Capsule Wardrobes Made Simple

  Great for business, travel or everyday. To create a stress-free life! 

Creating capsule wardrobes you’ll love can only be achieved if you have real clarity. Starting with your own authentic personal style. Knowing your unique colour harmonies. Finding the designs that work best with your own physical features, body proportions and scale.

The benefits of capsule wardrobes

Capsule wardrobes are a fabulous way to prepare for many occasions as they can save time, money and frustration. Preparing outfits for travel, work or a special event. Travelling light, building workwear outfits, or a special event.

You want to save time, money and frustration. If you have just started your career or are re-entering the workforce. After a career break this is a great way to build up a wardrobe of clothes you love.

The disadvantages of capsule wardrobes

First and foremost begin with the clothes you love! That flatter your personality, lifestyle, natural colouring, body proportions and scale.

Key points to note are that the group of clothes in your capsule should harmonise with each other. In colours, fabrics and design, or all three. All should have the same level of finesse. Wearing clashing colours or fabrics might have a place in fashion fads for magazines. They have no place if you’re aiming for a capsule wardrobe that will work hard to support your everyday life.

How to start building capsule wardrobes you’ll love

Establish the reason for building your capsule. as a social holiday dressing is very different to that of a business conference or everyday work capsule. A casual capsule will consist of more colours. A formal business capsule will be more somber.

The foundation of your capsule should be based on your best neutrals. Which will allow you to create endless outfit combinations. Your neutrals will mix and match with any of the other colours in your palette. Shades of beiges ivory, cream, tan or grey and black plus burgundy, forest or pine green, and plum. Whilst these are deep colours you will have the equivalent shade or tone in your own colour palette spectrum. These are known as basic colours. 

Capsule wardrobes you’ll love based on colour

Start building your capsule with a colour scheme that you love! Two or three solid colours. Alternativley two solid colours along with a third piece patterned piece that contains the other two colours. That way all the other garments can harmonise with the colours in these basic pieces.

The foundation of your capsule  should be made of core staples. Which will help to create co-ordinated looks. Every piece able to mix and match with every other. Your capsule could start by selecting a jacket, a dress, one or two skirts and two or three pairs of trousers. Then you can add several tops such as smart blouse or shirts.with accessories such as scarves, belts and jewellery. There are many examples of capsule wardrobes on the internet.

Capsule wardrobes you’ll love built on intention

The styles and colour harmonies are very easy to create. Here is an example of the structure and number of pieces you should look for. Which will see you through many business events, through each season, and your day to day outfits:

You can create various mix and match wardrobe capsules using this chart. Simply adapt the key pieces to your world of work. This method could be adapted for your personal weekend or holiday wear. The possibilities are endless.

Start with a jacket or a cardigan and see how many other garments will match with it:

Add the accessories that would complement that ensemble:

A holiday capsule can be built around a more colourful skirt, dress out trouser. If you select a piece with a mixture of three colours. It becomes very easy to mix and match all your other garments. Only 12 garments could help you to actually curate 72 different outfits. You could start with 2 jackets, add 4 bottoms (skirts or trousers or a both), 6 tops. Plus accessories. 

Here’s how it works: 
6 tops + 4 bottoms = 24 different outfits. 
Add one jacket to each of those outfits = 48 outfits. 
Add the other jacket = 72 outfits! 
Makes accessory choice simple and shoes. 
All could fit into one carry on luggage case. 

More inspiration for capsule wardrobe ideas

Click on the links below for more ideas. If you can’t find what you’re looking for send us an email.

Pinterest Instagram

Your Action Steps: 

Create an inventory of all your items from your existing wardrobe.  Note the style and colour. S draw up a chart similar to the one above. See just how many of your items will actually go with the others to form capsules. You will discover that some of your items could fit into several capsules. Or notice the gaps that you need to fill next time you go shopping with key pieces. Record your outfits by taking selfies or asking a friend to take photos of you wearing each of those outfits. This is a fun way of actually decluttering your wardrobe. Whilst helping you to take stock of what you have, and creating a fabulous “look book”. 

How we can help

If you’re not sure how to get started take a look at Fabulous Style Freedom.