In 7 steps to your Capsule Wardrobe

But somehow it was not enough for me: for special occasions I was now provided, but I came to my wardrobe still too undefined. There were still too many pieces that I did not really need, but for some reason I could not give them away.

When I first heard of the Capsule Wardrobe , I was electrified: That's it! A wardrobe with only a few selected pieces, which complement each other and can be combined in a variety of ways.

The idea of ​​Capsule Wardrobe

As already described, a Capsule wardrobe consists of selected garments, such as skirts, blouses, trousers or even clothes.

The "inventor" of the Capsule wardrobe is Susie Faux , owner of the "Wardrobe" boutique in London in the 1970s. The idea was inspired by New York designer Donna Karan , who released a collection of seven combinable garments in 1985 (Source: Wikipedia ).

7 Steps To Your Capsule Wardrobe:

1. Make an inventory.

First of all, you need to know what your wardrobe really is. For this you should just clear the contents of your wardrobe and look at you closely:

• What do you like to wear often?
• What colors do you like? What are you good at?
• What cuts are good for you? Why?

2. Sorting out.

Here you should be merciless. Look closely and share your clothes in three piles:

• Keeping: things you like to wear and much, you keep. The professional chef and author Marie Kondo has shaped a good question about this: Does this give me pleasure and use it to me? 
• Sell, donate or give: things you do not want to keep anymore.
• Draw: Things that you can not decide yet will be put into a box and will be put away. If you have not missed it after one, two, three months, you can also go directly to the second stack.

3. Analyze.

Now take a closer look at the things you will keep.

• What exactly do you like about these?
• What colors prevail?
• For which occasions are they suitable?

I've noticed with me that I'm a big fan of more classic colors, so dark blue, black, gray. Laaangweilig, my daughter then likes to say. This is not a bad choice for a Capsule wardrobe, because these colors can be combined very well and bring peace to the image.

4. Try it out.

To get ideas, which combinations offer at all, you should try now. For that you take your stack again and try out. Also trust in combinations that do not offer at all. Be brave!

• Let the fashion blogs on the Internet bring you new ideas
• Or invite you a few girlfriends , who perhaps come to quite different ideas,
• Or sit down for a few hours in a busy place and look at what other women wear like that
• Or go to second-hand shops or flea markets and just buy things you would never buy otherwise and let yourself be inspired by craziness.

5. Join a Challenge.

To approach your perfect Capsule wardrobe, you can also join one of the challenges, for example Project 333 . In doing so, you limit your wardrobe to 33 parts suitable for the season, which you then wear for 3 months. All other parts are packed away. For three months, you only have to deal with 33 parts. How exactly you define your 33 pieces is up to you. For example, it may be necessary to include shoes and handbags, but also to leave underwear and sports clothes.

I myself did not participate in a Challenge like Project 333. When counting my garments, I realize that I now have almost 50 pieces anyway, for all seasons. That seemed to me reduced enough.

6. A wishlist.

If you have begun to wear less and more selected pieces, you will be sure whether or something is missing. Make a list of your wishes. So you can tell whether a wish really exists or whether you really do not need it.

Since I've been working with my Capsule Wardrobe, I'm also leading a list. Especially because I have set the goal of not buying new clothes for a year. Great exception: flea markets! (They just make me a lot of fun!) And I realize, that I have not so much desires. Before, the abundance seemed so overwhelming to me that I thought there was still a lot to be missed. Now I look at my pieces and am quite amazed: Oh, I have that too.

7. Gradually complete - this is how your Capsule Wardrobe is created.

If you now carry your selected pieces, you will at some time find out which pieces you regularly accompany through your daily life. Now add them gradually with the pieces that are on your wish list.

This will create your Capsule Wardrobe over time . My experience has shown that it just takes a time before you really know what is standing and where you can break even a clear line. But you will notice that you will always be safer in your choice.

Avoid boredom!

Above I had described that I like classic colors very much and find the combination among themselves much easier. But this is my personal view and can look quite different for everyone. It always depends on what you stand for, what you like and certainly also in which environment you work.