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Wednesday 4 March 2015

Capsule Wardrobe in a capsule (well...pdf)

I often have a moment of depression and disgust when looking at my wardrobe. Considering what a nice wardrobe it is maybe you might think I'm crazy. It's a huge double Ikea one which I don't share with anyone. It's got space saving velvet hangers (these are brilliant and available here on Ebay) and organised to make finding things easy. I've colour coded my clothes and divided them into skirts, jeans, jumpers etc. Yet still I often feel that I don't have anything to wear to a date/party/dinner. I don't like anything, I don't have anything that goes with that top. I have things I've worn once and then never again. I even have one dress I've never worn because it makes me look like a giant lurid pink sausage. I've even paid to get it altered in the hope of improving it. Alas. It now makes me look like a tarty lurid pink sausage.


On my trips to LA I have to select 2 weeks worth of clothes from this vast trove and time and time again I reach for the same pieces. Hanging these clothes in my hotel wardrobe I always feel proud. My clothes are widely space, good quality, fit me and are well chosen. I've picked outfits with items that work together, shoes that don't hurt me and that cover work, shopping and the beach. In effect, whenever I go to LA I take with me a capsule wardrobe. 

LAST LA TRIP:
1 black leather jacket
1 black cotton dress  
3 pairs of jeans - black, light grey, dark blue
2 shirts - purple + white
3 t-shirts- black, blue, green
1 skirt - grey
2 jumpers - one warm black jumper, one black cardie 
2 blazers - navy and black
1 pair of nude heels
1 pair of nude sandals 
1 pair of black boots
1 pair of black trainers.
2 bikinis
+underwear.

Without meaning to I even had a colour pallet - mostly greys, blacks, neutrals.

Returning to my vast wardrobe in London I decided to do some research into capsule wardrobes. I quickly found some great blogs on the subject. Here they are: 


This is Anouschka's blog - a minimalist enthusiast living in Berlin. Her website provides exercises and worksheets on how to create a minimalist wardrobe and also a more minimalist life. It's my main source of inspiration. 

Caroline's blog where she details her own 37 piece wardrobe. 

Courtney's advice on how to create a wardrobe with 33 items in using the rule of 3. 

These sites are great for a step by step approach to wardrobe simplification. But for all those who are short on time, I've put together the most important advice I found. 







I'm not promising I'll get rid of 40 of my 45 dresses, but maybe I'll get rid of 15. That would be a start. And I have a new "one in one out policy" too. Having a capsule wardrobe should also help make me a more discerning shopper too. Who knows. Maybe the sausage dress will never happen again. 

Good luck with your wardrobes everyone :)