So, have you heard about the “capsule wardrobe thing” yet? I’ve been seeing lots of buzz about it on blogs and social media, and I bet you know someone who’s dappled in this growing trend.
If you’re wondering what it’s about, basically it’s a seasonal, minimalist collection of clothing pieces — so that instead of being greeted by a closet overflowing with things you wear only about 23% of, your getting-dressed-in-the-morning can be quick, fun, and easy. Also, excess isn’t cool! The clean, empty space left after saying goodbye to things I don’t need is one of my Very Favorite Things.
My sister-in-law Rosina, who is always turning me onto the Coolest Things On The Internet, sent me a link to Caroline Rector’s fabulous blog, Un-fancy, last October or thereabouts. At first, my impression was that this 37-pieces idea was a little extreme, only slightly appealing, and definitely “not for me.” But, the more I read, and the more I thought about it for a few days afterwards, the more intrigued I was and inspired to give it a try.
On a whim, I tackled my closet. (The first step is paring down!) I pulled everything off hangers that I didn’t love, whether due to color, fit, style, comfort, or practicality. This might not be the fun part for everyone, but I had a blast. (See above, about my love for creating empty spaces.) What made it even more fun, then, was that over the next few months, I hauled multiple boxes and bins off to the consignment shop, and was rewarded for my efforts, over time, by a couple hundred dollars!
I’m nearing the end of my third season now, so once I’ve got my summer wardrobe finalized, I’ll have completed an entire year of planning! I’ve learned so, so much about my personal style, fashion in general, and making the most of my clothing budget. I’ll talk more about all of this in future posts, and I’m also pretty excited to share my summer wardrobe in a couple weeks, but for now I’m going to try to whet your appetite for this closetal phenomenon 😉 by sharing three of my most versatile, oft-worn spring pieces.
{left} The Corner Office Dress from Downeast Basics (no longer available – similar here) >> This striped little number is probably the top most versatile item in my entire closet. Not only is it super cute by itself, but it works great for layering. I’ve even worn this quite a few times with a shirt over top, and it totally passes for a skirt! There’s no color or pattern that clashes with it, and it can be dressed up or down in no time flat. Also, it wears really well…I’ve washed it dozens of times and it still looks brand new. That alone gets huge bonus points with me!
{center} Hi-Lo Patterned Top from Old Navy >> This top is surprisingly versatile as well. It’s a busy pattern, but there are a lot of different colors in it, so most nail colors, etc. totally work with it. And it looks great with a pencil skirt (or the dress I just talked about!), dark or light skinny jeans, a maxi skirt, AND shorts. Its flowy shape is both comfortable and forgiving, and the lightweight cotton is the most comfortable fabric for summer’s heat.
{right} Mossimo Supply Co. Lakitia Sandal from Target (no longer available – similar here) >> Ahh, these sandals. I have lived in them pretty much every warm day since I bought them last summer. I have one other pair of sandals — with chunky heels — in my capsule but these are all I need. They literally go with every single possible outfit combination in my closet, and they’re dressy enough for everything yet not too dressy for anything.
Needless to say, all three will be staying in my capsule for summer.
What do you think of the capsule trend? (Definitely check out Caroline’s blog, if you haven’t already — I learned so much from her.) And whether your closet is “minimalist” or not, I’d love to hear about the winning pieces in it! What’s something you find yourself reaching for over and over again right now?
If you have questions about how I work the capsule wardrobe process, please ask away! I’ll either reply in the comments or address them in future posts.
I love this! I too am working on a capsule wardrobe after feeling completely inspired by Caroline of Un-fancy. Instead of having four seasons, I combined spring/summer + fall/winter. So far I like it. My closet was never huge, but by putting effort and intention into it, I feel a lot more put-together than what I use to.
Isn’t it fun selling not-quite-perfect-for-you clothes to consignment stores, and being able to re-invest that money into your capsule? I sure get a thrill out of it. 🙂
Hi Sarah! I can relate to “feeling a lot more put-together.” It’s kinda amazing to me how much it feels like my style has evolved and improved after getting rid of most of my clothes. 🙂
And yes, being able to “spin into gold” all the less-loved items is so motivating. 🙂
Do you use an app to keep track of what you wear and the price-per-wear of your wardrobe investments? Stylebook has been so instrumental in helping me get the most bang for my buck in the clothing department.
And of course, beyond dressing well and saving money, there’s just so much to be gained by simplifying and living with less! Caroline’s approach to wardrobe has inspired me in so many other areas of life as well.
I have not tried that app yet. I wasn’t sure if it would be something that I would use enough to make it worth it. But you may have convinced me. I’m going to check it out again.
That was probably the best $4 I ever spent. 🙂 I plan to talk more about it in a future post.
[…] Yesterday I talked about the start of my capsule wardrobe project; today I plan to go into a little more detail on what “capsule wardrobe” means to me and the structure that I use. I’m still using Caroline’s model for the most part, but I’ve made a few tweaks to make it personal and practical for my life. […]
[…] Sandals because they make me feel way classier than the Old Navy flips I used to live in […]
[…] starting with clothes, but, as you know, my clothing collection has pretty much already been picked through to the max. I’m now inspired to change my storage methods a bit, but that’s a topic for […]
I want #excessisntcool to be a trending hashtag 🙂 Great post–the upbeat writing style gave me a mid-afternoon much needed chuckle!
Thanks, Danielle! 🙂 Let’s do it.
[…] Hi-Lo Patterned Top from Old Navy (also featured here) […]