I have subscribed to the capsule wardrobe philosophy for as long as I can remember. It started out by necessity. Being a single mom for 13 years I didn’t have unlimited disposable income but I did have a love of quality materials so I always tried to choose quality over quantity.
What I found was that even though I had a limited number of items I was constantly hearing “I want to shop in your closet” or “take me shopping with you”. People always thought I had more than I did. In Single Mom Chic, I mention a friend being so shocked when she actually saw my closet that her squeal actually scared me a bit! “How do you look so nice when you hardly have any clothes?” I laugh at that all the time because not much has changed. I now could have a closet full of clothes but I still don’t.
I like having fewer things because I can find what I need, it takes me no time to get ready and everything I have fits and looks great. I have to admit that many times I felt like an imposter. Why do people keep assuming that I have so many things? I wasn’t trying to fool anyone but I guess I was bluffing. People aren’t counting the items that you wear, what they see is that you always look pulled together.
I am a firm believer that when you say you have nothing to wear, what you really mean is you have so much that you can’t find what works for you. So how do you downsize and still look like you have an expansive wardrobe?
Here are four easy steps
Define your personal style-narrow it down to a word or two. Are you classic, sporty, glam, or bohemian?
Edit your closet-get rid of anything that doesn’t fit or is beyond repair
Pack away non-seasonal clothing-it will make getting dressed so much easier
Make a list of what you need each season and stick to it! Don’t be persuaded by sales. It isn’t a good deal if you don’t need it!
Check out my video below and let me know what your thoughts are on a capsule wardrobe?
The Real Chic Life 
The concept of a capsule wardrobe aligns with my sense of simplifying things which has definitely evolved over time in my life. In my twenties I thought being successful meant filling up my closet with beautiful things. As I get older and (I like to think) wiser, the idea of minimizing material possessions to make room for more important things in life really appeals to me. About a year ago Tonya and I had several very intriguing conversations about these thoughts and pointed me in the direction of the Daily Connoisseur blog which I devoured…all of these events officially inspired me. I worked for a few months to edit and reduce my wardrobe and the process was emotionally uplifting…I literally felt lighter and like I had more clothes to choose from even though the number of items had decreased! As I made progress, I had the happy surprise of finding out I was expecting. Now I am using the capsule wardrobe idea for my maternity clothes and it is working like a charm. I bought just enough staples that I made sure would all coordinate with each other. It is both financially practical and mentally freeing because it equates to less decisions…and somehow it seems to reduce laundry too which is a great bonus! This process is not easy but the rewards are bountiful. Thank you Tonya for setting the example and inspiring me along this journey!
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I love everything about this comment Kara! Thanks for sharing about your journey to towards the capsule wardrobe. How wonderful that you have been able to incorporate it into a maternity capsule too!
xo
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