Need a little more guidance on this whole capsule wardrobe thing? I’ve got your back.
I made this little planner to help you uncover your personal style + build a totally workable wardrobe. And…it’s free.
Download it HERE, print it out, and start playing!
(You can also download an example HERE, if you need help getting started)
Some sections may speak to you more than others. Pick and choose your favs, and if some parts just don’t jive with your particular way of thinking, ditch them.
I have one request of you in return. I would LOVE to hear how the planner works for you. And if you have suggestions for improvements, well, I’m all ears. Sound off in the comments!
Okay, I LOVE everything about Unfancy! I just created my leaner closet after reading a ton about it from Cuyana’s Lean Closet series and a few bloggers and finally made the jump! I have a bit more than 37 pieces though, so I’m going to challenge myself to whittle it down even more. I’ve been searching for a site just like yours for the last few months as I figured out what a “capsule wardrobe” meant. I’ll be a daily visitor from now on! Thank you!!
Valerie! Thank you for your sweet comment, and thank you also for pointing me in the direction of the Lean Closet series. I’d never heard of it and I love it! :) Excited to keep up with you. xoxo Caroline
Congratulations Caroline on this new ‘baby’… she’s gorgeous. I’m loving everything you’ve posted on this blog so far. I have printed out this planner and am looking forward to putting further thought into simplifying my wardrobe. As of January 1 this year, I’ve been having a purposefully, albeit gradual, declutter of my home, including my wardrobe. Each revision sees me getting tougher on what has to go. No doubt this thought process will help further. Thank you x
Thank you for your sweet words Leanne! I’m so excited to hear more about your journey! xoxo Caroline
I love this! I have never heard about capsule wardrobes but I’m going to give this a go!!
So great to hear from you Li! Hope you’re doing well! :) xoxo Caroline
Thanks for the planner! I’ve been doing a lot of reading about lean closets, and moving towards a “uniform.” So I LOVE the direction you are taking. The planner was helpful – as it helped direct the thinking and action a bit more specifically. Since the weather in LA is not as varied, neither is the clothing I wear year round. So I am moving more towards a year round closet with a few season specific pieces. Still working out how many pieces to keep/ what to put away for summer. Even in summer I’ve been known to wear a tank top in the afternoon and a heavy sweater at night. Thanks! Keep it up! ek
I’ve been thinking about this for the last few weeks and this weekend started looking around for ways to help me plan/pull together a capsule wardrobe. I’m going to need a whole new wardrobe after my second child is born in July and wanted to re-evaluate my style to make it more manageable.
I’m having some difficulty downloading your planner though (the webpage is not cooperating). Would you be able to email it to me?
So glad to have stumbled upon your blog! A capsule wardrobe is such a great idea and a great push for me to finally get rid of those things in my closet that I just can’t get rid of. Thanks for presenting it all in such a practical and clean way! Maybe I’ll see you around town!
I stumbled across your blog when searching how to go about a capsule wardrobe. I love the idea of just having my most love clothing to wear everyday instead of wearing clothes to justify my purchases. I had already significantly reduced my closet but was stuck on a few things. What I like most about your wardrobe planner is the pie graph of how I spend my time. By actually writing that I mostly am with my kids & wear scrubs to work it really helped me to be honest about the kind of capsule I need. Also by writing my favorite outfits I was able to realize for the summer capsule I had all the clothes I need so no silly purchases. I put all my fall & winter clothes in guest closet for now will tackle those when it gets closer. Thanks so much for the planner it really helped.
I have been downsizing my wardrobe for months and this information is very important to me, since I have been hitting this wall lately: not knowing my style or how to identify it. But sadly, I think it will all have to wait until September, since in the next months my lifestyle will change a lot (graduating high school, studying for exams and moving to another city). Do you have any advice on how I can keep taming my wardrobe without jumping in doing the real thing?
