First of all, what is a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe can be created by limiting the contents of your closet–purchasing staple pieces and purging items that go unnoticed for months or even years. It’s not always true that more clothing = more options. In fact, most of us reach for the same items again and again and the unused items fade away in our wardrobes taking up valuable closet space. A major advantage to creating a capsule is saving time when deciding what to wear. Often too many choices creates too many choices! There are several ways to go about creating your own capsule wardrobe. Here’s one way…
- Begin by sorting your clothes and accessories into two piles. “1. Items I can’t live without” and “2. What the heck was I thinking”?
- From the first pile select your favorites. Think 3-4 bottoms, 3-4 basic tops, 1-2 classic sweaters/sweatshirts, 1 jacket, 5 pairs of shoes, and some versatile accessories. (The numbers and styles may differ depending on occupation, climate, season, etc.)
- Donate the items from pile #2
- Take the 10-20 key pieces and begin mixing and matching. How many outfits can you create? Can you layer? What can be worn more than one way? How could you transition from day to night? If you do the math, these items can take you through an entire month without repeating the exact same look!
- If you’re missing a key piece, think about adding this essential staple to your wardrobe. This would be the time to invest in an item that you’ll have for a long time. (i.e. Hunter Boots, faux leather jacket, the perfect pair of skinny jeans, etc.)
I selected the following…3 pairs of jeans (black, basic, and distressed), 2 t-shirts (white and grey), 1 grey sweater, 2 bell sleeve tops (black and striped), 1 faux leather jacket, 1 sweatshirt, 5 pairs of shoes, and an assortment of versatile accessories. In just about an hour I was able to create 20+ looks. Here are my favorites! (Scroll all the way down to find the links to all my items.)

Outfit #1: bell sleeve black top, basic denim, heels, cross-body/clutch, Natia versatile necklace, bracelet stack, forward facing hoops

Outfit #2: bell sleeve black top, distressed denim, flat boots, reversible scarf, cross-body/clutch, forward facing hoops

Outfit #3: grey sweater, black jeans, Natia versatile necklace, heels, sparkle studs

Outfit #4: grey sweater, distressed denim, Sutton statement necklace, brown booties, sparkle studs

Outfit #5: red cardigan, grey t-shirt, black denim, heels, bracelet stack, forward facing hoops

Outfit #6: red cardigan, basic denim, white t-shirt, Hunter boots, delicate engravable necklace, forward facing hoops

Outfit #7: denim shirt, black jeans, flat boots, reversible scarf, forward facing hoops, gold cuff

Outfit #8: denim shirt, black jeans, white t-shirt, Sutton statement necklace (worn long), gold cuff, flat boots, forward facing hoops

Outfit #9: sweatshirt, basic denim, tennis shoes, sparkle studs, pulley bracelet

Outfit #10: sweatshirt, distressed denim, flat boots, forward facing hoops, bracelet stack, cross-body/clutch (worn as a belt bag)

Outfit #11: leather jacket, grey t-shirt, black jeans, brown booties, Natia versatile necklace (only 1 strand), sparkle studs

Outfit #13: leather jacket, white t-shirt, Natia versatile necklace, distressed denim, brown booties, forward facing hoops

Outfit #13: striped bell sleeve top, black jeans, heels, Sutton statement necklace (worn long), forward facing hoops, gold cuff

Outfit #13: leather jacket, striped bell sleeve top, Natia versatile necklace, forward facing hoops, basic denim, heels
12 Basic Staples
Striped Bell Sleeve Top (similar)
Sweatshirt (wearing XS)- size up
Bell Sleeve Black Top (wearing XS)
Similar Faux Leather Jackets: (for a steal) (for an investment)
5 Pairs of Shoes
Black Flat Boots (wearing 7): -size up 1/2 size
Brown Booties (wearing 6.5 in Earth)
The Extra Details
Bracelet Stack: Anda Strength, Anda Courage, Nicholette
*affiliate links