KATBERRIES: 5 step wardrobe guide

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/ 24 November 2014 / 7 Comments

WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE PLANNING: THREE WINTER UNIFORMS

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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Hello friends! Last week I started planning for my winter capsule wardrobe. I want to kick it off mid way through December, which is still a while away, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">but I love the capsule experience and planning it is the fun part for me. Like super fun. Plus I know a few of you guys might be hitting the stores for Black Friday sales and if you're new to this whole thing perhaps you're starting your winter wardrobe come December. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">I'm using my <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/capsule-wardrobe-introduction.html">5 Step Capsule Wardrobe Guide</a> that I created for the like-minded souls earlier this year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Check it out if you've never done a capsule wardrobe, it's a good starting point! {If I do say so myself.} </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Check it out even if you have done a capsule wardrobe; you might find it interesting to learn about a different person's approach.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This time around my planning process is a bit different. I'm still using all the steps, but I'm mixing the order a tiny little bit - I'm moving <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-2.html">step 2 - Find Your Number</a>, all the way to the end. Back in September when I first started, I was very anxious to find out what my own number would be, so I figured it out right at the beginning of the process. I got 42. This time, though, the number is not as important to me. I know it will be <i>less </i>than 42 ant that's really enough for me now. I'll be figuring out my winter number along with my shopping list. If you need to purge your wardrobe, you can read about my experience and how I did it <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html">here</a>. This is what happens after the purge:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><b>STEP 1 - UNIFORM</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">First of all, I must say that I <i>love</i> the trends for this winter. Sweater capes, wrap coats, ankle booties, the comeback of turtlenecks, shirtdresses, cozy sweaters and checked and aztec prints. I want to wear them all! So I'm including them in my uniforms this winter. These are simply warmer and updated versions of my autumn uniforms, which you can read about <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-1.html">here</a>. {Along with a quick guide on how to find <i>your</i> uniform.}</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">My main concern is to keep warm and comfortable and this is what I came up with:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">{These are all general items that I used for silhouettes and not items I currently own. I made these sets on <a href="http://katberries1.polyvore.com/">Polyvore</a> - click through to find out where everything is from. Be warned though, some of the pieces are super expensive, as I didn't pay attention to the price; I created the collages to have a rough visual of my uniforms. Try it yourself, it really helps to see what different pieces look like together!}</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b8d8d8; color: #444444; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"><b>UNIFORM I</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><b>BOTTOMS              </b></span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">   SHOES          </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"> TOP                </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">COVER UP       </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"> ACCESSORIES</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">skinny jeans        </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">      boots   </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;">           </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">t-shirt             </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> sweater +      </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;">   </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> scarf</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">         </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">                 <i>or</i> trainers</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;">       </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> <i>or</i> shirt           </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">  jacket <i>or</i> coat</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">    hat</span><br />
<span 12px="" font-size:="" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Inconsolata';">__________________________________________________________________________________________________</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSP3IRu_JJZXo_VZWrV-sHS5HR5EH974_pgP6LMoDSSnrNPF57CQuICMpbGtaGeIQBDEu_Y-RTQa1EpXBRDzHUTmDh3d3r_rYtGtQb7FiqDWJcjyxbl14xnFj4Czp1yYifQgYcR3GBp8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-24+at+14.36.05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSP3IRu_JJZXo_VZWrV-sHS5HR5EH974_pgP6LMoDSSnrNPF57CQuICMpbGtaGeIQBDEu_Y-RTQa1EpXBRDzHUTmDh3d3r_rYtGtQb7FiqDWJcjyxbl14xnFj4Czp1yYifQgYcR3GBp8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-24+at+14.36.05.png" title="Capsule wardrobe winter uniform 1" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">I think that there are a lot of different outfits I can create with this first "recipe." I call it <i>casual cool</i> ;-) It's a uniform made out of things most of us have in our closets. Skinny jeans, ankle booties, comfy t-shirts and sweaters and a nice coat. So easy to wear and so stylish.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b8d8d8; color: #444444; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"><b>UNIFORM II</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><b>BOTTOMS              </b></span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">   SHOES          </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"> TOP                </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">COVER UP       </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"> ACCESSORIES</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">leggings  </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">                boots             </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">turtleneck           big </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">sweater       </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> {</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">hat}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">                           </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">               </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">   <i>or</i> shirt             </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><i>or </i>blanket scarf     </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;">   </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">  </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GN88UxBBfq6F3ZkX8b0sP-ntmnjudEyiyUzx3_IKHoNew6VjV9qSj2okEKUNwAgt7XRIBNqqViSiVYnqRdlu7fNqj25BOVzBqqYuSrkXWulRabsPSnPUwAxmkFAQYWjK7mVYNkm-zFA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-24+at+14.56.59.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GN88UxBBfq6F3ZkX8b0sP-ntmnjudEyiyUzx3_IKHoNew6VjV9qSj2okEKUNwAgt7XRIBNqqViSiVYnqRdlu7fNqj25BOVzBqqYuSrkXWulRabsPSnPUwAxmkFAQYWjK7mVYNkm-zFA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-24+at+14.56.59.png" title="Capsule wardrobe winter uniform 2" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">I am kind of obsessed with sweater capes, or blanket scarves, or whatever they're generally called. There are so many pretty patterns to choose from. New Look has a really good selection at affordable prices if you don't know where to look.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Also, let's talk turtlenecks. I used to wear them as a kid and now they're making a comeback. Yay! Perfect for</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">layering and especially perfect for sweater capes. See? It all comes together.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">To top it off, a beanie adds a playful touch to this kind of outfit. So <i>chic</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b8d8d8; color: #444444; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"><b>UNIFORM III</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><b>BOTTOMS              </b></span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">   SHOES          </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"> TOP                </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">COVER UP       </b><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"> ACCESSORIES</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Inconsolata;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #45818e;">think tights           </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">   boots            </span><span style="font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;">  </span></span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">dress               </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> sweater +       </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;">   scarf</span><br />
<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: white;">                                     </span>        </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> <i>or</i> skirt + top      </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: 'Inconsolata'; font-size: 14px;"> coat</span><b style="color: #45818e; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">        </b><b style="font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222;">     </span></b><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">{hat}</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU4DDWPtl_swYYSlIDUqCdGC7S3hZHxZwHDGKzqNXR70ZyHeg4ryor41PDIs_7ICLeLdngSeKxeEVQKwZBO-bWVBQ43MRm6Fn5AwvqvsgtkcLQgkdrBCVDmW6ep2Bz0ScVtVGD_IV84w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-24+at+15.11.00.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU4DDWPtl_swYYSlIDUqCdGC7S3hZHxZwHDGKzqNXR70ZyHeg4ryor41PDIs_7ICLeLdngSeKxeEVQKwZBO-bWVBQ43MRm6Fn5AwvqvsgtkcLQgkdrBCVDmW6ep2Bz0ScVtVGD_IV84w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-24+at+15.11.00.png" title="Capsule wardrobe winter uniform 3" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Two things: 1. Shirtdresses. A <i>feminine</i> take on shirts. So great for winter. Actually the one up there I have my eye on - it's from Gap and it's just the right pattern and just the right <i>length</i>. Not easy to find a shirtdress that doesn't feel like a mini. And I definitely don't want to be wearing a mini dress in winter. Or ever, really. It doesn't do me any favours. But this one is bringing cool back.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">2. Steve Madden Troopa boots. I'm in love. That's all I'm saying.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">That's it! My three uniforms. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">From the looks of things, my style this winter will be:  </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">CASUAL, FEMININE, URBAN</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Inconsolata; font-size: 14px;">COOL</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">. I'm so excited!</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">{Read <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-3.html">this step</a> to define your style.}</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: puritan; font-size: 14px;">Have you started planning for your winter capsule wardrobe? What are your must buys? What are you going to be wearing this winter? </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEP68kRjfomcWcg5KFUcA-YjrXfLt3QSEzGkuH_Cdm-7meWr8Pz9ImaboX92K2PXfZ9o2X7zd4ALGjCJH_VXe3a5ZSf2ILU2tmP5aRqwqLJSzm4rjFBq0oJiGHnJWIgkcYSEQgDth61Kg/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEP68kRjfomcWcg5KFUcA-YjrXfLt3QSEzGkuH_Cdm-7meWr8Pz9ImaboX92K2PXfZ9o2X7zd4ALGjCJH_VXe3a5ZSf2ILU2tmP5aRqwqLJSzm4rjFBq0oJiGHnJWIgkcYSEQgDth61Kg/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a>