Hi Iona! Thanks for your comment. :) If you’re not ready to take the plunge, try just making a habit of getting rid of 5-10 items every month + setting a no shopping rule for yourself. Before you know it, you’ll have pared down your wardrobe. Plus, not shopping will help you avoid making any shopping mistakes until you can devote more time to your wardrobe. xoxo Caroline
Paring down is not a problem. I downsizd from a closet with houndreds of items to about 60-70 to wear in 4 different seasons. And I do not shop for clothes unless it’s necessary. But no matter how m
(Sorry. I hit Enter by accident!) As I was saying, I don’t buy much and pare down a lot, but I seriously think that in this way I will end up having nothing to wear. Everyday I find a piece that I no longer like. Even things that I bought 2 months ago (on my last shopping spree) don’t seem to be my style anymore. And I could really a new jacket, but I am afraid that anything I will buy now, I will hate two months for now.
One thing that I’ve done to help figure out what I like is to cut out photos of cute outfits from magazines and catalogs and tape them up on the wall. Then I analyze what it is I like about them, the details. Pinterest is also awesome for making collections of cute clothes.
I love that Caroline puts you on a no-new-purchase freeze. If you do find a hole in the wardrobe and decide to shop, do it with a very specific need and stay securely on the side of “save” so you won’t have guilt if you find it doesn’t work out between you and the purchase. If you do run out things to wear, consider going with a white or black tee/blouse and jeans/slim pants for a few days. I’d try my best to wait on the new coat until you’ve experienced your new life in your new city so you know exactly what you’ll need from the coat.
I stumbled across your blog a few days ago while researching “wardrobe capsule.” Your blog is JUST what I needed. I’m terrible at putting things together, and I really want to learn to make it work with a few pieces. I have a very simple lifestyle already, but my closet is sending out an S.O.S.!
I can appreciate Ioana making the comment about buying something and disliking it a few months later. I have quite a few things like that. I think for myself it is because of an impulse purchase. I was just loosey goosey shopping around because I was bored, and bought something I didn’t need/plan! I like a comment you made on a blog post about having a lot of items that were just hard to pair up. I have a lot of that. (Who knew that crazy jungle print wouldn’t go with everything?)
Anyway, I am copying your summer capsule. Trying to pick some of the same elements of the tops, dresses, etc. I picked up the Madewell eyelet skirt tonight (Ladies, it’s 30% extra off in stores right now. Yay!) And white shorts. I’m going to pull in some items from the spring capsule. (Bought the JC stripe dress). Here is San Diego, the weather doesn’t change much. I usually need a light jacket at night.
THANKS SO MUCH! You really are an inspiration. You have an amazing talent, love your photography work. PLEASE DON’T STOP! (yes, I’m shouting. In a good way.) hehe
Hugs
Hi Caroline,
I stumbled upon your blog last week just in time for your Summer Capsule selections post. I jumped right on board with the idea and am loving it! I just wanted to let you know how grateful I was for this free planner download. At first, I glanced at it and thought… I can probably forgo this part and jump right into selecting the favorites from my closet. But that task was much harder than I thought. I took a few steps backwards and printed out your planner. It gave me so much clarity! I also downsized my massive style Pinterest board to seasonal boards which really gave me a perfect visual for choosing the word associations and coming up with go to outfits etc. I am happy to say that I was able to make my capsule selections today and can’t wait to see how I do over the course of the summer. Thank you so much for your blog. It has truly inspired me. What an incredible feeling to have a near empty closet with items I can’t wait to wear!
I love your idea of putting currently-unused items in storage, but how do you know what you have in storage? Did you create an inventory, or do you have everything hanging and easy to see in your storage unit?
Loving your wardrobe planner even though it doesn’t work for me with my style (which isn’t based on standard basics typical of a capsule wardrobe) because seeing where your (and similar) system(s) don’t work for me helps me in my own (very different) wardrobe-planning process. :-)
Also love the aesthetic of your blog BTW. Beautiful design.
