Wear a Capsule Wardrobe

I'm sure you've seen Pinterest photos of beautifully curated closets and capsule wardrobes.  Maybe you long for one yourself, but think it's impossible or too restrictive.

It's a modern consumer belief that we need a huge wardrobe to be "interesting."  Of course you want to be appropriately dressed, and why not wear attractive clothes that flatter your body type and coloring?  But none of that demands a huge quantity of clothing.  Limits encourage creativity, and a smaller closet isn't necessarily boring.

Here's how I know that. 

In the 1940s the average person owned fewer than 40 items of clothing.  That person likely had a job, dressed up for church, did plenty of chores around the house, and took every opportunity to go to the movies or out dancing to Big Band tunes.  They weren't boring, and they cared about looking good.

Today the average consumer has over 100 items, purchases five new items every month (that's 60 new pieces per year), and feels that only about 10% is actually wearable.  This tells me several things:

• It's possible to exist with a 10-item wardrobe, even if that's not optimal.

• We don't really know what we like or what looks good on us, so we're influenced by trends and influencers instead of our own bodies and lifestyles.

• We shop a lot but have no plan.

• We hang on to clothes that haven't fit in years and (if we're honest) will never fit again.  Even if we could wear them, they'd be out of style.  These clothes mock us and wreck our confidence.

• We hang on to clothes that we will never wear again:  prom dresses, concert tee shirts, cheerleader uniforms.  These souvenirs crowd our closets, waste our time, and keep us from concentrating on who we are now.

We need clothing, but it should never be the most noteworthy thing about us.


If you declutter clothes that don't fit, that are worn out or damaged, that you don't feel comfortable wearing, and that don't go with anything else, you might discover the core of a great capsule wardrobe.

Two secrets

There are two secrets to a minimalist wardrobe:  separates and color.  A wardrobe built on separates such as skirts, trousers, jeans, tees, blouses, cardigans, and jackets, in a few coordinating colors, allows all of the pieces to be mixed and matched into a maximum number of wearable outfits.


If you need a clue to what will work best for you, consider pieces you already own that make you feel attractive and confident.  Notice styling and details these pieces share.  You probably already have a few favorite colors you wear most often because you like the way you look in them.  Intentionally wearing fewer colors also means you need fewer accessories (shoes, belts, handbags, etc.)


If you work in an office or a classroom, as I used to do, you'll want outfits that are professional yet comfortable.  I used to own three similar skirts (navy, taupe, burgundy) and two trousers (navy, brown).  With about eight shirts or blouses and three cardigans or jackets, I could mix and match these 16 pieces to create at least two dozen outfits, more than enough for a month of work days without an exact repeat.





Just one

This is a concept that can be applied to certain areas of your wardrobe.  Sometimes one is enough:  one swimsuit, one black dress, one winter coat, one leather belt, one pair of sneakers, one handbag.  Consider owning just one of some things, based on your occupation, lifestyle, and climate.

With a smaller wardrobe, make sure each outfit passes the "feel good test," including casual wear.  Would you feel comfortable being photographed in your outfit, or running into an old classmate?  You are the curator of your wardrobe, and each piece must pass the test to be included.

When you own fewer clothes, you can afford to buy higher quality garments, and these look better, fit better, and last longer.  Choose classic styles that suit your body type, so nothing looks dated after only one season.  This will enable you to avoid the evils of fast fashion, which leads to millions of tons of textile waste each year.

Shop less.

For some of us, shopping for clothes is a habit, something we do with certain friends or when we're feeling bored or stressed.

We also shop because we want to keep up with trends, forgetting that designers and marketers just want to sell us something – they have zero interest in creating clothes that fit our bodies or suit our lifestyles.  When we follow their lead, we wind up with packed closets and nothing we feel good about wearing. 

Become aware of your shopping habits, and take control of them by imposing a buying freeze.  90 days without buying clothes will definitely save you money, but may also let you discover that you already own plenty.  Your view of fashion and marketers might change forever.

For more inspiration, check out Courtney Carver's Project 333.  Thousands of women and men have participated in this project, and there's an optional video course and community Pinterest board.  I think you'll also like my book, The Minimalist Wardrobe: Buy Less, Choose Well, and Feel Confident Every Day, available on Amazon.*

* This blog is reader-supported.  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission.

When you dress with less, you find that

• mornings are more peaceful with fewer choices.

• it's really nice to wear your favorite clothes every day.

• no one really cares that you wear the same things over and over, though they may notice that you present yourself with more self-confidence.

The magic of a minimalist wardrobe happens when you shop intentionally for items you need, free from the pressures of brands and trends.  The result?


You love and wear 100% of the items in your closet.

Updated February 2023