A capsule wardrobe is simply a clothing collection made up of well-curated, interchangeable items designed to maximise the number of outfits that you can build. Creating a capsule wardrobe means leaning on a collection of your favourite clothes (somewhere from 24 to 36 items) that you can easily wear into many outfits, made up ad hoc, that fit your lifestyle and satisfy your fashion needs. You could create a capsule wardrobe from the ground up, but using functional, versatile pieces that you already have is definitely more cost-effective and sustainable.
One of the biggest advantages of having a capsule wardrobe is that every item works with a variety of different outfits, so do not restrict yourself to including pieces that are just not as good together as others in your wardrobe.
Even if you are creating a seasonal capsule, you still want to have a few items in your closet that will work all year long. Invest in items that do not fall out of style and that you can wear for several seasons. Avoid items you struggle to understand how to dress or are disposable pieces. Don’t worry about the basics, as you can switch them up easily from season to season.
Once you start selecting items for your new minimalist wardrobe, be sure to include clothing for every part of your lifestyle. If there is a dress code at work, ensure that you have enough pieces to build up to the amount of clothing needed during the week. Now that you have edited your closet and picked your main capsule pieces, the next step is to build 10 (or more) daily outfits using items that you put back into the closet. The idea is to narrow your clothes down to a smaller collection (most people shoot for about 30 or so items in total each season) of pieces that you like and feel good wearing.
While you may be looking to replicate others’ capsule collections completely, to make your capsule wardrobe really work for you, it is important to remember to pick pieces that fit your lifestyle. Many people are under the impression that capsule wardrobes only work if you are wealthy and able to create a wardrobe of classic or iconic pieces that will last you forever. That is not true. A capsule wardrobe means your closet has fewer trend pieces that are worn only one season and more quality pieces that will last and be worn for years.
Makeup also plays an important role in it. Try to learn some hair and makeup techniques that can help you to create new looks. Going for a no-makeup makeup look has become a no-brainer these days. If you want to try out something different, consider wearing coloured contact lenses that complement your skin tone, or go for Halloween contact lenses to add that extra touch of style to your character.
According to some designers, capsule wardrobes consist of several basic, timeless items, like skirts and pants, which you can pair with seasonal pieces. Essentials are the staples in your wardrobe that will never go out of style and will help you pull together your outfits, like that timeless, classic white button-up dress shirt. A couple of dresses you can dress down or up for special occasions, jackets to wear in layers in colder months, and some basics. Some good staple pieces you might want to consider having in your capsule wardrobe are t-shirts that are neutral, a pair of black pants, a pair or two of jeans, a cardigan to wear over layers and a black dress that you can dress up or down with ease.
If it is your first capsule wardrobe, you can choose navy or black, only a single basic colour to keep it simple. First, you need to decide whether you want navy or black as the main colour and then arrange the closet accordingly. You can also go for a shade of brown for the base.
While a variety of accent colours can work just fine with your neutral base, it is not likely to work so well together. Another key to keeping your wardrobe simple is sticking with only one or two accent colours when you want to bring some life into your neutral bases.
Since neutrals do not pop like vibrant colours and patterns, these classic shades do not begin to look and feel overdone once you wear them multiple times, and chances are, nobody even notices if you wear the same item more than once during a single week. They are the basics, which are solid colours such as black, white, grey, chambray, and beige, that are the classics and will never go out of style.
A black or beige bag is always a nice piece for your wardrobe, as these colours work so well with the rest of your outfit.
Getting a few pieces in your wardrobe that you can easily layer on top of each other (think a neutral vest or a sweater in knitwear) will not only look fabulous, but it will also keep you warm. Keep your colour scheme in mind, as well as your preferred style, when choosing versatile wardrobe basics that will go well together.
While your main wardrobe should be focused on timeless, basic pieces, it is important to select some bonus pieces that will help it stay fresh and modern.
For shoes and accessories, you can add in a pair or two of a single basic colour, such as navy or black; heels or flats and sneakers or shoes for everyday wear.