Credit: @somethingwhite/Instagram
“New year, new you,” right? Well your closet could probably use some refreshing, too. Enter: the capsule wardrobe.
A capsule wardrobe is a highly curated selection of clothes that are essential to your everyday style. Most contain about 30 pieces – yes, just 30 pieces. The idea is to mix and match these staple items all year long.
Why would we ever limit our wardrobes? Good question. The capsule wardrobe accomplishes several things. It eliminates waste by encouraging people to buy only what they really want and will wear regularly. It also minimizes the amount of time spent standing in front of your closet not knowing what to wear. (Which can be time-consuming, not to mention stressful.)
Credit: @capsuleclosetblog/Instagram
This is how to do it:
Step 1
Organize your clothes and accessories into four categories: Love It, Like It, Donate It, and Toss It. Pretty self-explanatory, right? Well, it’s easier said than done. It’s important to be honest with yourself: Is your “Love It” pile filled with clothes you wear a lot and will wear in the next several months?
Step 2
Narrow down your Love Its to about 20 pieces (we won’t judge if you’re over a little). Make sure you’ve chosen a team of staples and take note of any pieces you might need to purchase.
Step 3
Here’s a general checklist:
- Basic shirts (short sleeve, long sleeve, and turtlenecks).
- Jeans that fit and can be dressed up or down.
- Neutral trainers to be worn while running errands or in a business-casual setting.
- Leather booties for cold weather and nights out.
- Heels for special occasions.
- An LBD for literally any season or occasion.
- A leather jacket (splurge for a nice one, it’s always worth it!).
- A blazer (for professional purposes).
- A button-down shirt.
- An everyday purse.
Credit: @capsuleclosetblog/Instagram
Those are just ten examples of some core pieces for any wardrobe. The key is that all of your clothes can be paired together and fit you well. Once you have a core selection, you can add to it or swap out items at the end of every season: Need a winter coat? Add that. Need shorts? Add those, too.
And that’s it! Just remember, it’s not a trend, it’s a lifestyle.
By Mia Zarrella, Staff Writer