5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101

WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE PLANNING: THREE WINTER UNIFORMS

Hello friends! Last week I started planning for my winter capsule wardrobe. I want to kick it off mid way through December, which is sti...

/ 25 September 2014 / 4 Comments

STEP 5: SHOPPING LIST | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiDqMvUyrEcgG1RpSnD9sK9tVdnf-uZbUV7Fbsc4VLkSx8nSpGSm-sBQ8_v2ojC_peCH6z3oBa028ktvYkcdn-dEN6uSv8ShlrIxYLsDTr5lGEqx_TP1wMpQSiJYhOxp8Knwrn7W8c4A/s1600/5+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="step 5 to a capsule wardrobe" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiDqMvUyrEcgG1RpSnD9sK9tVdnf-uZbUV7Fbsc4VLkSx8nSpGSm-sBQ8_v2ojC_peCH6z3oBa028ktvYkcdn-dEN6uSv8ShlrIxYLsDTr5lGEqx_TP1wMpQSiJYhOxp8Knwrn7W8c4A/s1600/5+KB.png" title="capsule wardrobe shopping list and budget" /></a>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">CAPSULE WARDROBE SHOPPING LIST & BUDGET</span></b></div>
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Alright, ladies! We're at our last stop. And we better get cracking; there's a lot to do.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*New here? Read about what is a capsule wardrobe and my reasons to start it <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/what-is-capsule-wardrobe.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*Want to try it yourself? Start purging your wardrobe <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html">here</a>, and read the first step <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-1.htmlhttp://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-1-find-your-capsule-wardrobe-uniform.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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So, let's get right to it, shall we?</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">CREATING THE SHOPPING LIST</span></b></div>
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I'm making an autumn capsule. So, from my keep pile, I took out all the autumn clothes and boxed everything else away under the bed. I labeled the boxes by the seasons. Then I laid out my autumn clothes on the bed to have a good view of them. You could also make a collection on Polyvore to be able to look at what you have in a glance.</div>
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I've excluded a couple pieces because of their colour - so they go into storage too. You can also exclude anything you just don't feel like wearing this season or something you wore a lot last year and you want to give it a break. Or if you have two pairs of almost identical black jeans, you can store one pair away - it won't look like you're wearing the same jeans all the time :-)</div>
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Creating the shopping list takes time!</div>
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You should be cross-referencing every decision with: </div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #eeeeee;">your <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-1-find-your-capsule-wardrobe-uniform.html">uniform templates</a>, </u></b></div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #eeeeee;">your <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-2-your-capsule-wardrobe-number.html">number divisions</a>, </u></b></div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #eeeeee;">your <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-3-define-your-style.html">style definition</a> and </u></b></div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #eeeeee;">your <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-4-colour-palette-capsule-wardrobe.html">colour palette</a>.</u></b></div>
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After all this boxing and purging I'm left with 27 items for my fall capsule. </div>
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This is a break down of the pieces - x out of y, where x is the number of pieces I have and y is the number I've predicted for myself in <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-2-your-capsule-wardrobe-number.html">step 2</a>. I have:</div>
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3 out of 6 trousers</div>
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1 out of 3 skirts</div>
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5 out of 7 shoes</div>
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6 out of 10 long sleeves</div>
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4 out of 5 short sleeves</div>
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4 out of 7 sweaters/cover ups</div>
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<strike>4 out of 4 jackets</strike></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>MY SHOPPING LIST</b></span></div>
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So let's see. Jackets I can cross out from my list because I have the number I need. </div>
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This below is pretty exhausting, but basically, I want the things I buy to complement the things I already have. I pick them in regards to my uniform, style and colour palette. That way I'll have a put together wardrobe that looks great, and I get to go shopping! I also look our for what's on trend - either through blogs, pinterest, or fashion magazines. They are a good inspiration, but sometimes I have to remember that I have my own style and I want to stay true to that. </div>
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And so all the things in the I want  column have been selected with my three uniforms in mind. Their style and cut was picked with my style definition in mind and their colours were selected with my colour palette in mind. That's a lot to keep in mind!</div>
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Here we go:</div>
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Katberries' shopping list:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: #f3ae35;">The trousers I have:</span></span><span style="color: #222222;">    </span><span style="color: #222222;">                                                              </span><span style="background-color: #fdd0d3; color: #222222;">Trousers I want to buy:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. navy skinny jeans                                                                  </span><span style="color: #222222;">4. well fitting black jeans</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">2. boyfriend jeans                                                                      </span><span style="color: #222222;">5. statement trousers</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">3. Black leggings                                                                       </span><span style="color: #222222;">6. berry-coloured trousers</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3ae35; color: #222222;">Skirts I have: </span><span style="color: #222222;">                                                                            </span><span style="background-color: #fdd0d3; color: #222222;">Skirts I want:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. black tube skirt                                                                      </span><span style="color: #222222;">2. flowy black maxi skirt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">                                                                                                  <strike>3. ?</strike></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;">I couldn't think of a skirt I'd like to have and wear as my third choice. So what did I do? I took it off the list! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">I said in step 2 that the number might change a little: I'm going from 42 </span><span style="color: #222222;">→ </span><span style="color: #222222;">41.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f3ae35; color: #222222;">Shoes I have:</span><span style="color: #222222;">                                                                             </span><span style="background-color: #fdd0d3; color: #222222;">Shoes I want:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. black low heel ankle booties                                                  </span><span style="color: #222222;">6. Cognac low/no heel ankle booties</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">2. brown no heel ankle booties                                                  </span><span style="color: #222222;">7. Simple black nike's</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. grey suede lace-up loafers</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. white trainers</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. black canvas trainers</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: #f3ae35;">Long sleeves I have:</span></span><span style="color: #222222;">                                                                  </span><span style="background-color: #fdd0d3; color: #222222;">Long sleeves I want:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. breton top                                                                               </span><span style="color: #222222;">7. navy chambray</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">2. light blue cotton shirt                                                              </span><span style="color: #222222;">8. beige blouse</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">3. black and grey stripy top                                                        </span><span style="color: #222222;">9. khaki shirt</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">4. light blue chambray                                                               </span><strike style="color: #222222;">10. ?</strike></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. b&w checked shirt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6. white and grey raglan top</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: #f3ae35;">Short sleeves I have:</span></span><span style="color: #222222;">                                                                 </span><span style="background-color: #fdd0d3; color: #222222;">Short sleeves I want:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. basic beige tee                                                                       </span><span style="color: #222222;">5. basic charcoal round neck with buttons</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">2. white tee                                                                                 </span><span style="color: #222222;">6. berry or taupe top</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. black tee with embroidery</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. khaki tee with lace back</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;">I crossed out number 10 in long sleeves and added 1 to short sleeves. I'm at 9 + 6 rather than 10 + 5.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: #f3ae35;">Sweaters/ cover ups I have:</span></span><span style="color: #222222;">                                                      </span><span style="background-color: #fdd0d3; color: #222222;">Sweaters I want:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. black kimono                                                                          </span><span style="color: #222222;">5. cosy charcoal jumper</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">2. black linen jacket                                                                    </span><span style="color: #222222;">6. cosy beige jumper</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">3. black button up jumper                                                           </span><span style="color: #222222;">7. off white jumper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">{Got a lot of black in there!}</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. jean jacket</span></span><br />
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Pheeew, that's my shopping list. I added it up and I have 14 things on there - quite a bit! I don't have that big a budget plus I don't really want to buy 14 new things! So what I'm gonna do is I'm going to take a peek at my <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html">maybe</a><a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html"> pile</a> and see if there's anything I could use. I can probably find 2 or 3 pieces that I can substitute for something on the shopping list. And 41 is still quite a lot. So I'm going to see if I can leave out a few pieces and work with a smaller number. Maybe leave out 1 bottom? And 2 long sleeves? I'm going to look at my budget and see what I can do!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE BUDGET</span></b></div>
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It really depends on your income and what you are willing to spend on clothes. My *ideal* budget for this shopping list would be £300 - a hundred per month, if I spread it out. But at the moment, I don't have that money to spend so I'm working with a much smaller number - around a £100. I'm lucky I don't have to buy jackets this autumn! </div>
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Jackets and shoes definitely get the highest percentage of the budget - quality and comfortable materials are a must here. I like to have good trousers and sweaters too, I don't want them to be itchy or fall apart after 5 washes, so I'm willing to spend a little money on those. What I can skimp on are t-shirts. I've never been the one to pay £40 for a tee anyway and I know I can find nice and affordable cotton tee if I look for it. Let me know if you know of any good shops for affordable and well made tees! </div>
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That's it guys, that's the last step done! How much easier it's been to make a capsule shopping list when you know what style, colour and cut to look for, right? Now onto the fun part, shopping!</div>
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*</div>
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A big thank you to everyone who's read this guide, tell me if you found it helpful! Tell me if you didn't, too!</div>
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I'm going to be revealing my final capsule wardrobe for autumn very soon, and I'll talk about the decisions I've made and how I'm getting on. And I'll obviously be sharing autumn outfits with you too. Keep your eyes peeled, or, you know, subscribe to the mailing list in the sidebar ;) </div>
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Until then,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a></div>
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5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101, fashion

