When I saw that  picture of Kylie Jenner’s bag wardrobe, for a second, I wanted to trade places. I mean, a whole wardrobe, just for bags?! Yes, please! Advertising and social media tell us we need more of everything, but what effect is it having on our lives? Physically, more stuff equals more clutter. Mentally, more clutter equals more stress. We wear 20% of our clothes, so why do we hold onto the other 80% and continue to add to it? The alternative: create a capsule wardrobe.

What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothes that make you feel great and can also be mixed and matched to make multiple outfit combinations. No one-off pieces here! Think of it like this, if you could only choose a few key items from your wardrobe, what would you choose? This is your capsule wardrobe.

Why do I need one?

Honestly, you don’t need a capsule wardrobe, but aside from the improvement to your wellbeing, there are definitely some benefits to having one:

• You will love every item in your wardrobe. Because every item has been carefully considered, your wardrobe will be full of clothes that fit you well and can be styled for different occasions.
• You save money. Instead of buying into the trends every season, all have to do is look in your wardrobe!
• Your wardrobe will never age (or at least age slower). When you have a capsule wardrobe, you have an array of classic pieces at your disposal.
• You’ll waste less time deciding what to wear. With less clothes to look through, it should, theoretically, take you less time to choose an outfit!
• You get the opportunity to be creative. There’s more than one way to style an item, so why not challenge yourself and see how many successful combos you can make?

Is there a limit to the number of items I can have?

No. While some people suggest having up to 37 items in your wardrobe, and others swear by limiting yourself to 10, I think you should do what’s best for you. The key is to be as minimal as possible, ensuring that you wear every single item in there! If you need a general guideline, however, why not try starting with three of everything, including tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear and shoes?

How can I create a capsule wardrobe?

1. Cull your closet

Creating a capsule wardrobe starts with assessing what you’ve got.  Time to release that pent-up anger! Rip all your clothes off the racks and empty your drawers onto your bed. Now create three piles:

• Need. For any items that are versatile, fit you well and are unlikely to date e.g. grey tee, blue jeans, black dress.
• Maybe. For items that you could live without, but don’t feel you could get rid of e.g. wedding dress, yeti coat, shoes you don’t wear much.
• Don’t Need. For items that don’t fit, are outdated or know you’ll never wear e.g. boob tube you’ve had since Year 7, neon leggings, damaged shirts.

2. Organise your items

It’s time to take action! Have a look at your Maybe pile. Ask yourself, are any of these items season-specific? A trench coat, for example, is a great basic but may not be wearable all year round. Gather all your seasonal wear and either create separate sections in your wardrobe for each season or store them elsewhere. When the time comes to bring them out, they’ll feel brand new!

Now organise your remaining Maybe and Don’t Need items. For your Maybes, put them in a box and store them somewhere so you can get to them, if needed. If you have a wedding dress, make sure you get it preserved first. Get rid of all the items on your Don’t Need pile – donate them to a charity shop, sell them, give them away, burn them (well, maybe not the last one) – do whatever you can to get rid of them for good so that you can start afresh!

3. Identify your style

Often our wardrobes are filled with trendy items that we never wear because they just aren’t us. Have a look at what you’ve got left and see if you can spot a pattern that might indicate a particular style. Everyone’s style will be slightly different. Maybe you’re:

• Minimal. The epitome of casual cool. Mainly plain, solid colours where comfort is a priority.
• Preppy. Think Blair Waldorf – classic patterns like plaid and tweed and nautical colours like red and blue.
• Colourful. Kate Spade is your icon. You like to express yourself with bright colours and patterns.
• Sporty. For the girl with an active lifestyle who lives in sportswear, t-shirts and trainers.
• Grunge. Everything 90s. Black is your go-to colour, closely followed by grey, vampy red and dark green.
• A bit of everything. Maybe you don’t conform to one style. That’s okay! Just ensure that your Need items aren’t going to clash too much. If they do, you may need to re-evaluate your selection.

4. Work out what’s missing

When you’ve streamlined your wardrobe, sometimes you just can’t see how it will all work. Maybe you’re missing some basic items that will tie it all together? Look for style inspo on Pinterest and see if you notice any recurring items. When I was trying to create my own capsule wardrobe, I realised I didn’t have basics like a good white t-shirt or a white pair of trainers!

5. Shop for missing pieces

While it’s always best to work with what you’ve got, if you’re missing an item that you know would make your wardrobe 10x better, why not go shopping? I always look online first to find the cheapest price. The items you buy don’t have to be expensive, but they do have to be quality pieces that will last and hopefully not go out of fashion the following season. This will be the final touch to your capsule wardrobe!

If you want to simplify your life and gain a wardrobe of clothes that you actually enjoy wearing, why not create a capsule wardrobe of your own? It begins with a spring clean, some organisation, having an idea of your style, finding what’s missing and adding staple items to make your collection more versatile. With less clutter, you’ll be less stressed. Worth a go, in my book!

Question: How many items do you think you should have in a capsule wardrobe? Let me know in the comments below. For even more tips and inspiration, follow me on Pinterest. I pin new content on your favourite topics every day!

Have a great week!

Grace x