Lately I’ve been cheating on fashion buying new furniture for my home, so I haven’t been able to indulge my shopping habit like I normally would. I decided to do some closet purging instead, so that I can create my cold weather wardrobe using items I already have.
If you’re like me and need to save some bucks on clothes this season, then the solution is to build a capsule wardrobe. What is a capsule wardrobe? It’s simple. Here’s my How To Guide on Building a Capsule Wardrobe:
- Determine on your look. We all have screenshots of looks we love, stylish women we admire, and stores/websites we want to shop. Comb through images of your favorite looks and search for the overall theme. Do you lean towards minimalist? Sporty? Glam or trendy? Think about the common theme and decide that that will be your fall look.
- Build from There. Whatever look you decided on, start building the foundation. Look for the common thread in all of the images you’ve saved and pick apart the basics. Black skinnies? Oversized sweaters? Cardigans? Measure those looks against what you already have in your wardrobe, and start jotting down everything you already own and things you need to purchase. *REMEMBER! The goal is to save as much money as possible, so really dig to see what you already have. If you need to add items to the “Purchase” list, make sure they’re staple items, meaning you can wear them over and over again. Yes, we wanna look good, but we’re trying to save as much coin as possible here.
- Buy from the “Outside In”. I always like to start with outerwear and work your way in. A lot of times, we purchase tops and sweaters that are great for the initial months of fall, but don’t work well under jackets and coats. So I like to start with outerwear so that I’ll know what type of tops to buy considering the jacket, coat, or parka I’m rocking that season. And since I like to layer, I make sure whatever I choose has a little room for a layer or two. This fall/winter, I’m adding a new faux fur to my wardrobe. It’s a mint/gray color, which looks good with sneakers, heels, boots, etc. To me, there’s nothing that makes a better statement than a faux fur.
My golden rule in all this? Always buy items that bring you joy. Yes, even a basic can make you feel excited to rock it. Clothes have the power to make us feel confident or insecure, and I’ll always choose the side of confidence and encourage my people to do the same.
Outfit Details| Top: H&M (last year) | Coat: H&M | Jeans: H&M | Boots: Zara
What are you adding to your cold weather capsule wardrobe?
XOXO,
Melissa Chanel
Photographer credit: BRANDON GRATE
