Ten key items for a capsule wardrobe???

[Bullets]

I am currently undertaking a massive decluttering mission on our entire house, and this afternoon focused on my clothes.

It has struck me that I actually only really wear five outfits: a black wrap dress for work that I have two cardigans I alternate on my two days of work (one red cherries on black, one teal); a blue and white stripey long sleeve top with jeans; and three patterned tunic tops (large red polka dots with a blue cardigan, blue and bright pink flowers with a blue cardigan, grey with dusky pink flowers with a grey cardigan) all with jeans. All from White Stuff, Oasis, Next, M&S, TopShop and H&M.

I either wear grey white converse or knee high brown boots depending on type of jeans (have skinny and slim leg, both navy.

It seems I'm already doing a bit of a capsule wardrobe without really trying, so I'm thinking why not not go the whole hog and do it properly!

What are your capsule wardrobe must haves and recommendations???

I am 32, redhead, size 10-12, pretty short (5 foot 3ish?), child-bearing hips and quite a hefty bust.

I have loads of long necklaces, bangles/bracelets, rings, bags etc to accessorise the same outfit in different ways, if that helps!

Thank you xx

Watching with interest. My take would be:

Cigarette pants - navy
Skinny jeans - blue or a colour
Pencil skirt (or shorts at the moment)
Flattering dress depending on body shape - for me that means a waist but have many that done have this.
Blazer- navy, small fitting, contrast lining
Shirt - parchment colour silk atm
Silk shell top x 2 colours
Breton top - red & white for me
Cashmere crew neck cardigan/slash neck sweater Grey
Long boots flat black
Short boots with heel tan

Right now I'd say my most useful/worn items are:

• indigo skinnies
• khaki skinnies
• black jumper
• grey jumper
• black dress
• black and white striped top
• biker jacket
• heeled ankle boots
• black silk t-shirt
• black striped jumper dress
• black blazer

Forgot black skinnies / black pencil skirt / black heels / patterned pencil skirt

I found that it really helped to set up a 'pinterest' page with all my favourite current clothes in that work well together. Then before I buy something new I add the new thing to this page to check that it fits. I also picked two key colours and now only buy clothes that work with these.

Remus I like the sound of yours

I'm tending to wear pretty similar stuff year in, year out these...years, but update jackets and boots which can date an outfit horrendously

Thank you. Yep - me too. My jackets have tended to get shorter and more fitted and I tend to replace the same things (eg black pencil skirt / black platform courts) but trying to get better quality.

Oh yes, agree with all of the above.

I haven't worked out my capsule but I have learned never, ever to be temped to buy the following:

• styles that do not suit (for me, eg. any High neck top as have above average bust);
• styles I want to like but never feel comfortable in so will forever be a waste of money & space (eg jeans in any colour except dark indigo, or pretty well any trousers except jeans, dresses which cut off legs at wrong place);
• cheap clothes (by which I mean cheaply made, especially cheap looking fabrics);
• items that will be deeply uncomfortable (esp. heels more than 1ish inch);
• if in doubt go home and if it was meant to be I will find a way to buy it another time (and very seldom do).

There might be more but you get the idea. It speeds up shopping no end, being iron rules saves a lot of waste (it took years of mistakes to realise these rules are there for a reason and no matter how hot I'm feeling today I will never ever wear those red/white, etc, jeans again...)

Then I at least very very seldom end up with mistakes now, and because I'm focused on what works for me (wrap dresses, straight leg jeans, cardigans - dull but true) I often find more special pieces, I think because I'm focused?

It saves a lot of

I've found these blogs to have good examples of capsule wardrobes

outfit posts

putting me together

another one from putting me together

I think the US bloggers are much better at these than the UK ones.

trickywoo what are cigarette pants?

This is 30 items for a mainly summer wardrobe but I love how everything co ordinates.

30 for 30 items

30 for 30 outfits

remus where is your black silk t shirt from?

Oh I like this thread! My own 10 items would be:
Burgundy Leather biker jacket
Trench
Blue skinny jeans
Black cigarette trousers
White shirt
Breton
Grey crewneck cashmere
cream cropped cashmere cardigan
jersey dress
Heeled ankle boots

Tricky Woo and Remus where do you get your silk tops?

