A capsule wardrobe is an excellent idea on paper, but advice about building one often focuses on simple clothes with a neutral color palette. Think: tan sweaters, solid-color multi-purpose pants and basic T-shirts. Great news if this is the style you like wearing, but it can feel limiting to many.
Those who want a pared-back wardrobe without sacrificing their personal style needn't fret. You can easily learn how to build a capsule wardrobe you'll actually want to wear.
Shop this article: Levi's 501 Original Fit Jeans, Hanes Beefy Heavyweight Short Sleeve T-Shirt, London Fog Iconic Belted Trench Raincoat
Building a capsule wardrobe doesn't mean you have to forgo bold colors or prints if that's what you like to wear. Capsule wardrobes don't even have to look timeless. They just have to contain clothes that you want to wear now and will probably still want to wear in five or 10 years.
It's all about sticking to your own personal style rather than following trends, whether that means dressing smart and preppy or like you just got home from the skatepark in 1995.
This can be tricky if you've always followed fashion trends and aren't really sure what you like. If this is the case for you, try on a range of outfits from your wardrobe and attempt to objectively identify what you actually love and what you only like because it's in vogue.
Once you've thought about your personal style and the kind of wardrobe you want to build, it's time to have a clearout. It's a bad idea to throw out all your clothes and start completely from scratch, as this will cost a fortune and you probably already have all kinds of pieces you can incorporate into your new capsule look.
When getting rid of clothing, think about which pieces will work with a variety of outfits and pair down any items you have too many of — you probably don't need 15 pairs of jeans, for instance. Anything that's in good condition, you can donate, while items with holes or tears can often be recycled.
Although a capsule wardrobe is about more than just basics, this is a good place to start. Most people will want a couple of decent pairs of jeans, smart trousers, shorts and a selection of plain T-shirts and sweaters. Those who wear them should also have a couple of basic skirts and dresses that can be accessorized to look either smart or casual.
You probably already have plenty of items that you can recycle from your old wardrobe into your new capsule wardrobe, but when you buy new pieces, invest in quality. Since you'll be buying fewer new items of clothing, when you do buy something, choose a high-quality item that will last, where possible. Understandably, not all budgets stretch to this, but it pays off in the long run.
As you'll need to make do with fewer items of clothing, most of those you own should work for both dressier and casual occasions. Of course, it's fine to have some dressier items and some garments, such as sweatpants or hoodies, that you wouldn't wear at a fancy restaurant, but most should be multifunctional. This is easier than it might sound. For instance, a plain T-shirt can work for formal occasions when you pair it with a blazer and something smart on your bottom half.
Having too many rules can put people off their capsule wardrobe, prevent them from keeping it relevant and feel overly restrictive. For instance, if you have a rule that every top you own must go with every bottom, you might get rid of some pieces you really love and feel like your new wardrobe isn't representative of your style. Whereas you could have a rough guideline that most of your tops should work with most of your bottoms, which gives you more freedom to experiment and to have a few bolder items that can't be paired with everything else you own.
The original 501 cut from Levi's is a timeless style that has endured over the years, making it an excellent choice for a capsule wardrobe.
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Hanes Beefy Heavyweight Short Sleeve T-Shirt
No capsule wardrobe is complete without a plain white T-shirt, whether you wear it with jeans or overalls for a casual look or under a blazer with dress pants for a smart occasion.
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London Fog Iconic Belted Trench Raincoat
This versatile trench coat is a perfect piece of outerwear for a capsule wardrobe, looking great with all kinds of garments.
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
