Creating a Capsule Wardrobe for 2020 and Beyond

Who isn't looking to simplify their life? Capsule wardrobes have taken the world by storm in 2020. What used to be a 30 minute ordeal, standing in front of the closet like it was an overloaded refrigerator, can be simplified to a decision made in 30 seconds or less. How does this miracle happen? Two words, one idea. Capsule wardrobes!

What Is A Capsule Wardrobe?

Trimming down your closet to a much smaller set of clothes that you actually enjoy wearing can seem overwhelming, but if taken one step at a time you'll probably find that 90% of what is hanging on your closet is superfluous. Cutting your wardrobe down to capsule size is what most of us need in a world that is demonstrably hectic.

Generally a capsule wardrobe will consist of a set number of pants, tops, over-shirts, shoes, and accessories that can fit any situation. How is something like that even possible? Through careful planning and careful analysis of your needs, of course! It isn't as complicated as it sounds. You already know all the answers, but the first question that we need to ask is...

Is This Really Right For Me?

There are a few stipulations that a capsule wardrobe person needs to consider. If you're a fashionista who thrives on building the absolute perfect outfit for any situation then a capsule wardrobe might now be for you. This is a system for people who are overwhelmed by that sort of activity. I'm the sort of person that is perfectly happy wearing the same three shirts over and over again... Then I have more time and energy to focus on things that I really enjoy, like writing or chasing my kids around!

Fashion and shopping are an aspect of my life but a relatively small one by comparison. I'll find clothes that I bought on clearance with the tags still on them... I don't know why I purchased them. Maybe I can't resist a sale. I go to try them on and find out that they're ill-fitting, so why do I keep hanging onto them? Just to complicate the decision-making of getting dressed? Well, no more. It's time to clear down.

The Brutal Edit

The first step towards creating your capsule wardrobe is to remove everything that hasn't been worn in more than a year. I'm not saying to donate your grandma's favorite dress or burn that ugly sweater that you wore to that irony-laden Christmas party, but do move it to another room in order to make the decision of what stays in the capsule that much easier.

Once you've got a set of clothes that actually gets worn with some frequency you'll need to ask yourself about your own priorities. It's just a matter of slimming down even further until you're left with a set of clothes that you can choose from quickly and easily. It's not easy, but you'll give yourself some wiggle room once you pick out all of your base clothing.

What Is Base Clothing?

Base clothing is anything that isn't generally worn out and about. There are 5 categories of base clothing and if you can pick less than 10 items from each category you'll be in great shape to pull together the rest of your capsule wardrobe.

I. Lounge Clothes

Pajamas, oversized sweatshirts, comfortable sweatpants. Basically your favorite clothes to wear while lounging about the house and binge watching Netflix for 6 hours straight. Hey, some days it really is a necessity.

II. Workout Clothes

Yoga pants might go into lounge clothes, unless you actually do yoga. I generally merge this with lounge clothes since I'm perfectly comfortable running in an oversized sweatshirt but here is a big of wiggle-room for the sporty readers out there. You earned it!

III. Formal Clothes

Necklaces, scarves, earrings, bracelets. Anything that you generally use to take an outfit to the next level fits nicely in the formal clothes base layer. Of course, it doesn't need to be solely accessories. That fitted black cocktail dress? Go ahead and slip it in here. We won't tell.

Oh, by the way... Even if your formal jewelry is somewhat on the back-burner you'll want to keep it looking ready to roll at the drop of a hat! Our anti-tarnish cloth storage bags are perfect for sterling silver and a personalized jewelry dish will display your gorgeous jewelry even while it's not in use.

I'm serious. Practice good silver maintenance!

IV. Layering Clothes

From tee shirts and tank tops to long underwear. Our readers come from all over and you'll know which sort of layering you actually need to do.

V. Outerwear

Jackets, mittens, and beanies for the colder climates. A nice selection of swimwear for the warmer ones. Being from California, I've narrowed down this category to just one piece of swimwear. It doesn't get much easier!

So, once you've got your base clothing worked out you can begin working on your capsule with all the items that you have leftover. Keep sorting and removing items until you have a set of clothes that you absolutely adore wearing every day, and then we're going to trim it down ever further!

Completion of Your Capsule

Consider which scenarios you find yourself in most often and build your capsule around those. Active-wear for the gym or chasing kids? Work outfits for the office? Dressy formal events? Fun stuff like date nights? Lounging at home? Daily errands? I work from home while chasing kids punctuated by a date-night every 3 or 4 days. My lifestyle fits active, lounge, and fun.

With these three categories in mind I'll go through the stripped-down remnants of my now-purged wardrobe and pick out 9 tops, 5 pants, and 5 shoes. Everything else is stored in the spare bedroom. I know where that pink sequined top is if I decide I really need it, but my daily choices are limited and things just go so much smoother. Thanks to all this spare time I spent building my capsule wardrobe in 2020.