Standing in front of your closet in the morning and not having to search for a long time to find something that fits – that would be perfect, wouldn't it? The capsule wardrobe method makes this possible. It promises a simple, sustainable wardrobe. However, a capsule wardrobe isn't a futuristic piece of furniture, as the name initially suggests. Rather, it's about organizing your closet and consciously engaging with your own clothing. Find out exactly how this works here.

What exactly does the term “capsule wardrobe” mean?

Susie Faux, a London boutique owner, is considered the inventor of the capsule wardrobe. In the 1970s, she used the term to refer to a range of timeless basics that can all be combined with each other, which should form the core of your wardrobe. Add a few more unusual pieces – and hey presto – you're prepared for any situation. The term really became popular thanks to American designer Donna Karan, who released a collection of seven garments that could be combined with one another.

What belongs in the capsule wardrobe?

According to Susie Faux, the following items belong in every capsule wardrobe: two pairs of trousers, a dress or skirt, a jacket, a coat, a knitted sweater or cardigan, two pairs of shoes and two handbags.

Currently, some bloggers or authors are talking about 37 items of clothing, some even from only 10. This also includes accessories like belts, bags, or hats. How minimalistic you want to approach the whole thing is ultimately up to you. The core idea is to to own few, but useful and versatile items of clothing, rather than a whole pile of clothes that are so unusual that you rarely wear them.

In most cases, the capsule wardrobe is divided into a Spring, summer, autumn and winter wardrobe. That means it is about 37 or 10 or x items of clothing per seasonSometimes, however, spring and summer, as well as autumn and winter, are combined into one wardrobe. Only the items of the current season are actually found in the closet. Everything else waits in a box, waiting for its use in the appropriate season.

When some people think of basic pieces, they immediately think of dull colors, boring cuts, and monotony. But a capsule wardrobe looks by no means always the same – Luckily, otherwise it would be boring! Depending on your clothing style and lifestyle, you'll find a wide variety of pieces, colors, and cuts in your wardrobe. But more on that later.

Advantages of a capsule wardrobe

Converting your closet into a capsule wardrobe may involve some effort. However, for most capsule wardrobe users, the benefits of this type of closet organization outweigh the disadvantages:

• Fewer items in the wardrobe means a better overview and, along with this, mostly more order.
• You save time and nervesbecause you can keep track of everything and combine the parts with each other.
• It will Resources and money savedThis is for your own life as well as for the planet more sustainable.
• You consciously deal with your own consumption and only buys parts that are sensible, high quality and fairly produced.
• Even your own sense of style can be improved through conscious self-reflection.

The disadvantage or “danger” of the capsule wardrobe is that the individuality goes down the drain. But that doesn't have to be the case. You can have a small wardrobe and still maintain your own style. Because even though many capsule wardrobes contain black tops or white cotton shirts, that doesn't mean there can't be variation within these categories: After all, there are different materials, processing techniques, cuts, sleeve lengths, necklines, and so on.

Convert your closet into a capsule wardrobe – here's how!

Clean out, organize, and you're done? That's certainly possible, but with a little more structure, the whole process can be approached more sustainably and with less stress...

1. Get an overview: Planning

Before you start clearing out, it is important to have a few Thoughts How many items do you ultimately want to have in your closet? Or is it not so much the number of items that you care about, but rather the versatility of your clothes? Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to leave underwear or sportswear out for now. What does your daily routine look like? Is there a specific dress code at work? How do you like to dress in your free time? What role do accessories play for you? ...

These are all questions you should ask yourself before decluttering. You can take your time with it. A wardrobe concept doesn't have to change overnight. The whole process isn't perfect from the start.

In the next step, you can take a closer look at your current clothing selection. Take your time to go through your wardrobe from top to bottom or left to right and make a InventoryWhat kind of clothes do I wear? Which do I wear often, which rarely, and why? What colors do I like? What clothes do I feel comfortable in?

Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash

2. It's time to get down to business: clearing out

For some, this is the most enjoyable part; for others, there are countless things they'd rather do than clean out their closet. Especially if you've accumulated clothes over the years, this step can take some time. So don't rush to get it all done in one afternoon. It's a good idea to take each item out of your closet and create different piles:

• The Keep Pile: All those clothes that you like to wear often or that have a special sentimental value for you.
• The Sell-Give-Away-&-donation stack: Here you stack all the clothes that you can and want to part with.
• The Draw Pile: Clothes you like but rarely wear, items that are nice but less comfortable, etc., go into this pile. You can put them in a box and keep it sealed for three months. If you miss some of the items, they go back into your closet. If you haven't missed them or even forgotten them, they can be sorted out.

3. Analyses, inspiration, concepts

In this step, you take a closer look at the items of clothing you want to keep and sit down more intensively with your style What makes the items of clothing that landed in the "keep" pile special? Do you recognize a pattern? Do you have a preference for certain colors, patterns, and cuts? How does this align with the answers to the questions you answered in step one?

Also see how you can combine the pieces you want to keep. For example, you can also Prepare outfits and photograph themIf you like, you can then stick the pictures in your wardrobe or keep them handy on your phone. This way, you'll have several ideas at once when it matters.

What's missing? What should your dream wardrobe look like in the end? Get yourself some here inspiration Through Pinterest or Instagram. The important thing is to stay realistic. I know this from my own experience: There are tons of dresses and outfits online that I find incredibly beautiful, but that simply wouldn't fit into my everyday life. Ultimately, we want to have a selection of fewer, comfortable, and combinable pieces, so always keep that in mind. ☺️ .

If you have difficulty combining the pieces, it may be helpful to to orientate yourself on colors. First, choose a base color (z.B. dark blue – jeans), and then two neutral colors that match (z.B. white and gray – top). What is missing now is an accent color like pink, orange or red (z.B. shoes or a bag). Of course, you don't always have to follow this pattern, but it can give you a good orientation.

4. Recognize the process: Complete it gradually

Your capsule wardrobe is now essentially complete. However, you may still be missing a few pieces here and there. It's worth staying inspired and simply to try outOver time, you will notice which outfits you like to wear in which combinations and which pieces would be useful additions. It is best to make a WishlistBefore you dive straight into online shopping, ask yourself before you buy something whether it would be a sensible addition to your capsule wardrobe. You can then look for high-quality and sustainable pieces or even scour flea markets and secondhand shops for something suitable.

Take your time creating your capsule wardrobe and enjoy getting to know yourself and your style better!

If you would like to learn more about sustainability, mindfulness or healthy eating, take a look here over.

Photo by Caleb Lucas on Unsplash