Hi Wendy! Thanks for your comment! I neatly pack all of my non-current clothes in two under-the-bed boxes + I use the StyleBook app to see what I have without having to unpack it. :) xo Caroline
Came across your website and it is most timely! I am still unpacking/downsizing after a move, and I’m amazed at how many clothes I have been saving for (when I lose weight, a special occasion, some time other than what I’m doing now). I’ve been wearing them and realizing that it’s time they went to another deserving owner, thus creating space in my closet. So, what to purchase? I am guilty of buying things to create some fantasy lifestyle that has no connection with how I live now. The pie chart is an excellent idea! Looking forward to trying your guidelines for a capsule wardrobe. Thank you for sharing your side of things!
Love your post! For those with limited funds or in other situations such as pregnacy it may be helpful to ‘make-do’ with ‘place-holders’ temorarily until the situation changes.
Note: your placeholder may not be perfect for you but be good enough for now. Hope this helps someone.
Hi Sheryl! Thanks for your helpful comment! I completely agree — sticking to a budget is always the top priority, even if that means making do with a less-than-ideal piece for now. I like to treat building a capsule wardrobe as a lifelong process. If I can’t afford it this year, perhaps next year. :) xo Caroline
This is so great! Just stumbled across your blog and am so excited to use this! I’ve been having trouble dressing myself this summer, ha! Thanks so much for making it free! :)
Caroline,
I just came across your blog and can’t wait to try out the capsule wardrobe myself. I’ve really been despising the amount of clothes in my closet lately, even after donating a ton of items I no longer wear.
I’m hoping to downsize even more in the next few weeks and start a new capsule “season” in September (I live in Fla. and the weather stays pretty warm through December). However, I’m having trouble paring my wardrobe down to pieces that will work double duty in a business casual office and on the weekends. I love your summer wardrobe, but it seems much too casual for my day-to-day routine. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Holy Crap Caroline!
This is exactly what I’ve been needing! I purged a lot of stuff in my recent move, but I went through my closet tonight and realized I still have a lot of things I don’t LOVE that get pushed to the back. Thank you so much for the insight and planner! I’ll be keeping my eye on your blog for more inspiration through the seasons! Thanks again!
Is there anyway to subscribe through e-mail?
Hi, I have just started to work on my capsule wardrobe a few days ago and today I found your blog via Pinterest. I have already bought a few new things and this time – unlike before – I asked myself which pieces would go together well and can be combined with the others in order to achieve many different outfits. I am so happy! I haven’t finished the process and it’s a silly time, too, at the end of summer, but it’s very satisfying. I donated a lot of my old clothes to charity and made a fresh start. My closet is filling with clothes I really love.
You can see my selection on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/inside9b/my-closet/
When I find another piece that goes with these, I add it, and sometimes I delete one of the items if I find something better. I have also made pictures of combinations and uploaded them to that same Pinterest folder. Your comments are welcome. ;)
Janine
Hi, I am starting my fall capsule and am so excited for this undertaking. Thank you for all the great tips and the planning tool! It has been so great to purge all the things I have been hanging onto and not wearing. I have always had the full closet with nothing to wear! Any tips for incorporating color into the capsule and still having it mix and match well? In the past, I have always tended to stick to neutral colors and my pinterest bored for capsule ideas is also very neutral. My husband finds this a little boring.
Thank you!
Amy
My wardrobe oscillates between “okay, a few more bright pieces” and “whoops, it’s getting hard to make outfits, time to add more gray and navy”. So I guess my tip is basically not to fret too much about which colors or how many.
I’m actually of the opinion that it’s more important to balance colors with neutrals than to pick a color or two and stick with it. Yellow sweater and purple tights with neutral skirt and shoes = probably fine. Yellow sweater and yellow pants that are almost but not quite the same shade … well, I love it, but it’s not for everyone. :)
Brilliant!! This is exactly what I need to do! I’ve been trying to downsize my closet my closet for months and it never really worked… I’m ready to try something new!
found you through Natalie and intrigued and inspired. Less is more. excited to try this. super indecisive so it will be kind of a torture and yet a healthy challenge. Thanks for this!
