Creating Your Capsule Wardrobe

 

Perhaps at least in part due to the pandemic, many of my clients are telling me that they’ve lost sight of what suits them and/or their wardrobe no longer feels right for their lifestyle. Also, most are more mindful of the damage that fast fashion is wreaking on the planet and feel that having masses of barely-worn clothes is irresponsible.

What most crave is a capsule wardrobe of quality clothes that they look and feel fabulous in and that will see them through every occasion so that they don’t have to agonise over what to wear. This is certainly achievable if you take the following factors into account:

Style Personality

To feel truly comfortable, confident and authentic in your clothes you need to understand your style personality. If an outfit strays too far from this you will never feel quite right in it.  For example, as a Classic/City Chic style personality, I prefer quite timeless, paired-back clothes to high fashion items or clothes with a lot of embellishment. Whilst I can certainly admire the pretty “frou frou” dresses that a Romantic is likely to choose, they just don’t feel right on me. If you’re a Dramatic you will typically love bold colours, prints and eye-catching styles, whilst if you’re a Natural you will feel most at home in comfortable jeans and cosy knits. Understanding what you like and why you like it is a great starting point to building a capsule wardrobe.

Colour & Style

As well as having a wardrobe that reflects your style personality, you need to know what suits you in terms of your colouring and body architecture. What looks great on the in-store mannequin, a particular celebrity or even your best friend, may not necessarily be right for you. However, there will be colours and styles that absolutely will show you to your very best advantage; you just need to identify which they are. If you’d like help with this, I recommend having a colour and style consultation.

Lifestyle

To build a capsule wardrobe which you will get maximum wear from, think about how you spend your time and plan your wardrobe accordingly. It’s all about balance; having the right clothes for the right occasion.  Afterall, there’s no point having lots of cocktail dresses if your main activity is walking the dog!

Wardrobe Staples

These are the workhorses in your wardrobe; the pieces that you will turn to again and again as the building blocks for your outfits. By this I mean items such as coats, jackets and trousers. Investing in quality pieces in neutral colours that will co-ordinate with other items in your wardrobe is the way forward, particularly when you consider the price of these on a cost per wear basis i.e. cost of item divided by number of times you will wear it. Supplement these investment buys with less expensive fashion items, holidaywear etc which you will either wear less frquently or will have a limited life span.

Accessories

 “A woman makes an outfit her own with accessories” – Oscar de la Renta.

Getting your accessories right really can be a game-changer. As well as adding personality and the perfect finishing touch to an outfit, they can also be used to dress it up or down, so making it appropriate for different occasions.  Accessories are great investment pieces but you don’t have to spend a fortune on them. Whereas Classics and City Chics may well allocate a significant amount of their clothing budget to a few quality accessories that they know will last a lifetime, for those who like more variety in their wardrobe (typically Dramatics and Creatives) inexpensive scarves and costume jewellery will fit the bill nicely.

When it comes to footwear though,  personally, I would not scrimp. In my experience, quality footwear is generally more comfortable than cheaper alternatives and I’m a firm believer that we shouldn’t have to suffer for the sake of fashion. Besides, it is virtually impossible to smile and walk gracefully if your feet are killing you!

Would you like some more advice on creating a capsule wardrobe? Check out my upcoming Capsule Wardrobe Workshop.