The most compelling reason is to spend less money and time on clothes. Even if shopping and fashion are not your passion, you will definitely love the concept of a capsule wardrobe.
Want to check it out? Then let's play truth or lie.
You are a person who is passionate about a certain cause. And this matter is far from clothes.
Even when your closet is full of clothes, you wear the same thing every day.
You often have 'nothing to wear.' In fact, there are a lot of things, but you don't want to wear any of them.
Sometimes you find clothes with tags in your closet. Have you never worn this blouse?
You often buy clothes that don't fit on sale. Well, it's a sale.
You don't have the time, money or energy to create a comfortable capsule wardrobe, so you end up wearing the same thing over and over again.
You want a little: a) to look good without much effort; b) save time for more important things, such as work, family and hobbies.
If most of the statements are true for you, then a capsule wardrobe is a must for you.
The rules here are quite flexible:
Working formula:
Foundation we'll talk about what it is below.
9 tops.
5 trousers (skirts).
5 pairs of shoes.
The concept of 'foundation' includes things for sleep and home, sports, evening outings, as well as outerwear. Besides these things, you will need 19 in total for each season.
Get rid of unnecessary things
When was the last time you went through your closet and did a wardrobe audit? If this was more than a year ago, then an audit will be a priority. Don't think you'll have a base without this step. Spend an hour or two going through your closet and throw out anything you don't intend to wear.
Lifehack! Don't get rid of things if it makes you nervous. To start, just put everything you don't need in another room. It's easier to work on a capsule wardrobe when you don't have a lot of clothes.
The concept of 'foundation' may not be in the concept of a capsule wardrobe, but this term perfectly describes all the clothes that are needed for individual occasions: special occasions, sports, homework, etc.
Fundamentals are not something you need to wear every day, they are clothes that exist outside of your capsule wardrobe. These are things that do not change depending on the season and will be useful to you at any time if necessary. Identify 5-6 categories in your life that require clothing and select 10 items for each of them.
Example:
Sports - tops and leggings (shorts);
Clothing for sleep and relaxation - loose suits, pajamas;
Underwear - tops, T-shirts, tank tops that are worn under sweaters;
Outerwear - jackets and coats;
Evening accessories;
Resort accessories - swimsuits, hats, bags, flip-flops.
If some of your categories contain more than 10 items of clothing, it's okay, because it depends on your lifestyle. Numbers are just numbers, and most importantly, a conscious approach to your wardrobe.
And let us repeat once again that the 'foundation' is not everyday clothing. These are the things you use occasionally.
Lifehacks:
1) Store items from the capsule wardrobe and the 'foundation' in different places to avoid confusion and clutter in the closet.
2) We remind you: the 'foundation' will not be useful to you for everyday life. These are clothes that are necessary in certain cases: for sleeping, active recreation, vacation or cold weather.
Identify 3 clothing categories that best suit your lifestyle. Imagine which outfits would be best for work, family vacations, going to the movies, restaurants, etc. For example, the categories could be:
Active leisure: playing with children, walking the dog;
Work: office, important meetings, conferences;
Evening dress code: special events, theater, concerts;
Entertainment: restaurant, cinema, dates;
Home relaxation: watching movies, cooking;
Casual wear: shopping, business in the city.
The categories should fully reflect your life needs. If you do not attend events with a strict dress code, then exclude 'Evening dress code', etc. Choose the 3 most important categories for you that describe your life. This could be 'Work', 'Casual' and 'Entertainment', for example.
Now start putting together a capsule wardrobe for the most important categories using the suggested formula: 9 tops, 5 trousers (skirts), 5 pairs of shoes. Choose each item based on the following principles:
It fits every category;
It fits you perfectly;
It goes well with things you already have.
Example: You have a cool pink sequin top that you adore. And you might still wear it this year. But (principle 1) it doesn't fit into any clothing category that is important to you, and (principle 2) doesn't fit that well, and (principle 3) there are no suitable shoes for it. Verdict: no. This top will not become part of your capsule wardrobe.
Example: you have your eye on a cute, but very expensive shirt. Do you need to buy it? Check the points: (principle 1) it fits into the selected categories, but (principle 2) fits a little tight, although (principle 3) goes well with any item in the wardrobe. Even though the item follows some principles, it doesn't fit very well, which means it won't suit your base.
It's best to avoid buying items that don't fit well because you won't wear them as often as you'd like. You only need a few items, so they should be as comfortable as possible to wear at any time. Let this question become a litmus test when choosing the next item in the store:
Would I wear this right now?
If the answer is no, then most likely the item will not fit into your wardrobe capsule.
Remember that sequin top? So, don't rush to get rid of it. Just move it to another closet so it doesn't interfere with your capsule wardrobe. This way you can avoid panic if you suddenly decide that you need a top for an event next year. Do not panic. Just place the item in another closet, where you can easily remove it if necessary.
When buying outerwear, stick to the rule of three: three sweaters, three button-down cardigans, three more tops of some kind in a certain pattern. Use templates, because it is very convenient and will help avoid repetition. Why do you need three identical turtlenecks? Choose different ones that will fit you well. And only a high throat will unite them.
If this is your first time creating a basic wardrobe, then don't rush to go to the store. Try to put it together based on things you already have. Otherwise, this entire guide will become just another shopping guide.
Ready! You can enjoy the result.
Give yourself time, feel free to choose and, again, don't buy new things if you don't need to. When you first start creating a base, you will want to buy more things that are 'missing'. But by abstaining, you will be proud of yourself and become more conscious in your approach to shopping.
A capsule wardrobe is convenient and economical, so we highly recommend creating one. To begin with, be sure to analyze your wardrobe, see what you can keep, and donate the rest of the items or sell them. Try to buy new things from high-quality fabrics and good tailoring so that they look decent and last a long time.