If you’ve never heard of a capsule wardrobe, it’s time to learn, because this is a total gamechanger. Not only does it save space in your wardrobe, save you money, and make picking out your outfit everyday a heap easier, it is also much better for the environment than buying new clothes each year. We’ll take you through how to create the perfect capsule wardrobe for every season to take the stress out of getting dressed every morning.

What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a wardrobe that consists of a few versatile pieces that can be worn often and paired with various other pieces in your wardrobe. It involves regularly editing down your wardrobe and keeping in mind all the pieces you already own when you’re shopping for new clothes. It also means getting familiar with what feels good and looks good on your body! There’s no point keeping pieces hanging around that don’t make you feel great and confident. Creating a capsule wardrobe takes just a few simple steps…

What neutral colour are you most comfortable in? Black? White? Navy? Nude? Your base colour is a neutral shade because neutrals go well with all other colours, so you can easily build around your base. After you’ve selected the base colour, choose a few shades that complement your base well—but try to make these as neutral as possible, too! For example, if your base shade is black, your coordinating shades might be beige, white, and grey. These hues will become the jumping off point for the rest of your capsule wardrobe.

Now choose two or three fun colours to go with your neutrals—these can be any colours you want! Make sure these are shades that you feel good in and will actually wear. Remember, you’re creating a practical wardrobe for you and your needs. Choosing just a few colours will make it easier to keep your wardrobe to a minimum and will ensure you’ll actually wear what you buy. 

Now comes the hard part—culling. Use the list below as a general guide to what you should keep. This is your wardrobe, so customise the list to your needs, but try to be as ruthless as possible when cleaning out your wardrobe. After all, that’s the whole point of creating a capsule wardrobe. A good tip is to keep things that are versatile. Remember, each piece will need to be paired with multiple other items in your capsule wardrobe.

• 5-8 bottoms, including jeans, trousers, activewear leggings/shorts, and skirts.
• 10-15 tops including t-shirts, dress shirts/blouses, and bodysuits (these work best in your neutral base colours)
• 3-4 dresses including casual dresses, office wear, and a dress for formal occasions.
• 1-2 light jackets, such as denim or leather.
• A sturdy coat for winter, if needed where you live!
• 2-4 knits
• Shoes:
• Some neutral, casual sneakers
• A pair of boots
• Work shoes
• Gym shoes
• A pair of shoes for formal occasions
• Sandals

Sticking to that guide will leave you with 40 pieces in your closet, not including accessories. See? That doesn’t sound so scary! Again, you may need to alter that list a little depending on your lifestyle and personal needs, but try your best to cull as much as possible. 

Be mindful when you shop

When you’re in need of some new pieces, keep in mind what else you have in your wardrobe already. What will the piece pair well with? Is this new item necessary? Will you be able to wear it more than just a few times? Building a capsule wardrobe doesn’t mean you can never buy new things! It just means that shopping trips will be fewer and farther between and will require more mindfulness than you may be used to.