What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

Have you ever stood in front of your closet and felt like you have nothing to wear? I did and most of the people did at some point. It happens because there are not enough staple pieces that glue the outfits together, finalize them in a way.

Those staple items are called a capsule. Items that help create a fulfilled wardrobe can include: a good white t-shirt, timeless Demin jeans, straight black woolen coat, basic white sneakers etc. Capsule can vary from person to person depending on the personality and lifestyle, it does not have to be the same. However, capsule items in the wardrobe allow to mix and match by repeating outfits yet look different every time. They are timeless pieces you wear most of the time, and they can be easily styled with anything from your wardrobe during more than one season.

It is not always easy to understand how to create your own capsule and to feel confident and satisfied about your closet, it takes time and, sometimes, a little bit of help from a stylist. Nowadays, a lot of personal stylists offer wardrobe revisions in order to create looks and find out what is missing. It Is definitely worth it for some people; however, one can try to identify the capsule themselves. Think about your lifestyle and the items that you wear most of the time. Do you have a pair of shoes that goes well with every single outfit, or you are struggling to match your outfit with the shoes? Do you have a good pair of blue jeans that goes well with your favorite bright cardicians on a weekday as well as elegant blouses when you feel like going out? Do you have enough lighter, yet warm, layers to wear underneath the puffer coats in the winter or you feel overwhelmed with the amount of clothes you have to put on during the cold days? Those are some questions you might ask yourself before identifying your capsule wardrobe.

Finally, in the age of overconsumption and fast fashion it might be a good idea to rely more heavily on the capsule wardrobe. It means invest in better quality pieces not only because they are trendy but also because their durability is longer. The staple pieces that you choose as your capsule can be repeated in the outfits, refresh them, and create a feeling of a renewed wardrobe if chosen wisely. Try to look at your closet, maybe lay out the looks and think about what items are missing in most of them which prevents you from wearing certain pieces. Every single item in your wardrobe is there for a reason, it just needs something to be paired with to create a perfect outfit.

Photos: Phyllis Emelda, hiTechMODA Sesson 8., Getty Images

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Hannah Longman
Hannah Longman
From fashion school in NYC to the front row, Hannah works to promote fashion and lifestyle as the communications liaison of Fashion Week Online®, responsible for timely communication of press releases and must-see photo sets.

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