My capsule wardrobe
I've been going through a wardrobe crisis lately. Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but in all honesty, I just haven't been happy with the clothes I own. If you know me at all (or follow me on Instagram) you'll see that I basically wear the same thing all the time--denim jacket, white t-shirt, black pants--or some form of that same outfit. I wanted to spice things up a little, but still stay true to who I am, aka a Basic B*tc#!
One Sunday afternoon I had decided that enough was enough. I would chuck EVERYTHING!! I like neutrals and basic items, so I didn't need much clothes. But over time (especially during my two years working at Charlotte Russe) I have accrued soooo many trendy items, cheap shirts, and duplicate pieces. I mean, come on! Who needs 4 plain white tees? Me, apparently.
What is a capsule wardrobe?
During my closet raid, I took to Pinterest for some inspiration on what to keep and what to let go. While knee deep in a million fashion posts, I discovered the concept of a capsule wardrobe. Here's what it is: every season you select a few pieces that make up your wardrobe. You can choose pieces from the season before or go out and buy brand new things. Typically, a capsule wardrobe consists of about 27 pieces.
9 tops, 3 jackets, 4 cardigans, 4 dresses, 7 bottoms, is a good rule of thumb. BUT, a capsule wardrobe can be customized to suit you. The idea is that you only have a few staple pieces, throw in a few items of pattern and color, and then you're done. In a capsule wardrobe, the key is to have almost everything match! The more things that go together means the more combinations you have.
As I grow up I am realizing that I don't need those super trendy pieces or every cheap t-shirt that goes on sale at some fast fashion store. With a capsule wardrobe I am only purchasing a few items every season. This means that I can spend more money on high quality garments that will look nice and last a long time.
What's in my closet right now?
My entire wardrobe consists of everything you see pictured below. This is my spring capsule wardrobe. However, keep in mind that a capsule wardrobe often does not include active wear or sweats (so, I do have a hefty batch of leggings and sweatshirts still tucked away for lazy days).
Since this is my spring capsule, I will be going through my closet again here in a month or two. During this process I will take out some jackets and sweatshirts and replace them with tanks and tees or maybe even some more dresses. I will also take out some long pants that I won't being wearing during the hot summer months and maybe add in some shorts or skirts. Everything from my spring capsule that I do not want to carry over to my summer capsule can either hang in a different area of my closet for later use, get donated, or be tossed.
I am absolutely loving my closet! It's minimal and simple. At first, having less items made me a little worried. I didn't want to get burnt out on outfits, because I thought that having less clothes would mean less options. But, I find that it is super easy to throw on something nice looking without repeating the same outfit every day. This is because nearly everything in my closet goes with one another, so the mixing and matching seems endless.
When starting the capsule wardrobe a month ago, I was a little concerned that I would want to go shopping or buy every new fashion statement that celebs were flaunting that moment because this is what I used to do, and it's a hard habit to break. But my capsule wardrobe concept has actually made me even more aware of these terrible fast fashion trends. I no longer feel as though I have to succumb to the current fashion industry in order to look good and present myself as a put-together person because, I am confident in the clothes that I own.
My favorite part of the capsule wardrobe is that I feel like I look nice all of the time. My clothes are good quality, my outfits are easy to choose, and I can walk out the door feeling like a hundred bucks without trying too hard.
If you're interested in the concept of doing a capsule wardrobe I would recommend you to go for it! Do some research on Pinterest like I did, and then find a wardrobe that works for you. A capsule wardrobe is completely customizable to your lifestyle and can help make you look fashionable at the drop of a hat.