STEP 5: SHOPPING LIST | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

CAPSULE WARDROBE SHOPPING LIST & BUDGET Alright, ladies! We're at our last stop. And we better get cracking; there's a ...

/ 24 September 2014 / 1 Comment

STEP 4: COLOUR PALETTE | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9dnzu1UfdRfeJZME1sqZRulHww6Yg7p5Hztwq_nuWdsnMMT0iqI6oTu9213vXjHi37t3LMztgroULryD9_dd872n72jMp824xn1BoOpnly1qQvEerUXA2ZKyBN01isDDcdwVzQmRTuA/s1600/4+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="capsule wardrobe doesn't have to be neutral" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9dnzu1UfdRfeJZME1sqZRulHww6Yg7p5Hztwq_nuWdsnMMT0iqI6oTu9213vXjHi37t3LMztgroULryD9_dd872n72jMp824xn1BoOpnly1qQvEerUXA2ZKyBN01isDDcdwVzQmRTuA/s1600/4+KB.png" title="Capsule wardrobe colour palette" /></a>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">HELLO COLOUR PALETTE!</span></b></div>
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Find yourself a comfortable place to sit, dear reader, because this is going to be a long one. There are many ways to establish your colour palette - below, I talk about four different approaches.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*New here? Read about what is a capsule wardrobe and my reasons to start it <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/what-is-capsule-wardrobe.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*Want to try it yourself? Start purging your wardrobe <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html">here</a>, and read the first step <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-1.htmlhttp://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-1-find-your-capsule-wardrobe-uniform.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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The good thing about these four approaches is that you can mix and match them. You can try all of them or only one of them. Let's start with the easy one.</div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #cccccc;">Inside your tidy wardrobe:</u></b></div>
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Open up the door of your wardrobe. I know, I know, I just told you to find a comfortable seat, but this will only take a minute and then, I promise, you can get back on your perch.</div>
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Make a few steps backward and focus only on the colours. What do you see the most of? Black? Blue? Cream? Pink? Or khaki? Those will be your base colours, (your neutrals).</div>
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What colours aren't represented at all? You don't see any yellow? Or orange? If you don't have any in your current wardrobe, then there's no point including them in your capsule palette. You wouldn't wear them!</div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #cccccc;">Inside your chaotic wardrobe:</u></b></div>
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OK, so maybe you open up your wardrobe and it's not necessarily untidy, but you have summer clothes, fall and winter clothes all together on one rail. You see all the colours of the rainbow which prevent you from pointing out those that dominate (totally guilty of this).</div>
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Let's do this: if you're making an autumn colour palette, take out up to 10 autumn-y things from your closet that you love and wear the most. Be it a top, a scarf, a bag, whatever. Assemble these items on the bed. What colours dominate? Presumably, these already suit you and you feel good in them. They will be the base of your palette.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*A capsule wardrobe doesn't need to be made out of neutral or monochromatic colours. If you normally wear a lot of colour, don't be afraid to include it in your capsule. Quite the opposite! Challenge traditional colour combos, you never know, you might come up with something fetch. Create a capsule wardrobe that's you.</span></i></div>
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I did this exercise with all my wardrobe: summer, fall, winter and spring clothes included, because I was creating a all seasons colour palette - just so I don't have to do it twice. I took out all the things I love to wear and divided the colours into three categories, according to their vividness. </div>
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Least vivid: <b>NEUTRALS</b>   |   Mid vivid: <b>COMPLEMENTARY</b>   |   Vivid: <b>ACCENT </b></div>
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It's pretty self explanatory - I'll be using my neutrals as base for my outfits and mixing them up with complementary colours. Say like charcoal trousers with a light blue shirt and a beige jumper. Accent colours will only appear in small doses - a silver ring, a gold watch, a pair of statement shoes. </div>
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This is my 365 colour palette:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEiGeMLwMa_N-QY2_XNhsOEcdNTKPMhxHtVvz94RAExwOoM-NlDJWo0oNPaco9rbZ5tUL3SMAVKR1eMEE1-1SEAVMu4Dp4TsIkcWl9eUKNA2pS0NIsPIzMpAD6y6vuByzCJDnbeRcRVw/s1600/KBcolpalette680.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="neutrals, complementary, accent" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEiGeMLwMa_N-QY2_XNhsOEcdNTKPMhxHtVvz94RAExwOoM-NlDJWo0oNPaco9rbZ5tUL3SMAVKR1eMEE1-1SEAVMu4Dp4TsIkcWl9eUKNA2pS0NIsPIzMpAD6y6vuByzCJDnbeRcRVw/s1600/KBcolpalette680.png" title="Capsule wardrobe colour palette - katberries" width="359" /></a></div>
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There are 19 colours in there, and I'm happy with that number. And they do go together. Test it! Take any one colour out of each category and you have a great combination. Some of them are bolder than others but I love that this way it's so easy to get a wardrobe that looks very put together, don't you think?</div>
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For my autumn palette I just picked colours I associate with autumn and piled them up into an autumn colour palette (below!).</div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #cccccc;">What's your colour season?</u></b></div>
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Alternatively, if you're not sure what colours you should go with, try find your colour season. Have you heard of this? Each one of us fits one of these categories: Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter. And there are many things to consider - colour of your skin, hair, eyes, the tone of your skin {not the same as colour!}, even your teeth! Colour typology at its best. Safe to say it may take a while.</div>
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Generally, spring and autumn have warm shades in their colour palettes - spring is full of pastel hues, while autumn has those deep warm and rich colours that everybody obsesses over. </div>
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Summer and winter have cooler shades, summer's look a little faded and ashy, while winter's are very statement and contrasted (the whitest white and the blackest black that only really suits the chosen ones).</div>
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<a href="http://into-mind.com/2013/09/24/colour-analysis-part-i-finding-your-type/">Into Mind</a> does a great job explaining it on a larger scale and I thought it was a pretty helpful guide for determining your type. The categories have subcategories, because a lot of you will find yourselves in between. I was totally lost at first, but after reading Into Mind, I think I'm a cool summer - I have medium brown hair, blue-grey eyes, pale skin with a cool tone. There's not a big colour contrast between the colours on my face, which is apparently characteristic of my type. So there you have it.</div>
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Even though I went through the guides and did the tests, in the end I decided not to listen to my pre-determined colour palette completely. It was interesting to learn colour typology, but I do find it a little restrictive. The cool summer colour palette consists of quite a few greens - a colour I almost never wear. And there are hardly any rich tones, like navy, which is a colour I love. Though, I did take out some of the warmer colours I previously had in my palette and replaced it with cooler ones - or I moved them down to Accent.</div>
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For autumn, I've moved the famous navy up to neutrals. Cue: navy jeans, navy jean jacket. This is what my seasonal palette looks like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDQuwWhWoir_i4Tgt-ZEc_6y7C0o_3gdT0D1shBwNZlo7bSm9mqKF7RuPgdwR0vtoT2SvJwloZsZ72YmnXcZHYzuJtQtXXtXHedNyoGsVvCv7mQRhHiUqH4Z7M24UAVbN9FUzZRKAhyc/s1600/autumn+colour+palette680.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDQuwWhWoir_i4Tgt-ZEc_6y7C0o_3gdT0D1shBwNZlo7bSm9mqKF7RuPgdwR0vtoT2SvJwloZsZ72YmnXcZHYzuJtQtXXtXHedNyoGsVvCv7mQRhHiUqH4Z7M24UAVbN9FUzZRKAhyc/s1600/autumn+colour+palette680.png" title="Capsule wardrobe Autumn colour palette katberries" width="358" /></a></div>
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If none of these three approaches were particularly helpful to you, you might want to try this: </div>
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<b><u style="background-color: #cccccc;">Set up a new board on Pinterest:</u></b> </div>
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Name it colour palette or colour inspiration and start pinning. But wait! Be very extremely selective. Yes, extremely. Pin clothes, street style, but also interiors, fabrics, patterns, places, flowers, make up...anything that really appeals to you. You don't have to pin hundreds, 25-30 is enough, but it may take a couple days (you don't want to pin something just for the sake of pinning it). Then, look at your board as a whole and proceed as per the instructions of Inside your tidy wardrobe at the beginning of this post. What colours dominate? What colours aren't represented? Check out my inspiration board <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/katberries/autumn-colour-palette/">here</a>.</div>
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Hah! That's it! I had loads of fun finding the right colours for me and reading all the guides, so I hope you will too. If you're skilful in Photoshop & such, make and print your palette. If not, <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B34oxrHpPNUbNWxiTk45bEEwNTQ/edit">here is a pdf print out</a> with blank squares that you can either colour in, or, better yet, glue cut outs from magazines onto. Use paper, tapes, fabric...whatever colourful cut offs you might have. </div>
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You'll need your colour palette on hand when you go shopping, which is - oh-so-soon! - because tomorrow is the last step of this 5 step guide: <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-5-capsule-wardrobe-shopping-list-budget.html">Shopping list and budget</a>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a></div>
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5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101, fashion

STEP 4: COLOUR PALETTE | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

HELLO COLOUR PALETTE! Find yourself a comfortable place to sit, dear reader, because this is going to be a long one. There are many ...

