How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe is a wardrobe that meets the following criteria. Clothes should be high quality. It should be limited in number of items. Items should be easy to mix and match. Many items can go from day to evening. A capsule wardrobe can have as little as 6 items, but as many as 24 items. These tips will help you create a capsule wardrobe.

Make a list of the items you will need for your capsule. This list is an example of what such a capsule wardrobe can look like, but you should adjust it based on what you like to wear. For example, personally, I like to wear dresses 80% of the time, so I would have less pants and jeans and more dresses. Here are the basic items you need for a capsule wardrobe:

Jackets: Denim jacket, Neutral fitted jacket, Trendy Jacket, Cardigan sweater

Pants: Dark Jeans, Casual jeans, tweed or khaki pants, Gray slacks, Black pants, Dressy Slacks

Skirts: Wool skirt, 2 cotton skirts

Suits: Black suit, Neutral suit

Dresses: Black dress, Party dress, Printed dress

Tops: White button Down shirt, Long-sleeved and short-sleeved white t-shirts, Long-sleeved and short-sleeved black t-shirts, Bold blouse. Graphic sweater, Neutral fitted camisole, Black tank top, colored tank tops, turtleneck

Technically, you should have about 10 basic outfits, plus special occasion clothes. By mixing and matching, however, you could go months without wearing the same combination of items as an outfit again.

Inventory your existing wardrobe. Clear out items that are of poor quality or that are dated or don't fit into the criteria you need for your capsule wardrobe. Check items you already own from your checklist so you don't purchase multiples.

Start with the basics, you don't have to purchase everything at once. Start with a few couple pairs of slacks or skirts, a few blouses, and a jacket. Add one or two items every payday. Make sure your items are high enough quality that you will only need to replace them once every year or two.

Pick your statement pieces carefully. They should be trendy in nature, but should be in style for more than one season. Focus on interesting colors for these items, but stick to classic cuts that can stay in your wardrobe longer.
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Don't skimp on the cost of your dressy items. Your clothes for work and entertaining should be an investment, not something you wear only once. Choose these items carefully, and have them tailored to fit. Dress them up or down with accessories, which will disguise the fact that your wardrobe is not immense.

There are some items that you can spend less on that will essentially be disposable. Tank tops, white button down shirts, and long sleeved t-shirts tend to not last long, even when you pay a lot for them, so don't. Get them inexpensively, and replace a few of these every quarter.