What is a capsule wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a thoughtful collection of clothing, designed to help you maximise the number of outfits you can create with a small rotation of pieces. It is generally recommended to consist of around 30-40 items of clothing, shoes and accessories. The concept of a capsule wardrobe originated in the 1970s, with emphasis on including timeless, good quality basics that can be supplemented with seasonal pieces and statement items.
How do I create a capsule wardrobe?
The best place to start is by decluttering your current closet. This isn’t necessarily something that has to be done all at once - it can be quite intimidating to pull out your entire clothing collection to sort through. You could start by tracking the pieces you wear the most often to identify your essentials. There are lots of different ways to do this, such as keeping an outfit diary, or taking photos. British Vogue recommends hanging all of your clothing the same way round, and rotating it once you have worn it, so you can easily see which items aren’t seeing the light of day! You could even download an app like Cladwell to track your clothing electronically (you will love this if you have always dreamed of Cher’s iconic wardrobe in Clueless!). Read some more of our tips on keeping your wardrobe decluttered here.
Deciding what goes in your capsule wardrobe is completely down to your personal style. Many guides recommend having a set of neutral basics, such as smart black trousers, a white t-shirt, and a trench coat. This can give you a lot of versatility when mixing and matching your pieces. However, if you prefer to incorporate a lot of colour into your wardrobe, your basics might look very different. It is important to consider a colour palette personalised to you when creating your capsule.
Once you have decluttered and considered your colour palette, it is time to start selecting pieces of clothing. Most of this should come from what you already own, but if you do feel like you have a gap in your wardrobe, try to shop sustainably! Charity shops or online marketplaces such as Vinted or eBay are great places to find good quality, long lasting items. There is lots of inspiration online to help you decide what pieces you might need depending on your style.
Photo credit: Style your Occasion
What are the benefits of having a capsule wardrobe?
There are many benefits to limiting the amount of clothing you own, both for yourself and the planet. Firstly, it is a great way to save money, as you will be re-wearing clothing you love over and over again rather than buying new. This also means you may be able to invest in higher quality pieces that will last longer in your wardrobe. Having a capsule wardrobe doesn’t mean you can’t be trendy, it just allows you to put more thought into what trending pieces actually fit in with your personal style and will get the wear they deserve!
The amount of clothes that end up in our bins is growing, mainly due to the rise of fast fashion and cheap low-quality clothing. This is having an impact on our planet at all stages of the supply chain and is contributing to increased waste and more carbon emissions. By reducing the size of your wardrobe, we can all help to reduce the impact of the fashion and textile industry on the planet.