Holiday Styling with @chiccapsulecloset

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@chiccapsulecloset 

Dani is your East Coast girl living in the midwest, working to normalize shopping your own closet, repeating outfits, giving you styling inspiration and doing it all while looking chic and hanging out with her two fur babies.

This is our conversation about holiday styling in your own closet,

Q. For those that don’t know you, what are three of your favourite things?

A: my fur babies & husband, coffee, and Harry Potter. I love my made-at-home lattes and I’m probably one of the biggest HP nerds you’ve met. (She said this before meeting me. But let's say there's a reason we get along!

Q. Did you always have a capsule wardrobe? Or was this something that you worked towards?

A: It was definitely something I had to work toward. I moved to KC in 2014 for work and nothing makes you re-evaluate how much stuff you have quite like a cross-country move. When I was unpacking, I noticed how many clothes I had and that I wore hardly any of it. So I decided to do an experiment to see how long I could go without wearing the same thing. I went 4 and a half months and realized I needed to pare down. I got rid of a good bit but I didn’t get really serious and do my BIG closet clean out until June 2017 when I moved in with my husband. 

Q. How do you feel about one-wear items in your closet? Holiday pieces, special occasion dresses etc?

A: I’m not a fan of one-and-done pieces. For the holidays, there are so many more options than getting something new every year that you only wear for a duration of MAYBE 6 weeks, and you might wear it 2-3 times max. For special occasion dresses, I actually don’t own any! I do want to find a good black dress, but I haven’t found one I love yet. I have a few casual dresses, but if I need something for a specific occasion, I either rent it or borrow it from a friend. 

*For my Ottawa peeps looking to rent a dress I highly recommend Closet In the Sky They are a great way to rent a look without breaking the bank. 

Q. What advice would you give someone who’s looking to dress festively but not go out and purchase these pieces?

A: I actually just wrote a whole blog post on this subject! (and I linked it HERE) I am a HUGE Christmas person, so it’s hard to resist buying all the fun festive sweaters. But there are plenty of other ways to be festive and still have your pieces be functional for the rest of the season. My biggest tips are:

-Go for materials you can wear before and after the holidays. Think faux leather, satin and velvet. Sequins are so fun but really you’re not very likely to wear them after new years. Things like satin tops, faux leather pants/leggings and velvet blazers can be worn all winter and still feel really festive with the right touches.

-Stick to neutrals or darker jewel tones. Black and white will always be super versatile, but if you prefer colour, go for deep emerald or burgundy. They can be more easily integrated into your wardrobe than red and silver. 

-add a pop of red lipstick! The easiest way to give your outfit a festive vibe.

-Accessories are a great way to add some festive flare without breaking the bank and adding bulk to your closet. Christmas earrings are really fun and easy, or add a red hat and festive scarf. If you’d wear them enough, red shoes can be fun, too. 

-And lastly, if you really LOVE a piece, then get it! I have 1 Christmas piece which is a sweatshirt and I love it. I do, admittedly, I wear it year round around the house. But if you love something don’t tell yourself you can’t have it just because you think you shouldn’t. Just don’t go overboard. 

Q. Do you have tips for starting your capsule wardrobe?

A: My biggest advice is think about your closet like a curated art exhibit. Each piece in an art gallery is hand selected and coordinated with all of the other pieces. Your closet should be the same way. Be picky about what you add because you want it to be your best reflection of you and make you look and feel great.

Also, get ready before you do the big closet clean-out. Create a Pinterest board and try to narrow down your style. It will make everything go much smoother. Your capsule should suit your lifestyle and how you spend the majority of your time. If you spend all your time at work, at home and running errands, focus your clothes on those things you do most. When I started, it took me a while to realize there was a difference between styles I liked vs what was realistic for me. And know that once you do create your first capsule, it will grow and change with you. You’ll keep editing as you go. 

I have quite a few blog posts to walk you through the process from start to finish, too!

Q: What do you think is the biggest misconception about capsule wardrobes? 

A: That they’re limiting and boring! I think it’s the total opposite. First, you don’t need to limit yourself by what you think you need to have. You don’t have to be limited by a number if you don’t want, and if you like colours, you’re not limited to only a neutral palette. It’s your closet, your rules. 

Second, like I mentioned on the last point, your style will grow and change as you do. You’ll add things in and take things out as you hone in on your style and your needs. Even after 3 years, I still haven’t run out of outfit combinations! 

Q: What’s your favourite piece in your closet?

A: This is hard! I love everything in my closet. I will say I do have “most worn” pieces which would be my faux leather leggings and barefoot dreams cardigan. I also just got a velvet blazer that I searched for for years and I’m really excited for that!