Here are some general guidelines to follow when curating a capsule-collection-based closet that can also be applied to shopping so the pitfalls of wasting money on something you’ll only wear once and complaining that you don’t have anything to wear while looking at a full closet can be avoided.

You don’t have to gut the wardrobe you already have

Although this is a great opportunity to make a donation to Goodwill, you don’t necessarily have to start from the bottom to build a capsule wardrobe. Salvage what you wear frequently, what has value into the foreseeable future, and most importantly, what can easily be paired with other items. Chances are you already have the majority if not all of the clothing items that can suffice to be labeled a capsule wardrobe. However, if you know you’re not going to wear something ever again do yourself and someone else a favor by getting rid of it.

Choosing the right stuff

Creating a capsule wardrobe is one of those things that you have to put hard work into first before it makes your life more efficient than it was before. The most difficult thing about making one is finding what to include in the first place. The rule of thumb I follow is that any clothing item I purchase must be able to go with at least three things already in my closet. Realistically speaking, you only need a couple high-quality pieces from each clothing category that can last decades with clever rotations and combinations.

Tailor it to your own style

I don’t know if I’m the only one who immediately thinks of minimalism when the word capsule wardrobe is mentioned, but the clothing items in your capsule closet don’t have to adhere to the ‘less is more’ style that’s all over Pinterest if that’s not how you like to dress. Any genre of style can be manipulated into its own capsule wardrobe: casual, grunge, chic, bohemian, and even maximalism. The same rules apply across the board, so make your capsule wardrobe unique to your own taste and styling habits.

Make it timeless

Capsule wardrobes should be able to weather the storm of the seasonal trends that come and go. Aim to buy things that are cohesive and malleable enough as a collective to where you could style them together to fit a certain trend (if wanted) while putting your own twist on it. Some things that never go out of style can be styled any which way, and are essential to any closet is a little black dress and skirt, a well-fitted white t-shirt, jeans that fit like a glove, and a comfortable jacket.

Accessories are your best friend

Accessories are tiny but mighty. They have the power to dress any outfit up, make it ‘trendy,’ or fully execute any look you’re going for. Attention to detail is imperative when dressing, and accessories are the vessel to elevate any outfit while transcending the test of time.

At the end of the day, a capsule closet is centered around the bare necessities that each of us gets to define on our own, so have fun with it. Who knows, it could just turn into your trademark!

💘 Hanna