Ever heard of a capsule wardrobe? Well, it wouldn’t be surprising if you haven’t, considering how quickly fashion trends come and go. All sorts of online stores keep popping up and pushing fast fashion in our faces and we just keep buying, even when we don’t really need them.
But the concept of a capsule wardrobe kind of pushes back on this. The idea here is to curate a collection of essential and versatile clothing pieces that you can mix and match to create an almost endless lineup of outfits, whether you’re buying from a physical store or a reputable website.
So, how can you create your own capsule wardrobe? The first thing to do is to assess your current wardrobe. Remember that you don’t want to just buy random things. A lot of the things that could form your capsule probably exist in your current wardrobe.
Some of the pieces that you need for your capsule include a well-fitted pair of jeans, neutral t-shirts and tops, a classic blazer, a versatile dress or two, some comfortable trousers, a quality coat or jacket, and basic knitwear.
Of course, the number of each piece can vary but you don’t want to have too many items of each piece in your wardrobe.
You also want to consider colors when building your capsule. Typically, a capsule wardrobe would feature mostly neutral colors like black, white, beige, navy, and grey. And that’s really because they are easier to pair with almost everything. Of course, you can have some colors in there but a good chunk of your outfits should be in neutrals.
Now, it has to be mentioned that fast fashion and building a capsule wardrobe do not go hand-in-hand.
Don’t forget that a capsule wardrobe is significantly smaller than regular ones. What this simply means is that you’ll be wearing pieces more often than usual. So, you need to buy outfits that will last for years, not just going for cheap items that wear out quickly.
Please, make sure to throw in some seasonal outfits into your capsule. This way, you won’t be wearing lighter fabrics when it’s freezing or heavy knitwear in the summer. But, of course, you only need a few of these.
Finally, accessories are a must have in curating a capsule wardrobe. They are a good way to give the same outfit a completely different look.
Once your capsule is built, you then need to put in the work to maintain it. Don’t worry, it’s nothing too difficult. You just need to reassess your wardrobe every few months to remove the pieces that are done and introduce outfits that are not only newer but also better suit your lifestyle.
Another maintenance thing is to resist impulse shopping. Before buying anything, ask yourself whether the new piece complements your existing wardrobe. Don’t buy pieces that would require buying other pieces to match.
At the end of the day, remember that a capsule wardrobe is not about restriction. It’s about freedom because it gives you room for creativity and intentional living.