Capsule Wardrobe

The 5 Outfits I Wear to Work

I read years ago that women on average spend between $2,000 and $5,000 a year on clothes. Considering how financial gurus are always getting on our case about that daily $3 latte, their efforts seem to be misplaced.

If you bought a $3 latte every single day, that’s only $1,095 a year. However, if you created capsule wardrobes, you could save nearly double that!

So, between wanting a minimalist but beautiful wardrobe and the financial incentive to save more, I made a plan to create a capsule wardrobe.

First, I limited my clothes shopping to just twice a year. Like most women, I used to shop for fun. I didn’t necessarily always buy things, but it was something to do. Now, I only purchase new items for my capsule wardrobes during the Spring and Fall. I figure out what items need to be replaced or what new items I might need before I go shopping.

Second, I set a limit of $500 for each seasonal update. It sounds like a lot, but I figured at $1,000 a year I’m already ahead of the average woman! Also, if you continually bought cheaper items here and there, they begin to add up fast. So, while $500 as one chunk sounds like a lot, if you quickly go through your closet, you can probably get to $500 before getting through all your dresses.

Lastly, I figured out a Summer and Winter capsule wardrobe. I have a defined style which I like to describe as surfer girl meets Chanel. I love lace, tweed, soft pastel colors, and black–pretty much a French girl’s wardrobe. But I’m a surfer and I love Hawaiian florals and ocean hues. Figuring out key pieces that fit my style was the beginning of my capsule wardrobe.

So, I’ve mentioned it a few times already, but what is a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe is basically a section of your clothes that you’re using for the season. Project 333 popularized capsule wardrobes with minimalist because it limits the items of clothing you need. With Project 333, you select 33 items including clothes, accessories, and shoes and use only those items for three months.

How quickly can you count through 33 items in your closet? If that barely gets through the jeans portion of your closet and the overwhelming amount of clothes gives you anxiety, maybe this is the project for you?

The idea is that after you go through the three months, you realize that you don’t need that many items to dress yourself and the rest can be donated or sold on consignment through ThredUP. Or at the very least, it prevents you from purchasing more clothes.

WORK CAPSULE

Following the same concept as a capsule wardrobe, I created a capsule for work. I used to have ten outfits I would rotate but since I work in a non-fashion related corporate office, I figured no one would care (or even notice) if I work the same five outfits, in the same order. This makes it ridiculously easy to get dressed in the morning!

If you’ve ever stared blankly at your clothes in the morning thinking “I have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear”, maybe a work capsule wardrobe is for you!

So, without further delay, here are the five outfits I wear to work in the Fall and Winter.

Monday:

Most of my work clothes are either from the Banana Republic or Karl Lagerfeld outlet. I know it is much more eco-friendly to shop secondhand but I can’t get over the smell of thrift shops. Since I generally only buy a few new pieces each season I don’t let myself feel guilty for too long.

This Karl Lagerfeld sweater was one of my three purchases for Fall of 2019. (The other two items were waterproof wedge boots and a black organic cotton dress.) My sister-in-law has a sweater with lace on the collarbone and I love it every time I see it. I was able to find something similar while browsing at the outlets. Like I said, I love lace!

My pants and belt are from the Banana Republic outlet and I bought my cheetah-print wedges Christian Louboutins from theRealReal.

Although I can’t wrap my head around wearing secondhand clothes, I do sometimes buy brand name shoes secondhand from theRealReal. I know, it seems like the same thing. But I rationalize that I can spray the interior surface with vinegar to kill any potential leftover germs. After wiping off the vinegar I’ll sprinkle baking soda in the shoes and let it sit over night to remove any potential odors and I’m good to go. They don’t smell when I get them…I just do this for peace of mind.

When I’ve outgrown a purse, necklace, or a particular brand, I sell it on consignment through theRealReal. It’s easy and convenient and reduces the amount of new product that needs to be created. Plus, you can apply your sales to store credit. Which means I’m essentially trading in my used items for something that’s new to me–like these cheetah print wedges I got with my store credit!

I get the most compliments on these shoes and I got them at a deep discount!

Tuesday:

I’ve had this dress from Banana Republic for almost ten years! I love tailored dresses for work, they’re simple, have clean lines and look professional.

I generally wear only a handful of shoes to work so I make sure the shoes I do have work with a lot of different outfits.

Wednesday:

It is always cold in my office, so I wear extra layers. This Karl Lagerfeld Paris tweed jacket was a purchase during Spring of 2019.

Both the pants from Monday and the green sweater are from the Banana Republic outlet. The Christian Louboutin shoes and the Tiffany necklace I’m wearing I purchased from theRealReal.

I have a few Tiffany necklaces but two of them are engraved with the initials of my daughters. I plan to pass these necklaces onto them when they are older.

It’s estimated that the average woman has 20 pairs of shoes but only 5 are consistently used.

I have 15 pairs of shoes. So, I like to make each one count and I want the shoe to be of higher quality so it will last. A basic black pump is a great work classic.

The idea of a capsule wardrobe is to intentionally select timeless quality pieces that reflect your style so they will last. Don’t build a capsule wardrobe by buying trendy pieces from Forever 21. That’s just contributing to the churn of fast fashion since next season those will be out of style and most likely out of your closet.

Now, that I’ve paired down my shoes to a functional level, I almost never buy new shoes unless it is to replace a broken one that cannot be fixed.

Thursday:

I’ve been having a lot of events on Thursdays and I try to dress up a little for events. If you notice, I wear the same necklace and bracelet a few times a week. My accessories are just as minimal as my closet.

My dress is from the Banana Republic outlet and my booties are White House Black Market. I’ve had these booties for nearly ten years! I’ve re-tipped the heel countless times and have resoled them once. They are so comfortable it just made sense to keep investing in them rather than purchase new ones.

Friday:

Like most offices, mine has Casual Fridays, so I wear Joe’s Jeans bought from my local outlet, an organic cotton tank top under my Karl Lagerfeld Paris sweater, and my Rothy’s flats.

I generally wear an organic cotton tank top under my sweaters so I don’t have to wash my sweaters as often. Since some of the sweaters in my closet are polyester, by washing them less often, that’s fewer plastic microfibers going into the ocean.

I talk more about microfibers shedding from your clothes in “Microplastics in the San Francisco Bay“.

Olivia for the Ocean - Plastic-Free Living

BENEFITS OF A CAPSULE WARDROBE

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a minimalist. And while it’s a common misconception that minimalist are depriving themselves of things, that’s not true. Minimalism is simply keeping the things that add value to your life and removing everything else.

I talk more about minimalism in “Plastic-Free, Zero Waste, and Minimalism“.

By creating a capsule wardrobe, I save time in the morning. I’m saving money by not continually buying trendy clothes that get thrown out next season. And the best thing for me, my closet isn’t filled to the brim with clothes I don’t wear. My clothes fit in a tiny section of our walk-in closet and I feel happy when I see it instead of overwhelmed.