Obviously, I am a big fan of capsule wardrobes, especially for kids. However, despite the years of doing this under my belt, it didn’t seem to get much easier easier. Going to just one store never produced a satisfactory capsule. I found myself keeping my growing children in their clothes as long as I reasonably could—as one does—only to have to get a bunch of new things in the Springtime.
The thing is, I actively dislike most Spring clothes. So, I’d spend truly ungodly amounts of time assembling a well-crafted capsule, while rifling through hundreds and hundreds—or maybe thousands—of colors and patterns that I found disagreeable. And, when Fall came around, there’d be so many cute clothes, but my kids still fit in their Spring clothes, so it wasn’t really justifiable to buy them more than the few long sleeve shirts they might need. But, Spring clothes are often extremely thin, so then there’d be the problem of their pants being a bit too thin for the colder months. It was a predicament, for sure.
I assume I’m probably not alone in having a hard time getting clothes I like for my kids. Recently, I figured out the solution to my problem, and I hope it’s one that can help you out, too:
Buy clothes for your kids in the season that you like best
What I mean by that is, when you’re creating a capsule (hopefully with some pieces like jackets, and shoes, and pants) that will last at least the majority of a year, you should make the bulk of the purchases in the season you prefer.
For me, I l o v e cozy Fall + Winter clothes, with the textures, and moody or neutral tones. So, I can buy a capsule with the entire year in mind. Some cozy pants, some regular (read: not ‘cozy lined’), and in a color palette I genuinely like. Then, in the Spring, when I may need to get some short sleeves, or some thinner pants, I can get just a couple of cheap things that will fit in—instead of an entire wardrobe—and I won’t have to worry about building up a whole capsule. It saves money, and looks better.
If you prefer Spring colors, or maybe live somewhere that’s warm most of the time, you could shop in Spring, and just get a few warmer things, as needed.
It sounds so simple, but I hadn’t thought about it before, and it was leaving my kids is clothes I thought were ‘meh’, and wishing we could get cuter things later. Plus, when you get the few things you need for the season you like less, you won’t need as nice of pieces, or to worry about keeping them nice for the rest of the year—they can just be seasonal pieces to use up.
Really soon, Spring clothing lines will be dropping, so, if you’re like me and prefer a more muted capsule, I would highly suggested shopping sales, and snatching up what you’d like to dress your children in in the Fall. Alternatively, if you love the bright Spring prints, make sure to get the things you’d like for your children for the upcoming year while you can (and consider buying at the end of the summer for the next year, when prices will be lower).
Good luck!
*my kids almost never coordinate. but look at how similar so many of their pieces are!
