How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe | A Beginner’s Guide

So you want to learn how to create a capsule wardrobe? Well, you are in the right place! The capsule wardrobe has gained quite a following lately, but make no mistake this concept isn’t a new trend! They have been around for a long time, favored mainly by minimalists. But, you don’t have to be a true minimalist to try it out yourself. Keep reading to hear how you can create your own capsule and discover your personal style!

What is a capsule wardrobe?

Simply put, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of versatile items that you LOVE to wear. Ideally, you rotate your capsule collection every 3 months to change with the season. If you do a quick google search, you will find differing opinions on how many items you should include in your capsule. For me, I try to keep it around 30-40 items. This includes tops, bottoms, and shoes.

Who should create a capsule wardrobe?

Anyone who wants to save time and money when it comes to their wardrobe! If you spend hours standing in front of your closet wondering what you are going to wear, a capsule wardrobe may be for you! Spent a lot of money on clothes you never wore? Not anymore!

Why are capsule wardrobes so great?

For me, the benefit of a capsule wardrobe was to finally understand and discover my personal style. I decided to create a capsule wardrobe when I realized my closet was full of items I wasn’t wearing, didn’t fit well, or STILL HAD TAGS ON THEM. I know I am not alone in this! After doing my first closet purge (more on this later), I was cringing at the amount of money I spent on clothing and accessories I wasn’t using. After curating my first capsule collection, I am more intentional with my clothing purchases. If it doesn’t fit my personal style, then it doesn’t fit into my closet!

How do you start a capsule wardrobe?

Well, I am so glad you asked! Today we are going to go step by step on how to create your first capsule wardrobe!

STEP 1: PURGE YOUR CLOSET

This is my favorite part! Set aside 2-3 hours, pour yourself a glass of wine, or coffee, and get ready to be ruthless. Take out EVERYTHING. Yes, I said everything, even those seasonal items packed away. Dump everything on the floor, bed, wherever there is space and you can clearly see ALL THE ITEMS you have collected over the years.

Now, it is time to sort! I recommend sorting the items in your closet into three piles.

1. Love it, definitely keeping.
2. Maybe, kind of like it, but not sure.
3. Donate/Sell/Recycle

Some tips for purging…if you haven’t worn it in over a year, there is a good change you don’t need it. Also, resist the urge to hang on to items because you ‘might need them later’ or ‘might fit into that someday’. If you just can’t part with an item right away, but you aren’t sure that you LOVE it, place that item in your ‘maybe’ pile for now.

After you are finished purging your closet, bag up the donations and items you want to sell (highly recommend Poshmark for selling). I do NOT recommend throwing away clothing, no matter how damaged! Take the time to locate a textile recycling center, a quick google search should help with that. Also, if you have an H&M in your area, you can bring your recyclable textiles there and they will give you a coupon for your earth saving gesture!

Finally, hang up or line up all the items you put in your ‘Love it’ pile. Put your ‘maybes’ aside for now, we will come back to those later. Now, you are ready for the next step!

STEP 2: MAKE A LIST

Take a good look at the items left in your ‘Love it’ pile. What do they have in common? Color, style, fit, texture, brand…write it down! These are your hardest working pieces in your wardrobe. These are the items that make you FEEL GREAT. You should be able to look at all these items and see yourself in them. This is your personal style!

Similarly, look at the clothing you are giving up. What do those items have in common? These are styles/colors/patterns/brands you should avoid purchasing. If they didn’t make it into your love it pile now, they likely won’t in the future.

STEP 3: DETERMINE YOUR LIFESTYLE

Think about what you are dressing for everyday. Do the items you have chosen fit into your lifestyle? Do you need more casual items? workwear? athletic wear? Many of us need clothing for different occasions, and that is OKAY. For example, I typically keep my capsule wardrobe curated for my casual wear. I work in a business casual setting, so I need some pieces for this as well. Luckily, many of my casual items can be dressed up for work!

You may find that you want to keep two different collections, one for work and weekend! That is okay too. Don’t stress too much about ‘following all the rules’. The main idea here is to only keep items in your closet that make you feel confident and feel good.

Here is an example of what my closet includes: 30-40 items in my seasonal casual wardrobe, 4-5 neutral workwear bottoms, a few extra ‘dressy’ blouses for work, and loungewear.

Revisit the items in your maybe pile. Now that you have defined your personal style and lifestyle needs, do these items fit in? If so, keep them, if not, then it is time to move on.

Finally, take a look at your calendar. Are there special events coming up that you need to dress for? Travel? If you don’t have something in your closet for these occasions, it will give you time to PLAN ahead and prevent an impulse purchase of something you may not love at the last minute.

STEP 4: GO SHOPPING (IF YOU NEED TO)

Weird step for a capsule wardrobe, right? I don’t recommend doing this right away. Take some time to really evaluate the items you have left and make a list of items that may be missing. This could even be a wishlist of items you plan to save for throughout the year. A classic black handbag, boots, jacket, etc.

Be intentional about your purchases! This is how you avoid purchasing those items that sit in your closet not worn and with tags still on them. I do continue to shop, mainly because it is part of my ‘job’ on this blog. However, I will say that I only purchase items that meet the requirements on my list from step 2.

STEP 5: CREATE AND ENJOY YOUR CAPSULE WARDROBE

Congratulations! You made it! Be proud of the wardrobe you created for yourself! Never again will you open your closet and feel like you don’t have anything to wear.

I realize this post is just scratching the surface of what a capsule wardrobe can do for you. Have more questions about creating a capsule wardrobe? Stay tuned for the Capsule FAQ post coming next! Leave your questions in the comments and I will answer them the best I can!

Want to see a finished product? Check out my Fall Capsule Wardrobe or my Winter Capsule Wardrobe.

xo, Kristen