You might be thinking, what is a capsule wardrobe? Let me break it down for you: A capsule wardrobe is a carefully curated closet full of versatile pieces you wear time and time again. The reason why a capsule wardrobe is used and loved by many is because it takes the fluff out of your closet, leaving you with a simple, stylish, and effortless morning routine. Did you know we usually wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time? How silly is that? With this method, you can save time, save space, and save your sanity. 

It really does feel good to open your closet to find a small, but mighty selection of clothing that you know will never fail you. I can tell you from firsthand experience that ever since embracing this method I feel lighter, I don’t have that “I have nothing to wear” feeling, and going shopping is a breeze because I know exactly what is missing from my closet and what types of styles I should be looking for (more importantly avoiding).  

To incorporate the capsule wardrobe in your life takes some time, patience, and trust in the process. But don’t worry, I am here to help.    

 Here are some capsule tips that have worked for me thus far:

⭐ Invest in solid basics.

Even if you aren’t a minimalist, the basics are a must, don’t skip over this part. 

Think: a white cotton tee, a flattering pair of jeans, and white sneakers. 

We all have those days when you are just too tired and looking through your closet to find the right outfit is too much; this is where the good ‘ol white tee and jeans comes into play. Having some solid, quality basics in your arsenal come in handy more often than you think.    

⭐ It doesn’t need to be boring. 

This is the main reason why I never tried the capsule wardrobe method before because it felt too restrictive and honestly boring. If you google “capsule wardrobe” and look at the images, you will see what I’m talking about. Well the good news is that if you aren’t a jeans and tee type of person, that’s cool cause it’s completely adjustable to your style. The idea is to create a versatile selection of clothing that mixes and matches with what you’ve already got to create a solid closet.    

⭐ Buy clothing that fits your lifestyle. 

Now, this part is extremely important because you can quickly end up right back where you started if you don’t buy thoughtfully. The next time you go shopping, think about how those clothes are going to fit into your life. Do you see yourself wearing it more than once? How about twice? Can you think of at least 3 outfits you can pair it with in your closet right now? If the answer is no, then pass.

Also, don’t fall for trends! The only reason you should follow a trend is if it fits into your current lifestyle, your closet, and you know you will carry it throughout many seasons. Another important element to shop effectively is the next bullet point…

⭐ Understand your body type. 

Not everything is going to look great on you, and that’s ok! There is nothing more disappointing and exhausting than having an armload of clothes to try on and nothing fits right. Don’t throw in the towel just yet! The reason why you can’t find anything is because you are most likely not shopping for your body type. I recommend taking the Kibbe Body Type test. The Kibbe test is a way for you to understand the proportions of your body, your overall bone structure, and how to dress to enhance your features. Taking a test to buy clothes sounds silly but it does help and I like this test in particular because it goes deeper than “are you a pear shape or an hourglass?”.     

Once you understand this, shopping is easy!

Now that you have a solid understanding of what a capsule collection is and some tips under your belt, here comes putting it all into action. 

The process:

Step 1: Clean out that closet. Be ruthless. Try on everything you own and take a look at yourself in a mirror. If it doesn’t make you feel amazing/sexy/put-together/whatever then ciao! All your clothes should make you feel great, no exceptions! And yes, I am including those pants you promise you will wear when you lose a few. Forget em! Your closet should be full of things you love and will 100% wear right now. 

Step 2: Pump the breaks on shopping for a week or so. Wear what you currently have left over from the purge to find out where the gaps are in your closet.    

Step 3: Now it’s time to shop! Check out Portland consignment shops first to find some unique, quality pieces at a discount. It would be a good idea to take a list with you on what you need to stay on track.  

And Step 4: Don’t worry about getting it right away! It’s a process, stick with it, and I promise it will feel good once you get it down. 

Have any questions? Let me know in the comments section!

Good luck on your new adventure,

Dre