Thinking about taking the plunge with a capsule wardrobe - your experiences?

[Terramirabilis]

I had a baby four weeks ago and once I've lost the last few pounds of baby weight I am ready to get shopping. Not wearing my normal clothes for six months and only having a much smaller maternity wardrobe to work with has been interesting. It's opened my eyes to the fact that I have piles of clothes I rarely/never wear and in all honesty I would be better off with fewer, better quality clothes.

I have been looking at the Vivienne Files and Project 333 to get some ideas of how to assess what I have now and work out where I want to get too. I am daydreaming about becoming chic and organized with a more limited colour palette of clothes. When I look at my clothes altogether there is such a random mix of colours and styles.

But getting rid of old favourites, even if they're rarely worn is hard! Anyone have any tips/ideas on making it easier or how to make sure that the new purchases I make will work together and keep my interest?

Ooh, very tempted by this- I don't really like applying 'rules' to how I live but my wardrobe is bursting at the seams and I'm still buying. I love the 'living with less' site (sorry, on phone, not sure how to link).

How do you not get bored with the 33 though? And what do you so if you have to be v smart for work. She probably answers this, will have a nose around

this blog is good too
I think if you have to be smart for work and casual at other times then you should have 2 capsule wardrobes, one for each

I first went to a capsule wardrobe a few years back as I moved and suddenly had a commute resulting in little time in the morning. I change my look 3 or 4 times a year, so kind of by season.

As for what to do with good things you never wear. If they still fit (or will fit again someday!) then they go into my storage suitcase. I keep only one. I declutter my wardrobe each season and if anything needs to go into storage then I also take the opportunity to declutter that.

I will never now go back to a random wardrobe. It's so easy knowing hat whatever I pull out I will feel good in it, it suits me it matches stuff and it fits.

I really want to have a capsule wardrobe, so much. I just don't know where to start. As soon as I feel happy with a look, I catch myself in the mirror and feel ridiculous do have to start over.
My wardrobe is a mess- wish I had a stylish, strong minded friend who could help ;)

Why not put any old faves in a suitcase somewhere rather than binning them? That way it isn't too final?

I ( finally) lost the baby weight a mere 5 years later and had to buy new stuff. I couldn't afford a lot so decided I would take my time and only buy stuff that went together, really fitted, really suited me and I would want to keep for a while.

It is working so far but does take much more time and energy than you would think. But be ruthless, if something isn't quite right, take it back! And play about with Pinterest to see the kinds of cuts you are drawn to - it is much easier to 'get' your style when its all laid out in front of you. Mine's rich muted autumn colours, a bit drapey and waisted but no fuss and natural fabrics ( leather, cotton, cashmere). Bottoms harder than tops though I find!

I am in materny wear at the moment and have few nice pieces suck as a jigsaw cape that was pricey but I always feel good in it

I am really going I be ruthless once I am back in shape.

Would love ideas.

Oh my top tip too is to work out a rough mental pie chart of how you spend your time and allocate no of clothes accordingly. So no filling your wardrobe up with towering heels and posh dresses if, most of your life is spent running round a park or working from home!

I have a default capsule wardrobe amid a random pile of mismatched stuff I never wear. I wear the same things all the time! I have 8mo ds2 so I've got no winter gear from last year except boots. Also start back at work next year so need a casual wardrobe for now and smarter for next year.

I am getting better at getting rid of stuff but an still unreasonably attached to clothes I used to wear years ago. We used to live abroad in a hot country and my clothes from then are all pale linen and silk - not very useful for current mother-of-three-commute-to-City daily grind! So I need to be a bit more ruthless with the clearing out.

I'll have a sort tomorrow and at least put unworn-clothes-for-a-year in a suitcase. I've recently reordered my wardrobe by colour and that really helps to point out that, eg, I have 5 very similar white shirts!