/ 23 September 2014 / 4 Comments

STEP 3: STYLE | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Od1PjciDci2Tt-XCCSat_xX7TcXdLARSQZgIBfa_pEMTM_WQu32qGvkgK7CdB2GvIZASifslKMwH7D-ZLwlL2Bm6wN5sx4Ee86qc6BSrhnlRiTIvzV3jAj0UHfPAjEjHTYL7jlJ-6Hc/s1600/3+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="step 3 of 5 steps to a capsule wardrobe" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Od1PjciDci2Tt-XCCSat_xX7TcXdLARSQZgIBfa_pEMTM_WQu32qGvkgK7CdB2GvIZASifslKMwH7D-ZLwlL2Bm6wN5sx4Ee86qc6BSrhnlRiTIvzV3jAj0UHfPAjEjHTYL7jlJ-6Hc/s1600/3+KB.png" title="Define your style as you build a capsule wardrobe" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHAT'S YOUR STYLE?</b></span><br />
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You know what the third step means - we're halfway through! I'll keep it short and sweet today, and we'll talk a little about style.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*New here? Read about what is a capsule wardrobe and my reasons to start it <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/what-is-capsule-wardrobe.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*Want to try it yourself? Start purging your wardrobe <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html">here</a>, and read the first step <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-1.htmlhttp://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-1-find-your-capsule-wardrobe-uniform.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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Style is a tricky thing, it changes all the time! But that's okay, with a capsule wardrobe you can change bits and pieces of it every 3 months. Your style should be appropriate for your lifestyle, obviously. You can't be exactly boho in a corporate lawyer uniform, right? </div>
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Let's do a little exercise. Below are all the style adjectives I could think of (if I missed some, let me know in the comments and I'll add them). I've put together the ones that have a similar meaning, and organised them into dichotomies, more or less. Some of them repeat. </div>
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I'd like you to read them and write down 2-5 that apply to you (your current style). Then read them again and write down 2-5 that you wish applied to you (what you'd like your style to be). You don't have to just focus on one column, you're welcome to pick contradicting styles. It can work!</div>
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Ready, set,go!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgutqt7InV_j33s8j1k4TH69kJTYvzrzl_hmC85HkNeKb6eB9zIHz0XH0g7T7Kg6mkc3k_gDMvAWC2msJPWJuHHcdw7DiV_hPjw8nnjkT05VWSbWWvjLSz6sIG2vY2SWr142xCzhTljk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-14+at+11.45.44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="style dichotomy, retro - modern, country - urban, simple, minimal - fancy, boho - preppy" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgutqt7InV_j33s8j1k4TH69kJTYvzrzl_hmC85HkNeKb6eB9zIHz0XH0g7T7Kg6mkc3k_gDMvAWC2msJPWJuHHcdw7DiV_hPjw8nnjkT05VWSbWWvjLSz6sIG2vY2SWr142xCzhTljk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-14+at+11.45.44.png" title="style types and adjectives" /></a></div>
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<b>This is my first group: romantic, boho, casual, clean</b></div>
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<b>This is my second group: effortless, chic, minimal, neutral, playful</b></div>
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Now, pick two of each, according to what you want to be/look like this season. I'm picking two and two because my columns are almost equal - 4 in the first, 5 in the second. If yours look, say - 5 in the first and 2 in the second, you should pick three and one. If your style is pretty set and you're happy with it as is, then that's fine! Don't bother with the second column, take your four adjectives and continue working with them :-)</div>
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The ones I'm going for this season are underlined. I've got quite a few romantic pieces in my current wardrobe, that I think I have outgrown a little bit. So I'm leaving that behind. I'm also leaving casual out for the benefit of clean. That doesn't mean I'm going to start dressing fancy or anything, just that casual isn't one of the four main aspects for this capsule. Out of the second column I'm going to take effortless and neutral. I've been admiring the effortless look for some time, so I'm making it one of my priorities and let's see how it goes. </div>
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I've always been inspired by  neutral  style, and I don't wear nearly as much colour as I think I do. Plus matching neutral pieces sounds like less effort than matching colour. (See what I did there?)</div>
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To round up, I want my autumn capsule to be: <b><u>effortless, clean, boho, and neutral.</u></b> </div>
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What about you?</div>
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I am keeping these little adjectives in mind and will be using them for constructing my shopping list {coming in step 5!} I will know to steer clear of frills and too much pink and instead, look out for clean, flattering cuts. I think defining your style helps a lot in really getting an idea of what should be in your capsule. I'd love to hear what you discovered your style to be!</div>
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Tomorrow I'm talking about a huge topic - <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-4-colour-palette-capsule-wardrobe.html">capsule colour palette</a>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a></div>
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5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101, fashion

STEP 3: STYLE | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

WHAT'S YOUR STYLE? You know what the third step means - we're halfway through! I'll keep it short and sweet today, and w...

/ 22 September 2014 / Leave a comment

STEP 2: NUMBER | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlQbAzsvkN16oXR4hrc0UzeA8Si4wtbEtUdF4LLdTdheFTshn8MsD-b1-ucLQ-xx9xYEDZehzHR9QK7st1-JvuA6YiiNdBp_6hL7csus6-d0KyvAoo_bT6dQMy_GmuQXdRXhdp0sBQy4/s1600/2+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Number of clothes for my capsule wardrobe" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlQbAzsvkN16oXR4hrc0UzeA8Si4wtbEtUdF4LLdTdheFTshn8MsD-b1-ucLQ-xx9xYEDZehzHR9QK7st1-JvuA6YiiNdBp_6hL7csus6-d0KyvAoo_bT6dQMy_GmuQXdRXhdp0sBQy4/s1600/2+KB.png" title="How many clothes should I have in my capsule wardrobe?" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER?</b></span></div>
