How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe: A Minimalist Approach to Fashion

Is your closet full of clothes, yet you still don’t seem to have anything to wear? Being unable to decide on an outfit can be frustrating, but a simple solution could change your approach to fashion: building a capsule wardrobe. With a capsule wardrobe, you say goodbye to chasing 

the never-ending fashion trends and instead focus on timeless pieces that never go out of style. To learn more, read our guide that tells you everything you need to know about switching to a capsule wardrobe. 

What Is A Capsule Wardrobe? 

We’ve touched on it briefly, but for the uninitiated, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of carefully selected clothing items that can easily be mixed and matched to make multiple different outfits work. Often consisting of neutral and classic colors, it’s a minimalist approach that focuses on core quality pieces that stand the test of time and can be made relevant to changing weather conditions with versatile seasonal items. 

Capsule Wardrobe Benefits 

If you need some more convincing to start a capsule wardrobe, then here are some of the top benefits: 

1. Choosing What To Wear Is Easy 

When your wardrobe is bursting at the seams with almost every style of clothing imaginable, deciding what to wear can be overwhelming. This can make you feel like you’re all out of options and like you have to buy something new. Going minimalist can change this. When you focus on quality over quantity, choosing what to wear will be much easier. You can get creative and try different outfit combinations safely knowing they will look good. 

2. You’ll Save Time and Money 

Think of all the time and money you’ve spent trawling the web and walking around stores to find that new item of clothing that you think you need, only for it to stay in the wardrobe with the tags still on for months. Going minimalist can help you save a lot of time and money, giving you the resources to focus on other things you enjoy. 

3. It’s Good For The Planet 

Fast fashion is bad for the environment. Embracing a capsule wardrobe can help you lessen your carbon footprint. It is likely that you’ll be stocking your streamlined wardrobe with higher quality items that are made using more sustainable and ethical practices, which can only be a good thing. 

How To Start Building a Capsule Wardrobe: The Essentials 

Thinking of downsizing the number of clothes you own can be daunting, especially if you have a closet and drawers that are overflowing. With these simple steps, you can take the pressure out of getting dressed and reap the benefits of going minimalist.

1. Clear Out Your Current Wardrobe 

You can’t begin to create a minimalist capsule wardrobe if yours is full to bursting. The first step is to sort through your current wardrobe to focus on bringing in items you love. Start by donating, recycling or selling pieces that you no longer like, don’t fit you, are damaged, or haven’t worn in the last six months. With what you are keeping, you can sort them into clothing categories: bottoms, tops, dresses, coats, and so on. This will give you a starting point for what you already have to work with. 

2. Decide On Your Core Items 

Capsule wardrobes are all about versatility and functionality. It should consist of high-quality clothes that you can pair easily with each other and wear in different ways and at different times, like to work, for special occasions, and casual events. Here, we’ve split the wardrobe into main categories with suggestions for the basic styles and colors you should consider for each. 

Tops 

Good quality tops form the backbone of any decent capsule wardrobe. You can wear them on their own when it is hot or layered up with other items when the temperature drops. Try to have only one or two styles of the same top in a particular color. These tops are the perfect staples that you should think about including in your collection: 

• White and black t-shirts 
• White and black vests 
• A beige t-shirt 
• Striped t-shirt 
• Colored t-shirt 
• Silk blouse 
• White button-down shirt 
• Denim shirt 
• Flannel button-down shirt 
• Linen button-down shirt 

Bottoms 

A good pair of bottoms that fit well can make or break an outfit. Think lighter-weight pants for the warmer months and heavier blend ones for the winter. 

• Black trousers for all seasons 
• Lightweight trousers 
• Cotton shorts 
• Midi or maxi skirt 
• Straight leg jeans 
• Wide leg jeans 
• Denim shorts 

Sweaters 

These are essential for keeping you warm and layering. Again, think of neutral colors and different thicknesses to make your wardrobe last the seasons. 

• Cardigan
• Fine knit sweater 
• Heavy knit sweater 
• Mid-weight sweater for everyday wear 

Dresses 

Some people only wear dresses from time to time, others enjoy wearing them most days. So, to find the perfect dress for your minimalist wardrobe, you need to think about what occasions you wear dresses for and opt for dresses that can be dressed down for a casual look as well as dressed up. The great thing about dresses is that they’re fantastic for layering, so they can be worn throughout the seasons. 

• Black dress
• Maxi dress 
• A-line dress 
• Knitted dress 
• Linen dress 

Coats 

Coats are usually the final ingredient of any outfit. It’s good to have a range of lightweight jackets and heavier styles to see you through the seasons. These are the staple jackets and coats you should think about including in your clothing selection: 

• Denim jacket 
• Leather jacket 
• Blazer 
• Lightweight waterproof coat 
• Heavy winter coat 

3. Mix and Match Your Outfits 

Once you’ve sorted the basic items, it’s time to experiment with different clothing combinations. You’ll be surprised at just how many stunning outfits you can come up with when you streamline your clothing collection. If this blog post has given you the inspiration you need to go minimalist, then focus on high-quality clothing to fill your wardrobe with. Here at Erica Wilson, we have lots of suitable options you will love.