Capsule wardrobe basics - What are they for women?

[Tonty]

Picking up from another thread, i have a rough idea what capsule wardrobe basics are for men e.g different colour plain shirts, same for trousers etc, but not entirely clear what it constitutes for women mainly because we have such an array of things for different occasions/situations.

Are there any types of skirts/trousers every women should have or that is versatile enough to mix and match, is there a must have type of dress? same question for tops? is having one or two shirts of a certain colour a must have for the wardrobe?

Everyone's capsule wardrobe will be different because it depends on your lifestyle and what you like. For example, a good quality white t-shirt is one of my basics but not everyone wears t-shirts or likes white! There's really no general item or colour that's a must-have, it just depends on what works for you.

On the subject of T-shirts, I've been looking for a white T-shirt but cant seem to get one with the right fit, pls where do you get your from?

No - I don’t believe in the ‘capsule wardrobe’ mantra.

It’s a term that gives fashion journalists a title and theme for innumerable articles when there’s nothing more exciting to write about. And brands a way to group clothes on websites and make you feel stupid if you don’t own the whole collection. But no - what may be basic, regular items for you, might be wholly irrelevant to me. And I’m sure across the past fifty years the repeated insistence of ‘You must own this and this and this …’ has made plenty of women feel bemused and puzzled and badly dressed.

Think how many billions of people there are on this planet. The idea that we should all own particular items (as a matter of style rather than just warmth or protection from the elements) is clearly ridiculous. Consider your own lifestyle. And preferences. Choose clothes that work for you - plain white t shirt, turban, wellies, velvet cloak - whatever.

If I was starting from scratch, keeping current trends in mind I would probably pick a neutral colour scheme and go for something like:

wide leg pants
slim/tapered pants
jeans
joggers or yoga pants or leggings (smart enough to wear in public)
midi or maxi skirt
few tshirts of different sleeve lengths and styles e.g. short/fitted/boxy
linen or denim shirt
silk shirt/top
fitted merino jumper
loose cashmere jumper
chunky short cardigan
cotton or linen dress

And then the minimum amount of base layers, shoes and outerwear to suit your climate and lifestyle.

I get my plain white and black tshirts from Uniqlo btw.

I am wearing a pair of plain black work trousers which are my goto just about every morning I have to go into the office and haven’t planned clothes. So they are definitely in my capsule if I had one. Stuff you can put on without thinking and feel professional if it’s work, put together if it’s casual. If you never wear jeans it’s not jeans, if you do it is.

For me it's keeping to certain colours so l do navy/ white/ red mostly. If l fancy a nice bright pink top l will buy it as it can be worn with navy jeans. But l won't stray into browns/ creams etc as they will only sit in my wardrobe and never fit the bill when getting dressed. My clothes mix and match well so l can vary the outfits. Some navy check / polka dot and so on but the possibility of lots of outfits is there.
I find this especially useful on holidays as l can pack less but have a variety of outfits.
When l am buying something l click over in my head 5 ways of wearing it so it won't end up in the charity shop with the label still on.
And lots of white tshirts topped up regularly so still sparkling white.

It’s something I’ve wanted to do over the years but agree with the PP who said it was more a case of something for journalists to write about. Fine for holidays but not for day to day life etc. I would ruin white shirts instantly and then if I only had one, wouldn’t be able to put it in the wash with other stuff. What I need is:

• Simple, comfortable stuff for work
• Casual comfortable clothes for WFH
• Easy drying clothes for my hobby
• A few nice outfits for a rare day or evening out

The capsule wardrobe part is probably the last category. I try to stick to one colour palette but that feels restrictive, when I see something that takes my eye I’d rather just buy it. But agree also with the PP that you need to consider what else you’d wear with it.

Generally capsule wardrobe articles don’t consider warmth and needing to walk more than a few metres. Just not practical enough - looks nice for photos but not for real life.

I used to have great staples-

a black dress that could be work on nights out OR day events (changed shoes and had cardigan for day)

I had grey trousers and black trousers that were so comfy but fitted so well and looked so good!

