Stylish and Cost-Effective: What is a Capsule Wardrobe and How to Build One?

Vivienne Westwood, the British fashion designer and one of the most famous designers in the world, had a simple style secret: "Choose your clothes carefully, buy less, and wear them longer." She is also known for another famous phrase in fashion circles: "Buy less, choose well, make it last." Unfortunately, most people do not follow this rule: according to statistics, people spend up to 20% of their budget on clothing. Yet many are dissatisfied with the results: money is almost gone, and there's still nothing to wear. This suggests that your wardrobe is likely not organized correctly. 

An Incorrect Wardrobe is Unprofitable, a Capsule Wardrobe is Optimal

In a video for the "Household Economics" segment, Meruert Izbasarova, a Kazakh stylist and lifestyle blogger, discusses what constitutes an incorrect wardrobe. She believes that one of the key problems with an incorrect wardrobe is the presence of "paired items." For example, you choose a skirt for a special event but realize it needs a matching top, say a blouse. You buy both pieces, but after wearing them once, they are unlikely to be worn again because they do not match other items in your wardrobe. The result? Wasted money. 

Stylists often refer to the concept of "cost per wear." If you buy a skirt, for instance, for 75,000 tenge and wear it only once, the cost per wear is 75,000 tenge. Quite expensive, isn’t it? 

How to solve the problem? Meruert suggests a simple hack: think about what items in your wardrobe the skirt could match with. This way, you can create several outfits with this one item. For example, a skirt + blouse + pumps for an important event, a skirt + shirt + loafers for the office, a skirt + t-shirt + sneakers for a walk, or a skirt + shirt + chunky knit sweater + boots for meeting friends. Now let's revisit the cost per wear: if you wear the skirt even five times, the cost per wear becomes 15,000 tenge (75,000 ÷ 5). 

This approach allows you to optimize your clothing expenses while always looking stylish and current. "We were all taught to dress up but not to dress properly. And this leads to financial problems: we end up spending money on things we don't need," concludes the stylist. Indeed, the 20% of the monthly budget that the average person typically spends on clothes could be directed towards fulfilling a dream or building savings. 

By the way, this approach has other advantages: it reduces the time we spend in the morning choosing an outfit, lowers the stress of decision-making, and helps minimize the environmental harm caused by overconsumption.

"Very often, we lack this simple solution: I take these jeans and match them with any top from the wardrobe. Although, in fact, that's exactly how it should work," says Meruert. This simple solution is the basic (capsule) wardrobe.

A Basic Wardrobe for Women and Men in 2024: 5 Key Rules

A capsule wardrobe is a set (capsule) of items that are suitable for a specific area of life (work, leisure, sports, etc.) and combine well with each other.

The basic wardrobe for 2024 – for spring and summer, fall and winter – is formed with five main rules in mind:

Items Should Match Your Lifestyle

A simple example: a business suit and a pencil skirt won't work in the wardrobe of a young mother, while jeans and t-shirts won't be suitable for a woman who works in an office with a strict dress code. Consequently, all items should adhere to one style. If this rule is followed, any skirt in your wardrobe will pair well with any shirt. 

Clothing Should Be Wearable Right Now

In other words, there is no place in your wardrobe for items that are too small or too large, or that do not fit your lifestyle. This rule also applies to shopping: an item bought for "when I lose weight" or "for a special occasion" risks hanging in the closet indefinitely, with money wasted.

Clothing Should Fit You Well, Not Just Be Trendy

If you build your wardrobe only with trendy items, it will need updating almost every season, which not every budget can handle. Therefore, when creating a capsule basic wardrobe, rely on styles that fit you well: they should highlight your figure and downplay what you want to hide.

Of course, this doesn't mean you can't buy trendy items – designers recommend sticking to the "3 to 1" formula, meaning that for every three basic items, you should have only one trendy one.

Focus on Quality Materials

Basic items for both women's and men's wardrobes are long-term investments meant to save you time and money. If you choose clothes made from low-quality materials, you won't achieve these goals. Therefore, designers recommend opting for models made of durable, wear-resistant natural fabrics that will last more than one season.

Any New Item Should Match What’s Already in Your Wardrobe

This rule allows for mindful shopping and prevents overspending. If you realize that the item you like won't "make friends" with your capsule wardrobe, it's better to pass on the purchase.

