I’ve been working on this post for quite some time as I’ve been getting my home in order, specifically my closet. This whole year, I’ve been fine tuning every nook & cranny, eliminating the unnecessary and excess. Our home is our safe place and when I feel the creep of overwhelm start to make its way inside, I know it is time for a purge.

I try to do this seasonally and will make an effort to write a whole post on how I like to try to keep our home one of these days, but today we are going to focus on the closet, the concept of a capsule wardrobe, and cohesive style.

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert in fashion. I am by no means a fashionista and the term “capsule wardrobe” is an idea that’s been around for many years. However, it is something I have been working on building into my own closet by eliminating the frustration of “I have nothing to wear” for the first time.

I don’t think there is a one-size fits all when it comes to creating your own capsule. I believe you should customize and tailor it to your personal style. A capsule doesn’t mean it has to be a color scheme of similar hues and a small number of articles, even though I do think wearing colors that look best on you and less to choose from is equally important.

My thoughts are, walking into your closet and choosing an outfit without thinking twice, feeling good in it, and going on about your day is the heart of what a capsule wardrobe should be about. A closet packed full of options doesn’t always equal a quick, cohesive style. Everything on a hanger or in a drawer should make you feel great and come as an easy choice to throw on, regardless of the occasion. You don’t always need more clothes, just the right ones.

This idea led me to clearing everything out of my side of the closet and ridding myself of anything that I hadn’t worn in a year, didn’t fit my body or lifestyle. I think as women, we all tend to keep things for a later period in our life and they usually end up collecting dust or we hold on to them until our closet is completely stuffed to the brim, forced to part with it eventually. Having a pair of jeans that are three sizes too small, EVEN IF YOU WILL FIT INTO THEM EVENTUALLY can feel defeating and bring in that thought of overhwhelm when getting dressed. So, I eliminated those too. I can always sell what I’m wearing now when I get to that point and purchase a smaller size when goals have been met. Once you start holding onto these things with loose hands and an open mind, it’s a lot easier to build a wardrobe that has your best interest and serves you well.

Stepping back, my closet held 1/3 of what it originally did but I immediately felt lighter and excited to get dressed again. Walking in and easily grabbing something because I know I love it and it’s going to fit changes things-especially how I feel in those clothes. Not only did I slim down what I had, I brought in a few new staples and tried to make my wardrobe mix and match, using those staples to create multiple outfits. Using this idea also shapes how you shop from here on out. This capsule concept breeds contentment and gives you a perspective of valuing what you already have. As silly as it may sound, making this small intentional change can give fresh eyes to other areas of our lives.

I don’t think you need a certain guideline for creating your own capsule. I’m sure that works for some but I wanted to share a list of a few key thing’s I’d keep in mind when you dive into curating your closet.

• Get rid of the easy stuff first. Things with holes, stains, items that do not fit, pieces you have not worn in years and do not intend to. (I do not mean to throw out your old clothes you wear for yard/barn work, exercising, seasonal pieces, or items that are nostalgic. We are focusing on your main capsule-not clothes you use for specific activities only.)
• I personally like to color coordinate my closet by ROYGBIV. It helps me organize and see how much of a certain color I have.
• Make a list of your lifestyle by category: home, gym, outside work, church, social, etc. Write down absolute pieces you wear for those categories and organize by how much you may need for those activities. You probably don’t need 16 pairs of workout leggings, right? So pick your favorite pairs.
• I took everything out of my closet, laid it on our bed, and tried it on. Every single piece. If I didn’t fit (big or small) it was gone. Clearing out the closet took the overwhelm away and helped me add back in my absolutes. It made the choice to keep what I really wanted easier by providing clarity of what I really didn’t need. I divided everything into yes, no, maybe and seasonal pile. The maybe pile was tried on again at the very end.
• Seeing all of the “yes” pieces hanging there showed a foundation of my personal style and what I could build upon. There will be gaps when you clear out but after doing so, hopefully it will help you purchase more intentionally. Write a list of staple pieces you need to purchase and make sure you absolutely love them before adding them to your cart. I also reccommend taking inventory of brands you gravitate toward that tend to fit you well and try shopping from them first.

