Two Weeks of Outfits, Two Ounces of Effort

A lot going on at the moment? Me too!

If "Maycember" is in full swing and your calendar, plate and brain are as full as mine allow me to share a secret for getting dressed when you don't have the time, energy, or mental capacity to spare.

This is a capsule, but it's not. (If you're already on board, scroll down to The Solution. If you're unclear on what a capsule really is or why you'd benefit from one, keep reading.)

Wardrobe capsules are typically a set number of items configured into various outfits that you wear and re-wear for a period of time. For some, it's the basis of their entire (minimal) wardrobe. The beauty of a capsule is that it is limited, everything goes together easily, and it reduces the amount of thought that goes into getting dressed every day. For some, the limited wardrobe size is a plus for conserving physical space and others who don't love to shop rely on the versatility to cover almost all wardrobe needs.

The beauty of a capsule for some, is the challenge for others - the limited options are too narrow. Many women have more than 10, 20 or 30 items in their wardrobe and they genuinely want to wear them all - or at least more than the designated number. Honestly, the challenge for me is doing laundry so often.

The Solution

If we combine the limited item number and required brain power of a capsule with the benefits of choosing from the majority of our wardrobes, we get this:

This Spring Capsule is based on 10 items that can be configured into 10+ outfit formulas to fit transitional temperatures and a (smart) casual dress code. It includes alternatives if it's already warmer in your neck of the woods or if your Monday through Friday requires a bit more of a dressy or business casual code.

In this version you will pull 10 specific items to mix and match - I even recommend hanging or storing them together in a prominent part of your closet for extra easy access. The outfits you create from your items are formulas - recipes, if you will - and they're the keys to the whole thing. The beauty of this solution is that if you run out a specific "ingredient", you simply swap in another item from your closet that fits that item's category. The outfit formula still works and you're on your merry way. Minimal brain power, tried-and-true results.

Here are the 10 outfit formulas I created from the capsule (there are more) that you are welcome to copy, modify or replace with your own that work better for your style or wardrobe needs:

I created a time lapse video when I pulled the 10 items for this capsule that I shared on my Instagram, and it took me exactly 5 minutes. Below you'll find the item list and some tips on making this process as quick and easy as possible. Even if it takes you twice as long, investing 10 minutes is well worth the effort if it means you don't have to think about what to wear for 10 days.

P.S. This also makes a perfect long weekend/short week vacation packing plan!

I hope this makes it faster and easier to get dressed this spring because I know we've all got lots of good to do!