Nicole’s 2025 Capsule Wardrobe Challenge
Like many, I have always dreamed of having the perfect closet. A unique set of pieces that would culminate into a capsule wardrobe that would last me years and always bring me joy as I got dressed each day. Though this may seem like a fantasy to many (myself included), I still have always hoped that my wardrobe would at least get close to something like this, yet even in all the curation and intention I have put into my closet over the years, I would still find myself on many days reaching for the same things because they were easy, not challenging myself to style or curate my looks, especially now that I work from home full time.
So in December of 2024, I had an idea…What if I pretended my wardrobe was an audition process where I created and wore a capsule each month in which I would decide who were the favourites and dismiss any items that (even in a curated setting) were still not being worn. By doing this challenge my hope is that I’ll feel a little more in line with my wardrobe and know that even in a pressure-cooker situation like a capsule I still love everything I have. But first, I had to make sure this capsule challenge was doable and sustainable…
The Rules:
Each month I curate a capsule wardrobe with the following breakdown of inclusions. Throughout the month I track what I wear and at the end, I get rid of at least one item I have worn the least. Each month when I’m building a wardrobe I cannot reuse any items from a previous capsule until I have used every item in the category once!
What’s included:
5 Tops
4 Sweaters
2 Dresses
4 Pants
1 Skirt
2 Jackets
What’s Not Included:
Jewelry (I actually initially tried but realized that this was what was giving the looks variety so I omitted it)
Exercise, Lounge, and Work Wear (I already don’t have a lot in these categories and really wanted to focus on my centralized everyday wardrobe so decided not to include)
Event Wear (As this isn’t the time of year for a lot of weddings or highly formal events I’ve omitted any gowns or long formal dresses as they would lose out almost immediately)
Shoes (similarly this was included but when you live in Canada and start something like this in December, limiting your footwear is ill-advised)
Coats (see dilemma with shoes)
Things I’ve Kept In Mind
Now starting this and sustaining this challenge has already taught me a lot about how I wear my wardrobe. For example, I am not a dress or skirt person (especially in winter) unless I have somewhere to go, so I’ve decided that I will not get rid of any skirts or dresses even if they are worn the least. I’ve also realized that not every category of clothing (ie pants, tops, jackets) has the same number of items in it so inevitably I will have to start bringing in previously used items in certain categories quickly. Let’s just say the coats category really didn’t last long before being omitted!
What I’ve learned so far
As I write this I have completed two months of this challenge already and I’ve learned that I don’t necessarily have boring style or am lazy getting dressed, I have just been overwhelmed with choice! Before this challenge, I wouldn’t know where to start and just wear the same things over and over because it was easy, but having less to choose from forces me to be creative, especially when I have to figure out how to feel cute, live my life, and only do laundry once a week. I’ve also realized pretty quickly what pieces aren’t working for me and even in a micro setting aren’t getting worn. I’ve also come to really enjoy curating the capsule for the following month! I’ll choose a rough colour pallet, check my calendar to make sure I have attire for any events and packing for weekend trips has never been easier.
Now will I do this forever? I have no idea but for now, it’s been a great way to slowly clean out my closet and see what clothes I love the most, and if you too are feeling tired and confused about what is or isn’t working in your closet, I encourage you to do this challenge too!
