How to Craft a Capsule Wardrobe Part 2: Nail Your First Capsule
Intrigued about minimizing your closet but you don't know where or how to start?
Happy to help!
Here is a simple tutorial on how to create your first capsule wardrobe and a brief overview about how the MappCraft Capsule Wardrobe philosophy is different from others (hint: accessories).
Let's get started!
What is a Capsule Wardrobe, Anyway?
Your very first capsule wardrobe is just one blog post away
A capsule wardrobe is a tightly edited collection of clothes you wear over the course of a season. The MappCraft capsule wardrobe contains between 35 - 40 garments.
Each item is selected for versatility and to complement your lifestyle and body. The goal is to curate a tiny closet in which everything fits, makes you feel fantastic and can be worn in multiple ways.
At the end of each season your capsule should be evaluated for productivity. Donate, gift or consign the items that you did not wear, store out of season items and then, with a plan and a purpose, shop to fill in the gaps.
The Accessory Equasion
Accessories are the connective tissue of your capsule wardrobe
The MappCraft Capsule Wardrobe philosophy fully embraces the art of accessorizing. I believe in maintaining a supplemental accessory capsule, which is why accessories aren't included in the core capsule wardrobe garment count. A healthy mix of shoes, bags, jewelry and signature extras allows you to experiment with trends, hone your outfit creation skills and cement your personal style.
Hmmm... this one goes, this one stays and this one is just right
How Do I Start a Capsule Wardrobe?
Step 1
Read this post for an overview on how to conduct a Ruthless Wardrobe Edit.
This is a critical first step.
Once you've ruthlessly edited your closet down to only the garments you truly love, it's time to craft your first capsule.
Step 2
Remove out of season or special occasion items. Store out of sight.
Step 3
Evaluate and organize what's left. The MappCraft Capsule Wardrobe contains 35 - 40 core garments spanning 4 categories. A rough breakdown looks like this:
9 Tops (Tanks, Tops, Blouses, Sweaters)
9 Bottoms (Skirts, Pants, Shorts, Denim)
9 Dresses (Dresses, Rompers, Jumpsuits)
9 Layers (Cardigans, Jackets, Vests, Outerwear)
Don't get caught up on the numbers or categories. You may hate pants or dresses. Don't wear them! The goal is to cultivate a closet that is 100% you.
Step 4
Fill in the gaps. This step does not need to happen in a day, or even a week. Take your time. Comparison shop. Research designers and retailers online. Once you are ready to make a purchase, ask yourself the following questions:
Is it timeless? You want to be able to wear the majority of your capsule for multiple years, incorporating trends through accessories rather than apparel.
Is it versatile? Does it coordinate with at least 2 garments from each category?
Does it fit comfortably? Tugging at clothes all day is never a good look. However - a tailor can work wonders for simple fixes like hemming or strap adjustment.
Is the cut/fabric/formality/care appropriate for my lifestyle? Toddlers and silk do not mix and dry cleaning is expensive.
Can I afford a better version? Quality over quantity is the name of this game.
Sample Summer Capsule Wardrobe
So what does a capsule wardrobe actually look like? See below for a sample capsule pulled from my Summer 2016 capsule wardrobe. This is simply a visual guideline to help you get started. In fact, the templates below only total 30 garments - who needs multiple layers in summer?
Tailor your capsule to the season, your needs and lifestyle. The only rule is mindfulness!
Tanks, Tops, Blouses, Sweaters
Skirts, shorts, pants, denim
Dresses, jumpsuits, rompers, tunics
Cardigans, jackets, blazers, vests
What Do You Wear to Parties and on the Weekend?
Good question! I maintain two separate, very small capsules for weekends and special events.
Weekend Capsule
My weekend edit contains 3 pairs of chino shorts (same cut, different colors), 3 cotton tanks and 3 v-neck t-shirts. All are from J.Crew. I personalize my weekend uniform with colorful shoes and accessories.
Shorts, tanks and colorful tees
Cocktail Capsule
The special events edit contains 4 core garments, all black, 2 pairs of party heels and 2 clutches. I mix and match these items, all impactful in their own right, with elements from my accessory collection and core capsule to create multiple cocktail looks.
Mix and match black with festive details
C'mon - Get Tiny!
Hopefully this post inspired you to take the plunge and create a tiny closet for yourself. Check out the Outfit Gallery for examples of how I create multiple looks from my mini wardrobe.
If you are still feeling hesitant, perhaps this is the reason. Think about it.
Once you've nailed your core apparel capsule(s), the next step is accessories! Stay tuned.
Please share this guide with anyone you know who is interested in the capsule wardrobe concept. If you enjoyed this read, I'd love you forever if you could just CLICK THE LITTLE HEART BELOW, or, better yet, COMMENT.
xoxo Jenn