Utilizing the Idea of the Capsule Wardrobe
This crazy weather…demanding both summer and fall clothes! Over the past month I have found myself having to pull out my light winter coat from storage one night, but then scrounging around for open-toe’d shoes and a summer dress another day. It’s been discombobulating to say the least, and it’s made my dressing routine stressful. This has inspired me to think a little on how I can keep my dressing routine working as stress-free as possible, through this rather dramatic flux in seasons here in Boston.
Coincidentally, this past month I learned what a capsule wardrobe is, and the idea of it has really helped me get dressed in the morning, whether it will be a high of 60 or 80 degrees. A “Capsule Wardrobe” was coined in the 1970s, as a collection of a few essential items of clothing that don’t go out of fashion, like a jeans jacket, trousers, and blouses, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces.
I realized I can streamline getting dressed these days by zoning in on essentials: keeping out a few summer essentials in my dresser and taking out from storage only a few select fall essentials. I can break down the process of packing away summer items and unpacking fall items.
Summer items I’ve put in storage (which for me are sliding bins under my bed):
- Beach gear (bathing suits, saris, beach bags)
- Shorts, summer skirts, linen pants
- Summer dresses
- Sandals
- Extra sunglasses
Summer items I’ve left out:
- My favorite summer dress
- My favorite summer sandals
- Light jeans jacket
- One pair jean shorts
Fall items taken out of storage (and left the rest!):
- Two fall sweaters
- Fall boots
- Casual Fall Jacket
- Professional Fall Jacket
- Two warmer scarves
The rest of my capsule wardrobe, or my essentials that I always have out, like pants, t-shirts, and blouses, I just layer with the above, depending on the weather. So, since it doesn’t quite make sense to pack away all your summer items right now, nor get all your fall items out of storage, maybe it makes sense for you to take about half an hour to put away most of your summer gear, and take out only fall essentials at this time. This could smooth the whole transition. And if you have more closet and dresser space than me, and keep most clothing/accessories accessible all year round, you could still find some clarity by arranging your summer/fall transition items together, in the most accessible spots (i.e. toward the center of your closet and dresser drawers at arm’s height).
I hope this helps streamline this transitional time for you. Getting dressed with ease in the morning can set the tone for your whole day.
