How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe

Simplify your Closet

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of essential foundation items that are able to transition between seasons and don’t go out of fashion. Your capsule wardrobe consists of the clothing items that you love to wear everyday, over and over again. They are the pieces that you feel the most comfortable wearing and that make you happy. Capsule wardrobe essentials lay the groundwork for most of your outfits. 

Lifestyle

The amount of items essential to a capsule wardrobe depend on who you are. We’ve seen suggestions from stylists that say your capsule wardrobe should consist of only 20 items and others that recommend 50 items. Only you can determine how many pieces. Take into account your lifestyle, your work, and the temperature of where you live. Do you workout? Do you head into an office everyday? Do you live in a seasonal location? Do you travel every year? The most important step to build a capsule wardrobe is to know your style. Evaluating your lifestyle and activities will help you become aware of the clothes that you need and how to shop.

Hang your clothes backward

Turn all of your hangers and hang them backwards on the rack in your closet. As you wear items, wash and rehang them the correct way. After 6 to 9 months, the clothes that are still backwards are the items that you should consider removing from your capsule wardrobe. After 6 to 9 months you will have gone through various seasons and temperatures. This will help you declutter your closet to find the capsule wardrobe essential pieces that you regularly wear and feel the most comfortable in. If you can’t remember the last time you wore the item, it probably should go. Formal attire should be considered an exception.  Sometimes we only attend formal events once a year.

Clean out your closet

If you don’t want to wait 6 to 9 months and are ready to declutter now, start the closet clean out! You can separate your clothes into two piles. Make a pile of clothes you know you regularly wear and a pile for the clothes that you need an excuse to wear. It can help to further divide the piles into seasons. If it’s below zero and snowing, store those shorts, tanks, and bikinis in a bin. You can wait to sort that pile until the weather warms up. As you go through the “excuse pile” think about if the item makes you happy and if you are still planning on wearing it. Does it fit? If you’ve been hitting the gym and lost weight, ditch those baggy jeans like you ditched the extra weight. Also, don’t panic. You don’t have to start getting rid of anything yet. You can store or set aside items that you haven’t decided on.  If an event comes up that’s the perfect opportunity to wear that dress you bought, but haven’t worn - pull it out of the bin! The clothes that you definitely don’t want to keep, donate or sell.

Evaluate

Now that you have your favorite everyday items, evaluate the pieces you have. From here, you can begin your capsule wardrobe checklist. Sort them between tops and bottoms. Then further organize by color. This will help you determine your color palette. It will also help you with the next step, shopping for missing items. After organizing my own closet, I realized I love the color gray. I own more gray tops than any other color. Why? Because it goes with anything! The key to a capsule wardrobe is versatility. It should contain items that can be paired with different pieces to create different looks. The clothes should easily dress up or dress down. They should be appropriate to wear to any event or occasion. Obviously, work out clothes can be an entirely different capsule wardrobe all on its own. You can go through your workout clothes the same way you evaluate the rest of your closet. Do you have yoga pants that you never wear because you hate that they don’t have pockets? Do you have sports tanks that you can’t wear because they have no support? Pull those out and free up some space in your closet. Now that you’ve evaluated your favorites, let's go over the key capsule wardrobe essentials. Use the items below as a checklist to create the basis for a woman's capsule wardrobe.

White button-up

There is nothing as timeless or classic as a white button-up. It can be styled with a pencil skirt or slacks for work. You can dress it down with jeans and sneakers for a casual look. The amount of ways to wear a white button-up is endless. It’s a must-have for effortless style.

Blazer

Putting on a blazer can instantly create a put-together look. It’s a great piece for layering during any season. They come in any color and cut. A neutral color like black, navy, or brown will be more versatile. Blazers come in classic silhouettes or modern edgy styles.
The perfect jeans. Everyone should have a favorite pair of jeans. They come in a million different cuts and shades. Jeans are seasonless and should work with almost every top you have in your closet. You should have both a light-wash and a dark-wash. It’s also a good idea to have a pair of slim-fit jeans or jeggings as well as a more straight or boot cut jean. Four pairs of jeans are a good start for a perfect woman's capsule wardrobe.
Basic T-Shirt. This is one of the easiest capsule wardrobe staples. You can wear it anywhere and use it as a base piece for any outfit. Opt for a plain white or black tee to optimize its use. However, don’t underestimate the power of the graphic tee. Your capsule wardrobe needs to account for casual days and edgy styles.

The little black dress

The little black dress is a capsule wardrobe piece that will outlive any fashion trend. An essential LBD should kill at happy hour and be professional enough to wear to the office. They come in modest designs or racy cuts. Most important - it should be comfortable. If you feel your best in a body-hugging style - then rock it. If form-fitting isn’t your thing, then choose a looser fit. The little black dress should be basic, but not boring.

Sweater

The most common two types of sweaters are cardigans and crewnecks. You don’t have to have both but have at least one.  If you run hot, pick a thin sweater. If you live in a cold climate, choose a thick knit. A sweater is a capsule wardrobe essential that should provide warmth and texture. Pick a neutral color so that you can wear it with anything.

Trousers

For the moments you need to feel polished, a pair of slacks will always do the trick. They can be high-waisted, fitted, or loose. Choose what you prefer for your body type. Black slacks will go with essentially everything. Plus they look great with any shoe. 

Jacket

You can never go wrong with a leather jacket. Pair with jeans for a classic combo or throw over a white button-up for an on-trend modern look. The other jacket essential: the trench coat. They are classic and practical. A capsule wardrobe essential that hasn’t changed in decades. They are an effortless way to elevate an outfit from simple to chic. A capsule wardrobe should begin with two jackets as a building block. Keep in mind, that living in a colder climate will require additional winter gear. Adding in a winter puff coat for those colder months may be a necessity depending on where you live.   

Strategic Shopping

After reviewing the checklist, you can begin to plan purchasing the essentials that you are missing. Creating a capsule wardrobe is a great way to appreciate and use what you have available. Be creative with your capsule wardrobe items. Find new ways to layer your pieces or work them together with different color combinations. Rewear items with different accessories to create new looks. Challenge yourself. Now you’ve selected your essential items, and looked over our checklist. What are you missing?  When purchasing your missing pieces, keep in mind strategy and longevity.  Don’t make impulsive purchases.  Keeping in mind your capsule wardrobe essentials will save you money and time when getting dressed.

Capsule wardrobes are the foundation of your wardrobe. They will allow you to create a versatile closet and still retain your style. Your closet should be full of pieces that you can mix and match to create new effortless looks. If you have a signature item - keep it. It’s okay to not let things go. To keep the items you love. If an item doesn’t make you feel confident or happy, donate it. The clothes you wear should express your personality and individuality. The capsule wardrobe creates the base for you to showcase your personal style.