There are many reasons why you might want to create a capsule wardrobe. I mean, it was not by chance that you came across this article. You came here for a reason.
Minimizing and simplifying our lives is more than a trend Marie Kondo came up with when we created her tidying technique. This opens our eyes to the fact that less is more.
You can get tired of clutter and decision fatigue. Clothes shouldn’t tire you out.
You need to feel comfortable in your clothes, and this includes deciding what you will wear.
The process of deciding what we wear every morning is fun. For some, this is a creative process of self-expression, where we select items of clothing and put them together. For others, it’s easy to put on something clean that matches what you’re doing that day, whether it’s going into the office or working on the street.
And some already have uniforms designed for what they wear at work, such as nurses, restaurant workers, catering, mechanics, etc. Or you can work from home and not worry about what you wear day to day. day.
Anyway, I think a capsule wardrobe (and various types of capsule cabinets) can benefit anyone.
And I’ll show you exactly how to build a capsule wardrobe besides:
- Get rid of the clutter and create the perfect capsule wardrobe that suits you and your lifestyle
- What an example of a capsule wardrobe looks like
- Separate wardrobe essentials and mini capsule wardrobes
- How to assemble a working “uniform” from a capsule wardrobe
- My capsule wardrobe experiment
What is a capsule cabinet?
The main authority on the capsule wardrobe is Caroline Rector, who is also the creator of Unfancy.comwhere you can find tons of resources for creating capsule collections (including her awesome wardrobe planner). She describes the capsule wardrobe as a mini wardrobe of versatile pieces that you love to wear.
How it works?
Caroline recommends 37 items as the gold number, which varies with the season. You have to take what you have in your closet now, reduce it to 37 items, and then test them for wearing for 3 months. Don’t buy new items until next season.
However, I modified this original formula to work for myself (as it does for you). Two people won’t have the same wardrobe needs, so 37 may not be the right fit for you. I prefer to store between 25 and 50, but yours can easily go below 25 or above 50.
These items include tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes, accessories, etc. You should also be mindful of the categories in which you will wear these items, such as workout wear, leisure wear, work wear, formal wear, and T. D.
Also, not everyone needs a capsule wardrobe for the season. There are areas where there are no seasons or there are slight differences between seasons. So keep this in mind when you are thinking about creating your collection.
You can create your capsule wardrobe from what you already have, or use the service to assemble capsule wardrobes for you (for example, or make a combination of what you already have and then shop for new things once a season (or as needed) really depends on you and what works best for you.
Benefits of the capsule collection
Reducing the size of the cabinet and creating something like a capsule collection offers many benefits, including:
- Cost savings
- Save time
- Energy saving decision
- The ability to recognize what you like to wear
The idea is that from cleaning up closets and reducing the size of our clothes to what we like to wear and what we plan to wear, we will have more time, money, and energy for other important things in our lives.
What set me apart the most about my capsule wardrobe was how much more energy and time I had in the morning when I didn’t have to choose between so many options. I also didn’t have to go through so many options that I didn’t even like, as opposed to what used to be with a cluttered closet.
How to create your capsule wardrobe
The first thing you need to do before putting together a capsule collection is to open this cabinet (or drawers, whatever). Try not to be overwhelmed by the mess of clothes all over the place if you are somewhere like me, which is a mess.
It can be difficult to find motivation at first, but all you have to do is get started. Start looking through each item in the closet one by one. Label each as “keep, donate, or sell”.
Then take a look at the stack of fortresses. That’s where we get this capsule wardrobe from.
What a capsule cabinet looks like
I don’t think there is any “right” way to create a capsule wardrobe. As long as you’ve reduced your closet to an acceptable amount of your favorite clothes and plan to wear them one at a time, you’re fine.
The whole purpose of creating something like this is to make your life a little easier. As long as your capsule (s) is doing it, you are doing it “right.”
Use the selection below to hit the desired 37 for your capsule wardrobe (please customize to your needs):
- 11 peaks
- 11 bottom
- 6 pieces of outerwear
- 3 dresses
- 6 shoes
Seasonal or all year round
I live in the Midwest and our seasons are pretty harsh. However, I don’t have 4 separate wardrobes for all 4 seasons. I have 2; one for warm weather and one for cold weather.
If you live somewhere in the tropics, I suspect you will have a capsule cabinet. You may need to add additional items like rubber boots, raincoats, etc. to prepare for the weather in your area.
You can also include accessories such as scarves, jewelry, hats, etc. in your capsule wardrobe line, but these can be viewed as “complementary” items. Remember to include as much in your wardrobe as your lifestyle and climate demands.
Create subcategories and “work form”
The most rewarding strategy when creating my capsule wardrobe (s) was to categorize items based on where they would be worn.
I have broken them down into 4 categories:
- Overalls
- Home clothes
- Workout clothes
- Weekend wear (including formal wear, such as for weddings or similar events).
At first it was difficult to find work clothes because I had clothes that I loved to wear to work and clothes that I thought I would like, but I probably never intended to wear them. Instead, I chose based on what I was already dressed for work and what was most comfortable and professional.
I approached these objects as if I were collecting my “working form” for myself. But instead of wearing the same “work uniform” every day, I changed the elements of my “work uniform”.
Some of the items in your capsule will vary depending on where you carry them, and the more they do, the better. The more versatile a piece of clothing is, the better.
Take it for a test wear
Once you decide you have a good starter capsule wardrobe, check it out in the real world. Get in the habit of flipping and washing. See how you feel in them and if there is anything you want to add, customize or change in any way in the items you wear in the real world.
After the first two months of wearing the capsule wardrobe, I started to feel a little uncomfortable about my rotation. I kept thinking: “What if someone at work notices that I always alternate the same clothes.” Why did I care so much?
I decided to experiment with a capsule wardrobe and wear the same thing to work every day for a week to see if anyone noticed and if I care what they might notice. At the end of the week, I even asked one of my colleagues if they noticed and they said no, looking at me very embarrassed.
People are so engrossed in their lives that most of them won’t notice your new minimalist wardrobe. If so, what does it matter?
In my opinion, no. They are just clothes. If we worried about every little thing others think of us, we would be rather unhappy (were there, did it). There are some bigger fish that you can fry.
Do you think a capsule wardrobe is right for you?
Capsule wardrobes aren’t for everyone. Some people are really passionate about fashion and collect certain things from designer collections. Then some people express themselves through their fashion and like to mix it every day with different subjects. I would never ask these people to give up their collection, hobby, or how they chose to express themselves.
Even if you are one of those people, you can still try the capsule wardrobe, but perhaps make it your version. Try it as your casual at home or maybe just a “work-fit” capsule. See how it feels.
If you don’t like it, you can always come back. If you like this, look for more ways to apply the same logic to other areas of your life that might need simplification.
Anyway, let us know in the comments about your thoughts and / or experiences with capsule cabinets.
This article originally appeared on The Money Mix and has been republished with permission.