This video is from a Periscope broadcast I did this week and I'd love to have you join me there. You can find me at @catherinedenton! How did this video from resonate with you? What are your thoughts about an auto-pilot wardrobe?
To create a wardrobe full of easy, simple outfits, you must start with FIVE core pieces.
Your personal pieces may vary from the ones I've chosen, but you should keep in mind your five.
Here are pieces I recommend:
1. Button-down or Blouse
2. Tee
3. Jeans
4. Pants or Skirt
5. Jacket or Suit coat
Your five simple core pieces should be the foundation of all your outfits. If you keep in mind that you want to have ONE of your five in each outfit, you will reduce the stress of having to create from scratch.
These five should be your workhorses, the best quality you can afford and best fit for your body. When you have the basics, all your combinations will fall into place. You will look amazing and have the stylish signature look you desire.
A capsule wardrobe is a limited amount of versatile pieces you can mix and match to create beautiful outfits.
The beauty of a capsule wardrobe is the utter simplicity of it. Instead of having a packed closet with tons of items you forget to wear or rarely wear; you have a wardrobe full of items you love. Your capsule is created with you in mind so it is full of what you actually wear. It is also extremely important that each item fit your body as it is now or you will be very limited in your outfit creations.
A capsule wardrobe usually includes:
A certain number of clothing items
A mixture of dressier materials and casual pieces
A limited number of shoes
A UNlimited supply of accessories
Some people prefer to create a capsules for each season because it gives them fresh items to work with. Others prefer the simplicity of choosing one capsule to wear year-round.
You may be wondering why anyone would LIMIT their wardrobe. The key is simplicity. We spend hours during the week attempting to find something to wear. So instead of wasting that energy on outfits, what if you could pull any top out of your closet with ease and know it would go with whatever bottom you chose to wear that day? Forget those days of standing in front of a packed closet with nothing to wear.
No matter how you choose to do a capsule wardrobe or the number of items you create a capsule with, I can assure you that creating a capsule wardrobe will simplify your life! And your vacations!
If you told me I had to limit my wardrobe to five pieces, I think jeans would be two of them. I love jeans! The comfort, the durability, and the adorbs. There is just something about throwing on a good pair of jeans that feels like home. They can be super simple paired with a white tee or a button-down, or gorgeously stylish with a fancy blouse and heels.
When you love everything in your wardrobe, when you are able to pull together beautiful outfits quickly and you know everything fits nicely; you have no need to buy more stuff!
Back BC (before capsule), I couldn't keep track of what items I owned. They were wedged in the closet and sometimes I would purchase the same thing twice, not realizing I already had something similiar. My closet was full of clothes, but I always felt I had nothing to wear. So I would buy more things, hoping they would create more combinations from my closet. The problem was that I had no plan, and when you have no plan, your budget suffers.
Feeling overwhelmed I decided to reduce my wardrobe and experiment by creating a capsule wardrobe. I was brutal in my cast-off decisions. I gave away anything that did not compliment my style, my body or my skin tone. After taking many large trash bags of clothes to Goodwill, I became extremely picky about what else I brought into my closet.
Because of the effort I'd put into eliminating the baggy, tight, pulling, painful clothes and keeping only the ones that felt/looked great; I did not want to go back to a stuffed closet. So I made a rule that if I brought something new in, I had to get rid of something old. My wardrobe was finally full of pieces I loved, so I found myself not wanting to buy more clothes because I didn't want to get rid of the pieces I loved!
Now when I go shopping I'm extremely choosy. The item has to be a great fit and I must love it. Even then, if I can't think of an something in my closet I want to exchange for this, I don't buy it.
Money. Saved. Ba-dum-bum.
I buy clothes only when something has worn out or for some reason doesn't fit any longer. Since I'm wearing fewer clothes more often, I do eventually need to purchase something new. But I can purchase it with a good conscience, knowing there is a need, not just a whim.
I can budget for needs ~ not whims.
This has greatly reduced my impulsive shopping. When I shop, I know what I'm looking for, what color it needs to be and what style I need to add to my wardrobe. I can budget for it and keep it within the right range. Doing this has saved me a lot of money over the last few years.
I encourage you to experiment with a capsule wardrobe and see how it can save you money too!
If you are wearing a capsule wardrobe, how have you noticed it saving you money? If you're aren't currently wearing a capsule wardrobe, does it sound intriguing?
Thought it'd be fun to create a capsule for autumn with pink hues. I think there's something beautiful about combining blush with browns; maybe because it reminds me of a rose bush. These tops can be easily mixed and matched with the bottoms. Don't be limited by a dress, you can use it for either top or bottom ~ layering blouses on top and skirts over the base!
These are replays of my Periscope Live broadcasts. Unfortunately, the comments didn't show on the replay, I will try to repeat comments in the future so you can know what was said. You can also watch/interact live on Periscope Monday - Thursday at 1:00pm CST (@CatherineDenton).
It's tough to be organized when you have too much stuff and not enough places to put it.
It makes putting "everything in it's place" somewhat impossible.
Buying more organizing tools will NOT help!
Believe me, I know. I used to be addicted to organizing my home in newly bought tubs because it gave me the illusion that it would stay organized. Unfortunately there was so much stuff it was impossible to keep it put away ~ there were more items than places to put them!
I am NOT organized. I'm working on it and am improving, but reducing my things has helped a lot in this area. I don't have to organize my closet anymore because I don't have that many clothes. It makes it a lot easier to be organized when you have less stuff. In fact, my clothes are currently aligned in the Konmari way, from longest to shortest, and it looks so pretty!
My closet's roomy.
I can see every piece. All of the pieces work together and I don't have to prepare outfits because I can just grab and go. They work this way because they are versatile pieces (you can read more about that here).
Simplifying creates peace and it's so worth it. Every time I reduce a little more, it brings a sigh to my soul. As Flylady says, you can't organize clutter! You can only get rid of it! So true.
Is your stuff overtaking you? Do you struggle with organization?
This capsule is a good mix of textures and patterns. It's made up of 4 tops, 4 bottoms and 1 dress, along with 2 pairs of shoes and 1 scarf. The mix of dressy elements alongside casual give different vibes to each outfit. Even with such a limited palette, the outfits seem fresh and unique each day. Adding a few more accessories would give it even more longevity.
What's your favorite outfit among the mix? Mine would be any outfit involving that dress ~ love it!