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Nope, I'm not being a creep and asking you for your phone number. Today, as a step 2, we're going to figure out how many pieces you'll need in your capsule wardrobe. </div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*New here? Read about what is a capsule wardrobe and my reasons to start it <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/what-is-capsule-wardrobe.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*Want to try it yourself? Start purging your wardrobe <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html">here</a>, and read the first step <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-1.htmlhttp://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-1-find-your-capsule-wardrobe-uniform.html">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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Back to step 2 - this is an exciting one! From when I started thinking about doing capsule wardrobe, I wanted to know what my number will be. <a href="http://theproject333.com/">Project333</a> has 33 items. Caroline of <a href="http://www.un-fancy.com/">Unfancy</a> has 37. How many would I end up with? Caroline, who's a definite blog crush, was my main inspiration for starting a capsule wardrobe. She divided her 37 piece capsule into: 9 shoes, 9 bottoms, 15 tops, 2 jackets and 2 dresses. (She also has a great <a href="http://www.un-fancy.com/capsule-wardrobe-101/add-variety-to-your-wardrobe-with-one-little-trick/">rule of three</a>, to add variety to her wardrobe) 37 pieces is her number, so I thought I'd use a vaguely mathematical way to figure out mine. I might wind up with a 37 anyway, or I might get something else. I already know I won't need 9 pairs of shoes and I also know I'll need plenty of sweaters. I'm trying to make this work for me, you should too! Make it work for you, not me, that is. I'm using my uniform templates to get a rough idea:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyN-kLygz6B2q_AO0uhxGhTCiZkeDn5_CN1AKBuMoMq3hbAxKoXiT-cdyxdeh43GysiL3N9XTovJ6dKI8oJHdJj6uFLmPE3gB_yJ3vyyksaT1XJUORdTTkSSJS_r2trBLLHHyC3P2PE8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+20.24.21.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyN-kLygz6B2q_AO0uhxGhTCiZkeDn5_CN1AKBuMoMq3hbAxKoXiT-cdyxdeh43GysiL3N9XTovJ6dKI8oJHdJj6uFLmPE3gB_yJ3vyyksaT1XJUORdTTkSSJS_r2trBLLHHyC3P2PE8/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+20.24.21.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">BOTTOMS</b></u></div>
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I started off with Caroline's number for bottoms. 9. In the table, I have two uniforms with trousers and one with skirts. 2/3 of my bottoms should be trousers.</div>
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<u><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">TOPS</b></u></div>
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You definitely need more tops than bottoms, so let's say 15. Which means, if you wear a different one every day, you don't have to do laundry for at least 2 weeks. Got to think about the environment, too.</div>
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From my uniform templates, I know I'll be wearing loose fit blouses, shirts and long sleeves. Perhaps I'll throw a couple short sleeves in for the warmer days. 2/3 long sleeves, 1/3 short sleeves. 10 and 5.</div>
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<u><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"> SWEATERS/JUMPERS</b></u></div>
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First I thought 4 sweaters would be enough, so I did the math {I did say this was a vaguely mathematical way to do it ;) } - 4 sweaters, every day, for 3 months. That's 22 separate wears for each one. That is a lot. And I'll probably get bored of them fast. Plus I have a couple of these jacket-y things, a blue denim - not warm enough to be a real jacket, or a casual linen blazer that I wear all the time. So my next number was 7. One for every day of the week. It reduces separate wears down to 13. A lucky number and one I can live with. </div>
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<u><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"> JACKETS</b></u></div>
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Jackets are the pieces that get the most wear. They are some of the pricier parts of the capsule wardrobe, and because I have to keep my budget in mind, I'm going with 4. That gives me 2 warm and 2 light jackets. I'm happy with that. I can start off wearing the lighter ones and as the season progresses I'll switch them for the two warmer.</div>
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<u><b style="background-color: #cccccc;">SHOES</b></u></div>
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Oh, here we come. Shoes. The apple of discord. Caroline of Unfancy uses 9 pairs. Like I mentioned, I'm actually not too much of a shoeaholic so I don't need as many pairs. 7 should be enough for me. It still gives me plenty of opportunities to have different styles. Booties, smart casual shoes, and trainers.</div>
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Here's a table summary:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH1ljJ5uU_dtLDoRlVQu34UKH6KskNENkCqi91G3smco5dTw3S46aRu3Rk72WuT6AVEMhzCp8AID80X-d76Czb9c5LZCsHaI1U8kG6SGNMK8hLTMqYUrwZuawxcmMVBlECSTo7uQN3Z4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-12+at+15.37.06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH1ljJ5uU_dtLDoRlVQu34UKH6KskNENkCqi91G3smco5dTw3S46aRu3Rk72WuT6AVEMhzCp8AID80X-d76Czb9c5LZCsHaI1U8kG6SGNMK8hLTMqYUrwZuawxcmMVBlECSTo7uQN3Z4/s640/Screen+Shot+2014-09-12+at+15.37.06.png" width="500" /></a></div>
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What's my number? <b>42!</b></div>
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I like visuals, okay? That way I don't have to keep track of everything in my head. The numbers aren't yet set in stone, though they won't change radically. I've included a third column, noting the approximate ratio of statement to basic pieces. In my mind, anything that's not a statement is a basic so this includes in-betweeny pieces too :-) 1/3 or 1/4 of the count is a statement piece.</div>
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To get a number for yourself, you'll need to sit down and do a lot of thinking. Analyse your uniform templates. Sometimes, you can work out a number pretty easily from them, like a number for bottoms, but sometimes you just have to take an educated guess. You need to keep asking yourself: why do you need as many items as you need? And, what is the smallest number of "x" that I can live with for 3 months? </div>
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So, what's your number? </div>
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Next up: <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-3-define-your-style.html">step 3</a>: Define your style.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a></div>

