The Capsule Wardrobe: What It Is and Why You Need One

How many pieces of clothing do you own?  Is your wardrobe bulging with clothes you don’t wear or don’t fit, or even still have the tags on because you just had to have it, but in reality you have no use for it and nothing to wear with it?

Whether that’s a result of decision fatigue or impulse buying, it’s something that plagues all of us in this current ‘fast fashion’ era.  It was only 150 years ago that clothes were all handmade and fashion had a completely different meaning.  Today, fashion is about expressing personal style, but it wasn’t until the early 1800’s that this became the norm.  Before then, clothing and the way people dressed was a way to show their style.

Nowadays, clothes are produced as cheaply as possible and our consumer-driven society means we have wardrobes full of clothes that don’t fit our bodies, have no thought put into who is going to wear them, and let’s be honest, are not made to last very long either.  We don’t even need to try them on now, just click a button and have them delivered to your door.

But in amongst the chaos of sales, impulse buying and internet shopping, is a long-standing idea of having what you need and no more.  It’s called a capsule wardrobe and involves holding a selection of items (usually no more than 50) in your wardrobe that complement each other and cover every situation.

Usually, the capsule is made up of mutual, neutral tones that go together easily, however I have a slightly different take on it, because I’m not one to wear a neutral palette!  Colour is life, and my wardrobe is no exception.

I have used the idea of a capsule wardrobe for many years now, and it has helped me build a collection of clothing pieces that I love, and allows me to never have to say I have nothing to wear.  It doesn’t mean I never buy clothes anymore, because that’s just not realistic, but it does mean I make more considered choices about what I buy when I do buy something.

For me, getting dressed every day and choosing what to wear has become easy, stress-free and most importantly, enjoyable.  You can have that too, by putting these few steps into action.

Look closely at your lifestyle

Having a wardrobe full of heels and pencil skirts is probably not going to serve you well if you’re looking after small children all day, so take some time to think about the activities you participate in on a day-to-day basis and the clothes you already find yourself wearing over and over again.

You might even like to actively take note of this for a few weeks so you really get a clear idea of what you wear and what you don’t.

Decide on your colours

Next up is to decide which colours you think you would like to focus on.  Because capsule wardrobes are often full of mostly neutral tones there is the danger of missing out on showing up in our power colours that exude confidence no matter the outfit.  You want to be able to mix and match as much as possible, and a wardrobe full of outfits in your colour palette will enable just that.  But still try to stick to 3 or 4 main colours for the season to keep your wardrobe selection at a premium.  Remember, you want to be able to mix and match as much as possible and if you have too many ‘one hit wonders’, it can cause Outfit Overwhelm.

Despite many people thinking that black is the answer to all outfit problems, wearing colours that are just right for skin tone (which for  % of the population that’s not black), really does make you feel better.  Your eyes sparkle, you skin glows, and there’s usually a little extra smile when you see your reflection in the mirror.  If you would like to know more about which colours are right for you, download my Power Colour Playbook and discover the secret to a wardrobe that emanates happiness, strength and beauty.

Collect your staple items

A capsule wardrobe is made up of clothes and accessories that are not only perfect for your skin tone, but also your body shape.  So in amongst your wardrobe will be a few ‘staple’ items that you feel great in and wear all the time.  This means if you find a skirt or top you feel great in, buy it in multiple colours.  I have done this for tops, skirts, jackets, dresses and shoes.

One important thing to note is that a capsule wardrobe contains clothing items that stand the test of time, and won’t go out of fashion.  So don’t worry about trying to find too many items that are on trend; you’ll feel better when you wear items more suited to your body shape.

Choose your matching accessories

Accessories are where you can have the most fun with your outfits.  Earrings, necklaces, hats, scarves and bags can all completely change the look of what you’re wearing with minimal effort.  You don’t need an overabundance of these either, you should be able to mix and match your accessories along with your clothing, so think carefully about what you buy here too.

Build a Capsule Makeup Collection

Now that you’ve got the basics of your capsule wardrobe together it’s time to think about your makeup collection!  Just like our clothes, some makeup shades and colours look better on us than others.  It’s really easy to end up buying products that don’t really look right, and let’s face it, are just not that good for our skin.  A high quality, versatile collection is the best thing you can do for your skin, your bank balance and your over-stimulated mind.

Once you’ve got the basics covered of what your capsule wardrobe will look like you can start to transition out of decision fatigue, wardrobe overwhelm and into the joy of facing each new day.

And remember, creating a capsule wardrobe doesn’t mean throwing everything out and starting again, it just means being intentional going forwards about the decisions you make regarding your clothes.

I am passionate about helping women live their best life, and feel good doing it!  Make sure you sign up to my email list for your weekly dose of encouragement, empowerment and beauty and style advice.

Because beauty really is more than skin deep.

Siobhan xx