A Capsule Wardrobe in 2024 for Women and Men is Not Boring

Opponents of capsule wardrobes often argue that a basic wardrobe is boring. In reality, it has nothing to do with boredom:

Color Palette

Indeed, restrained shades such as white, black, beige, brown, and gray are considered ideal for a basic wardrobe. The reason is that they pair well with each other. But this is a universal approach that you can "customize." For example, if you love green, you can choose a base of soft white-green or mint and add items in khaki, olive, emerald, or pine shades. Green pairs well with other tones – mustard, terracotta, beige, blue, and gray. As a result, your capsule will not be black and white but green-mustard-gray.

Textures and Prints

Even if you choose calm white-beige shades, the items can look interesting due to textures (like a wool sweater) or prints (like a striped shirt). Such models make the outfit more interesting and textured.

Accessories

They add a "twist" to the outfit, emphasizing individuality. For example, a classic combination of blue trousers and a white straight-cut shirt can be stylishly complemented by a scarf tied around the neck in a French manner or large sunglasses.

Basic Wardrobe: Checklist

A classic basic wardrobe includes several capsules, considering different areas of application (work, leisure, etc.). For one capsule, seven to eight items (usually no more than 12) are typically enough. Therefore, the total number of items depends on the number of relevant areas: some people may need 20 items, others 30, while Nina Garcia, a journalist and chief fashion expert of the Podium project, believes that 100 items are enough for all occasions. Her book is even titled "The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own".

Let's consider examples with real items that might go into your basic wardrobe capsule:

Classic White Shirt

It is considered "formal," but this clothing item is truly versatile. It is suitable for a strict business look (with a pencil skirt or trousers) and for a casual outfit (with a tank top or jeans).

Designers recommend choosing a shade of white that matches your tooth enamel and eye whites: this will make your smile brighter, and your eyes more expressive. By the way, white has many shades – pearl, alabaster, milk, etc.

White T-Shirt

Like the shirt, the white t-shirt is a universal item. Paired with shorts or jeans, the t-shirt is perfect for a relaxed walk, and combined with trousers and a long blazer, it will fit into a casual business style. Additionally, it's an excellent base layer for layered outfits with sweaters and shirts.

Jeans

Straight, flared, tapered, cargo – you can choose any style. The main condition is that it suits your figure and fits your lifestyle. Some design restrictions do apply: when forming a capsule, it’s better to stick to classic blue and light blue hues and avoid excessive decoration (like distressing, appliqué, embroidery, or studs).

Jeans are a convenient option for leisure and even work, provided strict adherence to a dress code is not required. They pair well with almost everything – from t-shirts and shirts to blazers and cashmere sweaters.

Trousers

As with jeans, the choice of style is yours. A restrained color palette is preferable – black, dark gray, or navy. Tailored trousers allow an outfit to retain its "businesslike" appearance, even if the top is more relaxed (for example, a t-shirt).

Pencil Skirt

This model is almost indispensable in a woman's business wardrobe. A pencil skirt not only helps create a strict and elegant look but also visually elongates the figure. You can choose a tapered version or a classic straight cut. The preferred color palette is dark: graphite, black, chocolate, or navy.

Little Black Dress

A black dress of medium length (just above the knee) can be included in a basic women's wardrobe for spring. The style can vary: a blazer dress, shirt dress, wrap dress, straight cut, or trapeze. Dresses blend seamlessly with both structured blazers and light cardigans or chunky knit sweaters.

Sweater

A sweater is ideal for layered outfits with a t-shirt, shirt, or dress. It's better to opt for a loose fit and a neutral palette, allowing the item to integrate into even a relaxed business ensemble.

Blazer

A versatile option is an elongated straight-cut blazer. The color palette should be restrained: gray, black, chocolate, navy, or dark green. If the blazer has a checked pattern, that's not a problem either: it will blend perfectly into a basic wardrobe for the fall of 2024. A women's basic capsule wardrobe may also include a coat, trench coat, cardigan, denim jacket, and biker jacket, as well as several pairs of shoes for the season.

Men's Basic Wardrobe

A men's basic wardrobe includes almost the same items, with some additions: a trench coat, leather jacket, biker jacket, and down jacket.

This article has been translated from its original language using neural network-based translation technology.