5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101, fashion

STEP 2: NUMBER | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? Nope, I'm not being a creep and asking you for your phone number. Today, as a step 2, we're going to f...

/ 21 September 2014 / Leave a comment

STEP 1: UNIFORM | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7eLtRQBT0xGiBZSyPe240CzRd3wV56HFkNEM_70skFgTbRBHGFvd3zFnLzzRD0k99KROGM8eURrBHjLc5De-mIjwROuL58H2wiCaain_BZ4NZLC1jWlLGD3tq4HeEEgGlbqaCM3vbiE/s1600/1+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="5 steps to a capsule wardrobe" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7eLtRQBT0xGiBZSyPe240CzRd3wV56HFkNEM_70skFgTbRBHGFvd3zFnLzzRD0k99KROGM8eURrBHjLc5De-mIjwROuL58H2wiCaain_BZ4NZLC1jWlLGD3tq4HeEEgGlbqaCM3vbiE/s1600/1+KB.png" title="Find your capsule wardrobe uniform" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>FIND YOUR LIFESTYLE UNIFORM</b></span></div>
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The very first step to building your own capsule wardrobe is finding your lifestyle uniform. (<a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/what-is-capsule-wardrobe.html">What is a capsule wardrobe?</a>) A uniform is something like a recipe for your favourite outfit. It's a set of clothes you wear more often than others and that makes you feel good. E.g.: skinny jeans, loose blouse, cardigan and ballet flats. Uniform represents your style as well as your lifestyle and changes from season to season (because who wants to be wearing ballet flats in -2°).</div>
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<b> Your uniform is your outfit template.</b></div>
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First up, let's talk a little about your lifestyle.</div>
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Where do you spend most of your time?</div>
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Work? University? Home? Traveling?</div>
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What's the nature of your work? What kind of dress code is there? Smart? Smart casual? Casual? Do you work from home? Feel free to write the answers down and section your day/week into smaller pieces. Make a pie chart if you want to. Mine goes like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_4F23oEWgpLFTYyw-uP6n_Ena3nyC2JiDyVpxgTSQ3Hy43iwi8eSdXYB-urSNK7Zafbvcyg2SHtcitICt85uhFxXcgm2f2WRcQ71n3oG4dAzaQiMmBxTnn3eMUHFNdKdqK2l8h0xOgw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-09-12+at+14.56.50.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_4F23oEWgpLFTYyw-uP6n_Ena3nyC2JiDyVpxgTSQ3Hy43iwi8eSdXYB-urSNK7Zafbvcyg2SHtcitICt85uhFxXcgm2f2WRcQ71n3oG4dAzaQiMmBxTnn3eMUHFNdKdqK2l8h0xOgw/s320/Screen+Shot+2014-09-12+at+14.56.50.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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40% at home - writing, cooking or relaxing<br />
20% at university<br />
20% running errands<br />
10% doing sports<br />
10% socialising<br />
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(*If your work dress code is not what you'd wear in your free time, you might want to consider building two smaller capsule wardrobes. Another option is challenging yourself some more and looking for pieces you can dress up for work and dress down for free time.)</div>
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I'll do an example of my autumn uniform (psst, more than one uniform is a OK!).</div>
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When constructing outfits, I usually start with bottoms, then I add shoes, then a top, then a sweater and, or jacket, depending on how cold it is, and then accessories. If you start with a top, and add the rest to it, put <b>TOP</b> as your first column. If you start with shoes, put <b>SHOES</b> down first.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyN-kLygz6B2q_AO0uhxGhTCiZkeDn5_CN1AKBuMoMq3hbAxKoXiT-cdyxdeh43GysiL3N9XTovJ6dKI8oJHdJj6uFLmPE3gB_yJ3vyyksaT1XJUORdTTkSSJS_r2trBLLHHyC3P2PE8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+20.24.21.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyN-kLygz6B2q_AO0uhxGhTCiZkeDn5_CN1AKBuMoMq3hbAxKoXiT-cdyxdeh43GysiL3N9XTovJ6dKI8oJHdJj6uFLmPE3gB_yJ3vyyksaT1XJUORdTTkSSJS_r2trBLLHHyC3P2PE8/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+20.24.21.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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So you must have noticed I have 2 uniforms. Because I start constructing outfits through bottoms, it made sense for me to divide my outfit templates according to the type of bottoms - trousers and skirt outfits. But maybe you never wear skirts. Or only wear skirts. Then perhaps you'd have just one uniform - or you could distinguish the uniforms between the types of skirts you wear (like a maxi skirt uniform and mini skirt uniform). Or you could have 4 different uniforms because your style has that much variety. There is no set number for how many uniforms you might have and the number will also change between seasons. I think I'll definitely have more uniforms in the summer.</div>
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(*And don't worry, if you only ever like to wear one type of outfit. It doesn't mean your style is boring, you still have so many options. Uniforms, while giving you some "guidelines" are still very versatile. And you can always play with colours, accessories, your make up and your hair, because it's not just clothes that make an outfit.)</div>
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I don't actually count accessories like hat and scarf towards the final number of pieces, but I like to have them up there in the table because they complete my uniform outfit and I like to paint the whole picture.</div>
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Right, so now it's time for you to take a step back and analyse your lifestyle.</div>
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This should be fun! Take a little time and think about where you spend your time and what you love to wear. Write down your uniform(s) and keep it somewhere safe, you'll need it for the other steps! I know you can't wait to find out what your <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-2-your-capsule-wardrobe-number.html">capsule wardrobe number</a> will be, so next we'll do just that.</div>
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What is your capsule wardrobe uniform?</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrA8ONwTRyiPnpiIljWJdWkr8pvpJ500s69uREFb_gDZdWD2kmhspRF_oBokn1Fu8LWi_F4gvC6Nj1ZAT5KNyMsQySnhqWLz0koT1JfHe7dxrvQxJyPX5fLxajgJ29Usj-kQxX6XyE60/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a></div>