Hi! I adore this concept and DESPERATELY want to get there…
I have been following you for a little while now and have officially decided to make this happen! I need help though! I need a semi-professional side to my closet, church clothes side…AND casual. Also, I am more into classics with small statements and am not as adorably trendy as yourself. What are your best resources for getting outfit ideas? I am NOT creative when it comes to clothing…and I find it difficult to search pinterest without some basic ideas of what I want to wear.
All that to say, LOVE the concept…GONNA do it…and NEED inspiration :)
Any help is appreciated!!!! :D
Brittany
(ps…Im in Georgia…so definitely hot MOST of the year.)
Hi Brittany!
You’ve got this!! :) Try making two (or even three) mini capsules. Or simply stick with one, but feel free to increase your number. Or maybe just don’t count outerwear and shoes. Do what feels right in your gut — you have permission to break all the rules. :)
xo
Caroline
hi Caroline– my friend forwarded me your capsule wardrobe blog post last night and I can’t wait to try it out for myself. A couple of questions for you:
*Do you only have the 37 pieces or do you own 37 pieces for each season?
*The goal is obviously to purge but is the idea to only wear those 37 pieces for the one season and then when the seasons change, you start over with 37 other items from your closet?
I know we can make it up as we see fit but curious how you are doing it so that I can follow suit! (no pun intended:)
Caroline,
I am thrilled to have found your blog as I have had it on my mind to create a minimal wardrobe (I am a natural minimalist in the fashion department, AKA one pair of the same flats since my wedding day three years ago). I LOVE your blog, thank you thank you!
Anyway, I started working on the capsule planner last night and came upon some roadblocks/realizations:
1. I have very few (almost none) pieces of clothing I LOVE and reach for with glee
2. I am lost as to what style I am because of the lack of #1, and having been pregnant, nursing or both for the last 3 years, clothing shopping has not been fun.
3. I’ve never been much of a clothing shopper (expect for high school thrift shopping days long gone), so I am not sure about BRANDS (is there a list somewhere?), ect.
Basically, I am reaching out for some help as to *where to start* before I even start the planner. Are there “how to find your style” 101’s out there for those of us who have no starting point? I have been using pinterest, but it’s hard because the models/bloggers are either much smaller than me, or much larger (I am a 8/10). So it’s hard to get realistic ideas of looks that would work for my body type.
If you, or any others reading this, can point me in the right direction I would much appreciate it!
CANNOT WAIT to see your fall capsule!!!!
Hi Katrina!
You might be surprised to hear this, but with this being my first year at building capsule wardrobes + finding my style, I’m always at a complete loss when I sit down to fill out my wardrobe planner for the coming season. I have no vision. No inspiration. No real direction. Sure I’ve had my feelers out for cute looks on Pinterest, but overall, I’m a bit anxious and unsure about the whole thing.
But! That’s actually why I made the planner in the first place. It’s meant to be that friendly starting place, when you don’t know where else to start. It’s designed to lift the fog a little more with each section you complete. Don’t worry about the whole planner — just focus on the first section, Lifestyle. That one’s easy, so boom — a little of the fog lifted. :) Then go from there, one section at a time. Before long, you’ll have it figured out!
I agree that Pinterest can be an overwhelming place to start. So other ideas? I always like going to a bookstore, camping out on the floor, and looking through some of the books on personal style. There’s a ton of great information about proportions + dressing for your body type.
Hope this helps a little! :)
xo
Caroline
I am so inspired by this challenge and can’t wait to go home tonight and create my Fall capsule! I think a lot of women in America must have the same issue of going to fast fashion places like Forever 21 and H&M, etc. and buy trendy items, hardly ever wear them, and then wonder where their money is going. I’m thinking this technique will really help!
Thanks!
I just printed off the wardrobe planner. I think your idea of breaking the capsules into 4 seasons is a brilliant idea. I can already see the wheels turning in my head on how just by doing that, it will be more doable to go through my clothes and sort them into outfits. I live pretty casually, mostly pants, sweaters, and tops. I’m going to try on all my pants first and edit out the ones that don’t fit. Then sort the pants into seasons and match sweaters to them. Then I’ll add the tops and shoes. I have already noticed over the years that having all fall/winter out at the same time is a lot of clothes to consider. This way, I’m dividing and conquering, and when the winter clothes come out they will seem like new clothes. Already I can sense that there are very few items that I will need to buy. The treat will be that if I don’t buy anything new (especially lots of small purchases) over the next three months, I can consider buying something more expensive, of quality, like a new pair of boots. Thank you!!
