Find your CAPSULE!

Instead of building a capsule, why not just FIND YOUR CAPSULE. Turn it on it's head, it's a more sensible approach! 

Most women wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time so a capsule wardrobe sounds what most of us ought to be heading towards to eliminate the waste. But for some reason the actual concept manages to allude us!

Building suggests starting at the beginning. Not only is that virtually impossible for most of us but it also suggests that what you have in your wardrobe is wrong.

What you have in your wardrobe is NOT WRONG, at some time or other you bought clothes because you liked them or needed them.

Let's take a look in your wardrobe...

So let's take a look in your wardrobe to find your capsule.   

You'll have lost your way with some items, some are out of date, some won't fit, some you'll be really tired of - but in the middle of this sits YOUR CAPSULE, the clothes you choose or need to wear more than any others.

What items do you repeatedly wear, what are the real workhorse items you couldn't live without? Probably a comfortable pair of jeans; the dress that takes you from a wedding to a funeral; the top that lifts your spirits; the bargain bag that always makes your outfit look more expensive...

If you wear the same things repeatedly there's a very good reason - these are the items that fit you and suit your lifestyle, these are the items that encapsulate your PERSONAL STYLE!

A capsule wardrobe doesn't have to be...

A capsule wardrobe doesn’t have to be a cleverly put together collection of a white shirt, a little black dress and a trench coat!

12 items of classics may work cleverly on paper but they may not be the most useful for you and your lifestyle.

Your most used items will probably be entirely different to the list that you are 'supposed' to need - it's different for each of us.

Your clothes don't have to fit into a pattern, they only have to work for you. 

And if some of your colors are a bit haphazard, don't worry! 

Ask yourself...

Whatever your lifestyle, home based, professional or retired, ask yourself a few basic questions.

• Regardless of condition, which garment do I wear the most?

• Getting up late on Monday morning what do I grab as a go-to outfit?

• What sort of clothing makes up the majority of my wardrobe?   

• Is there one item (clothes or accessory) that I include nearly every day?

• Am I happiest wearing a skirt, trousers, jeans or a dress?
  

• What kind of outfit always gives me confidence?

These answers will center your thoughts on where we're going!

How to find your capsule

Pull out about 12 garments that you consider to be your most-worn and favorite items (whatever the condition), hang them together, then divide into two sections: 

Wardrobe essentials are items that are necessary to get dressed in the morning, that is you need to cover your top and your bottom half! They don't have to be in boring neutrals if that's not your way but you will need items to go together to some degree. 

So if you have lots of pants and jeans that you really love you will need appropriate tops to make outfits. And conversely if you like to wear jackets you will need suitable skirts or pants to wear with them. 

This explains why it's necessary to have a reasonable BALANCE of items in your wardrobe.  

A dress or jumpsuit can stand alone with no fuss whatsoever or you might choose to add a jacket.

Not much there! Feel in a style rut?

Feel you don't have much to work with, don't worry about it. You've taken the first step towards finding your capsule and recognizing your PERSONAL STYLE! It's not wrong to feel in style rut and be dissatisfied with the core items in your wardrobe - because this is only the beginning!

You've stripped it back now it's time to begin putting it together again.

Don't forget that we're looking to find YOUR capsule and if your favorite item is a dress or a jumpsuit then that's absolutely fine to make it your first item. It means that you enjoy fuss-free dressing without having to bother with too much co-ordination.

You can wear different jackets and accessories to change your look but you will be limited to the amount of looks you can achieve. 

Let's look at separates...

Although separates need a little more thought initially they will, of course, give you far more mileage as you can mix and match them in so many ways. 

Separates in neutral shades of beige, grey, navy and black are the most useful as they mix with practically every other color. This doesn't stop your creativity in fact it allows it free rein.

If you want to buy a fabulous brightly colored statement blouse you'll find that your 'boring' neutrals will allow it to shine! You can add lots of color and excitement with link items and accessories.

So let's see how your small collection of favorites will work...

• Choose your favorite 'bottom' and select a 'top'. Now add in a 'link' item i.e. t-shirt, tank, blouse, sweater etc. to make an outfit. You might like to dress it up a little with an accessory perhaps a belt or a scarf.

• Using the same two separates see if you have other link items you can use to change the look. Or change the look by just swapping out accessories. You will be amazed at how different colors can purposely be put together.  

• Now choose your favorite jacket and pull it together with your choice of bottom i.e. skirt, pants or jeans to make an outfit. Add in a link item if necessary (tee, tank, blouse, sweater) 

One of these is probably your Monday morning GO-TO OUTFIT!

Going forward...

• Take each garment in turn and make outfits in the same way by trying to team with each of your other items.   


• When you've made an outfit try swapping out just one of the items to ring the changes or introduce a different accessory, scarf, jewelry, belt or bag.

• As you continue to make outfits be open to including other garments in your wardrobe which you might bring into play.

• Before long you will have created enough outfits you're happy with for your first week of wear. 


• Once you have a few outfits to mix and match you have actually created a basic CAPSULE WARDROBE. 

Start to make NOTES

• As you begin to put outfits together to find your capsule you may see glaringly huge gaps in your collection. You've pared it down finely so focus on the real essentials that you need. 

• Something as simple as an ivory or black top will often bring many of your separates together. Or consider buying a couple of inexpensive tee-shirts to get you going. 

• Make a note so that when you see what you need at the right price you take advantage. Perhaps it's a particular color top to complete an outfit or an animal print belt to add some panache.

• If the weather is changing you may need warm cardigans or long sleeved tops. Do you have a sensible coat or good boots to take you into the Winter?

• If some of your current clothes are less than perfect you can plan to replace and upgrade core items. This will give you the opportunity to look for a better fit or a more flattering silhouette.

• Add link items to bring basics to life; add color, add accessories, up your style – once you’ve found your foundation pieces - you've found your CAPSULE!

If you want to add to your basics...