I first tried a capsule wardrobe a year and a half ago, after coming across the blog Unfancy and being amazed by what I found. Caroline sounded exactly like me before she tried a capsule! Full closet, but not actually liking anything I owned. Always feeling like I had nothing to wear.
I thought I knew my style, but couldn’t figure out how to express it in real life. Why was that? Buying more clothes didn’t help. I shopped when I was bored and bought things that caught my eye or that were on sale. But half the time I didn’t even end up wearing them!
When I read Caroline’s story about how she found joy, contentment, and not to mention her personal style through capsule wardrobes, I knew I had to try it.
So what’s a capsule wardrobe anyway?
A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothing items that easily mix and match together and work for a particular season. This is usually somewhere between 20 and 40 pieces, including tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, and shoes (excluding workout clothes, pajamas, loungewear, etc.). The goal is to wear only these items for a whole season, or three months.
What I’ve learned from capsule wardrobes
When I tried this for the first time in the fall of 2015, I learned so much more than I expected. My closet shrunk as I got rid of the clothes I didn’t like or wear. I began to see the benefits of keeping a minimal closet and wearing what I loved rather than falling prey to the trends of fast fashion.
Now, after a year of purging and shopping intentionally, I decided it’s time to try another capsule! I’ve been feeling bored with my clothes lately, so I want to limit my closet and challenge myself to dress more thoughtfully for the next three months.
That’s why I’m working on putting together a spring capsule wardrobe for March, April, and May. If you wanna join, now’s the perfect time! Let’s conquer the challenge together! Below are some tips if you’re not sure where to start.
Benefits of a small closet
It’s frustrating when you feel like your closet doesn’t reflect your true style, because what you wear on the outside has a lot to say about who you are on the inside. But since I tried a capsule, I’ve found that I love what I wear and therefore have more confidence in myself on a daily basis.
I stress less because getting dressed is so much easier. I can easily mix and match and not have to think too much. Seriously, you’ll be amazed at how many different outfits you can make with only a few items when you give your capsule some thought ahead of time!
Why you should try it
Maybe a capsule sounds too restricting. Or maybe you’re afraid you’ll get bored easily. But I can tell you that if you approach it with a positive attitude, you’ll find the opposite to be true! When you narrow your closet down to what you truly love and need, you’ll find more joy, more contentment, and less worry.
If you don’t have the energy or money to think about new clothes but still find yourself unhappy with your closet, try a capsule using what you already own! There’s no reason to shop for anything new to create a successful capsule. It’s all about finding contentment with what you have and creating more with less. A capsule can help you see your old clothes in a new way!
How to build a capsule wardrobe
The only rule to remember when creating a capsule is that there are no rules! This is something you can have fun with, adapt to your own needs, and get what you want out of it. If you want some helpful guidelines, check out Caroline’s simple rules on her blog. Or explore the plethora of examples on Pinterest! Or just keep reading for some basic steps.
Step 1: clean out your closet
Cleaning out your closet is the first step! Some people are terrified of this part, but it’s so important and I promise you’ll feel so light and free when you’re done.
A la Marie Kondo, take everything out and go through it one by one. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, that you haven’t worn for as long as you can remember, or that you really don’t like but still keep for some reason or another. The point isn’t to get rid of everything you own except for 30 items, but just the things you don’t have a use for.
Don’t hold onto anything out of guilt! If it gives you a negative feeling, let it go. Only keep what brings you joy! If there are some things you can’t decide on, put them away for a season and see how you feel in three months.
Once you have all your “keeps,” continue to narrow down till you have a number between 20 and 40 that you feel good about. For my first capsule I ended up with about 30 items. Put everything else away for a future season. Every three months you can rotate pieces in and out to switch things up and suit the weather, but try to keep the number of items about the same.
Step 2: find your style
If you have absolutely no idea what your style is, there’s nowhere better to look than Pinterest! Create a style board (if you haven’t already) and start pinning anything and everything that catches your eye. Check out my my spring style board or my everyday style board if you need some examples. I try to pin outfits that I could actually see myself wearing. But sometimes it’s helpful to pin something for its overall vibe even if I can’t put my finger on what it is I love about it.
After awhile you’ll start to see some trends. Take note of the style you gravitate towards: bright colors? Neutrals? Girly? Laid back? Also, is there a specific clothing item you find in your pins over and over?
Before my first capsule, I noticed I’d pinned a TON of outfits with distressed jeans. But I never actually owned a pair of ripped jeans before! When I finally realized how much I loved them, I went out and bought some for my capsule. They ended up being one of my favorite things in my closet! If it wasn’t for Pinterest, I probably wouldn’t have ever thought to buy them.
Step 3: shop for what you really need
As you prep your capsule, you might realize you’re missing some key items. Now you can create a list and focus on shopping intentionally. When I did this, I looked around at different stores, saw what was out there, compared price and quality, and then made my decision. I felt great about what I bought because I did my research, planned and budgeted, and knew I was getting the things I would wear a ton!
If new clothes aren’t an option right now, it’s time to be creative! Try to see what you can re-purpose in your closet in a new way. Or organize a clothing swap with friends! You might end up with some great stuff, and pass along the clothes you don’t need any more at the same time.
Step 4: put it all together
After you pick your items and are happy with the number, put everything else away out of sight, either in storage boxes on a shelf or under the bed (or just pushed to the back of the closet). When I put the things I’m not using away for three months, it makes me happy to see them the next time I take them out. And it keeps me from getting bored!
Step 5: remember it’s a learning process
My first capsule was a bit all over the place, because I still didn’t have my personal style totally figured out. Through the process I noticed what I was missing and what I had too much of. I learned which colors and patterns I loved, which types of clothes made me feel comfortable and confident, and what I thought I liked but didn’t actually fit my needs or make me happy. It’s all a work in progress and my style is slowly evolving as it becomes more and more my own!
How I’m approaching my spring capsule
This season I want to save money and not buy anything new. Last year I bought a lot of new clothes, so I know I don’t need anything else, even if I’m bored and feel like some of my things don’t match my style any more. My goal is to be responsible with my money and make what I already own work for me. I think it’ll be a fun challenge!
I’m so much happier with my closet now than I was two years ago. But more importantly I’m happier with myself on the inside, and that makes all the difference. I can still be creative and come up with some cute outfits for spring with what I already have. Plus I can save up for a couple new things for summer and invest in other things I really need, like new workout clothes!
Let’s do this!
I would love for you to join me and try a spring capsule wardrobe this season! Let me know if you’re interested or have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer and help out however I can. I’ll be doing my spring capsule from March to May this year. Read my 2017 spring capsule wardrobe post next to see all the items I picked!
Xo,
Becka
P.S. – My favorite spring trends for less, and some retro vibes for summer.
