Are you ready to revamp our wardrobe? Why not get rid of the old and bring in a whole new fashionable ‘you’.

Top stylist, Melissa Murrell gives us an easy 8 step guide to declutter and create an enviable capsule wardrobe!

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1. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FIT

All clothes should fit well. Clothes that are too loose or too tight will make you look bigger than you are. It’s simple: if clothes don’t fit remove them from your wardrobe.

Jeans that are too small for example are one of the most commonly found pieces in the wardrobe. They are not motivational but a reminder that you are not the weight you used to be. You don’t have to throw them away but you do need to remove them from your wardrobe. If you use them as a weight management tool then set a quarterly reminder on your phone to try them on.

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2. STOP BEING SENTIMENTAL

This means stop hoarding items that you can’t wear: the jumpers that are bobbly or have holes in, the prom dress from 20 years ago, the 80’s style jacket (I can guarantee that by the time it comes back into fashion there will be some fundamental design change rendering it still un-wearable).

‘Hoarding’ such items causes ‘wardrobe frustration and confusion’. You’re ‘frustrated’ each morning when you look in your large overflowing wardrobe but ‘still have nothing to wear’ and the ‘confusion’ comes from your partners when they see a wardrobe of clothes and don’t understand what you’re talking about. If you can’t wear it, for whatever reason, it doesn’t stay in the wardrobe! Vacuum pack anything you don’t give to charity.

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3. UNDERWEAR FIRST, CLOTHES SECOND

At least 80% of women are wearing an incorrectly sized bra and pants that are too tight for them. Regardless of your size, your bust should be pointing straight ahead and not under the arms or pointing south! The horizontal bra strap should sit beneath the shoulder blades.

Neutral coloured bras should always be worn under white, a they won’t be seen. If you feel that a neutral bra is a bit of a bedroom turn off try a red bra as this too can’t be seen under white.

If you carry your weight around your tummy invest in a boned waist nipper from Debenhams – I promise it will make a huge difference.

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4. THE 80:20 RULE

The wardrobe needs to consist of 80% ‘classic/investment’ items and 20% more frivolous fashion led pieces.

A classic investment piece is not necessarily a an expensive item but ‘something that doesn’t have any details on it that could date it’. Stay clear of studs, lace or noticeable buttons, bright colours etc. A number of retailers, including M&S, Jigsaw, H&M and Zara, now have a low-cost ‘investment’ range that can be teamed up with seasonal items to keep you on trend.

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5. WARDROBE ESSENTAILS

These are the building blocks that are vital in your ability to create a capsule wardrobe. The main ones include:

Jeans causal and going out styles and in a least 2 of your base colours, eg. blue’s and grey.

Neutral shoes for all occasions (trainers, wedges, heels boots and sandals). If you purchase all shoes in the same neutral tones (grey’s, taupe’s, beige’s) you’ll find that you always have appropriate footwear for any occasion as they all mix and match perfectly with your entire wardrobe.

White/neutral tops – again you need them for all occasions (white long sleeve base layers, natural coloured jumpers- thin and heavy versions, white vest tops, neutral going out top). If you have the same/similar colour tops but in a variety of styles you’ll be able to take your look from daytime to evening with only one small change.

Blazers, long cardigans and coats are essential to finishing off an outfit but they are only to be purchased in your base colours, this way you’re ensuring that they will mix and match perfectly with everything else in your wardrobe.

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6. START ACCESSORISING

Accessories are king and the key to the capsule wardrobe is to ensure that this mix match theory extends into your accessories (including shoes and handbags). If it doesn’t, the capsule wardrobe simply won’t work.

 

 

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7. CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR PALETTE

This should include 3 neutral colours which make-up your base for each outfit and will include all your staple investment items. You MUST include white, cream or beige as one of your 3 base colours – the other base colours will not mix and match together without the white.

 

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8. EVERYONE NEEDS A FRIEND

Every item in your wardrobe needs a ‘friend’ ie. something of the same colour palette so you can wear the two items together. I guarantee you’ll instantly look more stylish doing this. It’s the easiest and often the cheapest way of improving an outfit.

Scarves, jewellery, handbags and nail varnish are a great way of tying two pieces together. If you have a red top in your wardrobe but no red accessories then either the top goes, or you need to buy some inexpensive accessories to tie the two pieces together.

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With over 15 years of experience of styling real women with real lives, Melissa Murrell has built a successful career in not only styling the everyday woman but also in teaching others how to become Personal Stylists. Creating maximum style with the minimum of effort for her busy clients drives every styling session she undertakes. Melissa has worked with hundreds of clients of all shapes and sizes to teach them how to dress for their body shape and how to create a mix and match capsule wardrobe that is relevant to their lifestyle needs and budget, making getting dressed in the mornings a stress free event! The result? Look great, feel confident and finally have something to wear!