My winter capsule wardrobe

Sweater: Ella Bloom // Bandana: Madewell

I’ve been thinking of doing a capsule wardrobe for years, but the timing was finally right this fall. I was sick of not wearing half of my clothes and buying more to feel like I had more options, but I never really did. It felt like a vicious cycle of consumerism. And I’d much rather spend my money on traveling than buying more clothes than I need! I’ve had my winter capsule wardrobe for a little over a month now and I love it more than I ever thought I would.

Here’s why I love my capsule wardrobe:

• I have way less clothes, but I somehow feel like I have more options.
• I only own clothes that are good quality, fit well, and I feel great in.
• I’m saving money (and wardrobe space) by not buying that trendy on-sale dress.
• I’m much more thoughtful and disciplined about what I bring into my wardrobe, and that mindset is affecting other areas of my life too. I’m much more intentional about the toys, kitchen items and everything else we bring into our home.

Jacket: Madewell from Uptown Cheapskate

My winter capsule has 30 items total:

• 14 tops
• 4 pairs of pants
• 6 dresses
• 6 pairs of shoes (including rain and snow boots)

(I’m not counting outerwear, pjs, loungewear, workout clothes, or accessories.)

How I created my capsule:

I actually love getting rid of things and paring down my possessions. Sometimes a little too much. So, I took a couple of weeks to slowly and thoughtfully let go of items I didn’t wear often or ever, that I didn’t feel attractive in, that fit poorly, were defective in any way, or were too high-maintenance (must wear with undershirt or iron before each use). I hung on to items I wear often, are super comfortable, and are versatile.

I sold my discarded items at a local thrift store and used that money to go towards a few items I needed to complete my wardrobe (a dressy wool coat, black jeans, and a couple of long-sleeved shirts). My favorite shops are Madewell, Loft, J. Crew, and a few local boutiques.

My goal was to narrow my wardrobe down to somewhere between 30-40 items but didn’t want to get too hung up on an arbitrary number—just wanted to create a minimized wardrobe I love, and I have!

Dress: H&M

Getting ready is so much faster because I can easily see all of my options, and I know my go-tos for special occasions, for casual days, and for date nights. And I don’t think anyone has noticed that I keep wearing my favorites. Maybe they do, but I don’t really care, because I love them! This type of wardrobe just fits my lifestyle and mindset so well.

I like fashion and putting outfits together, but I don’t love the shopping side of it or the constant spending or keeping up with trends. I feel like this wardrobe has given me the permission I needed to invest in classic, good-quality pieces that will last a long time instead of buying things I get over or that go out of style quickly and justifying that they’re on sale! I think this will be a lifelong system for me.

My husband sees how much I love the changes I’ve made and he asked me to help him create his own capsule wardrobe. The kids are next!

I’d love to hear some of your favorite places to buy staples and if you’ve ever done a capsule wardrobe.

I used Unfancy and Simplified Life as resources for my capsule wardrobing. Hailey Devine, Little Miss Fearless, and Lizzy Loves Health have some great tips too!

Dress: Piper and Scoot // Cardigan: Urban Outfitters