Thank you so much! This is really great. In the future would you consider doing a mock capsule or even just a breakdown of items for those of us in an office environment? I am struggling to determine which items to purchase without risking being seen in the same outfit every day.
Thanks again, this is fun!
I’m so grateful for your website! It’s been so helpful in starting my own capsule wardrobe. But I’m finding it hard pairing it down to 37 items (or around that number). I know I’ve got way too many clothes and this is half the problem but I’ve always had such a hard time trying to give away or sell clothes I no longer use or fit… There’s so many items I want to keep in my capsule wardrobe for the season. How do you decide on one top over another, or only having one or two dresses?
Hi Simone! Try paring down ruthlessly … but then simply put the rest of your clothes in storage so you have the safety net of always being able to pull them out again if you end up missing them too much. Then you can experiment with 37 + see what it feels like, but you’ll have a safety net. :) Or … it sounds like you might actually do better with more than 37 pieces if you have that many pieces that you love. Try letting go of that number, 37, and pick a number that feels right to you — even if it’s much more. No guilt allowed! The “rules” are just made up — you can break them. :) From there you can take baby steps to minimize what you have, or you may find that that’s the right amount for you. No matter what, know that you can break all the rules + make your own way. :) xo Caroline
Worked great! So helpful!
I really liked seeing what brands I go back to, I was actually surprised.
Thanks!
WOW, this post hit HOME with me. I found you through “the small things blog” and am so grateful to Kate for introducing me to you! I realized that I was reading about myself when I read this post. Smack in the face wake up call! I am starting TODAY on my capsule wardrobe planner. THANK YOU, I feel like this was NOT coincidence that I found you today!
#ShoppingToMakeMeFeelBetterIsNotTheAnswer
#ShopWithAPlan
#ShopSMART
I just love this minimalist concept and seriously, only have 5 things I truly love in my closet – not good! One of the girls in my MOPS groups mentioned your blog this morning (she’s a friend of yours) and after I got home, I put my toddler down for his nap and RAN to the computer. I’m sad I didn’t know about capsule wardrobe before getting pregnant again because I’m itching to start a capsule this season, but now I’m not sure how to do it. Maybe I’ll just build a maternity specific capsule! Off to read more of your posts and catch up on this capsule wardrobe thing… :)
Take a look at thesmallthingsblog.com — she is starting a capsule wardrobe (only week 2 in I think?) and has a maternity specific capsule!
Can I just say I love you? haha. But seriously girl. I love the idea of pairing down your closet. I keep coming back to your blog and now I realize you have a planner for it!! What? Awesome. I will be downloading and using it. It’s will my closet life saver. Especially since I will switching over to winter clothes soon.
I will take up this challenge next month (New Year)!
I love your blog and I’m hoping to make my own capsule wardrobe for this upcoming spring! Thanks for all the advice that you give!
I widdled down my closet so much in October thanks to your blog! I’ve only purchased one item during the past 3 months, which was a holiday dress for Christmas parties. I also got an insane deal, but that is another story… haha
So, I am working through some of your worksheets and I am having such a hard time defining my style!! Do you have any ideas on ways to start determining it? I’d really appreciate it!
Ok, this is awesome! Thanks for putting in the time & effort to help people like me make this transition to minimalism as smooth as possible! xx
Caroline,
Thank you so much! I have been wanting to do this for the longest time. I am almost 45 and finally with your blog I have found “the how to.” I won’t lie. The worst part of my day every day is trying to figure out what to wear! I stress it picking it out, putting it on, and than can’t wait to get it off because it just doesn’t look right. I am feeling the fear of going down to 37 items because I already feel like I have nothing to wear. BUT I am up for the challenge. Your “How to guide” has given me courage that I can finally do this. It seems so hard to know how to dress for the 40-50 year mark. It is such a hard transition but I feel like with figuring out my style I can do it. Thank you again so much! Can’t wait to get started!