I love the sound of your list scarlet. I have been trying to limit what I buy recently and only get things I absolutely love - it's harder than I thought (to find things I want rather than the not buying bit) but it's saved me quite a few £££ (although I then tend to blow the savings on one or two more expensive items).

My current top 10 would be:
Indigo skinnies
Charcoal/black/ivory fitted t-shirts
Charcoal silk/cotton sweater dress
Purple skinnies
Tan knee high boots
Grey wedge ankle boots
Black parka
Black leather biker jacket
2 star print scarves - 1 big white stars on a grey background, 1 small black stars on a burgundy background
Black jersey wrap dress with tulip shaped skirt

My top ten winter capsule wardrobe at the moment is:

1. petrol coloured leather leggings (some kind of pleather/nice skinny could stand in here)
2. khaki skinnies
3. slouchy cream sweater
4. and 5. two long racer back vests (one teal, one lime) from H&M
5. grey/khaki colour suede slouchy biker boots (Clarks!)
6. Champagne (sounds nicer than beige) waterfall cardigan
7. Mythical sweater dress that I haven't found yet, but would look good over leather leggings and with opaques. I am making do with a goldy coloured Mango one
8. Big chunky brown belt (for belting in aforementioned cardigan, and for over dress)

10. Petrol coloured Chan Luu cashmere/silk scarf

Mosschops and Spud My black silk t-shirt is an ancient Ted Baker one. I think it's actually supposed to be a pyjama top but I love it so much that I bought two identical ones at the same time! Been searching for more ever since.

Cambridge Where are your star print scarves from please? Am on the lookout for a printed burgundy scarf and one can never have too many grey scarves either!

Based on what I currently have/wear.
V-neck sweaters in black, grey, navy and dark wine
Cardigans in Navy and black
White tailored shirts x2
Grey and Pale blue tailored shirts.
White vests Lots
Long sleeved heat-tech crewnecks in white, cream and charcoal
Indigo skinnies, grey cord skinnies and indigo cigarette leg jeans.
A black tailored blazer
black Pencil skirt.
Black Tailored trousers
Ankle Wedges in black
Knee highs in black
Converse in navy

Wow! Thanks for all your feedback! And Aphra those links were very useful, thank you! The putting me together links in particular were really interesting, I need to be braver with my colour combinations, which brings me on to...

I was at work today and mentioned to colleagues that I'm thinking of doing the capsule wardrobe thing, and one of them suggested that the first thing to do before buying anything is "get your colours done" so I find out the right colours to get, has anyone tried that??

It sounds expensive but I guess if it means I only buy things that will actually get worn, it'll be worth it in the long run???

Sorry for delay, by Cigarette pants I mean slim leg, ankle grazers, but not skinny/tight.

Silk shell tops; I got 2 last year in M&S outlet (for £19 each) wore to bits; a Boden one. Just bought one from Great Plains, and I got 2 fab samples from a White Stuff outlet for £5 each; both winter white, one with jersey 'body' and satin shoulders and the other with jersey shoulders/decollete and satin 'body'.

Yes absolutely on colours. I had a color me beautiful consultation about 8 years ago, I'm a Cool Winter (or something), but basically black, white, navy (and a load of other colours I rarely wear but as long as cool base rather than warm that's fine) plus most bright jewel colours. But they were colours I liked previously; it's just helped me bypass stuff in store that isn't right and head straight for the colours that suit me. I actually rarely wear black, but do have lots of Navy basics.

Can I add to my capsule:
Military coat
Denim jacket
Leather jacket (a rich tobacco colour in my case, but not strictly one of my colours, but was £77 in Lakeland BARGAIN) (in fact can you spot a theme here? I lost a lot of weight last year and had to rebuy from scratch my entire wardrobe, so I bought a capsule but also had to do in the sales/charity shop)
White vests lots - yes agree with this!
Navy socks that are OK to be seen!
Opaque tights

Remus my burgundy scarf is by Becksondergaard, can't find it in stock with a quick Google but it's this one.

The grey (actually more of a beige) is from White Stuff but I really like it, lovely and soft and goes with lots. Can't see on their website at the moment though.

It's lovely. Will keep an eye out for something similar.