What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
I’ve toyed around with the idea of a capsule wardrobe for quite some time. Though I was intrigued by the streamlined approach to getting dressed and minimizing clutter, I was mostly stressed and overwhelmed at the thought of being pigeon-holed into wearing only a few pieces for months at a time. But from what I kept reading from others, it’s supposed to do quite the opposite! Capsule wardrobes are “supposed” to free you up and allow you to enjoy the versatility of mixing a range of pieces together to create easy outfits and eliminate the stress of getting dressed. It’s supposed to save you money and time. It’s supposed to help you become more disciplined with spending. So they say.
Step 1: Assess Your Closet.
I decided to give it a try and put together a capsule for this fall! I’ve actually been observing this for the past few seasons - the range of clothes I wear, how often I wear certain pieces, and what I tend to gravitate toward. Taking stock of what I tend to reach for over and over again really helped me hone in on what kind of capsule I was looking to create - something really casual and comfortable, without consisting of a ton of sweatpants. I don’t need dressy corporate clothing since I’m not working a 9-5, but I do need pieces that feet nice enough to wear to a meeting or a class to meet with people, while still being comfortable enough to hang with my kids! Also, it’s really important to think in terms of weather - my Georgia fall is much different than my friends’ in Alaska!
Step 2: Toss & Shop (sparingly).
Believe it or not, I actually purchased very little for this fall capsule. In late August I went through my closet and pulled out my gold standards - the cardigans I wear over and over again, the jeans that fit me best, the types of tops that I reach for over and over again. And then I observed the gaps in my wardrobe and filled in the blanks here and there. Very carefully.
I also took this opportunity to toss or donate clothes I hadn’t worn in a year. I’ve learned that the more I throw things away in my home (old toys, old clothes, you name it), the easier it gets to continue tossing things. We don’t need all this stuff! Items that are nice enough for a second life get donated to our local Better Way Ministry or sold on my Instagram Shop.
Step 3: Make Up Your Own Rules.
There are a lot of schools of thought when it comes to a capsule - it took me some time to grasp how this would work for me. For example, some people find 25 pieces they wear constantly, while some people work with nearly 60 pieces. Some people include workout clothes and dressy clothes in the mix - and some don’t. Some include shoes and accessories, some don’t count those items as part of the capsule. When I finally realized it was totally up to me, I started to relax a little bit. I make the rules! I will say that this blog post, Elsie’s capsule, Anna’s capsule, Savannah’s capsule helped tremendously, and I’ve also heard really amazing things about this book and the Cladwell app.
I personally decided not to include shoes, work out clothes or dressy clothes in my capsule. I wear workout clothes multiple times a week for when I exercise, but I try not to wear my gym clothes all day because I don’t feel my absolute best in them when I wear them all day every day. And my normal routine doesn’t really include dresses or skirts because, let’s keep things real, I’m a boy mama.
Step 4: Execute the Capsule!
The Georgia fall weather usually includes a lot of lingering humidity and days that are rife with heat. So this capsule could almost be labeled “pre-fall” because its truly a transition out of the southern summer and into slightly more manageable temperatures. But for now, here goes! My fall capsule wardrobe! These are the pieces I’ve worn over and over for the past several months!
