I’ve never been a huge shopper. I usually loose steam after an hour or so in a clothing store – yet I still somehow managed to have an overflowing closet. My drawers were stuffed with so many things that I didn’t even wear – and after renting for so many years – my closet space has varied from basically non-existent to small walk-in.
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a minimalist fashion project called Project 333 – which challenges you to have a 33 piece wardrobe for 3 months. Oh man, I was in. It was actually not as hard as I thought it would be to find the articles of clothing that I actually wore, and my first wardrobe was actually less than 33 pieces. My love of capsule wardrobes was born.
A Capsule Wardrobe is a seasonal wardrobe that consists of staple pieces that you can mix and match, and that you love to wear. It’s a way of simplifying your closet – and in turn, simplifying your life. For me, it’s the opposite of fast fashion – having a capsule wardrobe means my pieces will last for years to come. Having a capsule is kind to my wallet and kind to the planet.
My own Capsule consists of tops, denim, dresses, layering pieces (jackets and flannels), jewelry + hair accessories, hats and shoes.
This capsule does not include workout gear, loungewear + pj’s, or undergarments.
Just like I’ve mentioned before with Home projects – creating a capsule for me has taken time. I’ve definitely bought pieces I thought I would wear more but ended up not, or buying things that maybe don’t go well with other pieces in my wardrobe. If you’d like to start your own capsule for Fall – these are some tips that have helped me!
Capsule Wardrobe Tips:
Edit Your Closet First!
Who doesn't love a good purge? Go through your closet and edit out the pieces you no longer wear. And editing out doesn't necessarily mean get rid of - it could mean setting it aside temporarily, or of course donating. You want to create space for the pieces you love and wear all the time!
Know Your Lifestyle
This is a casual capsule. Your capsule will look much different than mine if you are working in an office or somewhere with a different dress code! Make your capsule work for you and find pieces that you know you will actually wear and that are in support of what you do throughout your day.
Pick a Color Palette
If you have 5 or 6 colors and/or patterns you know you’re working with – mixing, matching + purchasing is so much easier! My Fall capsule colors are white, black, blue, denim, and camel.
Reflect The Season
Of course our wardrobe shifts with the seasons, and I made sure I included a lot of layering pieces for this season. I always get excited when it starts to cool down a bit, but if I’m being honest, it’s not quite sweater weather just yet, and I still have a few more weeks til I start wearing heavier pieces consistently. Having a mix and match of warm and cool weather clothing is great for Fall!
Following a Formula That Works For You
I’ve seen lots of different numbers floating around for how many pieces you can have in a capsule and rules about what to include and not include, but really what I’ve found is you have to make it work for you! Maybe a 20 piece capsule like mine works for you – or maybe you need some more wiggle room and a 30 or 40 piece capsule will work better for you. The whole point is to simplify your closet, to find joy in getting dressed and to only have pieces that you wear and love! That will look different for different people.
Here is what my capsule consists of this season.I've linked everything - and if I couldn't find the exact piece, I linked something very similar!*
Fall 2020 Capsule Wardrobe:
4. Black Jeans
7. Leggings
8. Black Dress
9. Blue Flannel
10. Jean Jacket
11. Chambray Top
15. Baseball Cap
16.Camel Hat
18. Sandals
20. Mala Necklace
23. Camel Headband
Broken down into categories – this is what my capsule consists of:
8 Tops (3 Basic Tops, 2 Button Ups, 2 Sweaters, 1 Tunic)
4 Bottoms (3 Pairs of Denim, 1 Pair of Leggings)
1 Dress
1 Denim Jacket
2 Hats
3 Pairs of Shoes
3 Pieces of Jewelry
1 Hair Accessory
And there you have it! A 20 piece capsule is relatively small - and I know I'm pretty minimal when it comes to shoes and accessories especially. I will maybe add another pair of shoes (my Ugg boots are waiting, haha!) and a cozy cardigan - the one I have is a little light weight and isn't included here! I won't go crazy buying new pieces this season - and within this frame work, I can find a cardigan in one of my colors!
This capsule will last me for the next 3 months – September, October and November. Of course as the weather gets colder, I will start to swap out some of the warmer weather pieces for winter ones like coats and jackets – but I think this is a great place to start!
I will continue to share my capsule on Instagram (@kristengaraffo) and spending so much time in my closet has inspired me to give my closet a makeover!! I’ve been so inspired by the ladies over at The Home Edit – have you seen their new Netflix show?? It would be so easy to binge, but I’ve been savoring it and only watching one episode at a time, haha! Anyway – a closet transformation post is on the way!
Let me know if you have any questions about Capsule Wardrobes - and if you share your capsules on social media - be sure to tag me in your posts and stories so I can see!
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