Capsule Wardrobe: What Is It and How Do You Build One?

In 2019, I did quite a bit of research on how to build my own capsule wardrobe.

My husband and I have been traveling full-time since 2016, which meant that I needed to get better at downsizing.

However, I also wanted to make sure I looked fashionable; I was tired of wearing jeans and t-shirts a lot of the time.

So down below, I’m going to help you understand what a capsule wardrobe is and how you can build your own!

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

To put it simply, a capsule wardrobe is a smaller selection of clothing pieces that all compliment each other.

You want to make sure that each piece goes with the other because this allows you to have more variety when it comes to building outfits.

So essentially, each piece you add should help increase the amount of outfits in your wardrobe.

Capsule wardrobes do not contain anything that are stand-alone pieces. They simply work together in harmony to make sure you look your best.

Also, they are normally comprised of neutral colors with maybe one hue as the defining color.

And lastly, a capsule wardrobe is made up of the classics. They are pieces of clothing that stay in style and don’t require you to replace them the very next year.

Side Note: I would recommend creating a capsule wardrobe for each season of the year.

1. Know the Basics

When it comes to basics, you’ll want to understand what season you are building a capsule wardrobe for.

So for instance, if it’s fall, you’ll want to have something like:

• Two pairs of pants
• Two coats
• Two sweaters
• A blouse
• 2-3 t-shirts
• 2 long-sleeved shirts
• A skirt
• A dress
• 1-2 scarves
• Boots
• Other weather-appropriate shoes

Of course you can do your own research and figure out what is best for you, but it’s always good to understand the basics and what you’re going to need.

2. Look Over Your Closet

Take note of what you already have.

What basics and essentials do you already own that could easily work with almost any outfit?

So for example, do you have a nice cream-colored sweater that looks amazing with your black jeans, skirt, or dress pants? Great, that might be something to include in your capsule wardrobe depending on the season.

And lastly, this is also a good time to get rid of anything you don’t wear anymore and recycle your old clothes.

3. Write Down the Pieces You Want to Add

Make sure to write down the pieces you want to add to your capsule wardrobe before shopping.

It’s important to be strategic before you go shopping.

You don’t want to spend hours at different shops hoping to get exactly what you want.

You want to go in there with a plan so that you don’t waste your time, plus you don’t buy anything you don’t need.

4. If They Don’t Have What You Want, Don’t Buy

This one has saved me so much stress and money!

It’s really understandable when you wanna go to the store and buy everything you need in one go.

But then they don’t have it and you’re feeling stressed and frustrated.

And then the next thing you want to do is buy something because you’re kind of desperate to get something and not walk out empty-handed.

Don’t, just give yourself the permission to walk out and come back another time. Or just try out a new mall or outlet next week.

5. Try Building Your Capsule Wardrobe Off of One Color

I’m not saying make the majority of your pieces this color.

What I am saying though is that it’s a great idea to pick one color, such as a soft pink, and build your wardrobe to work with that.

This makes it easier for you to increase the number of outfits in your wardrobe, and not have pieces that don’t work with anything else.

6. It’s Fine to Have One or Two Pattern Pieces

For those of you who love patterns, I think having a fun pattern (but nothing too crazy) is a great idea.

So for example, you have a pretty white blouse with a cute pink floral pattern, or a dress with a similar pattern.

Just make sure that it works with the other pieces in your wardrobe and you’re all set!

This post was originally published on Chasing Fox

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And that’s it! Build out your plan for your own capsule wardrobe and have fun with creating something that looks great on you while also simplifying your life.