I Dare You to Create a Curated Wardrobe

In high school, I was part of a year-long contest called "The Skirt Contest." It basically involved seeing who could go the longest wearing the same skirt every day. The honest truth is that after months going strong, I had to drop out when my skirt got lost in the shuffle at a volleyball game after school. I totally would have won - or at least tied for first place - if not for that. That year marked the beginning of my appreciation for a simple, uniform-like wardrobe. A "Capsule Wardrobe" as the trendy peeps call it nowadays.

It's been 14 years (yeesh) since The Skirt Contest, but I hold tight to those values and make sure to rotate two pairs of pants all winter, a small variety of shirts/tanks in the summer, and two or three pairs of shoes per season. Basically, I wear the same thing every day. And I'm a better woman for it because getting dressed takes little to no time and effort in the morning. And when I get tripped up, I just recite my mantra:

When in doubt, put on what you wore yesterday

It always works. So, are you intrigued yet? Need I tell you more about how much space I have in my closet, the lack of effort it takes to pick out an outfit, and all of the time that I save and therefore spend staring at Facebook or even better, hanging out with loved ones? A go-to outfit that changes minimally is the best and I wouldn't want it any other way. Granted, it's not for everyone, but I double-dog dare you to give it a try. Here's what you need:

1) Two bottoms. One primary, one backup. Make them versatile. Mine are black jeans because black, black, all day, errday.

2) Three sweaters. A super basic one (cue black), a turtleneck (if you're into that), and a slightly more exciting, but still super basic second. Rotate them like it's your job.

3) Two shirts or blouses. You know, for when you go out and want to look more fancy or just different. They're great for layering too.

4) Something that zips up. Personally, I have a velvet bomber that I wear at least three times a week. It's super warm and can be dressed up or down. Can't imagine life without it.  

5) Four t-shirts or tank tops. For layering, man. 

6)  A dress. For those days that you want to feel like more of a woman? I'm not really into dresses for day-to-day wear but they have their moments. 

7) No more than three bras. Don't let the media convince you that your bra needs to be washed every day. I'm super tidy and say that it doesn't. I rotate two bras (*gasp*) and wash them every two weeks or so. No rashes, no infections.

8) Three pairs of shoes. I'll let you know decide what makes the most sense here. I switch between two pairs of boots and one pair of sneakers in the winter and two pairs of sneakers and one pair of sandals in the summer. For the most part. 

9) Exceptions. Don't make yourself absolutely insane, wipe out everything from your closet, and then come crying that you have nothing to wear. If you need fancy dresses a few times a month, throw those into the mix. If the thought of two pairs of pants makes you want to barf, include a third. The point is to really hone in on what you enjoy wearing, focus on creating a mix-and-match wardrobe, and spending little effort getting dressed every morning. 

10) HAVE FUN Because that's always rule number one.