Rachel
I have been looking for this for ages! Thank you so much for this :)
– X Marloes
I just wanted to say thanks for such an inspirational blog, it’s changed my way of life, wardrobe and spending. Living minimally and section into my wardrobe in to seasons has been amazing
I just wanted to say thanks for such an inspirational blog, it’s changed my way of life, wardrobe and spending. Living minimally and sectioning my wardrobe in to seasons has been amazing! I now save for my next season and shop cautiously and use colours that emphasis my skin colouring, using your rules of three really helps. I’m starting to plan my spring wardrobe around the things I have put away. It has even helped by thinking about buying gifts for family through the year ready for Christmas to help live happier in December without using the credit card! Thanks for such a great blog and suggestions x
Hi Caroline,
I had that idea of wardrobes from years now but the way you refined it was fashion genius! Please check out my website as I am trying to keep up and complete winter wardrobe too!
Love your post and Texas :)
Melissa
Do you know what the app is on Android? It seems like My Dressing might be it?
Hi IIana!
Yes, unfortunately MyDressing is the only decent app I have found for Android. Caroline’s choice (and the best option), Stylebook, is looking into an Android version though! I recently heard of Stylicious on Android, but haven’t checked it out yet. Best of luck!! <3
Stylitics is pretty good too!
Hello I’ve been working on this for a while now… and i have a TON of stuff.. I’ve had over 300 to 400 items (from clothing to shoes)..crazy i know .. but now I’m down to 100 items ( for all the seasons) (good or bad?)..
Im currently living in Australia .. and I’m moving back to the states in less than 5 days now.. i want to go back home with less stuff .. is there anyway i could do one more good clean out.. and what advice do you have for BIG moves??
Thanks so Much
Hi Caroline! I just want to say thank you for this beautiful website and your posts. I have been following for a few months now and your style inspires me. I am a graduate student on a tight budget. And I never feel right being super trendy, but your outfits help me work toward a simple, beautiful sense of style. Paired with your approach to minimalism, I just get so much out of your work. Thanks for being awesome and sharing it with us!
Hey Caroline! (We have the same name!)
I just wanted to let you know that because of you, I feel like I can finally breathe. Your capsule wardrobe planner is genius. It made me think outside the box and clarify what my style is. I can go shopping without feeling overwhelmed. I know that I am not wasting money because I already planned what I need. I love everything in my closet! I love your website. Thank you for helping me!
Hi Caroline!
Thank you so much for making a capsule wardrobe so easy for an average person like me to do for myself. I live in Phoenix and spring has been here for a few weeks now. I spent a weekend doing my spring capsule and ended with 40 items I really love! My trip to the mall was efficient, not the least stressful and stayed within my budget getting the things I planned for. Thank you for inspiring me!
Caroline!
Love all your information about creating a capsule wardrobe! I’m currently working on a major lifestyle change which has resulted in me changing sizes every other month! While I’m really excited about the weight loss, any suggestions for making my closet work in the now? I have been able to make some dresses and sweaters work as they are just more blousy now and can be accessorized with a belt, but some things I can’t work with (really ill fitting pants, shirts looking sloppy). Thanks in advance!
Thank you so much for all the tips, and the minimalist style of your page is really wonderful. I’ve been trying these wardrobe planners getting ready to begin college, and I couldn’t have found your blog and your planner guide at a more perfect time. Thanks to you, I’m all good for college in the summer. Loves!