Also skinny jeans and lovely bootlegged jeans. What I called my safe black top (elegant- got it for a fiver but did me for years- cowl neck, long sleeves, worked with nearly anything).

Also a short sleeved black top and various coloured cardigans.

Grey wool jumper that looked like I’d made an effort but was sooo comfy

black hoody zip up that never looked tatty or tacky for anything sporty.

All were well affordable and yet lasted years and probably well over an hundred wears but we’re lucky finds (only know now how lucky I was!) but finding it difficult to find anything even close these days!

best of luck and enjoy finding your capsule!

I think it's possible to have a collection of clothes that work for your life, that you enjoy wearing and suit and flatter you (if flattery is important to you). It may not necessarily be a small number of items (I wear very different clothes for work than I do for my life out of work, no real crossover)

I have no time for articles telling me I need 'a crisp white shirt ' or a trenchcoat. I don't like either, aesthetically or on me.

So, no, not really, in answer to your question.

In theory , a capsule wardrobe is a selection of pieces that all go with each other, are timeless/ not high fashion and that one can create the majority of outfits that one will need from .

In fashion speak , they usually mean one needs a trench , a white t shirt , a cashmere jumper , a set of the same items. In reality, people can choose items that work for them and suit their personal style.

I love the concept - a number of simple items that can mix and match that covers all you needs. Seems like an organized way to think and shop. But I’ve never managed it.

I have a capsule wardrobe and it works for me. But I agree with others that it depends on your style and your life. It also depends on what suits you. For instance, I do not suit white so no white t-shirt for me!

My capsule wardrobe was kind of accidental. I ended up just finding things I liked and buying them in all the different colour variations! I have five different colours of the same jumper, three different colour of the same jeans. That kind of thing. All the tops go with all the bottoms. Every outfit can go with different shoes/boots/jacket.

I work mainly from home so don't need super smart clothes. i have loads of jeans and plain tops. I have a couple of pairs of wide leg trousers that I can wear with trainers to be casual and wear with boots or shoes to go into the office. I also have a few dresses that work for dates/casual nights out and can be worn with smarter shoes for the office.

Thanks for your comments, there are some great ideas here. i think the fundamentals of a capsule wardrobe are a set of pieces that you cam mix and match so you don't have to think to hard on a daily basis what to wear but that will consist of pieces that are the individuals taste. I think colours also play a key so lots of plain colors that can easily be swapped around.

This capsule wardrobe blog post is a few years old, but I like the simplicity of the items and colours chosen:

https://emilylightly.com/2018/04/basic-year-round-capsule-wardrobe/

I think capsule lists are a good starting point - you can then tweak according to your lifestyle (e.g. if you spend a lot of time at the gym, you may need more activewear than someone who doesn't) and your clothes season (the colours which best suit you).

Love the idea of a wardrobe you can easily mix and match!

This roundup lists recommended basics (mix of high street and designer):

https://www.whowhatwear.com/uk/best-basics-for-women

Agree with PP it’s all about what clothes fit your lifestyle and style and ultimately work for you. Think about what you wear the most often and use that as your guide.

It depends on what you like and what you need your clothes for. For example, do you work from home, or in an office with a dress code?

The ‘staples’ of capsule wardrobe as trotted out by lazy journalists wouldn’t suit me. I don’t wear trousers, so that’s half the wardrobe out! I wear dresses, occasionally a skirt. Most of my dresses and all of my skirts are above the knee. I like black, but have a wide range of different colours (for me life is too short to dress in a couple of shades of colour forever). The great thing about dresses is you don’t have to coordinate much as it’s a full outfit so you can have as many of few colours as you like!

The 'everyone must have' item thats a hard no from me is a turtleneck jumper. They always seem to be part of a capsule wardrobe and I cant stand anything tight around my neck!
My capsule wardrobe is more of a tomboy vibe (if I can apply that at my age!). Lots of jeans, cargo trousers, baseball boots, hoodies, t-shirts and cosy jumpers in neutrals and autumn colours.

Although I do think everybody should have a somewhat smart/nice outfit in their wardrobe....just in case of weddings, funerals or surprise court appearances!

I like the ones from Uniqlo and Rapanui