The Ultimate Guide to Building a Capsule Wardrobe

Building a capsule wardrobe has many benefits. Knowing that whatever you choose to wear will fit perfectly together with confidence will be one of the biggest time savers in your life. Fewer options also mean fewer decisions, and getting dressed in the morning will become much more enjoyable. A capsule wardrobe doesn’t follow current trends. Shopping less often but with more purpose for timeless, high-quality pieces isn’t just more environmentally friendly; it can also lead to significant savings of money and time in the long run.

Putting together a capsule wardrobe with just assorted but beloved pieces might take some time initially, but with the right clothing collection, you can create numerous stylish outfits all year round, no matter the season. Before you start sorting out your wardrobe to check what essential pieces you are missing, there are just a few tips to keep in mind as you create your capsule:

Neutral Colour Palette

While it is always nice to pair your new capsule wardrobe with pops of colour to add interest to an outfit and underline your personality, ensure your basics are kept in neutral colours such as grey, navy, black, white, or shades of brown like cream, camel and taupe for a cohesive wardrobe that will always look put together.

Timeless and Functional Pieces

Focus on timeless and functional pieces when creating your capsule. For instance, straight-leg jeans with a classic blazer and a crisp white shirt will never go out of fashion. Such classic items can be the foundation of your wardrobe while adding more practical and comfortable basics in your preferred neutral colours that can easily be mixed and matched to style in various ways. Try picking versatile pieces which you can dress both up and down, and wear to different events or in multiple seasons.

Sort by Season

If you come across clothing in your wardrobe that you would like to keep, but it’s not the right time to wear it, don’t worry about it. You can put those items aside in a designated area for specific seasonal wear and keep them until it is time to switch to the appropriate season. Having separate storage space for off-season clothing helps keep your capsule wardrobe rotation fresh and relevant to the current climate.

Keep it Minimalistic

While there are no strict rules on how many pieces a capsule wardrobe should have, it might help to start with a small number of essentials and slowly build up pieces of each type. This way, it may be easier to keep track of the items you already own. You can also create a checklist, writing down exactly which clothing is essential to purchase and maybe even colours or patterns that are missing to complete a well-rounded wardrobe.

Cultivating your Capsule Wardrobe

Once you have evaluated your current wardrobe and identified all the pieces you love, declutter your closet and move all clothing items you don’t want to keep to a different location. Give yourself a couple of weeks to get familiar with your minimalised wardrobe, and only include items back into your capsule that you really miss and your outfits benefit from before donating or selling the rest. Do not keep stained items or damaged ones beyond repair.

To help you get a clearer sense of your new style, lay out your favourite items and take a good look at the type and colours. Put them together in categories such as:

• – Coats and jackets
• – Sweaters
• – Tops, T-shirts
• – Shirts, blouses
• – dresses, skirts, shorts,
• – Trousers and jeans
• – Accessories (sunnies, caps, hats, scarves, handbags and shoes)

Now, choose your staple pieces by category and decide if you have enough of each item or need more with similar characteristics, such as a classic knitted V-neck jumper in grey that you would like to have in navy or camel. As a rough guideline, you will need:

• 2-3 pairs of jackets, coats and blazers
• 2-3 bottoms (jeans, trousers and shorts)
• 1-2 skirts and dresses
• 3-4 sweaters
• 3-4 blouses or shirts
• 5-7 T-shirts and tops
• 3-5 pairs of shoes and 2-3 bags

Owning these essentials will allow you to create 7-10 everyday outfits.

Building Capsule Outfits

To start creating outfits with your new capsule wardrobe, start with a pair of bottoms and work your way up to try new combinations. See how many looks you can create with your minimalised attire and how to add interest with layers or accessories to make a basic outfit stand out. You may also search on the internet for inspiration or create your own style board on social networks like Pinterest or Instagram to get a better sense of what styles you like and recreate them with your own clothing.

Furthermore, as you start mixing and matching your pieces, you can also take pictures of outfits you love and create a folder on your phone. If you are in a hurry in the morning, you can quickly browse through your photo gallery and pick an outfit so you don’t have to go through your closet and find something to wear but can enjoy your morning coffee. Putting whole outfits together will also help you identify which capsule items you are missing and which ones are hard to combine. Consider swapping those for pieces you will get more wear out of.

Organise your Wardrobe

Now that you have created flattering outfits that reflect your style and personality, it’s time to pay your capsule wardrobe the respect it deserves by keeping it organised and easy to access. Betta Wardrobes specialises in fitting new wardrobes in your home. We create custom storage solutions that unite both design and functionality and incorporate space-saving elements such as sliding doors and stackable drawers, pull-out hangers, shoe storage units and accessory stations. Visit our website for stunning photos of our work, and contact us today via the online form or at 1300 662 966 for a consultation. Let your new capsule wardrobe transform not only your personal look but also the interior of your home.