follow this simple guide to build a capsule wardrobe of your dreams
I truly believe this is the easiest guide on how to build a wardrobe you love. Over the past couple years I’ve read many articles and blog posts on how to build a capsule wardrobe. I’ve gathered some great insights in which it has allowed me to create a process that can truly work for everyone.
This process will help you discover that you most likely already have amazing garments in your closet and it will help decrease stress while shopping. To build a wardrobe you love, it should be fun and easy to manage with a long-term effect. Therefore, I don’t deal with the pressure of having to maintain a specific number of garments. If you’re familiar with capsule wardrobes or minimalism then you may have seen or heard about people who balance their wardrobe based off of a specific number of garments in total. That is a strive for perfection that I will not endure. With that said, you will love how easily this guide will fit into your own personal style and unique way of life.
Follow the steps below and be inspired to find ways that suit you and lead you to the path of wardrobe bliss.
step 1 – grab some coffee
Go through every piece of clothing in your closet and drawers.
Find what is old and ruined and create a pile for recycling. DO NOT TOSS IN THE TRASHCAN.
Try everything else on and keep the items you love and fit well. These items should complement your body type. They should also complement your personal style and inner beauty.
Create a separate pile of the items you dislike (don’t fit, not your style, over it).
You should have three piles
One: Old non-wearable garments Two: Keep Three: Donate
step 2 – variety is key
Separate the keep pile into categories: Bottoms, dresses, blouses, basics, seasonal trends.
BASICS are garments that can typically be worn throughout the year — Plain t-shirts, camisole tanks, tank tops, graphic tees, plain sweatshirts, etc.
Determining a garment quantity for each category is entirely up to you. Like I said, I don’t play that numbers game.
Now is when you ask yourself, when was the last time you wore it and if you want to continue to give it a place in your new and improved wardrobe. Remember to choose your favorites based off of fit and overall level of happiness it brings. Good vibes only. However, try not to rely on emotions when deciding what to keep. These emotions can get the best of us and we just end up with a closet full of memories.
SEASONAL TRENDS are those items you usually only wear during specific seasons. Here’s a tip: make this a small pile and keep reading because I am going to talk more about this. It’s honestly my favorite category.
BOTTOMS should fit well and should complement your entire wardrobe. I find it important to have jeans that I can pair with pretty much every top in my closet. You want jeans that fit well in a light wash, medium wash, black denim, and white denim. It helps to have a variety in different styles of a jeans as well. For example, skinny fit, straight leg, wide leg, etc. Choose whatever is best for you and your style.
After you’ve selected your favorite jeans you can move on to your other bottoms like your shorts, skirts, trousers and other slacks. Here you will do the same as you did with your jeans. Focus on fit and a minimal variety.
Continue to separate and sort through your categories (dresses, blouses, misc) until you have a decent number of garments that:
- Fit Well
- Suit Your Personal Style and Inner Beauty
- Are Cohesive To Your Entire Wardrobe
It’s important to remember to NOT keep everything.
step 3 – learn to let go
It’s easy to become extremely attached to clothing items and hold on to them for far too long. To build a wardrobe you love doesn’t mean you have to lose everything in your closet. Over the last couple years I’ve really been pushing myself to come to the realization of what I want in my closet and to realize what items I want to represent me and where I’m going in my life.
To let go of that attachment it’s always good to ask yourself when was the last time you wore this item and if it represents who you are in the best way possible.
donate + recycle
Now for the remaining two piles: Recycle/non-wearable items and donations.
The donation pile you decided to let go of just may fit the style of someone else. Take a few minutes and Google search local charities or churches who are accepting gently used clothing or simply ask your friends on social media. Someone is always in need. It’s important to spread out your donations, popular places like Goodwill tend to receive too many items. Which eventually leads to warehouses full of unwanted clothing garments.
If you have items that are of high value and want to get some cash back, then try local consignment shops, or online platforms like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Poshmark.
A yard sale is a good idea to get friends & family involved on this new journey of building a wardrobe you love. You can also donate to friends that you know are in need of more clothes by hosting a clothing swap party. However, try not to just dump your clothes on someone and make it their problem.
the trash man will not recycle your old garments
As for the Recycle pile, PLEASE! PLEASE! do not throw this pile into your trashcan. The apparel that goes into the trashcan will be sent to a landfill and it will sit there for years and years. This type of waste is horrible for our environment. An ethical way to get rid of these garments is to find local stores that take and recycle old clothes. Places like Goodwill and Salvation Army will accept unwearable textiles or you can visit earth911.com to find other options near you.
Building a capsule wardrobe is not only going to save you time and money, but it will also help to improve our environment.
step 4 – seasonal shopping
I’ve mentioned seasonal shopping in just about every post of mine.
Breaking Bad Habits to Build a Wardrobe You Love, Save Money + Time with Slow Fashion. — in case you missed these
This process of shopping seasonally is the key to building a wardrobe you love and it’s too simple to not take advantage of. Even if a capsule wardrobe is not your thing you should at least consider shopping seasonally. Let me break it down for you.
You. Shop. Seasonally.
Easy, right? lol
Okay on a serious note. Let’s say the season is Spring/Summer. Now that you have created this simple cohesive capsule wardrobe of your favorite garments, let’s add in some seasonal goodness. Take a good look at your seasonal trends category and decide if there is anything you’d like to add this season. This can be as simple as adding in a new flowy top for work. Just be sure it is still a cohesive purposeful piece for your wardrobe.
don’t over trend
Maybe there is a new trend that you love and want to add it for Spring and Summer. Just try not to over trend. Yes, this is possible! Purchasing too many trendy pieces can lead you back to where you started. A closet full of unworn & unwanted clothes.
This easy process of seasonal shopping will help you to shop with intent. Shopping with intent will save you money and will save all the stress that comes with not knowing what to purchase. By taking the time to analyze your new wardrobe and decide on your seasonal additions. Things become a lot easier and you can simply walk (or online shop) into your favorite clothing store and search for only those special additions without any headaches and distractions.
step 5 – ask for help
So you’ve created this amazing capsule wardrobe full of items you absolutely love and adore. But there are still those seasonal pieces that you want to add and you are unsure of your direction, and unsure of where to get them. Or maybe you just don’t have the time to shop.
Guess What?
I am your girl. This is my zone and I absolutely enjoy helping women build a wardrobe they love. So just fill out this questionnaire that has simple questions about yourself and your style, and I will provide you with a custom seasonal wardrobe guide. This guide will provide direct links and styling tips for your own seasonal needs.
Now just head to your closet and get started 😉
Thanks for reading. XoXO
