Do you usually find yourself overwhelmed with the number of clothes you have in your closet but still don’t know what to wear every morning? This happens to the best of us. More often than not, choosing what to wear takes up so much of our time. But with the rise of the modern minimalist lifestyle, the Capsule Wardrobe might just be the solution to our daily dilemma.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a collection of clothes that can be mixed and matched with each other. Choosing classic and timeless pieces allows you to create several outfits from a limited number.
Why should you build a Capsule Wardrobe?
Building a capsule wardrobe is a way to simplify your life. Having minimal pieces of clothing will free your wardrobe from clutter. You can clear your mind from stress to make room for more important decisions. A capsule wardrobe will also help you save money because you feel lesser need to shop for more clothes.
How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe?
- Begin by purging and cleaning out your closet. Layout all your clothes and look at them one by one. Do you wear all of these clothes?
- You can also do the Marie Kondo way of tidying up your closet. Ask yourself this question to help you: “Does this jumper or trousers bring me joy?” If yes, set them aside for your capsule wardrobe. If not, you can either donate, repurpose, or throw them away.
- Segregate and sort your clothes according to these piles:
Love – These are the clothes you love and wear frequently. They fit well and look good on you.
Maybe – These are the clothes you don’t wear but still keep in your closet. For some reason, you cannot seem to let them go.
Donate – These are clothes that don’t fit you anymore, and you have possibly outgrown. They are still in good condition so you can still donate them.
Trash – These clothes are in poor condition so you can throw them away or repurpose them if possible.
- Go back to the first two piles (Love and Maybe) and ask yourself again if you are gonna wear it in the next three to six months.
- Once you have the clothes you want to keep, you can begin creating a list of items in your capsule wardrobe.
- You can download a printed guide online. Or you can grab a paper and pen to customize the list for yourself.
- You can categorize your outfits that are most relevant to your lifestyle. For example, you have the daily outfits that you wear at home or when you run some errands. The work outfits that you wear to the office or when you have meetings. The active outfits used for the gym or park. And the dressy outfits that you wear at dinner dates and formal events. Not only that, but outfits can also be categorized according to seasons (winter, spring, summer, autumn).
- For every outfit category, you can follow the Capsule Wardrobe Formula. It is typically broken down into five types:
1. Tops – basic tees, tank tops, blouses, polo shirts, cardigans, sweatshirts,
jumpers, sweaters, dresses
2. Bottoms – trousers, leather pants, denim jeans, skirts, shorts, joggers
3. Jackets – trench coat, raincoat, denim jacket, leather jacket, blazer
4. Shoes – sneakers, running shoes, boots, loafers, pumps, sandals
5. Accessories – leather bag, clutch, sports backpack, watch, belts, scarf, hats
- Ideally, a capsule wardrobe should contain at least 30 items. But it still depends on your preferences and the number of clothes you own. You can go up to 35 to 40 clothing pieces. It’s all up to you. Find what works for you best.
- Every three months, review and evaluate your capsule wardrobe. Check the clothes you did and did not wear. Alter your closet accordingly.
- You can also update your capsule wardrobe by gradually buying and adding pieces you need, but don’t get too carried away.
- A good rule to implement is the one in, one out rule. For every new item of clothing you buy, you must donate one in return. This rule will help you resist overspending on unnecessary items.
The next time you clean out your closet, building a capsule wardrobe would be worth a try. It saves you more time, money, and space. That way, you’ll never have to worry about not knowing what to wear again.
