Treat Yourself to a Capsule Wardrobe for the New Year
You’ve probably heard of capsule wardrobes, maybe even had friends who have raved about them. Why not treat yourself to one for the New Year? A capsule wardrobe is easy and fun to set up and enjoy. Here are some tips to get you started.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a way to simplify your wardrobe and your life by wearing mix and match pieces that you love each day. By having a smaller number to choose from and knowing in advance that they will all work together, you will save time getting dressed in the morning and have the confidence of knowing that you will look great.
What is Your Lifestyle?
The first question to ask yourself is how you spend your time. Do you work from home? Are you retired and love gardening? Are you constantly out and about? Do you love to dress up for date nights with your sweetheart? What types of occasions do you need to dress for in a typical month? What additional special occasions may be coming up in the next few months?
These questions will determine how casual or dressy your capsule wardrobe needs to be. Perhaps you will mostly be work-from-home casual but would like to include a dress and heels for a little variety. Perhaps you have a business casual dress code Monday through Friday that is more “business” than “casual.” In that case, more dress pants, blazers, or dressy cardigans may be called for.
Start with Neutral Bottoms
Most capsule wardrobes include neutral-colored bottoms like black dress pants, women’s jeans, women’s yoga pants, and the like. Because you can put almost anything with these colors, you will probably only need a few pairs of pants. Because of this, however, making sure to choose wisely and get the fit right will be extra important.
Add Neutral Tops
Even if you love color (and most of us do!), you will want to have some neutral tops. Almost every woman can use a women’s white blouse and at least one white T-shirt in her capsule wardrobe. They have the advantages of going with almost everything and being able to be worn solo or layered with a blazer, women’s cardigan sweater, or even a hoodie depending on the white top.
Add Colorful Tops and a Dress or Skirt
What are the colors that you love to wear that make you feel great? Whether they are this year’s “it” colors or not, go with what you know will be most flattering to you. If you’re not sure what colors are your best, look up some information on seasonal color analysis on the internet or in your favorite bookstore. You’ll want to wear colors that flatter your skin tone, hair, and eyes. Unless you prefer to live in pants, you will want to include at least one dress or neutral skirt in the mix, too.
Shoes, Boots, and Jewelry
Most capsule wardrobes include shoes, boots, and jewelry in neutral tones. For shoes, make sure to include footwear for different activities. Most women need at least one casual pair of leather shoes that are good for walking (perhaps a ballerina flat), one pair of sneakers, and one pair of dressier shoes. For jewelry, this is a matter of personal taste, but typically you would stick with one color of metal (i.e., yellow gold, silver-toned, etc.) and make sure that all colored gems or stones are good mix-and-match choices for the colors in your capsule wardrobe.
Putting It All Together
Pick a day when you have a little time and figure out all of the different outfits that you can make from your capsule wardrobe. Make a game of it. Black pants, white blouse, neutral cardigan or perhaps black pants, white women’s T-shirt, colorful cardigan, or maybe black pencil skirt with a white blouse and statement jewelry? Have some fun modeling the possibilities in front of a full-length mirror. If you like, take notes on your favorite outfits, or take a few selfies so you can remember your favorite combinations.
Mixing It Up for Next Season
One of the great parts about having a capsule wardrobe is how you can change it up for the upcoming season. Once you have experienced the ease and good looks of a capsule wardrobe, you will want to keep it going. As you get ready for the next season, keep the year-round neutrals that still work for you. Replace any worn items that you would like to include in next season’s capsule. Check for small rips or stains that you may have overlooked. If it can’t be repaired, replace it. Now, for the fun part! What new colors would you like to include? Maybe some different styles like a summery dress or sandals? By working with what you already have and simply editing your capsule from season to season, you can look great and do it with ease.
A capsule wardrobe is fun to plan (and shop for!) and one of the easiest ways there is to look great. Why not treat yourself to one?