How To Build A Capsule Wardrobe
Ever get that feeling of overwhelm when you open your closet, decidedly sure you have nothing to wear despite the full drawers and hangers in front of you? You’re not alone. This feeling plagues many but we promise there is a simple and intentional solution that will help make your wardrobe shine.
Enter the Capsule Wardrobe! Starting in the 1970’s, the idea of the capsule wardrobe is simple. Have a select number of garments that work with as many pairings as possible that you absolutely love. There are many debates on what the magic number is, some say 15, some say 30, others say 90, but ultimately it is up to you. The most important points in creating a capsule wardrobe is that you’re only using pieces you absolutely love wearing, the pieces cater to your lifestyle and work cohesively together. This will ultimately give you a wardrobe that supports you throughout your life with versatility and ease. Below we’ll walk through our seven steps, supported by the brilliant stylist Stephanie, to help you create the capsule wardrobe of your dreams.
Step 1: What is your style?
This question can be incredibly daunting because we’re all a combination of a couple different styles, a perfect blend that makes your style uniquely you. Not to mention that our style often changes and adapts as we move through life. The style that felt authentic to you at 20, likely isn’t the same style that captures your essence at 30. With that said, identifying your style and understanding what makes you feel incredible is such an important place to start in building a wardrobe that will serve you and your needs.
My biggest tips for identifying your style:
Think about what kinds of pieces make you feel ‘strut in the street’ fabulous. Is it a sleek, elegant jumpsuit? A flowing, romantic midi dress? Or maybe mixing casual jeans with a boss worthy blazer! There are no wrong answers here, so think about pieces you’ve worn that make you feel most like your wonderful self.
I love a good pinterest board as a visual aid! I recommend spending some time creating a board with your style in mind. Focus on pinning looks that speak to you and how you see yourself. Once you’ve finished pinning, take some time to look through what you’ve pinned and notice any images of repetition. Are you pinning a lot of classic and tailored looks? Looks that highlight colour, print and texture? Bold statements? Or perhaps moments of simplicity and elegance? Again, there are no wrong answers!
Experiment! Head to your nearest shop and try things on, this is truly how we figure out what we like and what works for us in terms of capturing our own unique style.
Step 2: Base Colours
This is the first step in creating a capsule wardrobe that offers cohesion and versatility, identifying your base colour. Base colours are typically Black, Brown or Navy. So how do you figure out which colour to select you may ask? Well I recommend taking a scan of your current wardrobe. Which of these colours do you see most in your wardrobe? This is a great tactic in building the colour pallet of your capsule because it means you will end up needing to buy less to fill any gaps in your wardrobe.
Step 3: Secondary Neutrals
This may seem odd of me to say, but I resisted neutrals in my wardrobe for a really long time, simply because they felt boring to me. But the truth is we need neutrals in our wardrobe to bring versatility. These colours are what help us get the most out of all the pieces that make up our wardrobe. I like to think of our secondary neutrals as the colours that bridge gaps, almost like the glue that brings the pieces in your wardrobe together. I recommend choosing three secondary neutrals such as white, ivory, beige, camel or grey. All of these secondary neutrals will work well with the base colour you selected for yourself.
Step 4: Accent Colours
Now that you’ve got your Base and Secondary colours you can start on your Accent colours. When deciding on accents it’s important to make sure that whatever colours you’re working with, compliment the Base and Secondary colours in your palette. The last thing you want is for your accent to completely clash and steal the show! A great place to start would be thinking about colours that make you feel your best! For some (like Nicole) that skues into more neutral tones like muted green, but for others (like Stephanie) Jewel tones are where it’s at. Lastly, don’t be afraid to play! Maybe this is your chance to step out of your comfort zone, just make sure it’s something you’ll want to wear on a regular basis, every item in your capsule needs to earn its keep!
Step 5: Prints
Prints can feel intimidating to some, as there are so many print options out there! But prints are truly essential in bringing visual interest, adding texture and showcasing your unique style to the world. The important thing to consider is choosing 1-3 printed pieces that relate to your personal style and that will have longevity in your capsule, season to season. Some print options you might consider are plaid, stripes, polka dots, paisley, checks, leopard, snake, or floral.
Step 6: Go through your wardrobe
After reviewing all the brilliant data you’ve collected on what your dream wardrobe looks like, it’s time to open your closet doors and begin the process of weaning down your closet. Nicole has done this many times and has a few key suggestions on making this process easier.
Create a Sell, Donate, and Trash areas in the room your closet is in. Keep in mind that anything you want to sell will likely need to be in top condition, and frankly your donate pile should be the same. Anything that would go in your trash pile should be items that can’t be donated like holey socks and the like, however if there are small holes that can be mended it may still be worth donating. Be thoughtful about throwing clothing in the garbage as their decomposition rate is incredibly long, instead investigating fabric donation resources is a better bet for those things not in well enough condition to donate!
Start by sections combing through each, one item at a time. We like to start with pants, shirts, and other folded items, then work our way over to hanging items like blouses, skirts and dresses, then finally work-out clothes, undergarments, and pyjamas. At this point you can then head over to shoes and accessories.
As you slowly comb through each section, ask yourself a few questions. Do I actually wear this/can I recall when that was? Does it have any stains/rips? Does it fit well? How do I feel in it? And of course, does it still align with my style and dream wardrobe?
Know what your lifestyle is. If you spend a lot of time exercising and being active, you may want to keep a few extra leggings, if you work in an office, maybe hold onto one or two blazers, but of course if you have five bridesmaid dresses you have no intention of shortening and wearing again, perhaps you can pass those forward. Remember that by donating something beautiful, it will end up with someone who really loves it instead of sitting in your closet as an item you feel medium about.
With the items you have left, look at the quality of the garments. Will they withstand constant wear and tear or perhaps would it be benefical to put them on a wishlist to replace.
Stay true to what you want! Remember it’s easy to get caught up in wishful thinking that something will fit later, or that you’ll eventually be that bohemian goddess who exclusively wears palazzo pants. Meet yourself where you are, and make that wardrobe for you right now.
Step 7: Know that it will change and develop
The funny thing about capsule wardrobes is like life, things will change. Whether it be habits, hobbies, jobs, or climates, your wardrobe should always support you in feeling your best so know that you can change it whenever you need to. Just make sure that it’s true to you and everything you’ve decided to hold onto earns its keep!
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