This is so awesome. We just moved into a new house and I’ve been trying to pair down all of our belongings before the arrival of our second baby to make life more simple and streamlined. Although I already paired down my wardrobe a few weeks ago, I just found your website and it inspired me to make it even more simple. I just used your planner and also took pictures of all of my clothes for the Stylebook app I just downloaded. Even just having to go through the process of photographing each piece of clothing I own made me more open to letting items go. This is the best minimalist website for clothing I’ve ever found. Thank you so much!
i came across unfancy a year ago from now actually and was very intrigued but wasnt thoroughly interested. I came across the term “capsule wardrobe” again today and feel very much so interested and am thinking about giving this ago now that the new year is among us… I might just try it out for a month and see what happens after it… little bit scared but I think it would also be a great content for my blog for 2016 :)
Quick question. I’m very new to the whole capsule warobe concept and minimalism. Are there any brands you would suggest me purchasing from for high quality clothing that will not wear fast but that’s affordable? Keep in mind that I have a broke-in-college budget. lol If you could get back to me that would mean soooo much . thx :)
I’ve just discovered your website through a Youtuber called ‘ViviannaDoesMakeUp’ and I am so pleased! I have been hating my wardrobe recently and feel so bored with the same skinny jeans and Chelsea boots combo I wear everyday, so your websit is exactly what I have been looking for! It is so helpful and information and I am so excited to begin in creating my own capsule wardrobe!
Good information! I had a gastric sleeve surgery in 2011 after retiring. I lost 180 lbs and you can imagine what happened to my wardrobe. I vowed to keep it simple and did just that. It is very freeing to keep things to what you love and feel good in. Everyone who follows your ideas will benefit greatly both mentally and financially. Keep up the good works!
I need to do this. My wardrobe is a complete mess. And I have been told I dont dress properly for any occasion. Which really sucks. I also have no definitive style and the real bummer is I live in a country that doesn’t really accommodate big people. I am 6ft tall and very curvy. And well…. nothing ever fits!! Disaster.
I am so going to try this!! It’s just what I need!!! Thank You!!!!
Ive just discovered the concept of capsule wardrobes and am so excited. Ive put on a lit of weight so ive been wearring a horrible uniform. Now that ive lost 2 inches in a month I am ready to have fun again. I see cqpsule wardrobes not as a restriction but as an intentional and freeing thing. We have very drastic seasons here near ottawa but I am an artist so no need to a business wardrobe. Thank you so much for taking the time to blog about this. I will be sewing most of my new clothing and am very excited for this adventure
I just came across your blog (linked from an Apartment Therapy article) and I love that you made this planner available! I’ve been thinking of doing this for months but had no idea where to start. I’m really excited to give this a try. Thank you!
I do have a question also.
The situation: My boyfriend has a serious clothing hoarding problem (he’s currently using half of my wardrobe, because he can’t fit all his clothes in his and since I like to keep my wardrobe pared down and looking spacious he figured he might as well use my ‘extra’ space…haha). I’ve suggested we work on paring down his wardrobe (not throwing anything out, just packing some things away in vacuum bags), but he says he doesn’t have time to sort through everything, or to cycle his wardrobe every few months. I don’t want to nag him but it’s getting to be a serious issue – and he still keeps buying clothes!
The question: Do you have any suggestions for how to make the capsule wardrobe method less intimidating for hoarders like him? Is there anything that really motivated you to do this and convinced you this would improve your life in general? I’ve shown him the planner and asked him to think about it, but I know he won’t get very far unless he actually wants to.
No worries if you don’t have any ideas, it’s a tough one! Just thought I’d ask in case.
I have a wardrobe but that’s not more attractive like your guide.Now i make new wardrobe based on this one. Thanks for sharing this with us.
The planner is beyond awesome. I love the way it is organized. It really makes the task of simplifying your wardrobe fun and easy. Thanks so much for the ideas! I’m ready to get started.
LOVE your capsule wardrobe planner!! thank you!!
Caroline… I love you because you have a Greyhound! I had one called Shemmah, and he had the most beautiful personality. Unfortunately he died of a rare brain disease but they are the most lovely, and loving dogs around. And the best thing is watching them run away from all the other dogs in the park :D Thanks for your wonderful advice – I can’t wait to go and clean out my cupboards before I move homes, and start my new life after a hurtful breakup.
Hi Caroline, thank you so much! I just have a question, which tools do you use to do your posts about the capsule wardrobe? I am looking to do something similar on my blog.
