Wendy Mak - The Capsule Wardrobe: 1,000 Outfits from 30 Pieces

Copyright 2017 by Wendy Mak

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Laura Klynstra

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-1349-9

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-1351-2

Printed in China

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Firstly, to all the baubles, bling, and glitz in my wardrobe that I have owned, loved, and worn over the years while I discovered my style.

Next, to all the brands, labels, and retailersfrom the well-known to the undiscoveredthat have inspired the pieces you see here today in The Capsule Wardrobe !

Last, but not least, to my husband, my family and friends, and the loves of my lifemy bulldogs, Dora and Iggy, and my cat, Sparkleswho have made looking stylish while having fur on my dress a daily challenge I relish (and wouldnt have any other way).

INTRODUCING

The Capsule Wardrobe

WELCOME FROM THE AUTHOR

WOMEN USUALLY LOVE WHAT THEY BUY, YET HATE TWO-THIRDS OF WHAT IS IN THEIR CLOSETS.

MIGNON MCLAUGHLIN

If Mignon McLaughlins quote resonates, then welcomethis book is for you!

As a professional stylist, Ive seen firsthand the angst some women go through when it comes to the daily task of dressing and shopping. In fact, it probably comes as no surprise to know that (if you add it all up) women can literally spend years of their lives trawling the shops for clothes!

Yes, there are a handful of women out there who genuinely enjoy idly rifling through endless racks of clothes for hoursbut the majority I meet would rather be doing something else, like spending time with their loved ones or eating chocolate ice cream while drooling over a young George Clooney in reruns of ER instead of being stuck in the shops, tormented by clothes that dont fit or flatter.

Having styled thousands of women of all ages, sizes, and shapes with very real lifestyles, budgets, and bodies, Ive also witnessed the emotions involved when it comes to our wardrobes.

You see, its very rarely just about the clothes. Our clothes represent us. What we wear makes a statement to the outside world. How we feel in what were wearing can define our moods and emotions for the day.

Because of this, we end up spending a lot of time fussing, worrying, and shopping (and then shopping some more!) to find this nirvana of wardrobe happiness.

And this is where the capsule wardrobe comes into play.

More than just creating hundreds of outfits from a handful of pieces, the capsule wardrobe is about a lifestyle.

The capsule wardrobe lifestyle embraces a minimalist wardrobea simpler take on fashionand how to feel and look good with less.

Dressing every day doesnt have to be a chore. It can be simple, easy, and worry-free. If you know what to look for, youll be able to open up the door to your closet and confidently say, I know exactly what I am going to wear today, and I love it!

So, is achieving this kind of wardrobe happiness elusive? Perhaps not as much as you might think.

How? Simple.

Banish the clutter. Simplify your wardrobe.

CLUTTERED CLOSETS CREATE CLUTTERED LIVES

Clutter is an evil.

Please dont misunderstandIm not talking about the possessions that make you genuinely happy. Im talking about the stuff that weighs you down. The kind of stuff that sucks your energy faster than you can say, Jimmy Choo.

Its clutter in our wardrobes from owning so much, yet consistently having nothing to wear. Its also clutter in our minds from what we perceive are our bodies flaws and then overcompensating for this with more physical clutter by buying additional clothes.

Take a moment to calculate how much youve bought and either never worn or worn less than a handful of times. Youre not alone. Collectively across the globe, this would easily amount to billions of dollars of clothes languishing in closets that will never see the light of day.

A cluttered closet so full you can barely see past the first blouse takes up far too much valuable mental (head) and emotional (heart) space.

Yet, I also acknowledge that, on the other hand, too few items creates angst.

The trick is finding the balanceenough key pieces to form the platform from which you can create classic, everyday outfits, along with enough pieces to add interest, accents, and colors that will keep you looking fashionably up-to-date, season to season.

And this is what the capsule wardrobe is all about.

WHAT IS THE CAPSULE WARDROBE?

In a nutshell, a capsule wardrobe is a mix-and-match wardrobe that creates multiple outfits from just a handful of pieces.

The concept of capsule wardrobes is not new, but in my particular capsule wardrobe Ill show you the exact thirty styles and pieces that can be worn in over one thousand different ways to suit the majority of occasions in your life.

This isnt another predictable and fluffy 10 Basics Every Woman Should Own article that has been reproduced more times than Brad and Angelina have adopted children, but a realistic list of thirty actual pieces you can wear and re-wear in so many ways, youll have an outfit for almost any occasion (except maybe your own fabulous wedding and Halloween).

Collectively, I affectionately refer to these thirty pieces as the Terrific Thirty!

Plus, Ill share step-by-step advice on how to review and edit your own wardrobe, as well as the insider stylist secrets Ive been using for years to avoid critical fashion mistakes when you next shop.

This book is about identifying versatility and perhaps choosing fewer, but quality, items rather than buying lots of things on impulse or, worse, on a bad day. (I should knowI once came home after a bad breakup with sequined hot pants that no womans booty, except for maybe J. Los, should ever be seen in!)

And while wed love to think we have endless amounts of money to spend on clothes (gee, fiscal responsibility sucks!), the capsule wardrobe will show you that you dont need to spend mountains of cash on a closet stuffed full of clothes. In fact, it will help extend your budget by miles.

If you choose wisely (and Ill show you how), each item will serve you so well in multiple outfits that youll be blown away. Maybe as blown away as the first time you read 50 Shades of Grey

BUT FIRST, LETS ADDRESS THAT MIND CLUTTER

Im a firm believer that cluttered closets create cluttered lives and minds .

This mind clutter , as I call it, is something were all guilty of, myself included.