5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101, fashion

STEP 1: UNIFORM | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

FIND YOUR LIFESTYLE UNIFORM The very first step to building your own capsule wardrobe is finding your lifestyle uniform. ( What is a...

/ 20 September 2014 / Leave a comment

STEP 0: THE BIG WARDROBE PURGE

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE3X9zQ_nG5n2SIKku67ZjQxdW3N0Epsa4VnIcsQ8teB7LUJeWlxw7zvGf4VWVu_zuBR2nWbsEm39hesPfI8vEuNUClsCz-y-_WywPP9OdR8SACBniVTxE1bEqNEGuJeNohFxpbW3N1Q/s1600/0+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="purging my wardrobe before starting a capsule wardrobe" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE3X9zQ_nG5n2SIKku67ZjQxdW3N0Epsa4VnIcsQ8teB7LUJeWlxw7zvGf4VWVu_zuBR2nWbsEm39hesPfI8vEuNUClsCz-y-_WywPP9OdR8SACBniVTxE1bEqNEGuJeNohFxpbW3N1Q/s1600/0+KB.png" title="How to clean out my closet?" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>MINIMISING YOUR CLOSET</b></span></div>
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Emptying out your closet can be a tedious task. I mean, most of us probably hate it. I do it every year or two. I look at my closet with a mildly critical eye and donate/sell/bin any old or no longer loved items. But I've never gone through my closet with such a capsule-wardrobe-fine tooth comb. It's amazing (and not in a good way), how much stuff can a person accumulate over 12 months, let alone in 5 or 10 years.</div>
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I call it step 0, because it's kind of an in-between step. I know a lot of you will want to start the capsule wardrobe challenge with purging your closet first so you can start with a clean slate. But some of you will perhaps do the purge in the middle of the process and some at the end. So here it is, step 0, to be used whenever needed :)</div>
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*One tip: You have to be very honest with yourself, otherwise it won't work. Out with the unworn, in with the worn. And there's going to be absolutely no slacking!</span></i></div>
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There are many ways to purge your closet and you have to see what method works for you best. I did it in three instalments: </div>
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1. First, I got out everything that I knew I wasn't going to wear anymore. Too old, too worn, doesn't fit kind of items. These went into three piles:</div>
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<b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><u>Bin , Give away, & Sell</u></b></div>
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That's <span class="s1"><b>⅕</b></span> of my closet gone.</div>
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2. Then, I took out all the things I love love love wearing, summer or winter clothes, doesn't matter, and I put them on the bed. </div>
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<u>My <span class="s2" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>keep</b></span> pile.</u> </div>
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That was about <span class="s1"><b>⅖</b></span>. </div>
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I still had the last <span class="s1"><b>⅖</b></span> left. This was the hardest part - you have to be critical and totally honest. I tried <b>everything</b> on (and I recommend you do too!) and if it didn't fit as much as I wanted it to, it went either to <span class="s3">give away</span> or <span class="s3">sell</span> piles. Not many clothes from this last section went to the <span class="s3">keep</span> pile, but there was a new pile to be created:</div>
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<u>3. The <span class="s2" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>maybe</b></span> pile. </u></div>
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Everything that didn't quite make it to the love love love keep pile, but that I just couldn't part with went in here. About 20-25 individual items, for sentimental reasons, or because they are really good pieces that I don't want to wear <i>now</i> but might want to wear in the future. I'm going to store them and see if I use any for next capsules, and if they don't get used for a year, I'm going to have to say goodbye. It contains a few summer dresses, a couple of t-shirts and some skirts and jeans. I'm curious myself to see if they get worn.</div>
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And that's it! It wasn't as painful as I'd thought it would be. I did most of this in a few hours, but if you have a huuuuge closet, you could always space it out over a few days/evenings. I prefer to do it all at once so it's not nagging at me every time I walk past it.</div>
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Have you ever done a big wardrobe purge? Are you doing one now? Tell me all about it in the comments!</div>
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<span class="s4">Next up: <span class="s5"><b><a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-1-find-your-capsule-wardrobe-uniform.html">Step 1 - Finding your uniform.</a></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzqf6YPHG0-znXO1WJTEQRpNpjxx2LDTSyPGJQQ4wjCW9H9Z3uigSSzNSYMzRiQi8VBnlm-7tByxJ6rtN9mo0lpi9337ijCOSvfuMbHzkU31OWhtqaj8j2lcBw1OKSS-_v02-ghmX8C0/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzqf6YPHG0-znXO1WJTEQRpNpjxx2LDTSyPGJQQ4wjCW9H9Z3uigSSzNSYMzRiQi8VBnlm-7tByxJ6rtN9mo0lpi9337ijCOSvfuMbHzkU31OWhtqaj8j2lcBw1OKSS-_v02-ghmX8C0/s1600/podpis+long+long.png" /></a></div>
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5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101

STEP 0: THE BIG WARDROBE PURGE

MINIMISING YOUR CLOSET Emptying out your closet can be a tedious task. I mean, most of us probably hate it. I do it every year or two...

WHAT IS A CAPSULE WARDROBE?

