Creating a Capsule Wardrobe

We love clothes! Fashion is a beautiful way to express our personal style, make us feel confident and importantly, have fun. Ok now the realistic part- you have a wardrobe full of clothes you liked at the time of purchase but rarely wear, you never know what to wear for any occasion, you wear the same thing every day and nothing new seems to “work”. ARGH! All the above means we’re wasting time, energy and money, not to mention the environmental waste factor. Never fear, the acclaimed capsule wardrobe stalking you via Instagram, Pinterest and nightmares is probably the answer to your wardrobe problems. Whether you’re wanting to show up feeling great at work, the school pick-up, or date night, a solid and simple wardrobe needs to work for you, not the other way around.

There are no hard and fast rules here for what a capsule wardrobe is, it’s more about having a wardrobe full of items that work well together to minimise waste and to give you confidence, no matter the occasion. The items are generally classic, not driven by trends and can be styled with multiple other pieces you own. They also need to make you feel like YOU. Whether that be casual, retro, colourful, classic, tailored, etc. etc. your clothes should reflection of your personality and style.

Not surprisingly, our lives change frequently. Working a corporate job one minute, wandering around in a new-mother daze the next. Working full-time then retiring. Heading to weddings and events every weekend to settling down and leading a quieter life. Whatever that change is, your wardrobe will need to reflect this for easy, everyday dressing. If everything you own was chosen based on an office job and now you work at home, for example, you might be really struggling to pull an outfit together every morning. Your clothes should reflect the life you live. Sure, keep a handful of things you love that you only wear once or twice a year, but we’ll bet they’re currently the items clogging up the space when they’re not needed.

Knowing what styles of clothing work for your unique (and beautiful!) body shape will really help when selecting and curating your wardrobe. This will never be the same for any two people because while everyone’s body is different, so too is their personal taste, their profession and their style. This also means choosing clothes that fit well. Clothes that don’t sit comfortably on the body won’t foster confidence in the way we wear them. This is common for women as bodies will change over time or after children, for example.

The basics is not a checklist or formula as everyone’s taste and needs are different, however, some principles will always apply. The basics are the building blocks of your wardrobe. That might be tailored pants, a blazer, a little black dress, a classic white tee, a cashmere knit and a perfectly fitting pair of jeans. These pieces can be dressed up or down. They can be styled back with more “trend” based items and most importantly they will work with many other pieces in your wardrobe. Try to opt for classic styles. While it’s fun to follow fashion you’re more likely to keep these wardrobe staples if they don’t scream “Summer 2022” (yes, we’re looking at you, unflattering cutouts on dresses). A striped tee, a tailored shirt, a quality winter coat, linen shorts, a beautifully cut skirt and a timeless handbag and belt are other items that you might consider basics. Remember, this will be different for each person!

Fashion seems to come naturally to some people while others struggle to know what will suit them or make them feel beautiful. That’s ok! There are some wonderful resources online to find information and inspiration. Search #GRWM (get ready with me) or #OOTD (outfit of the day) on whatever social platform you follow, and an abundance of visual stimulation will present itself. There are also personal stylists that can really help to formulate your signature style- many of which are not here to make you buy the most expensive items, but rather hand you the tools to choose clothes that will fit you and show off your very best features. It can help to see the capsule wardrobe objectively- something that will make dressing easy, carefree and less time-consuming but also, most importantly, make you feel great every day.