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People everywhere are saying goodbye to a hectic wardrobe and hello to a timeless closet. Capsule wardrobes have been gaining traction over the years, but in 2020 the trend has taken off. Due to COVID-19, people had more time to take a step back, look at their closets and realize they have too much clothing. One of the early adopters of this method is Caroline Rector of Unfancy, a blog started by Caroline Rector in her yearlong capsule wardrobe journey.

Rector defined a capsule wardrobe as “a mini wardrobe made up of versatile pieces that you totally love to wear.” 

Her minimalistic ways work best for her. She said she believes people should try the trend of a capsule wardrobe because clothes that are trending for only a couple months to one year can be wasteful.  

For anyone who is interested in starting their own capsule wardrobe, a great way to start is to get rid of all the clothing that is no longer in style or worn. Go though those clothing items and donate the ones that are still in good condition. 

Rector said that each season a person should clear out their closest and narrow it down to the pieces they love. The golden number for a time capsule closet is 37 clothing items. A collection of classic pieces that can be mixed and matched over time. A capsule wardrobe can help save time, money and energy. Overall, a minimalist lifestyle is easier when one’s closet is full of clothing they already love and that work in combination, according to Rector. She recommended a five-step approach:

1. Pair down your closet to 37 items.

2. Wear only those 37 items for three months.

3. Don’t go shopping during most of the season.

4. During the last two weeks of the season, plan and shop for your next capsule.

5. Keep basic colors as essentials and select accent colors. Add patterned items and layers. 

Capsule wardrobes can help people realize what clothing they actually wear and keep high-quality clothing items that will last. 

Tami Muhlenbruck, owner of Maria Vincent Boutique, gave insight on the capsule wardrobe trend. Maria Vincent Boutique is located in Ankeny and is a great one-stop shop for everything someone might need to begin or add to a capsule wardrobe.

On her website mariavincent.com, Muhlenbruck has a page called “Core Wordrobe,” where she has listed must-haves for every wardrobe. Her list of recommendations for a capsule wardrobe are a good pair of black jeans and dark denim jeans. She recommends for the jeans to have no distressing because the jeans need to last a long time and stay on trend. 

“I always recommend everyone to have (plain) topic tees, white, black or gray,” Muhelnbruck said. “You should be able to have a wardrobe that you can wear beyond one season and also beyond one year, really good classic items that will not go out of style.”

Next on her list of must-haves is a white button-down shirt. This style of shirt can be a core staple piece because of all the different ways to wear it. Muhelnbruck said a good jean jacket is a also must-have for a capsule wardrobe. 

“They are so popular they have been popular for decades,” Muhelnbruck said. 

Black dress pants, a black dress, black or brown belt, simple handbag and a black blazer are some of the other options Muhlenbruck added to her list of what she would recommend for a capsule wardrobe. 

 “If people want to build a good wardrobe or a capsule wardrobe, get good pieces that are classic cut and basic colors,’’ Muhelnbruck said.

Mary Donner is a self-proclaimed minimalist who has been doing the minimalist lifestyle since 1970. The capsule wardrobe trend isn’t anything new, and Donner is a prime example of that. She started in the ‘70s and is still going strong with her limited closet. Donner said a good pair of jeans and t-shirts is all someone needs. 

“Especially in today’s world, you don’t need that many clothes,” Donner said.