Tips For Creating A Timeless Wardrobe With Classic Pieces?

A capsule wardrobe is the perfect idea to simplify your closet, do more good for the environment and stop following every seasonal fad. We put together an easy 7 -step guide to create your own capsule wardrobe and start your journey to a closet full of clothes that you love!

Here’s everything you need to know about how to create a sustainable capsule wardrobe.

First, what is a capsule wardrobe?

The term ‘capsule wardrobe’ was coined in the 1970s by British boutique owner Susie Faux from a frustration of too little high-quality clothing in the fashion world. Instead of buying more and more, she advocated a collection of selected items that can be worn all-year round and don’t go out of style. The idea gained in popularity in the 1980s, when influential designer Donna Karan released her collection of “Seven Easy Pieces” for working women.

With the rise of fast fashion – one of the dirtiest industries in the world – the concept of a capsule wardrobe today is as important as ever. Creating a sustainable capsule wardrobe means to be conscious about the clothes that we own, uncluttering our closets and creating an essential wardrobe where we love every single piece.

The Benefits of Capsule Wardrobe

Creating a capsule wardrobe has numerous benefits that go beyond just simplifying your closet.

According to a recent study by the International Journal of Market Research, participants who adopted a 3-week capsule wardrobe felt less stressed, detached from fashion trends, and experienced a newfound joy in their fashion style.

Additionally, a well-curated capsule wardrobe can save you money in the long run since the pieces are interchangeable, versatile, and high-quality. Instead of buying new clothes every month, you can use your capsule wardrobe season after season.

Furthermore, creating a capsule wardrobe can make you more sustainable by reducing textile waste, which in the U.S. alone generates over 15 million tons every year. By designing a capsule wardrobe, you’ll be lowering your carbon footprint and avoiding the exploitation of human and environmental resources that come with overconsumption.

The Basics: 7 Steps to a capsule wardrobe for women.

Ready to start? Here is a step-by-step guide to build a capsule wardrobe with timeless wardrobe pieces.

Step 1 – Out in the open

Photo by © Ketut Subiyanto Pexels

Start out by taking all clothes from your closet (including shoes and accessories) and spreading them all out on your bed and floor. It is important to have an overview of everything that you own and you might be surprised about what is hiding in the darkest corners of your closet. It will also make you realise how many clothes you own and how much we spend on pieces that we rarely wear.

Step 2 – Narrow it down to your timeless wardrobe essentials

Time for spring cleaning! Now that you can see all your clothes in one place, ask yourself the following questions for each item:

“Do I still like it?”
“Have I worn it in the past 6 months?”
“Will I wear it in the next 3-6 months?”

If the answer is “no” for either question, it is time to let go and move these items to a goodbye pile. You can bring clothes on this pile to a second-hand store or donate them, but there might also be some items that are ready for the trash. Even though this part might be a bit tough, a capsule wardrobe is about owning timeless wardrobe pieces that you really need. We promise that you will feel great after.

Step 3 – What to know about a capsule wardrobe for women

Before it is time to build up your capsule wardrobe for years to come, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind.

How many clothes should be in a capsule wardrobe?

The goal of an essential capsule wardrobe is to possess around 35 to 50 items at most, including all accessories like bags, purses, shoes and scarves. However, you don’t need to include any underwear, sleepwear or workout clothes in this count. If you are starting to experiment with a capsule wardrobe, 50 items is a great number and you can challenge yourself to go lower as time goes on.

The number that you choose also depends on the space of your current closet and if you live in an environment that is continually changing temperature.

Step 4 – Let’s talk about capsule wardrobe colors

What should be the base of my capsule wardrobe?

To make it easy to combine and match your outfits, it is best to choose neutral colors and basic designs for the essential pieces of your wardrobe. Denim, sand, gray, black, white, and navy are all colors that are great to have in your capsule wardrobe. Neutral, timeless colors make it easy for you to create an unlimited number of combinations with the other pieces that you have in your wardrobe.

Some recommend choosing one main base color like navy or black for your wardrobe, but we think it is fine to have more than one base color. In the end, every taste and capsule wardrobe is different and you will know what is best for yourself. Thereby you could also choose your favorite color as a base color. It’s all up to you! Although it would make sense to choose a color you are wearing the most.

Get neutral color timeless wardrobe essentialsIf you have only chosen one or two base colors it might be a good idea to invest in some neutral color essentials. Choose these essentials, such as t-shirts or pants, in colors, that coordinate well with the base colors and each other. These pieces never go out of style! Some great neutral colors are: white, beige, gray or colors in the brown spectrum. But again, it’s YOUR wardrobe and YOU need to feel (and look) good.