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zvEto8kO3VEtdXvP6tYCazNEcuHTXO6zcvkyWVADCmCg-1EFB7WDbrU4g9Ule7tH8z9JmOmn62V8eEYNK_Eo5O2QUgl07RMZLIubMPJTsy4tW2DcDIclybCK7voyCqgcrQcQOR0HZHk/s1600/intro+KB.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="A guide to building a capsule wardrobe" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zvEto8kO3VEtdXvP6tYCazNEcuHTXO6zcvkyWVADCmCg-1EFB7WDbrU4g9Ule7tH8z9JmOmn62V8eEYNK_Eo5O2QUgl07RMZLIubMPJTsy4tW2DcDIclybCK7voyCqgcrQcQOR0HZHk/s1600/intro+KB.png" title="What is a capsule wardrobe? How to start a capsule wardrobe?" /></a>
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Originally, back in the 70s, a capsule wardrobe stood for a small collection of clothing that wouldn't go out of fashion; a trench or camel coat, a pencil skirt, a cashmere sweater - the classics that don't age. In 1985, Donna Karan presented a capsule collection of 8 pieces and since then it's become a widely popular concept. The capsule wardrobe I'm going to talk about is very much a lifestyle as well as a clothing choice. It's not an 8 piece collection like Karan's; but the idea has been applied to the whole closet - a capsule closet - a capsule wardrobe.</div>
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Today, a capsule wardrobe is anything between 30-45 pieces. And shoes are included. It seems like so little, right? But let me ask you this: how many times have you looked in your wardrobe and thought: <b>I have nothing to wear.</b></div>
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then grabbed the same jumper, blouse or the same trousers that you always resort to... Ta-da! This is where a capsule wardrobe makes a grand entrance. The point is that you only own pieces that you love, that suit you and make you feel super good about yourself. You will find that, paradoxically, by owning less, you can have more.</div>
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Sounds pretty great, right?</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHY DID I DECIDE TO START A CAPSULE WARDROBE?</b></span><br />
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Well, for starters, despite having loads of clothes,</div>
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<b style="background-color: #cccccc;">1. I had nothing to wear.</b></div>
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Why did this happen? Because I wasn't critical when I went shopping. I would buy a green top with a colourful pattern, even if I didn't have anything to go with it. Or I'd buy something that didn't really fit me that well in the first place, just because if was a 'bargain'. I had a closet full of clothes, but they didn't work together as a whole. As a collection. It was a bit like having ten different paintings and wondering why they don't all fit into the same frame.</div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">2. I wasn't sure what MY style was.</span> </b></div>
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How do you define your style if you own a little bit of everything? Is it urban? Girly? Romantic? By minimising my wardrobe and only keeping things I love, I discovered my own, real personal style, not just the style I buy every season.</div>
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<b style="background-color: #cccccc;">3. I needed to cut my clothes budget and stop overspending.</b></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">I'd often go to town, wander in h&m or new look and find something I liked. I'd get it. It would never be anything expensive, a top for a fiver or trousers for a tenner. But a fiver here and there and at the end of the month you have a foot long bill and an unhappy debit card. I shopped without a vision or a plan. See yourself in here? Keep reading.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: #cccccc;">4. I wanted quality over quantity</b></div>
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Have you checked the labels in stores recently? Everything is viscose, lyocell, and polyester/polyurethane. I mean yes, it's cheap, but it's sweaty and a lot of the time not too nice to touch or feel... I don't mind getting a viscose tee now and then, or a soft acrylic jumper, but, excuse me, where's cotton gone? It can be an absolute mission to find a cotton top on a budget.</div>
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So I set myself a rule: If it's not cotton, you can't buy it. Phew, that's about a £100 worth of uncomfortable fashion saved.</div>
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<b style="background-color: #cccccc;">5. I felt uninspired and wanted to change things up.</b></div>
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Ever feel this way? You open up your closet full of clothes and hate everything. Nothing fits/suits you. Nothing's worth a second look. You're stuck. You feel like you've tried wearing everything every possible way and now you're repeating your outfits over and over. So listen, stop and take a deep breath. You're overwhelmed by your clothes. You don't want to be overwhelmed by your clothes. Great, another reasons to start a capsule wardrobe.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>HOW DO WE DO THIS?</b></span><br />
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Don't worry, it's so much easier than it looks!  Whatever your lifestyle and budget, you <i>can</i> make capsule wardrobe happen. Over the next few days, I will be breaking it down for you and sharing my <b>FIVE STEP GUIDE FOR BUILDING A CAPSULE WARDROBE.</b></div>
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My capsule season is going to be three months long. Three months for autumn, winter, spring and summer, roughly. Depending on your climate, you might only have two seasons. For me, autumn starts NOW and goes on till the end of November/beginning of December. Winter ends halfway through March and summer starts in June. This is my first try and I will definitely make mistakes. My goal isn't to be perfect the first time around, but to learn from this experience. So, if you have any suggestions along the way, I'll be happy to hear them.</div>
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And every next season will be easier to plan for and every next capsule wardrobe easier to execute. As of yet, I don't have a specific number of pieces for you to take and work with, because one number for everyone isn't, in fact, for everyone. We all lead different lives and live in different climates. But if you can hold off till step 2, I promise you'll find a number that suits <i>you</i> best.</div>
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*Update May 2015: I've designed a <a href="http://www.katberries.com/2015/03/minimal-wardrobe-workbook-free-download.html"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Minimal Wardrobe Workbook</b></a> that you can download, print and fill out. Inside, you'll find the wardrobe exercises as they are on the blog (just a little updated). It's basically a workbook that you can use on its own as you try your hand at building a capsule wardrobe, or you can use it as and while you read the five steps here on the blog.</div>
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I fill it out before every new season and it helps me get a better picture of what I want my wardrobe to look like. Of course feel free to shuffle the order of the steps or skip some if you don't think they apply. And let me know how you find it!</div>
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Next up:</div>
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<a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/step-0-big-wardrobe-purge.html"><b>Step 0</b></a> to starting a capsule wardrobe: the BIG wardrobe purge! (I call it step 0 because before you can do something new, you have to have a clean slate :) )</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.katberries.com/2014/09/5-steps-to-capsule-wardrobe-step-1.html">Step 1: Finding your uniform.</a></b></div>

5 step wardrobe guide, capsule wardrobe, curated closet 101, fashion

WHAT IS A CAPSULE WARDROBE?

Originally, back in the 70s, a capsule wardrobe stood for a small collection of clothing that wouldn't go out of fashion; a trench ...

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/ 24 November 2014 / 7 Comments

WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE PLANNING: THREE WINTER UNIFORMS

/ 25 September 2014 / 4 Comments

STEP 5: SHOPPING LIST | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

/ 24 September 2014 / 1 Comment

STEP 4: COLOUR PALETTE | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

/ 23 September 2014 / 4 Comments

STEP 3: STYLE | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

/ 22 September 2014 / Leave a comment

STEP 2: NUMBER | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

/ 21 September 2014 / Leave a comment

STEP 1: UNIFORM | 5 STEPS TO A CAPSULE WARDROBE

/ 20 September 2014 / Leave a comment

STEP 0: THE BIG WARDROBE PURGE

WHAT IS A CAPSULE WARDROBE?

HELLO!

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