How I Accidentally Created A Capsule Wardrobe

It should be no surprise to you by now that stuff stresses me out. Several years ago, Jon and I started working on living a more minimal and essentialist life and we can go into the details of what that means to us in a different post, but in a nut shell we just try to live with what we need and not an excess.

One particular place we worked hard to pare down was our wardrobes. It was far easier for Jon than for me. I felt the social pressure as a woman to have a different outfit for different circumstances and occasions plus multiple sizes so it was harder for me to let go of certain items. Jon on the other hand was a champ at getting rid of all the “back of the drawer”, “don’t wear it ever”, “never going to need it again” stuff. It was stressful for me to watch him get rid of so much but as he did, I felt like I might be able to also. As is much of the tale of the last 5 or so years for me I was pregnant or nursing at the time and wasn’t able to get rid of as much as I could have because I wasn’t using a large portion of the clothes I owned. So I started looking into capsule wardrobes and discovered that I had accidentally created multiple capsule wardrobes for myself years ago.

What is a capsule wardrobe?

It’s basically a small, purposely curated selection of clothes that may have a common color palate to be mixed and matched for a particular season. Think “fall capsule wardrobe” with all tans and dark neutrals that can be interchanged with a few pairs of boots or jackets for different looks. Typically most women use it for a weather season, but I found that I was also using it for a “season of life”. Think about it! Maternity clothes, postpartum clothes, nursing friendly clothes, and regular clothes. I was way ahead in the capsule wardrobe game before I even realized it!

What about all your other clothes?

I put them somewhere else. I don’t leave my Christmas decorations sitting out all year, so why would I leave my winter clothes in my closet next to my summer ones when I’m not using them, especially when I’m pregnant. I’ve never had a closet with unlimited space, so to help with clutter and to keep things organized I box up what I’m not using or put it in the back corner of a kid’s closet where there’s empty space. I have a bin for maternity clothes that comes out when I’m pregnant, a bin of nursing/postpartum clothes that comes out towards the end of my pregnancies to prepare for nursing. As I grow out of something maternity it goes back in the bin. If I have a long sleeve nursing shirt but it’s the middle of the summer it stays in the bin. Only what I need or currently using comes out. It also encourages me to constantly be looking at my clothes and say goodbye to items that are no longer in style or needed. I only buy items that I know can work for multiple weather and life seasons. Piko shirts are a go to favorite for me because they fit me almost all the way through pregnancy, are easy for nursing, and come in long or short sleeve options. I’ll grab a few that work for the weather and then rotate when needed.

Ok but I’m not pregnant or nursing, can I still do a capsule wardrobe?

Yes! At first it can seem like a really scary thing to do to your closet because you are taking so much out and only leaving a certain number of pieces, but the best part is that you don’t have to adhere to any particular rules. I started with “seasons of life” but you could start with just a regular weather season. Take out all your fall clothes but save your heavy winter items for later in the season. Play a game of how many different outfit combinations can you make with only a small number of your clothing items. You can also identify if there are any major important pieces missing in your wardrobe (I realized a few years ago, I had several pairs of jeans but not a single one fit me) or see if you can replace multiple pieces of just “ok” clothes with one or two high quality pieces instead. It’s a great opportunity to pare down in numbers and concentrate on quality.

Can I do this for my kids clothes?

You sure can, I do! I started doing this for our kids when I was trying to convince my independent second born that winter clothes are not for summer and Jon made the statement “why not just put away the options you don’t want her to pick from?” DUHH. So all their winter and fall clothes are on not in their closets and drawers until the weather starts to turn a little chilly. As the seasons change so do their wardrobes and usually the sizes of their clothes. This helps me feel like we aren’t drowning in multiple sizes and multiple seasons of clothes in every closet.

Where can I learn more about capsule wardrobes?

There are a ton of resources for capsule wardrobes on the internet but I would be wary to adhere to anyone else’s standards strictly and figure out what works best for you. I love Erin from Cotton Stem for seasonal outfit inspiration but personally I would never be able to wear what she does on a daily basis because I live in leggings. The unfancy capsule wardrobe planner is another helpful tool, or Project 333. I think the best way to learn is to do a little reading, then try it out and see what works for you.

I like this idea, but I have no idea where to start…

Ok don’t freak out… but the best way to start is to clear everything out of your closet and drawers. Absolutely everything. Pile it all up on your bed, the floor, that random chair in the corner of your room. Next sort everything into piles. I usually do a dress pile, a sweater pile, pants, shirts, etc. (hint it helps to do this as you take everything out!) Then get rid of anything you haven’t worn in a long time, doesn’t fit, isn’t from this decade, or is completely out of style. Identify what you want to go back into your closet for the season- remember less is more! Clear out your donate or sell piles, and store everything you aren’t using somewhere else. You don’t have to get rid of everything just concentrate on getting rid of what you don’t need and focusing on what you love to wear most. Set your timeframe for your capsule- maybe it’s when the weather changes or after you deliver your baby and then reassess as needed.

It seems counterintuitive, but taking away all the excess options in my closet has opened me up to new wardrobe choices I wouldn’t have noticed before. I love the simplicity of having less in front of me and the ease of not having decision fatigue over what to wear every day. I can grab the pieces I know will fit and look good without having to put myself through the “nothing fits” or “I have nothing to wear” battles because I know it all works. And if something doesn’t work? Goodbye! No point in keeping it if it’s no longer helping you and is adding stress to your life. As a busy mom, I literally do not have time for that.

So what do you think? Have you accidentally created a capsule wardrobe for yourself? Would you ever try using one?

There are affiliate links in this post. I appreciate your support!