THE CAPSULE WARDROBE

Ever heard the term “capsule wardrobe” and thought, what on earth is that and how can I get one? Here’s a little lesson 101 on what a capsule wardrobe is, why so many are opting for this approach and how you can create one for yourself.

A capsule wardrobe is a rather small, yet functional wardrobe made up of quality clothing that you love wearing and versatile enough to be teamed together to create several different looks. It's all about having quality over quantity but with pieces that can be mixed and matched together to create a multitude of looks! 

What are the benefits?

A capsule wardrobe can save you a serious amount of cash. We have all bought items that we think we like however once we hang them up we either forget about them or resort to the items in our wardrobe we wear repeatedly. A capsule wardrobe helps alleviate these instances and leaves you money for more important things like a luxury holiday you’ve been dreaming about.

It can save you time! We all live very busy lives today which means our time poverty leaves us little opportunity for shopping. Well, instead of shopping for clothes that could potentially do nothing but clutter up your wardrobe, you could be doing something more valuable with the extra time you have.

A capsule wardrobe helps you identify your own personal sense of style. A few years ago I worked with a girl who always looked so polished. She was the envy of many girls, myself included. She earned an average income and lived on her own with rent to pay so money wasn’t always at her dispense. In addition to that, she lived in a small apartment with limited storage space. Owning a capsule wardrobe was her only option. She had a sense of style that was consistent and she mixed her limited pieces together to create different ensembles daily. Another example is Sienna Miller. While she does have the funds for a wardrobe as long as the Great Wall of China, her look is consistent. She is arguably the “queen of boho”. Who doesn’t want that reputation?!

So how do you build this so-called “capsule wardrobe”?

First you need to define your lifestyle. Are you a stay-at-home mum who needs a wardrobe filled with casual clothing or are you a corporate worker who needs to concentrate more on business attire? Perhaps you need both? Either way, identifying your lifestyle is your first step.

Then there’s the pieces that every woman should own because they are versatile, trans-seasonal and timeless. These pieces are: 

Jeans, little black dress (LBD), white shirt, white t-shirt, black tailored pants, coat, pencil skirt and black blazer.

Next, allocate an amount of pieces for each clothing type. For example, 4 pairs pants, 4 skirts, 4 dresses, 2 jackets and 12 tops.

Once you’re ready to start buying, keep in mind that you are reducing the size of your wardrobe so it is really important to buy quality items that you truly love, feel fabulous in and wear the first opportunity you get. I have spoken about cost-per-wear in previous blogs. Think about how much you will be wearing these items. Over the course of a year, they will have cost you very little so don’t be afraid to spend up to get good quality.

Now, let’s talk about the process of de-cluttering your existing wardrobe. To keep it simple create 3 piles labelled “YES”, “NO” and “MAYBE”.

In the “YES” pile place the items you love and cannot live without (it might be a good idea to gain the opinion of a close friend on this one because, believe it or not, we do grow an emotional attachment to some of our clothes… even the ill-fitting ones!).

Fill the “NO” pile with items you don’t like, are tired, know you won’t wear again or don’t fit. One of the biggest mistakes I have seen people make is keeping clothes that are too small in the hope that one day they will fit back into them again. It's time to embrace your body for what it is and dress it accordingly.

That leaves the “MAYBE” pile. This one is specifically for items that you love but are not sure you’ll ever wear or have the opportunity to wear again. 

In this whole process, one thing is certain, you must love every item hanging in your wardrobe!

Everything that is in your “YES” pile is hung back up. Before you have time to revert back to old habits, donate your “NO” pile to goodwill and place your “MAYBE” pile in a bag to store somewhere out of sight. The idea is that if you don’t go searching for and wear a piece from your “MAYBE” pile within 6 months, then it’s time to part with it.

Now, check off what you have hanging against your allocated number for each clothing type to help you identify any gaps that need to be filled. Remember, you may need more than one capsule wardrobe. Someone who works may need a capsule wardrobe for work and a separate one for leisure.

Expect to make mistakes so don’t beat yourself up if you do. This is simply a learning opportunity that will get easier in time. Alternatively, you can always call on me to assist with the process.

Enjoy the cleansing experience!

MM  

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