you won't use long term.
share your thoughts with us!
This was a long post! If you read this far, thank you! I'd love to know what you think. Was this helpful? Where are you in your capsule wardrobe journey? Leave a comment below and let's keep the conversation going.