Ever go to your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear, even when your closet is filled with clothes? Parkland Mall shows how a capsule wardrobe will give you a closet full of cute, versatile pieces that you actually like wearing and save you time and money!

What is it? A capsule wardrobe is a condensed selection of clothing, including outerwear, accessories, and shoes (excluding underwear, pajamas, workout or event clothing), made up only of items that you love, that fit you right now and that are appropriate for your lifestyle and the season.
Parkland Mall has a six-step approach to building your own capsule wardrobe.

Step 1: Eliminate the Clutter

Take every single item you own out of your closet – EVERYTHING! Split into two piles: “Keep” (love it) and “Go” (donate/ throw away).

“You have to say to every single item: ‘Do I love this? Do I wear it often?’ If those two things are true, you should keep that item; if they’re not, then it is taking up space that it doesn’t deserve in your closet,” adds Melody McKnight, Marketing Director.

Step 2: Evaluate the “Keep” Pile

Is it in good shape (i.e. stain, hole-free) or can it easily be fixed or cleaned. If the answer is no, then add them to the “Go” pile.

Step 3: Build Your Wardrobe Vision

Create collages of clothes you adore. Need some inspiration? Check out your favourite retailer’s lookbooks, research the latest runway trends, Pinterest, or read some blogs (like runwaytorealway.ca).

Step 4: Examine Your Lifestyle

This important step ensures your capsule wardrobe will actually work for you. Is your office business casual? Are you running around with the kids or at brunch with your girls? Go back through your wardrobe vision and remove anything that doesn’t fit your lifestyle and make a list of what’s missing.

Step 5: Build Your Capsule

Pick neutral colours for your wardrobe base and then pick a main wardrobe colour. It could be a colour that makes you happy, makes your eyes pop, or a seasonal colour trend that you love. Finally, pick your accent colours. These are colours that will add excitement to your wardrobe. Go back to your pile of clothes you love and start crossing off items on your list.

“When building a capsule wardrobe aim for neutral pieces, as these tend to go out of style less regularly,” advises McKnight. “You can keep them clean and simple with a few accessories, or play with pops of colour for a bolder look.”

Step 6: Complete Your Capsule Wardrobe
Head to Parkland Mall to purchase any outstanding pieces, but keep in mind that you must love it, it must fit you and it must be appropriate for your lifestyle before it gets to come home with you.

Having the basics, doesn’t mean you’re, you know ‘basic’. It means you’ll always feel like you have something awesome to throw on, be it Sunday brunch or a client meeting, because every single item hanging in your closet is something you would love to wear right this moment. Shop Parkland Mall’s Capsule Wardrobe and check out additional tips and rules for paring down your closet.