A small wardrobe doesn't have to be a quiet-colored wardrobe. A red jogger can do the everyday work of a dark pant if it's the one your child likes wearing and it goes with the tops in the drawer. We'd rather begin there than with a rule about how many neutral pieces a capsule needs.
Pull out the clothes that fit now and get worn. There may already be the beginning of a useful little wardrobe in front of you. The next step is figuring out what's missing between one laundry day and the next.
Count the real week
School requirements, activities and your wash schedule all affect the number of pieces you need. So do the spares that live somewhere else. If a complete outfit stays at school, it can't also be the clean set you're counting on at home.
Separate anything outgrown from the daily choices. Then count enough tops and bottoms for the interval between washes, with the backup your routine needs. There isn't a fixed number that will suit every household, and you may not know yours until you've tried a few ordinary weeks.
Let a bottom carry some color
Compare the Red, Blue and Green Joggers with the child's existing tees. Which one makes several outfits they would actually choose? That is a better reason to pick it than completing a palette on paper.
For another shape, the Lemon Patch Pocket Play Jean has relaxed, slightly cropped denim. The Washed Black Jogger keeps the tapered French-terry shape in a dark color. Check the range and measurements for each piece; a youth tee size doesn't automatically have an equivalent in every pant.
A few tops can make several outfits
The Blueberry Tee brings its own small bit of color to denim or a jogger. The Marigold Tee gives you a different place to start. Lay the tops beside the bottoms and see which combinations your child likes.
Three tops that each work with two bottoms already give you several options. They don't have to be six separate outfits kept together on hangers. If choosing clothes is part of the morning, making a few combinations visible at first can help the child see what they have.
Our color-combination guide has ideas for starting with a print, including repeating just one color from it.
Remember the layer
A Washed Black Kids Pullover can sit over the usual tee, provided the sleeves and neckline work as well as the width. Try the whole outfit, including any outerwear. Keep the layer where it is needed, whether that's near the school bag or beside the door.
Revisit the drawer when a size, activity or laundry routine changes. For younger siblings, our preschool and daycare checklist spends more time on spare sets. Each child's clothes can follow their own day, even when a few favorite colors turn up in both drawers.
Leave a comment