I recently interviewed a closet expert for my podcast, Don’t Depend on Daddy, and it seriously got me thinking about my capsule wardrobe. (You can listen to the episode here)

The guest, Lauren Morley, mentioned that she doesn’t subscribe to the concept of a Capsule Wardrobe for a few key reasons: 

👉🏻 It puts you into a style box that can get boring

👉🏻 It’s never truly “complete” 

👉🏻 It focuses only on one style theme, like casual or professional, but not both

I am a capsule wardrobe STAN … and this really got me thinking about my choices!! 

Instead of a capsule wardrobe, she follows what she calls an “Outfit System” that focuses on building out 10-20 (ish) outfits that you feel really good in. This could be 5 outfits for work, 5 casual/every day outfits, an 5 “dressy” outfits for events and nights out. 

These outfits don’t all have to be made up of different pieces, but the idea is by building your closet around outfits that you feel really confident in, you will always have something to wear for any occasion. 

Ultimately, I think my wardrobe falls somewhere in the middle of a true capsule wardrobe and this outfit system. 

I have tons of basics that all work together, but I also have a handful of different outfits that I gravitate towards most frequently. 

If you’re looking to overhaul your closet, build a wardrobe of basics, and create your outfit system, you’ll love tomorrow’s podcast episode!

Until then, I am going to share some of the biggest takeaways from this conversation: 

👉🏻 How to find your personal style 

👉🏻 Where to save vs. splurge

👉🏻 Choosing essentials for your wardrobe

Let’s dive in!

FIND YOUR STYLE

Finding your style is HARD. As I have moved through my late twenties, I feel like I have begun to find a true style. I love basics, I love feeling casual, and I like to feel ever so slightly elevated. I am definitely a pants gal, but I like to find small ways to add a little edge to an outfit. 

Here are 3 quick tips to start finding your style:

👉🏻 Make note of what you gravitate towards wearing the most. What are you pulling from your closet? What are you wearing when you feel the most confident? And what are you avoiding or trying not to wear? 

👉🏻 Start observing what other people are wearing. And pay attention to style, fit, accessories, and shoes! The fit of clothes is essential – blue jeans and a white shirt can have 20 different vibes depending on how the clothes fall on your body. Accessories can add a lot to a very basic look, and shoes can tie an entire outfit together. Write down what you see that you like and be specific!

👉🏻 Create an inspo board and follow style creators. THIS has made a huge difference for me when I am filling gaps in my closet. I have a mood board on pinterest of outfits that I love. I also follow creators who put together outfits and save them down, so I can go back and reference items I do/don’t have to put that outfit together. 

WHERE TO SAVE VS.SPLURGE
I see a lot of conflicting advice online on what is and isn’t “worth” investing in for your wardrobe.

Some say to invest in accessories over clothes, others say to invest in high quality clothing items and swap out your accessories regularly.

Ultimately, the save vs. splurge decisions boils down to this one question:
Which pieces are you wearing THE MOST?

The clothing items and accessories you wear the most, that are the most high touch and you get the most use out of, are the pieces you should consider splurging on.

For me, this is earrings and jeans, for the most part. But for you, it could be a blazer or a jacket or a purse or a pair of shoes.

You don’t need to invest in a cashmere sweater if you live in Florida and will only wear it a few times a year. You don’t need to spend $400 on a belt if you are always wearing dresses.

When you are purchasing an item, think about cost per wear. If it’s a $300 pair of jeans, but you wear them 100 days out of the year, it’s $3 for each wear. If you buy a $50 sweater that you wear twice, your cost per wear is $25. The jeans were a better investment!

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS

While the Outfit System is a great way to think about building out your closet, there is a ton of benefit to building out a small capsule collection of essentials and basics that you wear daily. 

To determine what your capsule of essentials should be, think about what you wear or gravitate towards on a regular basis that can be used across a variety of different outfits. 

A starter kit for your essentials could look like:

👉🏻 A pair of jeans you feel really confident in

👉🏻 A basic t-shirt or long-sleeve shirt you can layer

👉🏻 Some type of sweater, cardigan, or blazer

👉🏻 A sundress or a skirt 

👉🏻 An accessory like a purse or a belt 

With just these essentials you can build at least 5-10 outfits and then to complete these outfits you can find additional pieces to build out your wardrobe. 

If you are interested in re-assessing your closet, remember that you don’t have to throw away all your clothes or start from scratch. Shop your own closet first, and don’t be afraid to shop second-hand!