My younger self would be horrified at how practical I’ve become. While I used to have the time and energy for elaborate systems and inconvenient habits, I no longer do. Life is complicated enough, thankyouverymuch.

I’m also always looking for ways to simplify things for my clients. If using a stylist doesn’t make shopping and getting dressed and managing that whole area of life easier, then why bother?

The point isn’t just to be more stylish. The point is also to be more stylish with ease.

And I think that’s why my Cluster Concept has taken off. It’s simple, sometimes deceptively so. It’s streamlined. And it’s a doable way to look at managing your wardrobe.

But the benefits of using my cluster extend far beyond the appeal of a mix-and-match wardrobe. Here, 9 benefits of using the Cluster Concept in your own wardrobe, and why it’s a game changer.

But first, if you’re new here, let’s break down a cluster.

Clusters Explained

A Cluster is simply a mini capsule wardrobe, or mini collection of pieces, that all go together. Here’s the breakdown for those items. It’s that simple. With this breakdown, and if all of the tops go with all of the bottoms, you get 12 unique outfits (counting the looks with the completer piece/jacket as a separate look).

For summer, I recently added a 7th item, a dress or jumpsuit.

Simple? Yes. But also simply genius. Here, 9 ways this concept can help you simplify your wardrobe and get the style you deserve.

Do More With Less

A cluster lets you buy less and create more outfits with what you have by giving you a framework to plan your purchases and a system that will enable everything to mix and match easily. Simply choose interesting tops, bottoms OR jackets, and keep the other pieces simple for that maximum versatility.

This less-is-more approach can be a lifesaver if you’re on a tight budget, going through some kind of transition, or simply want a more minimalist and clutter-free wardrobe.

Eliminate Nothing To Wear

By eliminating impulse shopping and strategically following a cluster concept, you are shopping with the intention of choosing pieces that mix and match with each other. Because of this, you will always have outfits, and this virtually eliminates that dreaded nothing-to-wear syndrome, which is often the result of a cluttered closet but no ideas on how to put outfits together.

You Can Keep It Simple or Make A Statement

Unlike traditional capsule wardrobes that often require you to stick to solid neutral basics in order to work, the smaller number of items in a cluster allows you the flexibility of expressing your full personal style in a cluster. You can create a cluster of all staple pieces, all statement pieces, or a mix of both.

Explore a New Style

Personal style changes as we do, or at least it evolves, which is essentially the same thing, so if you find yourself wanting to explore a new facet of your personal style, a cluster gives you a safe and manageable way to try out that new style without fully committing. Once you’ve decided whether it’s for you, you can add additional clusters to create a full wardrobe in that new style.

Create Mini Wardrobes By Lifestyle

A cluster also allows you to create versatile and cohesive mini-wardrobes for all of the roles you play in life and all of the places you go. You can create a cluster for work or weekend, church or travel, working out or staying home. It allows you to treat these various aspects of your life as worthy of your attention and deserving of cute clothes.

Clusters are Customizable

I’ve created a breakdown that works well for most women in most situations, but if it doesn’t work for you, tweak it and make it your own. Reuse the same solid neutral bottoms in different clusters. Add an extra top. Skip the jacket. it’s your wardrobe, and you can use this framework so that it works for you.

Use Items You Already Own

Sure it’s fun to create a cluster using items from your favorite store, but it is even more fun to fall in love with old favorites again by using them to create a cluster and exploring new ways to wear them. A cluster helps you make the most of your existing wardrobe, and that truly is the point of using a system like this.

Wardrobes for Different Sizes

Fluctuate between sizes? So does pretty much everyone else. The beauty of the Cluster Concept is that it allows you to build mini wardrobes for different sizes. I have clients with 2 clusters for each of their sizes, so that they don’t have to start from scratch every time the scale moves.

Explore a New Color Palette

In the same way that you can use a cluster to try on a new aspect of your personal style, you can explore intriguing new colors, seasonal color trends, or simply try on some new shades using the cluster concept. Maybe lilac doesn’t work well with your existing wardrobe, but you can create a cluster using lilac to bring some fresh new color into your wardrobe.

Update Your Wardrobe For The Season

This bonus benefit, not mentioned in the video, is one of my favorites. If your wardrobe is feeling stale or stuck, infusing it with new trends is the easiest way to update it. A cluster gives you a framework to update your wardrobe. SImply plug in some trendy new items for the season for an instant wardrobe updated.

What do you think of the cluster concept? And what new ways could you use it to make the most of your wardrobe? Let me know in the comments!