how to build a capsule wardrobe.

I’m so excited to share this post with you today!  It’s one of my most passionate subjects when it comes to my work, and I can’t wait to dig in and share one of my biggest life hacks with you today.

The Capsule Wardrobe.

What is a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe is a mini wardrobe made up of versatile pieces you love to wear that can be worn many different ways.  It’s about simplifying and curating a more intentional closet.  The benefits of building a capsule wardrobe go far beyond your closet, trust me, and it’s one of the first things I recommend women do when they are trying to get their life more organized and intentional.

We all have to get dressed, it’s one of the first things we do every day, and simplifying this process has a huge impact on your life.

Some people are very strict with their capsules.  For example, they only style the same 37 items for 3 months at a time and during that time they don’t shop at all.   I have a much more relaxed approach to mine.  I see my capsule as the foundation for my wardrobe.  As a way to curb impulse purchases, have my closet serve me better, have more time, less stress, and feel great every single day when I get dressed.

Most people naturally capsule without realizing it and this process is about getting rid of all the crap that’s in the way of you noticing what you already intuitively know about yourself and freeing yourself from the stress of the clutter that’s holding you back.  It’s about spending your hard-earned money on only things that will serve you and your life.  Putting in the work of this process will save you so much time and money and I promise you will be happier and feel better in your clothes than you have literally ever felt.  No more standing in front of your closet and thinking to yourself: “I have nothing to wear.”

Let’s get started, shall we?

Step 1: Clean out your closet.  Before you begin building your life-changing capsule you’ve got to start with a clean slate, i.e. closet.  In other words, it’s time to purge.  I could write an entire post (heck I could write an entire course) just on cleaning out and organizing your closet, but today I’ll give you the reader’s digest version to get you started.  First of all, just know that you don’t need a big old massive “blogger’s closet” with fancy built-ins and leopard carpet, to have a beautiful functional wardrobe.  If you do, that’s fantastic.  But if you live in a house with a normal (or dare I say, small) closet, you can still make it work seamlessly.  In fact, you may find it brings you even more joy.

Take everything out of your closet and start purging.   As you clean out your closet keep in mind: your space and time are limited and so everything in there has to earn it’s way back into your closet.

You will evaluate your clothes, and sort them into 3 piles.  Keep, donate, sell.

Here are the requirements for entry.  Does it fit, flatter and make you feel great? Do you love the item and do you wear it too?  Does it serve your current lifestyle?

If you can answer yes to all the questions than congratulate the piece for being a winner and put it in the keep pile.  If something doesn’t make the cut put it in the donate or sell pile.  I donate most of the clothes I don’t keep when I do a purge, but a few of my name brand pieces that are in excellent shape I choose to sell and I usually earn a few hundred dollars in the process.

When you put your pieces that you are keeping back in your closet, create a system, and do it in an organized way so everything is easy to see/find.

Step 2: Define your style. Now that you’ve scaled down your wardrobe to just the things you LOVE AND WEAR, it’s time to take a look at what’s left and define your style.

Pick out your 10 favorite pieces that are left in your closet, pull them out and think about what it is that makes you love them.  Is it the cut or color, the fabric or the design?  Take pictures or notes to help you keep track of the things you are noticing.  You are also going to create a brand new Pinterest board, and start pinning outfits and looks you love, AND would also wear.  As you pin, look for patterns that start to pop up.  I promise you’ll see them!

Why do we do this?  Because it’s really important to understand your personal style, what you actually like to wear and why.  Doing this will help you avoid impulse buys.  We all get drawn in by that piece that is super cute but not something you would normally wear.  Well, what usually happens to those pieces?  Yeah, they sit in your closet collecting dust (because you end up never really being in the mood for them.)  And I don’t know about you but I’d rather have my money in my bank account than hanging in my closet in the form of that overly trendy top that I never actually wear.

Step 3: Identify your needs and get organized.  A capsule wardrobe is about selecting pieces from your closet that are high quality and versatile.  Things that can be mixed and remixed over and over together.  Encouraging simplicity, fostering creativity, and most importantly saving you time and money.  Now that you’ve slimmed down your closet and identified your style and what you love, it’s time to figure out where the holes in your wardrobe are.  Think carefully about the items that will serve you in your life with your style.

A capsule is built of mostly basic/versatile pieces with a few fun pieces and accessories thrown in to make it more fun.  Make a list of the pieces you’d like to incorporate, and what your specific needs are, then prioritize and come up with an order and budget for purchasing them.

Everyone’s capsule will be different because everyone’s style and needs are different, but just to give you an idea of where to get started here are some must-have pieces in my own capsule.

Jackets: the ultimate layering pieces.  These are my must-have capsule jacket: A trench coat, a denim jacket, a leather jacket, and a field jacket.  All of these can be layered, worked and reworked multiple ways.  All of them are classic and will never go out of style, so they can be worn for years.  This also means, that when I purchased them, I spent a little more to ensure quality and made sure the fit was just right.

Jeans: I don’t really have a need for slacks in my current lifestyle, but jeans are my life-blood.  I like to buy quality denim, and fit is everything for jeans, so be picky until you find your perfect brand or fit. (I promise it’s out there.)  In my capsule, I always have: skinny jeans, a pair of white jeans(this brand is my favorite for white jeans), a pair of black jeans, and some boyfriend jeans.  My favorite denim brands are AG, Rag and Bone, Madewell, Articles of Society, and American Eagle (their short length is great for petites!)

Tops: A chambray button up is a must have, as well as a good black and white striped shirt, a white v-neck tee, and I always have at least one more dressy top that’s also neutral.  (Like this black eyelet one I featured last week, or a good white lace or eyelet top.)  I also always have a few long cardigans and pullover sweaters, high quality and neutral.

Shoes: Capsule shoes are all about comfort, style, and versatility.  I typically stick to neutral leathers (cognac is your best friend because it goes with everything), but I’ll also mix it up if I find a shoe (like these blush loafers) that is a fun color and also works with a lot of pieces in my capsule.  Good capsule shoes: booties, sneakers (Adidas and Converse are my favorites), loafers, and slides.  If you have a need for heels, I like these, and these wedges for spring/summer.

Step 4: Buy mindfully, style fearlessly.  I can’t stress this enough, but building a capsule is about quality not quantity.  It’s better to have 1 great leather jacket, then 4 crappy plastic faux ones.   I used to tell my styling clients when they felt resistant to spending a little more on a quality item, to do the math on the cost per wear.  If it’s something that you are going to wear over and over again for years, then it’s worth it to invest in the better quality item.  Would you rather have 5 pairs of $40 jeans that don’t look/make you feel great or 1 pair of $150 jeans that make you feel amazing? In the end, you’re actually spending less on the better jeans, and you are getting more with them… see how it works?

Once you’ve slowed down and are buying mindfully, then comes the fun part.  Styling!  This is the time to have fun. Be fearless.  Try combinations you might not have attempted before, have fun with your clothes, tie shirts, roll sleeves, layer.  Work and rework your wardrobe until you are a styling ninja!  Keep track of outfit combinations that work for you so you can pull them out in a pinch without thinking.  (This is also one of my hacks.)  So on the day when you’ve accidentally slept in but you still have to be somewhere by 9:15 you’ve got a bunch of outfit ideas at the ready.

Need more help building your capsule?  Take my intentional closet course! I’ll take you step-by-step through the whole process of cleaning out and organizing your closet, and defining your style and building a capsule wardrobe with intention.

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