Could you live with only 37 items of clothing? Shoes included? It’s a new minimalist trend taken to the max. Capsule wardrobe proponents are touting the concept as a fashion revolution. The concept is simple enough; instead of having a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, you start over. Yes, that’s right, start over and select or buy 37 pieces of clothing that you absolutely love to wear. And you wear nothing but these 37 pieces for a whole three months. At the end of that three months, you reassess your body, budget, trends and lifestyle and then you’re allowed to add to the rotation.
Some clothes hoarders might call this devastating. But some bloggers are calling it a revelation, claiming that the extreme minimalism not only forces you to be honest about what you really enjoy wearing but saves money and helps you hone your personal style. If you’re feeling brave or just fed up with the current state of your closet, here’s your guide for swallowing the hopefully not too jagged little pill of the capsule wardrobe.
The Toughest Pill to Swallow
You don’t have to throw every piece of clothing you’ve ever owned out the window. But you do have to keep it out of sight and out of mind. Do a serious closet sweep. Group things by season and then by color palette. Unless something fits you like a dream and is super comfortable, pack it up and get it out of sight. It’s like fashion feng shui.
Curb your desire to keep everything by downloading the Poshmark app and selling off items that are still good but are so last season. The Galaxy S7 smartphone from T-Mobile offers a mind-blowing 12-megapixel camera, which blows the 8-megapixel competition out of the water. Invest in a tripod and Bluetooth remote and you’ll eliminate all possibility of even the slightest human error. So it doesn’t matter if you’re a total klutz or your hands are shaking at the idea of selling your fashion wares, your pics will be crisp and clear and will sell quickly before you have time to change your mind!
The Fun Part
The next part of curating a capsule wardrobe is the most fun: the shopping part. Savor it, because you won’t be doing any more of it for the next three months. Look for a statement piece or two that make you feel extra fashionable and staple pieces that are crazy flattering and super comfortable. Remember at this stage in the process to be both patient and relentless. This is, above all, a learning experience. Finding staple and statement pieces that fit your body and your personality to a T is not an easy task. Reducing your number of clothing options is a great way to trick your mind into being much more picky about what you buy because you have to live with your decisions day in and day out.
Color Your Capsule
Picking the right color palette is one of biggest keys to making a capsule wardrobe work for you. You can still have bright pops of color, but they’ve got to fit in with your palette. If you’re all about beiges and blue jeans, a pop of red or orange can be a welcome burst of color. But if you’re all blacks, grays and creams, cobalt blue or a dusty pink might be a better choice for your accent color. Remember that this is a learning experience. Try on outfit after outfit, switch tops a half a dozen times, there is no shame! Don’t get frustrated, know that you’re putting in the extra effort now that will pay off in the long run when you have an expertly curated closet of clothes you actually wear, a better sense of how to truly flatter your figure and a signature style that is all your own.
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