Oh, the dread..

That feeling where you have nothing to wear yet you have a million things in your closet. I’m sure we’ve all been there at some point in time. The struggle of not knowing what you’ll be comfortable in or how to style yourself for the day is REAL sometimes.

This is where a capsule wardrobe comes in handy! What is a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe is interchangeable clothing pieces that complement each other. Oftentimes these look like classic staple pieces. This allows you to create a series of different outfits with a smaller selection of clothes.

This process I’m sharing is to focus on your basic closet essentials. It’s okay to have that funky trendy piece you want to hang onto! We are just here to make everyday outfits a bit easier and create a versatile wardrobe.

Let’s run through my process of creating a capsule wardrobe, shall we?

GOODBYE TO THE OLD

If you are anything like my husband and hold onto everything, I hate to break it to ya but you are going to need to do a little closer purge and say goodbye to things that no longer serve you! If you need help or support during this process, call up a relative or friend to help you decide! One of my very best friend’s did this process last year and called me over to help. She had a hard time letting things go and she needed someone to be that unbiased opinion!

Keep in mind that your lounge/pajamas, your go-to wedding guest dress, workout clothing and accessories such as purses and jewelry don’t count! Unless you have old lounge/pajamas/workout clothing/accessories that you NEED to get rid of.

ask yourself the following questions:

Does this fit me? If not, why am I still hanging onto this item rather than buying something I like better that does fit!
When was the last time I wore this item? (if you live somewhere like Ohio where you get all 4 seasons, try doing this each season or twice per year. Stick with the season you are in now! Usually spring + summer items work together and fall + winter items work together)
Do I still like this item?
Does this have holes or stains in it? (I recommend keeping at least one pair of “messy job” top + bottoms aka stained/ruined clothing for upcoming outdoor projects or paint projects that can get messy!)

Jaz’s Tip: With your gently used unstained items, look at selling those items to a local second hand consignment store like Platos Closet or Clothes Mentor! You can get cash on the spot for your items to go towards what you need to replace! This is what I do and what I have done since I was a young teen with my mom. You can also look at your local town facebook groups and create a sell post by posting photos online. Whatever Is left over, donate them to a local shelter or church near you or you can always send out that group text asking if anyone wants anything!

PLANNING

I would say this is the second most exciting part of the process of planning your future capsule wardrobe! Assess what you have left over and start building from there. Let’s use a hypothetical scenario for this. Let’s say after this big closet clean out – you have 2 shirts left over, 1 pair of jeans, a cardigan and one sweater. You’ve already got 4-5 outfits right there with those 6 pieces! Build on from that.

Jaz’s Tip: If you aren’t sure where to start, go window shopping! Head into your local old navy or target - grab a bunch of different styles of items and do a mini try-on session to see what you like and don’t like or what your sizes are! You can take some mirror selfies of the things you like so you have a good idea when you start planning!

what to think about while planning:

What colors do I like? I suggest you stick with 2-3 neutral colors such as black, white and brown and then select 2 other colors you love or feel your best in! For me, my color palette I stick with is white, black, browns, pinky oranges and greens! I might switch out these colors during different seasons like pinks to oranges in fall, and during winter I switch out oranges to reds! (Denim for jeans does not count - I think of this as a given “neutral” color!)
What cut do you like best? Do you prefer your pants high waisted? Do you like crew cut tee shirts or prefer v-neck?
Do you have a fabric style you feel most comfortable in? Do you love the feel of linens? Or do you prefer a cotton feel?
What is your lifestyle like? Are you a parent who stays at home? Do you have a remote job? Do you head into the office for your 9-5 and what does that dress code look like? Do you have a uniform you wear to work and this is just for after work hours?
Is the item interchangeable or is it a trendy unique item that might go out of style? It’s fine to want a trendy item, I just suggest you think of at least 2-3 ways you can wear the item.
Do you tend to run hot and sweat a lot? Or do you tend to be cold and find yourself always having goosebumps? Think about this when looking into your layering pieces as you could opt for a more lightweight option or warmer fleece lined options.

Don’t forget shoes during this process as well! Shoes are part of your capsule wardrobe. I usually suggest the following for shoes:

One pair of workout/running/walking sneakers that are comfortable to stand and move in
One pair of casual sneakers such as converse, vans or keds that can be styled casually
One pair of more “dressed up” comfortable shoes such as a flat or maybe a ankle bootie heel – whichever you like better!
One pair of an open toed comfortable shoe that can be dressed up or down. This can look like a cute sandal or a heel!
With all those shoes above, try to stick with colors that go with any outfit such as white, black or browns!

Jaz’s Tip: Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok will be your best friend during this process. Start searching for everyday outfit ideas you can easily re-create. What I love about all these platforms is that you can create a “saved” folder or board to keep those outfit ideas to come back to when shopping later on.

HELLO TO THE NEW

Now that you have your plan set, it’s time to get shopping! Shopping can look different for everyone and everyone has a different style and budget. For my basics, I usually opt for Amazon or Walmart since it’s very affordable. However, you can always head to your local thrift store to search for your items as well! You can also search those facebook pages to see if anyone is selling gently used items or if any relatives or friends are getting rid of items. Look at resale apps like poshmark as well. This process does not have to be an expensive one. If you know you’ve had your eye on those expensive free people jeans and you’d rather thrift a few items to be able to splurge on one or two things, that is OKAY. You are the boss here!

Once you have all the clothes you need, do not forget your layering pieces, shoes, and – if you want – accessories! Viola! You did it – your capsule wardrobe is finished and you have your staple pieces that you can hopefully create multiple outfits from each piece!

A reminder from Jaz:

If you live in a place where you experience multiple seasons (spring, summer, fall and winter) – I recommend you keep only the clothing that is in season, and store away the others out-of-sight. I personally go by 2 seasons at a time because Ohio likes to act up sometimes and throw some curveballs. I usually pull spring + summer together and fall + winter together. Do what works best for you and your process! By doing this, you should have 2-4 different capsule wardrobes a year.

EXAMPLES

Below I’ve created some graphic examples based on my personal capsule wardrobe! Keep in mind, this is something I’ve been working on for a while to find what is best for me! This is also based on my personal style, lifestyle and preference. I’m just sharing visual examples that might serve as a guide to you while creating or buying your list. Each photo is shoppable by clicking/tapping on the photo and it will redirect you to my amazon storefront (where I do make a small commission if you choose to purchase anything linked on my photo posts or idea lists)