Capsule wardrobe - anyone managed it or trying to?

[RoganJosh]

I am fed up with rummaging through and endless sea of shite that doesn't work together. Colour wise I'm ok, but I have jeans that I need long tops for and then blazers that need short tops etc etc.

I've had a look at project 333 but it's gone a bit paid lessons and I'm not seeing a basic 'How to'. I may be missing the obvious though.

Has anyone else managed to put together a capsule wardrobe? Did you have any online inspiration or just do it yourself?

Just get everything you own out on the bed, chuck out anything that doesn't fit/is worn out/you don't feel good in and make outfits with whats left - make a note of the gaps for your next shopping trip.

Try to make sure you have at least three top half options for every bottom half and consider footwear and coat options for each outfit too.

Esther Walker's blog has a capsule wardrobe on there...

The book The Curated Closet by Anuscka Rees is also good for this

I have one for day to day...SAHMing, going to uni, and working from home (so v casual)

4 pairs skinny jeans
tons of vest tops (breastfeeding)
4 or 5 pretty tees
4 or 5 long sleeved tops
dark cardigans - black, grey, navy, fuscia
warm cosy jumpers.

I just pull on jeans and vest plus a combination of tee shirt or long top and either cardi or jumper (based on whether its cold or not)

ballet flats, converse, ankle boots or winter boots (weather and walking dependent)

Great thread as I'm trying to create a capsule wardrobe! I've actually upped my game when it comes to work clothes as I'm finding smart much easier than smart casual. I think my work colleagues are probably a bit bemused as to my sudden transformation to suit/shirt and skirt/trousers combo but it works out cheaper too as I was just buying more and more to try to get things that go well together.

Would love a complete chuck out of everything I don't like in my wardrobe but can't afford to go the whole hog! I'm going to check out these blogs.....

I like the idea of thinking about your actual needs first, otherwise you end up with the perfect capsule for an office worker in a formal workspace but actually you’re a SAHM or whatever.

So work out what you do every week/month and from there what you need.

Eg. Office three days a week, Smart dress code, would like to be able to not repeat an outfit in two weeks.

So you need a minimum of six Work appropriate, season appropriate outfits.

Have just spent about an hour looking for a good list of staples because I love this idea, but I just find it so difficult!

Personally, I've ended up with about five or six smart casual dresses that I can wear in the week with three long cardigans. I also have a couple of pencil skirts and three tops I can match with these. I then have a couple of pairs of jeans, but struggle with these as I don't have enough and have a hard time finding long tops (why is everything cropped these days?!)

The best list of staples I could find is this one: www.thecut.com/2014/08/50-simple-pieces-for-building-a-classic-wardrobe/slideshow/5/. Although, I feel like I would just end up with more things I couldn't match so any advice would also be appreciated here!

Nat xx

Thank you, that's really helpful.

I think the 'just do it' approach is really the answer, but I was hoping for lots of pretty pictures to look at while I was 'preparing' (procrastinating)!

I recommend a YouTube channel by a fashion designer called Justine Leconte.....she has recently done a series of videos about capsule wardrobes and I think they are excellent at breaking it down/how many items/ key pieces etc

I've been doing this too and am almost there.

Def recommend packing up everything which is out of season but still good quality & fits & feels good.

It has also helped me to 'Kondo' my drawers as I can now see properly what I've got - it makes it so much clearer what needs to go and makes choosing clothes to wear much easier.

I also keep a bag for charity by the front door and take it as soon as it's full.

I get long tops which are really mini-dresses from H&M and eBay.

I think it helps if you have a colour palette. I lean towards navy (never black) for trousers, skirts and dresses and then go for tops in pale blue, red, white or cream, navy and occasionally yellow. Long boots for dresses and skirts, ankle boots for jeans and trousers and a smart pair of trainers. Almost everything I have goes with everything else in some combination and I can dress things up or down with accessories. When I buy something new I buy it to go with existing items in my wardrobe so I think of how it will work with what I already have and if I'm buying something as a replacement I operate a one in one out policy. I've got better at this as I've got older because I can instantly discard racks of stuff when shopping as not my style/colour etc.

I once tried to do this. I kondoed my wardrobe and ended up with things that all work well together. The problem was that I found it boring. I know it sounds twee, but I need to be able to express myself, and enjoy the clothes I wear. So now I have expanded again. I don't regret getting rid of everything that I hate, or didn't work, it taught me to look more carefully at what I buy, and not just buy for the sake of it. I only buy if I truly love something and take my time considering it. However I need more than just a capsule wardrobe.

I've just started on this journey and for me the key has been narrowing down my colour palette. I work with black, grey, navy for main items like trousers, dresses and skirts and mix them with dusty pink, white/cream and sometimes olive green. What a difference it's made - I can now put together several outfits really really easily.

Next thing is to cull the eleventy million white and cream tops I seem to have in my wardrobe.......

Most of what I have added has been accessories, boots and shoes. I think having a choice of different accessories that work to give different looks helps. By that I mean scarves, handbags, hats and jewellery. I like statement shoes and boots most.
Also slightly jazzy coats and jackets

I do. I find styles that suit me and stick to those, for example, a V neck suits me much better than a crew or scoop.

I have them in most colours and a few spare of the colours I love. Try H&M, Uniqlo, Top Shop and even Primark.

Blazers - I think they’re great for smartening up any outfit. I don’t have loads of colours - grey, white, black, nude and a dog tooth print one.

A good pair of jeans that fit you well. I have denim, black, burgundy and khaki. I have a couple of neutral coloured tight trousers also.

Then a few pairs of smart flat shoes. I have brogues, dolly shoes and a pair of white converse. That’s it!