5 simple steps to create a capsule wardrobe

Now that we’ve established WHY you need a capsule wardrobe, let’s look at a WHAT a capsule wardrobe is made of. It’s pretty simple:

• Limited number of pieces: You’ll only have pieces you actually do wear and like. Pieces you can wear in most seasons, pieces you mix and match with one another. Since the number is limited, you’ll wear them quite often. So, you’ll want to make sure you pick them in both classic shapes AND high quality fabrics (so they can handle lots of wears). And since we sweat, the shapes and fabrics we pick are even more important than for other people. You can read my other posts on how to pick the right fabric and on how to pick the right fit.
• Limited amount of color: Since all pieces should work together, and since you don’t want to look like rainbow clown, you’ll want to focus on a basic color theme. It should includes a few colors only. It’s easier to mix and match black tops with black jeans rather than a yellow and red striped shirt with floral green pattern pants!. Even if greys and beiges are usually classic colors in a capsule wardrobe, we (the people who sweat a tad too much!) want to stray away from these. As I mentioned in the post on how to pick the right color, it’s in our best interest to focus on black and white. That way, sweat stains don’t show. So that is pretty much the basic color theme duo we’re working from. Plus, it goes to all skins colors, complexions and shapes, so it’s a win-win!
• Not-as-limited accessories: It would get boring to wear the exact same t-shirt and pants every day, right? So, we’ll want to spice things up with a few colors, patterns, and accessories. Colors on scarfs, bags, jackets, etc. are a great way to bring life and versatility to your base outfit. And if you like to indulge yourself with a few in-trend items every now and then, it’s ok. But it’s easier to do so with accessories. Indeed, they usually don’t go out of fashion as easily as clothes would. They are also easier to sell and replace. Want to know my trick with accessories? I’m not big on shoes and purses, but I always like to treat myself with jewelry when I go on vacation. It takes little room in your luggage. It’s easy to take with you when you move/travel. And it adds color and character to an outfit! Plus, it always feels great when, in the morning, you put on your earrings from Greece, your necklace from Costa Rica, etc. It reminds you of good times and memories!

You’re gonna tell me “that’s all great, but how do I get from my current wardrobe to a capsule wardrobe?” Well, below I listed the 5 simple steps to get you there.

The 5 STEPS:

1. List what you need: first you want to figure WHAT should be in your capsule wardrobe. List the things you need for each season. Think in terms of:
   • categories: tops, bottoms, underwear, accessories
   • seasons and occasions: office, chill weekend, night out, dinner.

To help you out/make it quicker, I created a list of what a woman should have in her capsule closet, and a list of what a man should have in his capsule closet. Adapt that list to your personal preferences and then compare it against what’s already in your closet.

If you want to use this as an opportunity to change your style, then check out Pinterest or Fashion magazines for ideas. Then, pick classic Winter/Summer/Spring/Fall outfits that won’t get out of fashion and that you know you won’t get tired of.

An easy quick option to find ideas is also to simply use Google Image and type in [“classic” or “timeless” + season + outfit + man or woman + your style (e.g.: casual, chic, sexy, etc.). So, you would type in something like “Classic Winter outfit man casual” or “Timeless Summer outfit woman business” and then see what outfits you’d like to wear!

2. Look at what’s in your closet: Now that you know what you need and want, let’s compare it with what you already have. This may take some time, but the ‘audit’ of your closet is a key step! Make a list of:
   • what you already have and want to keep: only a few pieces for each clothing type, if you wrote down that you need 5 pairs jeans, then don’t keep 10 😊. If you hesitate between 2 pieces to keep, pick the one that’s in the best condition, of highest quality (as it will go through a lot of wear), and that you like wearing the most. Ask yourself these questions:
     • Have I worn it recently/at least in the last 6 months? If not, chances are you won’t.
     • Do I like wearing it?
     • Do I look good in it?
     • Is it good quality?
     • Do I really need this?
     • Is it wet stains-free? (when in doubt, lick your finger)
   • what you are missing: maybe add some details about what type of shape, style you’d like if you already know. Maybe you only have casual t-shirts and need more sophisticated ones for example.
3. Declutter your closet: once you have established what you need and what you already have, make two piles: what you are keeping and what you don’t need, wear, or like. Maybe that’s t-shirts with ads you had kept for weekends on the couch but realize you never wear them. Maybe that’s the pants that got too small or too large. Maybe that’s the sweater that doesn’t look good on you or that shows sweat. Maybe that’s the white shirt that got yellow, etc. We all have these! This decluttering should apply to clothes, but also to accessories, shoes, etc. If you are afraid you may change your mind on some items, then store them under your bed or in a closet for a few weeks. If you go get a few items back, then you probably actually like/need these pieces. Once you are ready to kiss the rest bye bye, find them a new life as much as possible. First, sell the highest quality/brand names ones online (Craigslist,2^nd hand consignment shops, Poshmark, etc) so that at so you can use that cash to buy the items missing from your capsule closet! Then, donate what is not at a high price tag to friends or charities. If some items are too worn off to be given to charity and worn again, then don’t throw them away, but cut them into pieces to make cleaning rags! Like Lavoisier said, “nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed”! 😊
4. Shop to fill the gaps: and now if fun time! Hopefully you are only missing a few pieces and can use the money you made selling the things you didn’t wear to get the new stuff you actually need! If that would be too expensive upfront, spread this over time: Keep the ‘unwanted’ stuff for a bit longer/wear them off and get one of the pieces you need every few months while you ‘retire’ the unwanted ones little by little.
5. Renew: Now that you have your capsule wardrobe, you can’t go back to old habits and buy stuff that would go out of fashion quickly, or that you would not wear that often! Focus on renewing your closet instead of adding to it. Your favorite white t-shirt is worn off/got stained: you replace it with another white t-shirt. One piece in, one piece out.

Ready to get started? Check out these sample capsule wardrobes lists (woman version / man version) and auditing your closet! Have fun and let me know how it goes!