If you’re new around here you may not have heard me ramble about Capsule Wardrobes for the last few years. I’m sure you’ve heard the term time and time again, but what does it even mean?
A Capsule Wardrobe can be described as a select number of items of clothing, usually between 30 – 40 items, that are interchangeable and can be mixed and matched into a number of different outfit combinations. These pieces will tend to follow a particular style and colour scheme, but not always. What your capsule wardrobe looks like will depend on your own personal style and whether you like a colourful palette or a neutral, minimal palette.
Although this idea has recently gained popularity, the term ‘Capsule Wardrobe’ was coined in the 1970’s by British boutique owner Susie Faux. Susie would help women to build their perfect wardrobe, focusing on quality over quantity and make sure everything worked together to create a cohesive collection.
So where do you start building your own Capsule Wardrobe? And what are the Benefits anyway?
The benefit of having less in our lives is so evident when you think how clear your mind feels when you tidy up your space, be it your desk, your kitchen counter, or in this case, your wardrobe. Looking at so much STUFF everyday is draining on our brains which causes unnecessary overwhelm and stress. By having a less busy wardrobe, be that less overall items or a more cohesive colour palette (or both) this will create less busy-ness and chaos in our minds when we look into our wardrobes. Sounds a bit woo woo, but it works!
So where to begin?
- Begin by taking stock of what you actually own. Pull everything you own out into one place (your bed will work just fine).
- Put back in what you wear ALL of the time, and that you feel good in.
- Put back in pieces that are staple items, eg tailored black blazer, white shirt, black dress pants, good fitting denim jeans, white ts-hirt, black t-shirt, turtle-neck, crew neck sweater etc. These might not be the most exciting pieces you own, but they are your staples, which will be the foundation of most of your outfits. (NOTE: Some of these items may actually be in your first category – love and wear all the time)
- Now your left with pieces you don’t wear so much or love so much. Try to identify between something you actually don’t like V pieces you don’t wear because you may not know how to wear them. Pinterest is a great place to get inspiration for a certain item of clothing.
- Have a look through shoes and accessories next. Pull out the pieces you wear all the time and love, the same process we did with your clothing. You might find that your accessories lift what’s left in your outfit with a bit of a statement shoes or a colourful bag. This can be how you play with your looks, while maintaining a more balanced outfit underneath. I’ve popped below an example of an outfit made entirely from basic pieces, but dressed up with fun accessories:
Changing Your Look by Changing Your Accessories
What else could you give your time to if you could spend less trying to piece together an outfit every day? Having a relaxing cup of coffee in the morning before work? Spending more time on your beauty routine? Spending time with loved ones in the evening instead of spending hours pre-planning your outfits?
How could a Capsule Wardrobe Change your life? I would love to hear from you guys about your experiences with building a Capsule Wardrobe or living with one. I’m about 3/4 years into my journey and it is definitely still an ongoing journey.