How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe

It is possible to have a curated closet of stylish, comfortable, quality clothing you can wear for any occasion. I will share a few essential tips below. But first, what is a capsule wardrobe? Why is it necessary?

Simply put, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of stylish, quality pieces that you can easily wear for any occasion, in any weather. Each piece of clothing is tailored to your needs and personal style.

For example, a person working in construction who enjoys hiking or skiing and likes to wear clothing with vibrant hues and bold patterns will have a different wardrobe aesthetic than someone working in a corporate setting who loves diving, stays indoors, and prefers a minimal wardrobe style.

Building a capsule wardrobe helps you choose and maintain quality, practical pieces that are true to your fashion ethos. It reduces closet clutter and minimises impulse buys, thus saving you money and time in deciding what to wear. The idea is to streamline your closet and gradually build a more functional wardrobe that is true to you.

The first step is to go through your closet and take inventory. This can seem like a nightmare, but it can help you decide what to keep, replace, donate, or recycle.

By now, you should be feeling good about decluttering your wardrobe. The next step, however, is to focus on the items you are keeping by grouping them further. I prefer to group mine by function, type or lifestyle. Another method I use is to sort them into essentials and basics. Whatever method I use, I ask myself the following questions:

• What is my fashion ethos? What kind of style do I gravitate towards?
• Does my current wardrobe reflect my personal style? Does it express my identity or what I do?
• What is my colour palette?
• What are my routines? What activities am I involved in?
• What outfits fall into work, casual, loungewear, or activewear?
• What items are seasonal? Consider the weather in your climate
• What items can I easily mix and match?
• What items do I reach for, no matter the weather or occasion?

These are just a few questions I consider when building a capsule wardrobe or even refreshing my wardrobe. Tailoring your wardrobe will help you get a clearer picture of what items you need to further remove or add if necessary.

The next step is to consider creating a system for adding new items and maintaining your existing article of clothing. Then, you can arrange your outfits in a way that is easy to access. For example, you can colour-coordinate your closet, group your clothes according to their type, store out-of-season outfits in storage boxes, etc. Another important thing is to set a budget and create a wishlist to avoid impulsive spending on things you do not necessarily need.

You can also create a visual board of outfits with the pieces you want to add to your closet. For inspiration, visit Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or search on Google. You can also check out fashion brand websites for outfit ideas. I especially like to get inspiration from Pinterest. I also get inspirations from a handful of influencers and content curators on social whose overall outfit aesthetics are similar to mine.

Streamlining your closet will help you shop intentionally and responsibly and reduce clutter. Your goal should be to consciously curate a wardrobe of quality, timeless, versatile, and functional items in colours that you can easily combine to create any look you want.