What does a ‘Capsule Wardrobe’ mean for you?
I’m sure you’ve all heard of the term – Capsule Wardrobe – and it all sounds well and good but what does it really look like when it comes to your own wardrobe?
That familiar phrase – a minimal selection of key pieces that you can mix and match to make multiple outfit options over multiple seasons. It was first introduced in the 1970s by Susie Faux, owner of a London-based boutique called Wardrobe.
And overall, it’s a good concept but when you read online what should be in your capsule wardrobe, you’ll often see key items like – white shirt, good pair of jeans, blazer, trench mac, cashmere jumper etc. but these might not be the right essential items for you.
What is important is that your ‘capsule wardrobe’ fits with your style personality and lifestyle needs – it’s no good having a white shirt in there if you have a warm skin tone or hate ironing! And if you’re allergic to wool, even that cashmere jumper might be too much.
So, firstly I want you to consider what your ‘style’ looks like – can you come up with 3 words that describe your style? To help you do this, think about who’s style you admire, it might be a friend, TV personality or a particular brand. What outfits in your wardrobe do you like best and why?
Also, think about colour – it is suggested that a capsule wardrobe is built around a couple of neutral colours and then you add a few pops of colour. But I think this depends on how you feel about colour, some of us will embrace bright colours while others prefer to stick with more neutral tones. Either is fine, there is no right or wrong answers but when building your core capsule wardrobe you want to think about 3-5 colours. I would always say navy is such a good neutral to start with. It works in a similar way to black but is softer on our skin tone, particularly as we age, and it goes well with so many other colours. Then you need to think of a lighter contrast, and this will depend on if you have a warm or cool skin tone.
So, for those of you who are cool you’d be thinking of something like white or grey and for those with a warm skin tone it would possibly be a cream or beige/camel/ivory. Make sure the pop of colour you introduce is uplifting for you – one that makes you happy and gets you compliments when you wear it. You will probably have 2 here – one for summer and another for winter.
Texture is also an important factor to consider as it can give you more creative options, think about having a mix of fabrics – leather, linen, denim, velvet, silk, cashmere, cotton. Your choices should be influenced partly by your body shape as some fabric will lend themselves differently to your curves.
Your capsule pieces should withstand the test of time, so have a classic element to them, be of good quality and cut to enhance your bodily proportions. You don’t want to rush to buy them, make sure they are carefully thought out to work for your lifestyle needs. This way they will be cherished and create joy for you when you get dressed in the morning!
If you need some help igniting your wardrobe to make it work in a positive way, so you enjoy getting dressed, have an outfit for every occasion without an excessive amount of clothes and that makes you feel good, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
