This is the fifth and last step in my How to Capsule series. You made it! Missed steps 1-4? Click on over here to check it out.
This step all about the test run. Try to wear only your capsule for a week. Take note of how it feels and what is missing. If you see a big hole, what would fix it? If you decide something doesn’t fit you right, switch it out. Remember this is a trial run, to fix any kinks you run across.
Missing Anything
This is usually where I catch any mistakes I’ve made in steps 1-4. This is actually great news because you can fix it! I ask myself these questions during the week:
- Do you need more tops? What kind of tops?
- Are your shoes appropriate?
- Did you forget a part of your weekly lifestyle?
- Do the pieces fit the weather/season?
- Do all the pieces feel like you?
Keep Track
During this week, I’ll take pictures of my outfit each day. I do this to see what piece was worn the most. Will I need another pair of jeans? Did I have enough tops? (Are you noticing a trend with me? I almost always forget to include more shirts…) The pieces worn the most will usually be the pieces you wear the most during the whole timeframe of the capsule.
Done?
After your week trial run, what did you reach for? Even after doing a capsule for a whole year, I still reached for a capsule piece. And if you did that too? You just made a great capsule! Your capsule should be full of things that you love to wear. Things that you seek out. That’s the sign of a great capsule wardrobe.
Were there still holes in the capsule you created? Go shopping for that specific piece. Maybe you found you need a cardigan. What color goes best with what you wore? What style, long, short, thick, thin? Be as specific as you can and limit yourself while shopping. If I’m going to buy something at this point in my capsule making it needs to be in one of my base colors (black, grey, white, denim, or olive green), I need to be able to make 10 outfits with it and should be able to be worn in 2-3 seasons. I also think about if the piece is well made and will last the whole time of the capsule and beyond!