We all understand hitting a massive style rut. It leads to a season of rotating through the same few outfits, with the same few colors. Instead of running to the mall for an impulse buy that will only spice up your wardrobe for a few wears, I encourage you to try another idea. (For advice on adding color to your wardrobe, check our post on unexpected color combinations.) I’m hoping you’ve heard of the capsule wardrobe.
Well, I’m back – with some new information on planning your summer wardrobe with a limited budget. This idea landed in my lap this past fall when my fellow blogger-friend was discussing her weekend plans. In order to earn a little money by selling unnecessary pieces in her closet to a local thrift shop, she brought up this capsule wardrobe. By choosing 37 pieces (including clothing and shoes but not other accessories) you can limit your impulse buys over a three-month period while also keeping your outfits bold and fresh.
So, concretely, what is a capsule wardrobe? I’m sure that before you finally decide to limit the clothing that hangs in your closet to around thirtyish items, you’ll want to know what you’re getting yourself into. Here are a few different ways of explaining the capsule wardrobe:
1. A collection of clothes and accessories that only includes items considered essential.
2. A person’s basic collection of coordinating clothes that can be essentially used to form the basis of outfits for all occasions.
3. A set of clothing, normally around 24-37 items that can be mixed and matched to create a wide variety of outfits.
A capsule wardrobe can encourage you to think twice about how much you buy throughout the year and especially, what you buy. Instead of practicing the art of impulse shopping, I encourage you to consider the capsule wardrobe in order to shop ethically and at an affordable price. This simple concept can change your mornings for the better, simplify your days and improve upon your style. What is important is that you no longer worry about what to wear, or waste limited, precious morning time arguing with yourself over the right outfit. And only to come up short, you leave the house in the third attempt, which is still not great but will have to do because you have run out of time. By creating a limited and concrete set of clothing, you outfits can never go wrong.
But before I officially send you on your way to begin the creative process behind your capsule wardrobe here are a few tips I feel like you should know:
1. Include a variety of colors
2. You don’t need multiple pairs of the same wash of jeans
3. Make sure the pieces are balanced with each another
4. Have a few basic or neutral pieces that can be worn with absolutely anything
5. Express your personality
I would love to hear about your capsule wardrobe experience. If you need a little guidance for the current season, a checklist is below. Good luck!