A lot of the people in my life might tell you that I love shopping. I don’t. I love dressing up, even in casual outfits, but I don’t like going to stores, racing to keep up with fleeting trends, and spending money on things that I’ll only wear once or maybe even not at all. That’s how I used to shop: running out to Urban Outfitters or Forever21 to get a top for that night’s party, and then regretting it the next day, like a clothing hangover. Creating a capsule wardrobe, an edited-down collection of my favorite pieces (that fit my lifestyle and my body right now) that I can mix together in lots of different outfit combinations, works best for me. I can be intentional and mindful about what I’m buying, and one thing I DO love is making a list, and having a plan. It’s a lot less stressful and a lot more fun for me to curate my wardrobe in this way, and it’s something you may want to try, too.
A capsule wardrobe allows you to let go of the clothes that aren’t serving you and to focus on the things that you really love and that you’ll wear over and over again. It’s not about going out and buying a whole new “perfect” capsule wardrobe; it’s about working with what you already have and then shopping with the goal of filling in any necessary gaps in your capsule. That way, you have clothes that you know will work for you for a whole season, and you can shop less often and get more wear out of the clothes that you have, thus making your wardrobe more sustainable, as well. Plus, it’s fun to get the creativity juices flowing and come up with new ways to style pieces in your capsule. Do you think it’s something you might try?
Above is my fall/winter capsule for this year. My lifestyle is super casual. I teach yoga and have two small kids, so activewear and jeans and a tee work for me most of the time — even for date nights or patio drinks. However, I threw in some blouses and heels for when I want to dress up a bit more. Fall is all about layers. I included lots of sweaters, but this capsule doesn’t include outerwear (or accessories or undergarments), but I definitely plan on adding my wool coat and a beanie to these looks when I need them. There you have it — my fall/winter capsule wardrobe!
