By now, I’m sure many of you have heard of a capsule wardrobe or have had the patience to try creating your own. For those of you who are reading this like:

Photo: Giphy

Basically, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of a few pieces to be mixed and matched for a 3-month period or season. The key is to choose only a few essential pieces. There are tons of posts on how to create a capsule wardrobe all over the internet, but no one seems to shed any light on the deliverance you might require to actually execute one. Have no fear, below are my main grievances with trying to create my very own capsule wardrobe. Hopefully, this helps you take these things into consideration before you attempt it!

1. If you haven’t defined what your personal style is, this is almost impossible.

I have no idea how I would define my personal style. I love jeans and a t-shirt, but sometimes I’d like to be dressed to the nines — and that doesn’t always translate with a mere 37-piece wardrobe. I had such a hard time narrowing my collection down because I didn’t know what I could select to be worn for three months.

2. Actually creating a capsule wardrobe is beyond stressful.

Trying to predict the items you wanted in your capsule can be an all-day event. Close your eyes and try to imagine selecting only 40 (the number I chose for my collection) items to wear in rotation. Items that all go together to make multiple outfit combinations for three months. Not to mention the footwear because, yes, shoes are part of that total. Right.

Photo: Devonnie Black
Photo: Devonnie Black

3. Quality pieces are a necessity.

If you think you’re going to be able to create a whole wardrobe that will last for 3 months with items that rip, shrink or stretch after a few washes, think again. The pieces you choose need to be able to withstand multiple washes and still hold up. This might mean spending more on a single item. The problem here is that I like all my coins sitting in my bank account, thank you very much.

4. Temptation is the devil.

Trying to stick to the items I chose was hard because…well…shopping! I’m not a shopaholic or anything, but I would see items I wanted to buy. But the whole idea is to not spend money on the wardrobe once your collection is formed. Not to mention, the items I wanted to purchase didn’t always work for the next season of items.

Even so, the benefits of using the capsule wardrobe method are absolutely amazing. Controlling your spending? Investing in quality pieces that last longer? Spending less time rummaging through all of your clothing for an outfit? Creating more space in your closet for items that actually see the light of day? I don’t know about you, but I have a coral dress in particular that hasn’t been out since leaving the rack of the store I purchased it from last year. Who wouldn’t want to try this simple way to get better at organizing and saving?

I haven’t given up hope yet. I’m sure I’ll eventually slay my very own capsule wardrobe. But I think the first and most important step is making sure you have a clear definition of your personal style and what you would love to wear for three months straight.

Photo: Giphy

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