Why You Need a Capsule Wardrobe as a Woman with ADHD

Why You Need a Capsule Wardrobe as a Woman with ADHD

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A Capsule Wardrobe

First of all, what is a capsule wardrobe? (And totally aside here – I know you don’t call your clothes a “wardrobe” but that’s the term that is used, OK? Work with me here.)

And why am I telling you that you need one just because you are a woman with ADHD?

First things first.Why You Need a Capsule Wardrobe as a Woman with ADHD

A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothes, usually spanning one season, that all go together.

You start with a basic base color, like black, add another neutral or two, then some color and possibly pattern.

And why is it important that you, An ADD Woman, have one?

Because it will make your life so much easier, and you will always feel good about what you’re wearing.

That is, if you do it the right way.

Putting Together a Capsule Wardrobe

Chances are that you are already wearing a capsule wardrobe, of sorts.

Research says that we wear about 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.

That sounds pretty accurate, if you think about it.

My black cardigan only gets pulled out if I’m going someplace dressy and need something a little warm, but my jeans are on constant repeat.

The goal is about 30 – 40 pieces, and there is some debate about whether or not you include things like shoes and outerwear in that number.

I say forget all that – just whittle your wardrobe down to the pieces that:

  • Go together
  • Fit well
  • Feel good – both physically and emotionally

You’ll need more tops than bottoms, and it’s a good idea to start with a basic neutral color – like black or navy – add another neutral or two, and then some color.

Real Life Gets in the Way

Most women have 2 – 3 “wardrobes” in their closet: work clothes, weekend clothes, and the stuff you put on when you get home from work.

The whole reason behind the capsule wardrobe is to simplify your life.

Theoretically, you could reach into your closet, pull out a few pieces almost without looking, and come up with a good outfit.

How do you do that when you have multiple wardrobes? See this video for tips.

It depends.

If your work wardrobe is very specific – scrubs, for example – then you’re not going to pull those out for anything else.

You need a work wardrobe (which you probably already have) and a weekend wardrobe, which can be smaller than 30 – 40 pieces. (It really is a lot when you get into it.)

That weekend wardrobe would be what you concentrate on when you put a capsule wardrobe together. This idea is for times when you get to choose what you are going to wear.

What you wear to hang around the house is up to you, in my opinion.

My Capsule Wardrobe

Although I’ve been looking at this idea for a long time, and wanting to do it, it was only this past winter that I really started trying to put a capsule wardrobe together for myself.

I’m retired and blogging from home, so I could really hang out in my pajamas all day if I wanted to. However, I have tried to step up my game a little bit.

Even though the seasons have changed, my winter wardrobe never got finished, and now I have to work on my spring one. But since the seasons change gradually, I’m still wearing most of my winter stuff. Anything I buy at this point will be for spring or summer.

I chose black as my base color, with ivory and gray as my other neutrals. The only color I added was well, I guess a range of pinks, from blush to rose.

Here it is:

  • 1 pair of jeans – I know I need more, but I hate shopping for them
  • 3 pairs of leggings – 1 black, 2 black with a small print
  • 3 pairs of yoga pants – 1 black, 2 gray
  • 2 pullover sweaters – ivory and gray
  • 2 turtlenecks – black and ivory – good for layering, plus I’m always cold
  • 2 identical pullovers – black and rose
  • 3 long sleeved black tees
  • 1 long sleeved gray tee
  • 1 gray pullover
  • 1 rose pullover
  • 3 hoodies – 2 black, 1 rose
  • 1 black and gray striped shirt

That’s 23 pieces. I also have a pair of knee high black leather boots and gray Sketchers.

And my purses are always a color, not a neutral. Right now, mine’s pink.

Also my jewelry is all costume stuff – nothing really expensive – but a lot of it is bigger, bolder, and more colorful. And that’s how I perk up my black and gray.

This has worked perfectly fine for me all winter, and I’ve never felt the need to add more, unless I’m cold.

I have an entirely separate dressy wardrobe that I go to when I need it.

What About Your Wardrobe?

What do you think?

Could you do a capsule wardrobe? Or more importantly, would you try?

I really think it could benefit you so much, and to help you out, I’ve created 2 free printables that you can find in the Library. (If you don’t have the password, just sign up for the newsletter below. There are a lot of good things in the Library!)

One is to help you plan out your wardrobe so you can see what you still need, and the other is something I’ve used since high school.

It’s a list of the clothes you buy and what you paid for them. Every time you wear something, you put a check mark next to it.

So if you paid $100 for a pair of pants but wear them all the time, you can see that in the end, they were a far better bargain than the shirt you bought for $15 and have worn once.

 

 

 

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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