Yesterday I talked about minimizing and simplifying your life. I’d like to continue on the subject of minimalism. But today I’ll be talking about the clothes we tend to collect, yet neverrrrr wear! Like those jeans from ten years ago that don’t fit, but you keep because you’ll (never) lose that extra 5 pounds around your stomach after kids (or even without the kids… cuz it happens). Or that top you spent $120 on but won’t wear because it’s so uncomfortable.
A minimalist wardrobe is also known as a capsule wardrobe, but I prefer to think of it as an intentional wardrobe. Meaning each piece is full of purpose. Don’t keep pieces you don’t love on you. Your style should make you feel great. It’s not about being super trendy. It’s about a style you love to wear and that doesn’t stress you out!
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But after years of collecting clothes, wardrobes can quickly become overwhelming, full of stuff we never wear or that doesn’t fit. It can be hard to get rid of stuff, though, when you’ve invested your time and money and perhaps hopes that you’ll fit into those jeans again one day. But maybe it’s time to just let go…
Our clothes are often a part of our identity. I can assure you that parting with some of your out-of-control clothing stash will make you feel lighter and offers a host of other benefits. Known as a capsule wardrobe, this small collection of clothing items is meant to mix and match with each other in order to make getting dressed easier, faster, and less confusing.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect when you minimizing your wardrobe.
Less Stress to Get Dressed
Let’s face it, you’ll definitely feel less stressed out when you have fewer items from which to choose when you’re getting dressed in the morning. The fact that a capsule wardrobe is made up of clothing pieces that are meant to work well together further eases the process. Just grab a few things and go. You know they’ll match. They’re also likely to fit well because you have a smaller inventory to keep track of.
Signature Style
Sure, your new wardrobe will be smaller in size, but that doesn’t mean it won’t have your special touch. You can still choose basics for your aesthetic, along with some key accessories that radiate your unique style.
It’s easy to make a wardrobe uniquely yours when it’s minimal because each piece must be chosen with care. In fact, you’re likely to gain a truer sense of your authentic style and learn what works for you when you take time to choose pieces purposefully.
Saves Time and Money
You’ll be out the door in minutes when you can take a quick visual inventory of your closet and grab a couple pieces that suit your mood that day. Saving money has never been easier when it comes to clothes. You’ll have less waste, knowing you’ve put extensive thought into the coordination of your basic wardrobe foundation, plus you’ll need far fewer pieces.
Less Laundry
You’ll also save time and hassle on laundry when you have a smaller wardrobe. Many of the pieces can be mix and match. Therefore, you can wear an item such as black pants more than once in a week. You’ll also save money on dry cleaning if your capsule wardrobe contains fine fabric.
The answer to all… well most of your clothing issues is creating a minimalist wardrobe! Here’s how!
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How To Start A Capsule Wardrobe
There are a few ways of creating a capsule wardrobe, but the main focus is to minimize your wardrobe using versatile pieces that you love. But you’ll still need to have options and variety. You can’t wear the same outfit grocery shopping or to yoga, as you would to an office meeting or dinner party.
Start off by getting rid of clothes that don’t fit or that you don’t like wearing. And then create a base wardrobe. Your base should include about 10 pieces in each of the following categories:
- Workout wear- you’ll need a few tops, pants, shorts and a pair of shoes
- Lounge wear- comfy pants, pjs and sweatshirts
- Layering pieces- tank tops and t shirts
- Outerwear- jackets, bathing suits, hats, mittens
- Accessories- necklaces, headbands, earrings, and purses
Now that you have the base, you can start building your capsule wardrobe. To do this, you establish your 3 main categories.
Here are some categories to choose from:
- Business wear- office clothes, meeting, etc
- Formal wear- fancy dresses, pant suits, etc
- Lounge wear- cozy at home clothes
- Fun clothes- date night outfits, stuff you would wear to restaurants
- Daily wear- what you would wear to run errands, grab coffee, and work from home
Choose 3 of the main categories that are most relevant to your lifestyle and pick 10-15 pieces in each category. Personally I don’t dress up often, so most of my wardrobe includes comfy jeans, yoga pants, Jean shorts, Jean jackets (yes I love Jean) t shirts and hoodies. Since I work from home, my daily wear is life!
Capsule Wardrobe Examples
Summer dress
Little black dress
Joggers
Jean jacket
Now that you have selected your categories, choose about 9 tops in each, 5 bottoms and 4/5 shoes in each! You don’t have to go out and buy all new clothes, that will defeat the purpose of minimizing. You probably already have MORE than enough to choose from.
From now on when you do shop, the key is to shop intentionally! Think ‘will this piece go with the other pieces I have?’ and ‘Do I feel good in this?’. Don’t buy it because it’s in style or because it’s on sale!
When choosing your pieces, ask yourself how well do these pieces fit today and how well do they work with other pieces in your wardrobe. And make sure you feel good in each piece. If you don’t feel good in it, throw it out (well not really, but donate it).
What About Clothes You Love But Don’t Fit Into Your Categories?
Don’t get rid of your other clothes just yet. If you have pieces that you love, but won’t wear often and don’t fit into your top 3 categories, keep them but put them aside from your capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is meant to save you time figuring out what to wear. Having pieces you don’t wear often will make it more difficult to pick out an outfit today!
These are just some of the main advantages of having a capsule wardrobe. Minimizing your wardrobe can go a long way toward helping you feel happier. It can also be fun! You can create a wardrobe you love wearing so picking out, outfits is not longer stressful!