Thank you
Ah! Thank you so much for this planner and your whole description of how you started your capsule wardrobe! I just learned of the idea earlier today through pinterest, and then I found your blog and this planner and I can’t wait to start. As a rising senior in high school I have a VERY tight clothes budget and with thinking about college and its big life changed, a materialism cleanse is JUST what I need. This completely the minimalist concept in a whole new way, and I’m so grateful to have found it! Thank You!
Olivia, I hope it works out really well for you! Perfect time to transition. Good luck! :) xo, Caroline
I was wondering if the purpose of a capsule wardrobe is to simplify your life, which I really really really want to go, do you steer clear of delicates? I feel like this is going to be my downfall. I really want to eliminate delicates and hand wash items from my wardrobe, but all of my favorite pieces are delicates and hand wash items. Do you have any advice for this?
Just discovered you & your blog (late to the game!), and I love your platform. I’m printing your capsule wardrobe guide tomorrow. I’ve already been tending toward this route and I love that you incorporate personal identify, values, and lifestyle into your guide. I’m excited to get brainstorming!
Best,
Anika
I’m SO excited about this. I’ve been pairing down my wardrobe for the last several years as I’ve had kids/different body shapes & changes and quite frankly changed styles. There’s honestly less than 37 pieces simply because I’m a SAHM who’s quite earnest about not having something in my closet that doesn’t make me feel awesome! This combined with budget constraints can really limit a wardrobe. :-D I really love what you mentioned about wanting to be content with what you had instead of longing for a larger wardrobe. This really resonates with me. I’m also SO excited to fill out this guide. Things like this jive really well with my personality but helping to funnel all my ideas without all the brain clutter. My plan is to put together a solid Maternity capsule based on Trimesters since we’re newly expecting our 3rd and my current maternity collection is missives and mismatched. THANK YOU. I’ll be stopping in again for sure!
Been working on the clothes/closet thing for awhile now. It is totally worth it. Just wanted to say thanks for giving the wardrobe planner worksheets with out having to enter an email! It really is the small things in life. I’m a fan. Will be following you and learning :)
Caroline,
Thanks for the planner! It really helped me figure out my style. I’ve been struggling with that for a while now and the what’s working/not working for me assessments in your planner did it for me. My style was already there and I just can’t find it because it never quite fit the general classifications and photos on other websites. Also got to figure out why I wasn’t wearing a lot of my clothes (I didn’t know how to wear or match them, lol). Now, I gotta do some research on how to make those things work!
Thanks so much again!
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new
comments are added- checkbox and now every time
a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with thee same comment.
Is there a way you are able to remove me from that service?
Kudos!
Ah, that would be annoying! :) There should be an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the emails you’re receiving. That should take care of it!
Caroline,
I fine this capsule planner really helpful. I’m not sure how to pick and choose the right pieces when I work outside with children and dog walk most of my time. The rest of the time I’m at home completing courses online. I dress up on Sunday’s and when I visit family. I don’t go out much but I keep a few dresses and skirts just in case I meet Mr. Right. I actually don’t like wearing golf shirts and khaki shorts or sweat pants and work out shirts but these are the clothes that match my work and lifestyle. I try to dress up a bit when I run errands because my dad use to do this. I find it a healthy habit and it makes me feel better. The reality is I’m not in front of people or going to conferences, or stylish social functions as much as I use to. I do like to appear classy and clean despite not having to dress up. The focus in on staying warm and choosing practical pieces. Open to your suggestions. I have one cupboard and store seasonal clothes in 2 containers.
I just wanted to thank you for the planner. I like the thought of a capsule wardrobe, but had no idea how to pare down what was in my closet, as I thought I liked it all.. The questions really helped narrow it down to my absolute favorites.
I don’t know how I managed to find this right before the start of a new year. I randomly started thinking about all the clothes I have that I never wear. So, that lead me down the path to right here. Turns out it’s the perfect place to be. A seismic shift is about to take place in my closet, drawers, and storage unit.
Thanks, Caroline :)