My Ten Item Wardrobe: Fall 2018

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no extra charge to you. See my full disclosure here. Thank you for supporting Cozy Tasty Home!

“Ten Item Wardrobe?” you say. “What’s this crazy Room of Crap lady going on about now? There’s no way she only has ten items of clothing.”

No, I definitely don’t have just ten items of clothing. If you’ve followed my posts on the Konmari method so far, you’ve seen that I’ve kept far more than that. However, let’s be real, I’m not the kind of minimalist who has five pieces of clothing and lives out of a backpack (although sometimes it’s tempting to set everything on fire and do exactly that). I live in a house and have small children and pets who ruin my clothes and live in a place with four seasons.

Before having children I had the classic “closet full of clothes and nothing to wear” problem. Even though I enjoy fashion, getting dressed was sometimes a real chore because, despite my drawers being stuffed to the brim, I never had the “right piece”. I’d wear the same few things over and over again, even though I had hundreds of garments. So many of them were impulse buys, duplicates (“If you like it, buy it in every color!”), or garments that were unflattering. Buying clothes I ended up not even liking or wearing much was an expensive and wasteful habit.

The past few years, in an effort to live more simply, I’ve been paring down my clothes in various ways, first through regular decluttering, and most recently, through the Konmari Method. Ever since I first learned about the idea of the “capsule wardrobe” (a small wardrobe in which everything can mix and match), I’ve tried to have some semblance of one each season.

There are lots of versions of capsule wardrobes out there, but many of them I found to be too limiting or too confusing. Either you have to pare down everything, including shoes and cardigans, to a designated number (say, 33), or you need to buy an entire new wardrobe from scratch to have everything mix and match together. When I first researched capsule wardrobes, as a new mom with clothing restrictions also trying to discover my signature style, these approaches were too complicated.

Then I read a wonderful book: Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L. Scott. In this book she outlines her version of a capsule wardrobe, the Ten Item Wardrobe, inspired by the small wardrobe with ten hangers in her room in Paris. (Jennifer also offers an affordable e-course on the Ten Item Wardrobe.)

In the Ten Item Wardrobe, you choose ten (or fifteen, or twenty depending on your lifestyle) core items plus extras. Your core items are the clothes you wear every day: blouses, pants, jeans, skirts, dresses. Extras are the items that round out your wardrobe: tee shirts, layering pieces, footwear.

The point is to whittle down your wardrobe to a small number of pieces you love to wear, that make you look presentable and feel confident, and to make dressing easier. When you only have ten beautiful items to choose from, you will dress beautifully.

Since learning this approach I’ve been trying my own versions of the Ten Item Wardrobe. Some seasons (and seasons of life) I’ve had ten core items, others I had more. Life changes, and your wardrobe needs to reflect that.

It’s about paring down your clothing for whatever reason, be it ease of dressing, financial, or environmental. It’s about having a closet of clothes to wear, not a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear.

I’d like to show you my own Ten Item Wardrobe to show you that it can be done. You can have a capsule wardrobe even if you have small children or are on a budget. Your wardrobe is a reflection of you, whether it’s a trendy wardrobe at the height of fashion or a strictly utilitarian one.

Now I’m not a fashionista, and I shy away from trends, but I have been working to find my own signature style. I try to go for classic and feminine looks that can be worn while caring for young children. (My clothes also need to be nursing friendly.)

I actually have eleven core items, plus extras, this season. Fall weather here is so variable that it’s hard to get the number down. I don’t stress it and just use as many pieces as I need for the season in order to stay comfortable.

I’m starting my fall wardrobe with two summer tops in fall colors, since the weather will be warm for awhile. Once it cools off I’ll switch them out for the two light weight sweaters in my extras.

Note: For the items shown below I’ve included links to the exact item or a similar one from the same retailer. Items without links are old enough that I can not find a similar one.)

My Ten Item Wardrobe: Fall 2018

Core Items:

Short sleeved plaid button down from Target (similar)

Dark wash skinny Jeans from Paige (the same in ankle length)

Floral tank from Old Navy (similar)

Blue and white print tunic from Boden (bought second hand from ThredUp) (similar)

This top is new-to-me this season, but it’s so pretty, flattering, and comfortable. The fact that I can wear it with leggings means it may be one of my favorites this season.

Floral top from Alloy (old)

I bought this top probably seven years ago. It’s very pretty and always gets compliments.

Plaid button-down from Gap (similar)

I haven’t worn this top the last two years due to pregnancy/new baby, so it’s time to bring it out again. I hope I’ll enjoy wearing it.

Over sized chambray button-down from J Crew Factory (similar)

I wore this shirt a few times last fall, but button downs irritate me for nursing (my youngest was a baby last fall). I’ll try it out again this season.

Red heattech leggings pants from Uniqlo (similar)

Jersey short sleeved dress from Boden (second hand from ThredUp) (Similar with a midi length skirt.)

This is a dress from my summer wardrobe, but I’m bringing it to fall by layering it with leggings. I can also throw on a cardigan over it.

3/4 sleeved navy dress from Annabelle

This dress was my favorite piece from my fall/winter wardrobe last year. I can wear it as-is in warmer weather, or I can layer a cardigan over it, like this:

Or, if it’s really cold, I can layer leggings under it and a very cozy sweater over the top, like this:

 

Green leggings pants from Uniqlo (similar) (In this photo paired with a tee from my extras)

These pants are new to me this year. I’ve only worn them once so far, but they are very comfortable.

Extras:

Long sleeved breton stripe shirts by Boden (bought second hand from ThredUp) (similar)

Long sleeved boat neck striped shirt from Gap

Long sleeved white lace tee from Loft (second hand from Poshmark)

3/4 sleeved emerald wool sweater from J.Crew (second hand from ThredUp)

I wasn’t sure whether or not to include this in my core items. I love the color (it survived the KonMari), but it’s a size too big. I’ll wear it a few times to decide whether or not to keep it.

Gray sweater from Madewell (second hand from ThredUp)

Aqua tunic sweater from The Limited (second hand from ThredUp)

I’ll replace the short sleeved blouses with these two sweaters once the weather gets cold.

Heattech leggings from Uniqlo

Gray Adidas running shoes

Black waterproof ankle boots from Blondo (similar)

Brown riding boots from Timberland

Nude ballet flats from Lucky Brand

I hope this shows you that a capsule wardrobe can be done and inspires you to try out your own. I also have a guide on how to start your own capsule wardrobe quickly and easily using your existing closet – click here to go to that post.

Let me know in the comments below if you have tried a capsule wardrobe or are interested in trying one out. If you have, did you enjoy the experience? What did you learn from it?

Want more recipes, lifestyle, and decluttering advice? Please subscribe!

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human: