Less is more when it comes to capsule wardrobes.
Creating a capsule wardrobe is one way that you can be more mindful of your fashion consumption. What is a capsule wardrobe? "A capsule wardrobe is a limited selection of interchangeable clothing pieces that complement each other. These are often classic pieces that do not go out of style and are primarily composed of neutral colors" (Sustainably Chic). Basically, the main goal of a capsule wardrobe is to have pieces that are timeless and versatile that can be mixed and matched in a wide variety of ways. Some stylists say you should have a certain number of pieces in your wardrobe, but I think that the size of wardrobe will vary from person to person. In fact, a capsule wardrobe won't look the same for any two people. Some factors that would affect your capsule wardrobe are the weather/seasons where you live, your lifestyle, and personal fashion preferences (such as if you love to accessorize/not).
A misconception you may have is that in order to have a capsule wardrobe, you need to give up the clothes you love and your sense of style. This is not true! The rewarding thing about capsule wardrobes is that it actually gives you more 'more' with less! Here are some things that are crucial when creating a capsule wardrobe:
Know Your Basics
Let's be honest - some clothing is more timeless than others; and that's OKAY! But knowing what clothing is considered 'staples' will help you build your capsule wardrobe. Real Simple has a good basics checklist (and you can find lots of other lists online), but I decided to summarize the basics that they've listed:
Black Tank Top, Short/Long Sleeved Black & White T-shirts, Black Turtleneck, White Button Down/Blouse, Crewneck, Cardigan, Pencil Skirt, Black Dress, Denim Jacket, Ballet Flats, Black Pumps, and a pair of Jeans, Black Pants, & Khakis.
The nice thing about basics is they can be mixed and matched with each other and other items you own. If you don't have all these things, don't fret! This list is merely meant as a guide and doesn't have to be followed exactly.
Evaluate & Define Your Style
Now that you know the basics (haha get it?), it's time to do some self reflection and define your own personal style. There are a few ways you can do this. Fashion designer, Gabrielle Arruda, suggested observing what your go-to outfits have been for the past month or two (and if you're not sure - keep track for the next month). A trick I read once was to flip all your hangers backwards and only flip them back once you've worn that item. If you haven't worn something after a while, there's a reason. By going through what you already have, you'll be able to get an idea of what your style is and declutter at the same time.
Another way you can figure out your style is to take a personal style assessment! If you just google this, you'll find many free options. You can also just read descriptions of different styles and see which one seems to describe you, like this one on Simplified Wardrobe.
Other factors that will play into your style are environment and lifestyle. If you need to dress professionally for work every day, your wardrobe will look different than someone who doesn't need to dress up for work. If everyday is a different situation weather-wise, you'll have a different wardrobe then someone who's environment is more consistent.
Choose Your Players - Colors & Patterns
Now that you've learned more about capsule wardrobes and yourself, it's time to put it all together and pick your colors. Gabrielle suggests picking one base color (navy, black or tan), a couple other neutrals, and a few colorful accents and patterns. Mari at MariDFashion argues that your base color doesn't need to be a neutral but something that you love, and then pair it with other colors and patterns that go with it. I don't think there's a right way to do it - just whatever you feel like makes the most sense to you!
After going through my clothes I would say my base color is black. My 'secondary' colors would probably be white, browns, blues, and some pink! I have other colors in my wardrobe, but most of my clothing is one of those 5 colors!
Pick Your Layering Pieces & Accessories
A wardrobe with just basics is... well, basic! Without some fun items for layering and accessorizing, your outfit will be bland (even if you're going for a minimalist look). Just like how you went through your clothes to figure out your style, doing the same with your accessories can help you keep only what you *actually* use and help your style be more defined. Gabrielle calls accessories the 'icing on the cake' and suggested you only keep the pieces you truly love and can't live without.
I also think it's important to have some pieces for layering/mixing up with your basics because otherwise you'll get bored! (At least I know I would.) Again, this is just something you have to figure out for yourself, but having a capsule wardrobe isn't supposed to feel restrictive - it's about maximizing your wardrobe to have the most possible outfit combinations, without overconsuming. Less is more when it comes to capsule wardrobes.
See What You're Missing
Whew! Now that you've gone through all your clothes & accessories, learned about fashion basics, and started figuring out your personal style, its time to fill in the gaps! Stephanie Wrona of The Intentional Nest wrote "You may not have all th[e] basic pieces in your wardrobe yet. You also may not know which shapes, fabrics, and colors you really like so you’ll need to experiment and try some new things." Make a shopping list of what would help your wardrobe be more well-rounded!
Something I've done is make a 'clothing wish list' on my phone. Some of the things on it are a plain black jacket, a pencil skirt, and neutral-colored sneakers. These aren't things that I absolutely need but they would definitely round out my wardrobe a bit! When I'm out thrifting, I always check to see if I can find those items. If I don't find one that I love, I won't worry about getting it. This is more sustainable approach to filling the holes in your wardrobe.
A capsule wardrobe is a perfect way to have a slower fashion mindset. It takes some work getting it started, but once you get going, you'll find that less truly is more! If you don't feel up to doing all the steps, even just implementing one of the steps will save you time and money! I'll be honest and say that I don't have a perfect capsule wardrobe, but by trying to incorporate these concepts even just a little bit into my closet, I can definitely say it's been rewarding!
This article was originally posted 3/25/2022.
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