A few of my personal favorite brands I shop from and wear:

• Neuflora – This is one of my all-time favorite small businesses. You can use my link here to shop. I don’t make a commission but I do earn a small shop credit to go toward my clothing purchases. Their whole business model is what inspired me to create an intentional wardrobe. Most of my staple pieces are now from there and I love that every piece I’ve purchased can carry me from season to season.
• Wrangler – I’ve found that their retro trousers are the jeans that fit me the absolute best so I’ve invested in a couple pairs that I know I can throw on and will look great.
• Pendleton – This is a brand I wear most often in the fall and I gravitate towards their cardigans and sweaters to throw over a basic blouse or tee. It fits more of my western style and can really dress up a nice pair of jeans.
• American Eagle – Most of my denim shorts or skinny jeans come from AE. I also stock up on their basic tees when they have their 40% off sale.
• Madewell – I don’t shop here often but I have found some really nice items. One of my favorite cardigans and a pair of dressy mules have come from Madewell. They are really well known for their denim-I just haven’t been able to try them yet.
• Kimes Ranch – My favorite ranch coat is from Kimes and they also have some of our favorite hats.
• Kortni Jeane – My go to for great swimwear.
• Rylee & Cru – Another brand I love for pieces that can be mixed and matched that are excellent quality.
• Bed Stu – My basic leather wedges, slides, sandals, and boots are bed stu. Also a great option for a leather bag. This is a brand I carry in my store. Items that will stand the test of time and last. You get your money’s worth.
• Levi’s – Classic denim jackets and jeans.
• Vans – Their classics are some of my favorite sneakers.
• Boots – With farm/ranch work, boots are many. Some of my favorite brands are Anderson Bean, Free Bird, Lane, & Tecovas. For other outdoor activities, I love Sorrel.
• Sneakers – I love Van’s, New Balance, and my Converse for everyday wear, Brooks and On Clouds for working out.
• Sandals/Wedges – As stated above, I love Bed Stu for my leather sandals and wedges. For more casual I love Birkenstock. I also invested in a pair of custom tooled leather heels and my mom got me a pair of custom flats that will last me a lifetime.

After my closet was put back together, I decided to divide my cull pile into two: sell & donate. The items I chose to sell, I listed on Poshmark to help earn some money back to go towards those gap pieces I needed to purchase for my wardrobe. I really love Poshmark for finding great deals as well! If you’d like to give it a try, you can sign up with this link here.

Staple items I have in my closet:

• Denim: A good pair of trousers, bootcut, skinny jeans, shorts, a button down top and denim jacket. Of course you could have a couple pairs of these or in different washes.
• Dresses: Always a black dress for certain occasions, sun dresses, church dresses, etc. A midi cut looks best on my body type.
• Shoes: This is hard to have a capsule on but I did dial it down. Boots, sneakers, leather flats, wedges, workout shoes, slides, and a good pair of house shoes. One thing my mom taught me is to invest in good shoes. It’s important for your feet.
• Tops: I have my neutrals in cardigans and cozy sweaters that are excellent for layering and making multiple looks. I do the same for tees and basic blouses.

With these items, I can easily build several different looks with a minimal number of pieces. Then I can add in a few fun, unique things that I truly love.

A tip to help this from becoming a continuous cycle, is to take note of your closet each quarter and comb through these things so it isn’t overwhelming again. Especially if you’re going through a season of body changes.

I hope this helps you in some way! I tend to lean toward a minimal personality and notice that excess causes unnecessary stress in the back of my mind. Even if that’s in the closet or a bathroom cabinet. For the first time, I enjoy getting dressed and picking out something to wear. It makes me excited for what I already own and makes shopping a more pleasant experience. This capsule wardrobe idea is a practice you can put in place in any area of your home, especially the kitchen! Stay tuned for that post coming soon.

Important Links:

• Poshmark Sign-Up
• Shop My Closet
• Neuflora Link
• My LTK
• My Amazon Store