All Things Capsule Wardrobe: Part 2

If you missed part one of my capsule wardrobe posts go ahead and read it. Today I'll be sharing the online sources where I have learned about capsule wardrobes. I will try to share a short description of what you will find at each link.

My very first introduction to capsule wardrobes came from Project 333 at Be More with Less. When you click on that link you will find a place to sign up for a free quick start guide to capsule wardrobes. As you keep scrolling past that Courtney has shared a giant post with her rules, instructions for first timers, instructions for changing to the next season after your first capsule wardrobe, and links to a few starter articles.

Here is an article with superb visuals of how a capsule wardrobe gives you multiple outfit options with just a few pieces. It is a guest post from Audrey at Putting Me Together. She has a great series on Building a Remixable Wardrobe on her blog too.

Tabitha Dumas has several good resources on capsule wardrobes. Starting Your Capsule Wardrobe has simple steps and how she went about them. How to Get Dressed walks you through how she gets ready for the day, including ideas for choosing accessories. A Lesson in Contrast was really helpful to me - why do some things look right when put together and others don't? And why is it different on me than on someone else? A Lesson in Scale and Proportion was another great visual post about why size matters - size of items like a purse and size of prints you are wearing. Very helpful!

Greater than Rubies has a Fall Remix post that is really helpful. She shows you the 20 items she'll be using for a month of dressing. Then she links at the bottom of the post to each week's photos of her outfits (this was done in 2013). It's so helpful to visit each post and see how she took 14 tops, 4 pants, and 2 skirts and mixed them up all month.

The Elastic Wardrobe by Corina at Now That I Can Do is a 3 part series. She says it's not really a capsule wardrobe and I say it's pretty similar. In Part 2 she has great resources about choosing colors and a free worksheet to print. She also has a Mom's Wardrobe Basics series that is worth a look.

Into Mind has a giant 10 part series on Revamping your Wardrobe. I don't love every part of her series, it seems to drag on in places, but there is a lot of good food for thought.

Classy Yet Trendy has a 3 part series about Creating a Mixable Wardrobe on a Budget. It's a good series. Be aware that she also has ebooks she sells for various capsule wardrobes, so they're linked frequently. I've not purchased any, there are so many free resources online, but I know sometimes it is helpful to just have a guide to print out and go with.

Things to Consider:

• Clothing bloggers come in a variety of sizes (though plus size is harder to find!) and price points (many of the ones I've come across spend a lot more money on items than would fit my budget - but if it fits their budget I say good for them). These bloggers are great for ideas! The implementation of what to buy to fit you and where you shop may vary.
• You don't have to get an entire capsule at one time. Add a new piece each week or each month.
• Neutrals are your friend! Buy basic pieces in neutral colors like black, gray, white, and brown. They will mix with any color and can be used for multiple capsule seasons. For example, I can use the same black slacks in fall, winter, and early spring with very different tops. I can use a white shirt in any season, with or without layers according to temperature.
• Pinterest is also your friend. Do a search for capsule wardrobe and prepare to be amazed at the visual feast. Feel free to follow my Capsule Wardobe board on Pinterest. You can also search for specific ideas when you search "how to wear ______", such as "how to wear a striped shirt" or "how to wear a blazer".  It's a quick way to get a lot of visual examples of how to use an item you have in your closet but don't know what to do with.