Do you ever have those days when you feel like there is nothing to wear even though you have tons of clothes in your closet? It can be stressful going through piles of clothes you don’t love wearing; the guilt of overbuying and spending money on useless pieces starts coming back to haunt you. This is why you should create a capsule wardrobe.
The concept of a capsule wardrobe is to downsize your closet to a few pieces you love, alternating them between different outfits. This not only saves time and money, but it incorporates timeless pieces that will last you a long time. It’s perfect for people who want to delve into finding and understanding their style.
So, here’s how you can build a perfect capsule wardrobe:
Step 1: Analyze your lifestyle
This may sound strange, but you have to tailor your wardrobe to fit your lifestyle. If you’re a gym nut, you want to incorporate more athleisure pieces into your wardrobe. If you work in an office, you should include attire that fits the dress code. Ask yourself these questions:
- Where do I spend most of my time?
- What kinds of activities do I do during my free time?
- Out of the clothes I currently own, what do I wear the most?
These questions will help you map out a rough idea of your personal style.
Step 2: Clean out your closet
The questions you asked yourself in the previous step will help you figure out which pieces you want to keep and which to toss out. I like to ask myself the famous Marie Kondo question: “does this spark joy?” If the answer is no, it goes in the toss pile––this includes all the clothes you make excuses to wear. You can give away or donate the pieces that didn’t make the cut.
Step 3: Build your foundation
With the clothes you have left, organize them in different groups and make a foundation through which all your capsules will be created. As a student who lives in Toronto, here are the different groups I make:
- All year basics (jeans, sneakers, cotton tops)
- Spring/Summer (shorts, skirts, tank tops, dresses)
- Fall/Winter (cardigans, long sleeve tops, trousers, coats)
- Lounge (pajamas, sweatshirts)
- Workout (leggings, biker shorts, tops)
Try to look for colour and style patterns in the clothes you set aside. This can help you create a colour palette for your future shopping endeavours. While it’s also nice to have a unique colour palette, keep in mind that you can outgrow it. It’s best to stick with neutrals as they are timeless and go with anything.
Step 4: Build your capsule wardrobe
Once you’ve established your foundation, you’ll be ready to start creating your capsule wardrobe. You don’t need to have a big one; try dividing them into seasonal capsules so the process doesn’t overwhelm you. Different people have different quantities of clothing, so it’s really up to you and what you’re comfortable with. I like to create a seasonal capsule with nine pieces in each category. For example, during the fall I’ll have these categories:
- Outerwear (blazers, cardigans, jackets)
- Tops (half-sleeved tops, full-sleeved tops, turtlenecks, blouses)
- Bottoms (trousers, jeans, long skirts)
- Shoes (sneakers, boots)
Keep an eye out for “missing” staple pieces in the capsule that will make a great addition. For example, a black turtleneck is versatile and will come in handy during fall, however, a hot pink cardigan isn’t.
Step 5: Use your wardrobe!
Now that you have your seasonal capsule, it’s time to start wearing them. Using these pieces, you can create different outfits that are perfect for any occasion. Remember when buying new clothes to ask yourself whether they will fit with the colour palette and style you curated for yourself. This will prevent you from buying unnecessary pieces that landed you here in the first place!
Now that you created the perfect capsule wardrobe, you never have to worry about spending too much time (and money) putting together an outfit!