Create a practical and realistic capsule wardrobe.

When you think of creating a capsule wardrobe, it should be practical yet realistic, right? I didn’t think it could be until I tried this formula you’ll read about below. You’re going to use 6 pieces of clothing to create 12+ outfits using a more practical version of the capsule wardrobe method. I’m calling it the “Expanded Capsule Wardrobe”

The phrase “capsule wardrobe” honestly used to make me roll my eyes.  I’m about practicality all the way, but this trend used to really stress me out.  Even during my first five years as a stylist, it was really challenging for me to imagine minimizing my clothes to the extent required for a true “capsule wardrobe”.

That all changed when I learned about this version of a capsule wardrobe.  This is the simplest DIY capsule wardrobe formula I have ever found. It’s also the most practical and realistic combination of pieces – the perfect solution for those that don’t want to be limited!

First, I want to put you at ease if you feel like I used to feel when thinking about how to build a capsule wardrobe: stressed, confused and resistant. As a busy working mom on-the-go, I wasn’t born knowing how to dress stylishly. In fact, no one was. 

Learning “Intentional Shopping”

While I did grow up loving to shop for fashion with my Mom, I learned a few bad shopping habits.  Often we didn’t shop with intention, but instead shopped because there was a great sale going on, or just as a fun mother/daughter activity. Shopping was an activity that brought us together, both then and now.

Because of my passion for shopping (sometimes that’s not a good thing!), I gradually ended up with “a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear”. This left me in one of two positions over and over. I ended up either standing in front of my wardrobe with a blank stare or changing my outfit multiple times before running out the door, stressed, frazzled and running behind because of my lack of intentional shopping. This is where a capsule wardrobe would have helped me out tremendously.

More Wardrobe Organization = Less Stress and Wasted Time

One thing I’ve learned throughout my years as a stylist, helping professional businesswomen curate their working wardrobes, is that the average woman spends an entire year of her life trying to figure out what she’s going to wear. An entire year of your life spent standing in front of your closet or anxiously struggling to pick a decent combination of clothes! Imagine the meaningful things you can get done in an entire year if you could only streamline your wardrobe.

That’s some crazy stuff, right?  But that doesn’t make us crazy.  We’re all in this together, and obviously, it’s very normal for us to have lots of clothes and feel like we have nothing to wear.  I say “obviously” because it’s a bit cliché now: it’s kind of the norm.  Think about how effortless and stress-free your morning clothing choices would be if you knew exactly what to wear. Think about how great it would be to have a closet full of versatile clothing options that paired seamlessly.

As a bonus, with less unworn clothes cluttering your closet, you would be able to see all your options at once. You could eliminate the “decision fatigue” that makes so many mornings so much harder. Last, but not least, how much more fabulous and confident would you feel if you could look effortlessly chic every single day?

So here we go…let’s go build a capsule wardrobe! Get ready for endless wardrobe options!

Building Your First Capsule Wardrobe

To begin building your capsule wardrobe, you’re going to create “modules”, or groups of clothing that work together to form multiple outfits. These are very personal and intimate because your style is personal; a reflection of your unique self.

To start, you’ll want to create two modules – you can add more from there if you’d like to.

Module 1

Module 1 is your starting point and will include six pieces of clothing.  The six pieces of clothing you choose will create up to 12 outfits. These first six pieces of clothing should all mix and match. They should include three tops, two pants and one fashion layering piece (like a kimono, cardigan, blazer, etc.)  Those six pieces of clothing will interchange with themselves to create 12 outfits (first they’ll create 6 outfits without the layering piece and another 6 outfits with the layering piece = 12 outfits).

Sample Module 1 Expanded Capsule Wardrobe

Here’s an example of six outfits created from Module 1 using the white pants.  You can create six outfits without the kimono, and an additional six outfits with it – twelve total outfits options in the blink of an eye!

Now let’s use the jeans.  Without the kimono, you can create six outfits, and by adding the kimono, you create another six new outfits by mixing and matching the bottoms. This creates a total of twenty-four outfits just by mixing and matching bottoms!

Module 2

Next is building Module 2.  For this next module, you’ll want to choose another six pieces of clothing. The pieces you choose should mix and match with each other, but also mix and match well with the items from Module 1.

Sample Module 2 Expanded Capsule Wardrobe

Here’s an example of six outfits created with the pieces from Module 2, using the yellow palazzo pants.  Without the white blazer, you can create six outfits and another six outfits with the blazer added in, which creates a total of twelve outfits altogether.

Now let’s use the coral denim jeans.  Without the white blazer, you can create six outfits and when you add the white blazer, you create another six new outfits by mixing and matching the bottoms. This creates a total of twenty-four outfits just by mixing and matching bottoms!

Now here’s where this formula gets really fabulous!  When you use the tops and bottoms from Module 1 and mix and match them with the tops and bottoms from Module 2, in the end, you’re able to create seventy-two outfits!  If you want to take that a step further and add a third module, you could create two hundred and sixteen outfits in all!

Here are a couple of examples of what this would look like.  You’ll notice I took the tops from Module 1 and paired them with the yellow pants from Module 2, both with and without the kimono.  This now gives you an additional twelve outfits (six outfits without the Kimono and another six with the Kimono).

Let’s change up the color a bit and mix in the coral denim jeans from Module 2 with the tops in Module 1, both with and without the kimono.  This again makes another twelve outfits (six outfits without the Kimono and another six with the Kimono).

Time to Shine in Your Capsule Wardrobe

Once you’ve created a capsule wardrobe using this or a similar formula, you’ll enjoy less stressful mornings, reduce that annoying “decision fatigue” and feel absolutely fabulous and confident with your outfit, every day!

If you’re like me and were turned off by the capsule wardrobe idea before,  I hope this “expanded” capsule wardrobe formula changed your mind. When strategized right to fit your style and lifestyle, a capsule wardrobe like this one is realistic and practical.

Maybe you’ve already built one of these for yourself – if so, please share your formula with me!

I’d love to hear what you thought about this. Feel free to reach out personally!

Pick up my Ultimate Closet Clean Up Checklist and head on over to my Facebook page LIVE every Wednesday for more style tips!

In friendship 💜 & sparkle 💎,

Ginna ~ The Style Rebel Mama

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