How to Simplify Your Wardrobe
/New year, new you—it’s a great time to simplify your wardrobe. According to Pareto, a minimalist clothing brand, we wear 20% of what we own, 80% of the time. The rest sits around collecting dust or consuming unnecessary brain power as we figure out what to wear in the morning. You may have heard the term ‘capsule wardrobe’. There are countless Pinterest pins and blog posts on the topic, but all that information can be overwhelming. I’m here to tell you all about capsule wardrobes and the benefits of having one. You don’t have to get rid of all your clothes, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money—you likely have the perfect capsule wardrobe hiding in your closet—I’ll show you how to find it.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe consists of versatile pieces of clothing that can easily be mixed and matched to create a variety of outfits. Typically you’ll have somewhere between 30 and 50 articles of clothing, but don’t get too hung up on an exact number! Everyone’s ideal wardrobe is going to look a bit different, and that end number will likely depend on your lifestyle and where you’re starting from. Just think quality over quantity.
What Are the Benefits?
Creating a capsule wardrobe will save time and reduce stress. Just think of all the time spent choosing outfits, fretting over what to wear, and shopping for clothes. Capsule wardrobes make deciding what to wear simple by reducing the amount of options while not sacrificing any quality or style. We face countless decisions in our day, most with far more impact and importance than our outfit. Save your brain power for the big decisions.
Gain confidence and save money. Capsule wardrobes help you to gain a better understanding of your personal style and the amount of clothing needed to fit your lifestyle. How many articles of clothing in your closet have only been worn a time or two, or maybe not at all? How many pairs of jeans do you own? Having excess clothing often leads to feeling guilty about the clothes that are seldom or never worn and the money spent. But, a carefully selected wardrobe where every item is worn and loved means less guilt.
As an added bonus, figuring out how to bring less new clothing into your home will make a positive impact on our planet. Did you know, the average person buys 60% more clothing today compared to 15 years ago? Fashion is one of the most polluting of all industries, but brands like Pareto aim to increase sustainability throughout the industry.
How to Create Your Capsule Wardrobe
Instead of removing everything from your closet to purge the unwanted and unnecessary items, we are going to work in reverse. Take out only the items you love and frequently wear. [Anything that you have to stop and think about should stay in place for now.] Lay the clothes you love out on your bed or hang on a separate clothing rack. This selection of clothes should give you a good indication of your preferred style (in case you didn’t already know).
Don’t be tempted to keep clothes that don’t fit your personal style. I used to watch What Not to Wear and think, “Stacy and Clinton would tell me to incorporate more color into my wardrobe.” I’d go out and buy shirts in pink, red, and yellow...and then never wear them because I don’t like the way I look in pink, red, or yellow. Understanding the style and colors of clothing that you feel your best in will help you create a capsule wardrobe that you love.
With your favorites set aside, go back through your closet in search of basic pieces, in neutral colors, that will complement the items you’ve already chosen. Think wardrobe staples—basic white tee, jeans, white button up, beige sweater, black cocktail dress. Follow the rule of three: If an article of clothing matches at least three pieces in your capsule wardrobe and you enjoy wearing it, it stays! For example, if you have a cardigan that looks great with two of your tees and one blouse—add it to the keep pile. Think of your ‘love’ pile as the foundation of your capsule wardrobe. The other items you choose to keep should coordinate with and enhance the items you originally selected.
You should now have a small pile consisting of your favorite, mostly neutral-colored, coordinating clothes. Having these articles of clothing spread out on the bed or hung on a separate rack allows you to move the pieces around and see just how well the items will mix and match. It will also give you a good idea of all the different outfits you’ll be able to create.
If desired, add in a pop of color and patterns. I love olive green, mustard yellow, blush pink, and stripes for accent pieces because they are classic looks that pair well with most neutrals making it easy to incorporate them into any capsule wardrobe.
Finally, make sure you have selected clothing that will meet all the needs of your lifestyle. For example, if you’re a stay-at-home mom, make sure most of your clothing is casual, everyday wear; if you’re a businesswoman, be sure you have the attire needed for your work week. Your capsule wardrobe won’t simplify your life if it doesn’t suit your needs. Be real about the types of clothing you need while staying mindful of what you feel great wearing.
What to Do With the Clothes That Don’t Become a Part of Your Capsule Wardrobe
Once you’ve set aside your capsule wardrobe, it’s time to address the clothes left behind. First, go through and place any pieces that you want to donate or sell in a bag or bin and get those items out of your home.
What’s left? Clothes that you feel attached to? Clothes that you feel guilty getting rid of? Maybe you recently purchased that dress, or you were gifted that sweater. Put all the remaining clothing in a bag or bin and place in a storage area. Put a reminder on your calendar to ‘donate clothing’ one year from today. This gives you time to consider your choices.
This is your crutch. If you don’t need (or want) the crutch, all the clothes can go! For those having a harder time letting go, this is a great way to carefully consider what is needed without having to rush into a decision. Maybe in two weeks you feel like you need an item that was stored away, pull out just that one item and add it back into your wardrobe. Maybe that need strikes in six months, that’s okay, too.
After one year, don’t even open up that bag or bin again. Whatever is left is clearly not needed. Take it to a donation center.
Maintaining Your New Wardrobe
