A capsule wardrobe uses a mix of tops, bottoms, dresses and shoes to create outfits for all occasions. The number of items in a capsule wardrobe varies, yet many women subscribe to the "333" rule, a fashion challenge made popular by social media. The idea is to pare down a wardrobe to 33 items to be worn over the course of three months. Workout clothes, accessories, handbags, swimsuits and undergarments are typically not included in the 33-piece limit. Here are some steps to get started.
1. Go all in. Start by completely emptying your closet.
2. Anything that doesn't fit can go, as well as anything you haven't worn for the past couple of years.
3. Don't include jewelry, handbags, shoes, workout clothes or undergarments in your final tally.
4. Once you've selected your pieces, store the rest of it (if space permits) out of sight.
5. Try it for three months.
6. Assess what worked and what didn't.
7. Operate a one-in, one-out policy. Anything you buy you must love enough to ditch something else for.
8. When buying new clothes, stick to high-quality, well-tailored items and steer clear of trend pieces.
9. Use the money you save by not buying cheap clothes to spend on dry-cleaning, repairs and tailoring.
10. Consider a separate capsule for each season or one for spring/summer and one for fall/winter.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Tops:
• Heavy and light jacket
• 9-13 tops including short and long sleeve shirts
• 2-4 sweaters (typically a cardigan, a pullover, and tunic)
Bottoms:
• Black pant
• Nice jeans and distressed or casual jeans
• Two pairs of shorts
• Classic skirt
Dresses:
• 2-3 classic dresses in a plain or light pattern
Shoes:
• Bootie
• Tall boot
• Pump
• Sandals or snow boots (weather dependent)
• Flats
