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How to perfectly curate a capsule wardrobe

Not only will paring back the items in your wardrobe allow you to be more sustainable in your sartorial choices, but more creative too

The Oz

Not only will paring back the items in your wardrobe allow you to be more sustainable in your sartorial choices, but more creative too

There’s much to admire about a capsule wardrobe. In fact, hardly a day will go by when I don’t think about how writer and bonafide style icon Fran Lebowitz wears the same thing (cuffed Levi’s jeans, cowboy boots, white button-down and a blazer) every day. 

We are all thinking about the environmental impact of what we wear more than ever before, and after lockdowns we only want to wear things that spark joy. A capsule wardrobe makes sense.

The capsule wardrobe, invented in the 1970s by London boutique owner Susie Faux, is built around having a limited number of staple pieces that you can wear in multiple ways, across the seasons. Essentially, it’s about getting bang for your buck.

DONNA KARAN 'SEVEN EASY PIECES' 1985
DONNA KARAN 'SEVEN EASY PIECES' 1985

Not only will paring back the items in your wardrobe allow you to be more sustainable in your sartorial choices, but more creative too. Having less means you’ll make the pieces you own work harder. Sure you may be wearing the same pair of black trousers but you’re styling them differently enough to be sure people won’t know you as ‘the girl with the black trousers.’ But also if they do, that’s chic?

A capsule wardrobe reduces your chances of having a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear. 

In fact, it might just help you dress better. Only buying things that really align to your personal style, that you know you will really wear, will reduce impulse add-to-cart moments. You’ll feel better in your clothes and you will almost certainly reduce the nagging feeling that what you’re wearing isn’t quite you.

A capsule wardrobe doesn’t need to mean all basics and no frivolity—having a good wardrobe framework leaves room for buying into a trend and working it back with what you have. It’s essential you have some special, crazy pieces that are not in the remotest ‘classic’ or ‘basic’ purchase. This kind of piece often ends up lasting forever and working with everything precisely because you love it.

That said, there are some building block pieces or outfit formulas that can help build an ideal capsule wardrobe. Or at least the foundations of one. From there you can add on the pieces that feel essential to you. Knowing that the rest of your wardrobe has you covered.

A blazer

A good blazer you can wear for work and play (when you want to look smart).

A button-down

An excellent button-down shirt that’s not too tight, not too loose. You want to be able to wear it with tailored trousers and a pair of jeans. 

A T-shirt

Quality T-shirts that can withstand hundreds of runs through the washing machine. 

A knit

A knit that doesn’t pill, scratch and works as well with tailoring as it does thrown on at the weekend. Spring for 100 per cent merino wool or cashmere if you can and look after it.

Sneakers

Cool sneakers that you can wear with skirts and dresses, tailoring and denim alike.

Jeans

Denim you can actually feel good in.

Something silky

A coat

An excellent coat, preferably one you can layer underneath so you get more wear out of it

A fun print

Channel Sopranos-style chic.

All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/the-oz/lifestyle/how-to-perfectly-curate-a-capsule-wardrobe/news-story/648d2e91168e735741b71c48a07b7a36