How to Create the Perfect Capsule Wardrobe

 

When you get to a certain age it slowly starts to dawn on us ladies that over the years we've probably accumulated more clothes in our wardrobe (not to mention the spare bedroom's wardrobes, every chests of drawers in the house, all the bedside tables, the attics, under the bed, kitchen drawers and even in the garage) than we could possibly wear in a year. And yet we never have anything to wear!

If that sounds like you then follow these few basic guidelines and not only will you suddenly have tons of space in your home for important things like the grandchildren's letters and pictures, but you will also have a streamlined capsule wardrobe and always something nice to wear.

Firstly - be ruthless. Sort through your clothes and throw everything that you haven't worn in the last year in to the charity shop pile. If all the four seasons have passed and you haven't worn something then it is extremely unlikely you are going to wear it ever again. Don't hold on to anything that's too small in the (vain!) hope that you will slim in to it one day.

Next, sort out the remaining clothes in to different colours. How many colours do you have? Most people over forty should stick to a basic palette consisting of a few colours that they know suit them. If there's a little top or blouse standing out on its own because it's lime green, or custard yellow then are you really sure the colour's you? If not, then bung it in the charity pile!

Anything that's torn or a bit dirty then put into a rubbish pile, as however nice you look in something there is nothing worse than stains or bursting seams.

Now you have the start of your ideal capsule wardrobe. The next step is to check that you have the 10 or so essential clothes items that every woman, no matter what her age, should have. These are the clothes it is worth spending a little more on - spend wisely and they will form the basis of your outfit every day, whatever the occasion.

These include well fitting underwear, a versatile silk scarf or pashmina and beautifully cut separates that you can mix and match. Ensure you have a tailored jacket or blazer that you can dress up or down and invest in a cashmere or wool coat in a classic colour and cut as it will go with everything and last you years and years.

If you don't already, next sort out your wardrobe in to winter and summer clothes. Now's the perfect time to pack away all your summer skirts and linen dresses. Take a little time to fold them properly, place tissue paper in between, and remember to pop in a little sachet of lavender, and you'll be rewarded next year with a summer wardrobe that's ready to go as soon as the sun comes out.

Finally colour code your clothes. Some people advise hanging skirts and jackets and so on together but I would recommend that you put similar colours together. Not only will this look much nicer it suddenly becomes so easy to find things. If you haven't the space to hang everything, put similar tops and jumpers together in to clear boxes so you can see what is inside or label them on the outside.

All this will only take a couple of hours or so and it's well worth the effort. You may never say you have nothing to wear ever again!