A simple guide to curating a capsule wardrobe

& 3 compelling reasons why you should consider giving this a go.

Are you wasting time each day figuring out what to wear and wish to dress more intentionally in doing so? If so, you'll love today's blog post. I'm sharing my simplified, easy process for curating a beautiful wardrobe that you can feel joyful about!

We live in a fast-paced world where we're conditioned to believe that we must keep buying new clothes each time the weather changes. I've indeed fallen into the trap of making unintentional purchases, wearing the item once or twice, then stashing the item in the back of my wardrobe, never to be worn again. Perhaps you can relate?

I've been practising the art of curating a capsule wardrobe since my teen years, and it's an evolving practice from which I've learned many things. The truth is, just the idea of owning clothes I don't wear stresses me out. It's important to me that everything I own is cherished and enjoyed!

In the photo above, you'll see my entire wardrobe, which typically never has more than 20-25 pieces at any one time. To the side, I have a small basket filled with intimates, swimwear, and accessories, and on the shelf sits three pairs of shoes. I'll typically wear an item over and over again until it's literally falling to pieces. And if I don’t? I’ll re-home or sell the item in order to make space for something that will suit my practicalities better.

By now, you might be wondering what the point is in keeping an overflowing closet full of clothes you don't love?

I could harp on about all the benefits of a capsule wardrobe, but instead, I'll share 3 compelling reasons why you should consider giving this a go:

1: Once you have a clearer idea of the style of clothes you love and wear over and over, you'll spend far less money on cheaper, spur-of-the-moment pieces that typically would have filled a temporary gap.

2: In most cases, a small considered wardrobe is far better for the environment. When you need to replace an item in your closet, you'll have a new mindset of quality over quantity. Furthermore, you'll likely be able to afford nicer, more beautiful items that will last for years, rather than fast, trendy fashion that only lasts a season.

3: Getting dressed in the morning will be significantly easier to decide what to wear. Having a small collection of interchangeable pieces means less decision fatigue, thus reducing unnecessary stress and overwhelm. Once the physical clutter is gone from your wardrobe, you'll also have more clarity and enjoyment for the items you do love!

Once your wardrobe is looking much lighter and easy to flick through, you'll be able to see what might be missing or have a much clearer idea of the kind of pieces you go back to repeatedly.

But where to start? Here’s my guide to decluttering your wardrobe and rediscovering the style of clothing that you love.

The first step is to evaluate what you already have, discover the pieces you genuinely love, and then let go of the rest. And this doesn't mean glancing at your wardrobe and flippantly going through the hangers. I encourage you to lay it all out on your bed and consider whether each piece deserves to go back in. Remember: this is your chance to celebrate yourself and the items that truly bring you joy.

Consider each piece, and then place into one of the following three piles:

1: The items you love. These will fit you nicely, your wear them often and you feel happy wearing them. Thank these items, hang them up lovingly and place them back into your wardrobe.

2: The maybe pile. These items might have sentimental value, or perhaps you have been 'saving' them for a special occasion. These clothes might also seem lovely in theory, but once you put them on, you always end up taking them off again. Put all of these items into a box and store them somewhere to consider in 3 months' time. If you have forgotten about them by this point, I encourage you to sell or donate them. Another method, is to place them in your wardrobe with the hangers facing opposite to the rest. If you do end up wearing it, place it back in with the hanger the right way round so that you can easily see which ‘maybe’ items actually get worn!

3: The no pile. These clothes make you shake your head when you look at them. They are ill-fitting, uncomfortable, and do not bring you joy. If you haven't worn something for six months, it should probably go in this pile. Sell or donate these items swiftly.

Last note: Some items you love might be seasonal, meaning if you know you won't wear them for at least 3 months, you can always store them somewhere safe until the weather changes.

If you’re someone who would prefer a personalised one-on-one experience, I’ve recently launched The Art of Dressing Well - a 3 month premium package designed to help you discover your own unique style and curate a capsule wardrobe that actually works for you.

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of guiding friends through their own wardrobe transformations and more recently, assisted a handful of clients in curating their very own bespoke, simplified wardrobes - turning daily dressing into a fun and effortless process. I have space to start helping 3 women this month, so if this you, please get in touch for more info! I would love to go on this transformative journey with you.

Email: eleycripps@gmail.com

*Currently available for those who live in Auckland, Waikato, or the Bay of Plenty area.