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Ask yourself:
• When was the last time I put something on and thought, “Oh. That’s me”?
• What do I want people to feel when I walk into a room?
• Where in my closet do I feel most at ease in my own skin?
• Which three words describe how I want to show up in this season of my life?

Step 1: Name Your Style Energy

Before we buy a single thing, we figure out how you want to feel in your clothes.
That becomes your edit filter — if it doesn’t match that energy, it doesn’t come home with you.

Make it
The Style Edit Oct 31, 2025 by Shelley Tantau

Your 2025 Capsule Wardrobe:
How to Get Dressed Like the Main Character of Your Own Life

My 3 words this year: grounded, effortless, magnetic.

Shelley, relaxed and confident street style vibe
You don't need more clothes. You need clothes that tell the truth about you.

Let’s be honest: most women don’t actually hate their clothes. They hate the story their clothes are telling.

The jeans from five sizes ago “in case you fix yourself.” The blazer for the job you don’t even want anymore. The stunning dress that is gorgeous but if we’re honest, she’s not you — she’s who you thought you were supposed to be.

Here’s the reframe: your wardrobe is not a museum of past selves or future fantasies. It’s equipment for the life you’re living right now.

This is the 2025 capsule I build with clients: reliable core pieces, effortless layering, and your version of "I walked in and I felt like myself." You don’t need 47 new items. You need a handful of intentional staples and a few signature pieces that carry your personality.

Step 1: Name Your Style Energy

Before we buy a single thing, we figure out how you want to feel in your clothes. That becomes your edit filter. If it doesn’t match that energy, it doesn’t get to come home with you.

Ask yourself:

  • When was the last time I put something on and thought, “Oh. That’s me”?
  • What do I want people to feel when I walk into a room?
  • Where in my current closet do I feel most at ease in my own skin?
  • Which 3 words describe how I want to show up in this season of my life?

My 2025 words: grounded (I choose presence, not panic), effortless (I’m not chasing), magnetic (I allow myself to be seen). Your words will set the tone of your capsule.

Color / texture / silhouette collage that represents your energy

The Core Bottoms

These are the workhorses. They anchor everything. Fit and fabric matter more than trend.

1. Relaxed, high-rise straight or wide-leg denim

Structured enough to feel polished, relaxed enough for breath and movement. This jean should make you feel grounded, not squeezed. If you can sit, cross your legs, and exhale — it’s a yes.

2. Tailored trouser (soft drape or slight pleat)

Your “I am in charge but not trying too hard” pant. Works with sneakers, boots, heels. Dresses up a tee instantly.

3. Elevated casual bottom (soft knit pant, luxe jogger, or bias-cut skirt)

This is for school drop-off, errands, flights, Sunday life. If your off-duty piece still signals intention, you stop feeling “sloppy in public.”

Foundational Tops

You want a rotation you can basically get dressed in the dark with. Fit at the shoulder, softness at the skin.

1. Perfect tee or knit tee (not see-through, not boxy in a way that swallows you)

This is the quiet MVP. It should skim, not cling. You should feel “put together” even if you only add jeans and earrings.

2. Button-down / poplin / structured shirt

Worn open like a light jacket, half-tucked into denim, or fully buttoned with trousers. This is how you fake polish in 10 seconds.

3. Knit layer (crew, mock neck, or light sweater)

Choose the neckline that makes you feel powerful on camera. If you do content or show up on Zoom/IG/your website, this matters more than you think.

Layering and Structure

This is where we create presence. A good layer is instant authority.

1. The Blazer (or Soft Jacket) That Loves Your Shoulders

You should feel taller, clearer, more “I’m here.” If it feels stiff, corporate, or like a costume, it’s not your blazer.

2. A Relaxed Layer (cardigan / bomber / denim jacket / utility)

This is the approachable layer. The “you can sit next to me at brunch” energy.

Blazer and relaxed outer layer collage

Shoes That Earn Their Space

You don’t need twelve pairs. You need pairs you’ll actually reach for.

  • Clean sneaker: goes with denim, trousers, dresses. Casual but intentional.
  • Boot or bootie: gives you height or edge without screaming for attention.
  • Low-effort “elevated” shoe: a loafer, a slingback, a block heel — something you can wear all day without thinking about it.

Your Personality Pieces

This is where it stops being “a capsule wardrobe” and becomes your wardrobe. The things that make you feel unmistakably you.

  • The jacket that always gets compliments. That reaction matters. That means it’s communicating who you are before you even speak.
  • The dress you would actually wear on a random Tuesday, not just “for an event.”
  • The piece that feels a tiny bit “too much.” That’s often your true signature. We build around that, not hide it.

Daily Armor (Bags, Jewelry, Finishing Touches)

These are the tiny things that pull everything together and make you feel “dressed,” even on low-energy days. They also photograph beautifully, which matters if you’re creating content or building a brand.

  • One everyday bag: The bag that fits your real life. Not aspirational. Not “if I were a different woman.” Your life.
  • Signature earrings / ring / necklace: Choose one thing you’re rarely without. It becomes visual shorthand for you.
  • Go-to outer layer at the door: The piece you grab automatically. If that thing is sad, we fix that immediately.

Where We Go From Here

You don’t need an entirely new closet. You need clarity, fit, and permission. That’s what we do in a Style Edit. We pull what’s working, release what’s not, and build a capsule that feels like your actual life now, not “once I change.”

Get Dressed With Me

Style prompts, outfit formulas, and confidence work — sent occasionally, and only when it’s actually useful.

Make it stand out.

  • Dream it.

    It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Build it.

    It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Grow it.

    It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Make it stand out.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Make It

Make it stand out.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Make It

Make it stand out.