How to Build The Ultimate Capsule Wardrobe For Women

Ever spend way too long trying to decide what to wear in the mornings? We’ve all been there. If the amount of clothes that you have in your closet is starting to feel a little overwhelming, allow us to put you on to the capsule wardrobe.

If you’re new to the idea of putting a capsule wardrobe together, think of it like this: a capsule wardrobe is a curated selection of clothes that suit your personal style yet manage to all go together to create multiple separate outfits. The focus is placed on quality basics which will last a lifetime rather than trend-focused pieces. It’s a bit of a mimimalist’s dream really, but chucking out all your old stuff to create a slimmed-down closet can feel pretty daunting, so if you’re not ready to commit, allow us to convince you.

Gone are the days of forgetting what you already own and buying five more. Also gone are the days of never having something to wear for a certain occasion. The whole idea of having a capsule wardrobe is that you will always have something to wear, and your ‘fits will be easy to put together. Even better, a capsule wardrobe is meant to be timeless – these are the basics that will stay with you for years, but if trend-led pieces are your thing, you’ll still have things to put with them, or something to wear in the interim when the trend dies down. Although creating a capsule wardrobe can feel a little expensive to start with, investing in good basics and building a curated selection of clothes will save you heaps of money in the long run, too.

Are you warming to the idea yet? Here’s how you can (successfully) build your own capsule wardrobe!

Okay, let’s start with the basics. There are a few key styles that you should definitely build into your capsule wardrobe, and none of them will surprise you. Before we get to that though, there are a couple of things to consider.

Firstly, pick a colour palette and stick to it. The easiest way to do this is opting for a colour palette of black and white, with some grey or neutral shades thrown in. Now, we know how easy it is to fall in love with a colourful piece, but by sticking with the basics for the majority of your wardrobe, the more pieces those items will go with. The same goes for any trend-led pieces, limit them as much as possible, but if you can’t resist getting involved, consider donating it or selling it on a site like Depop when the trend dies down instead of holding on to something you’ll never wear again.

Next, be sure to still pick items that you know suit you and your individual style. That way, it won’t feel like a huge change for you, and you’ll be much more likely to wear your capsule wardrobe as intended.

Finally, make sure you pick pieces that you can style together, as this will make planning your future outfits easy. To make the process a little easier we've put together a capsule wardrobe check list of pieces we think everyone should own. For us, a great capsule wardrobe should include:

Good quality tops are such a wardrobe staple, and they’re a really important part of building a capsule wardrobe. Spending money on boring basics like white tees isn’t the most fun shopping activity, but we’d recommending investing here to make those basics last.

We’d recommend starting with both white and black crew neck tees, plus another colour of your choice as long as it works with the rest of your wardrobe. Look for a standard or slim fit, and normal length to start with – we love options from Adanola and Skims. If cropped tees are your vibe, feel free to add a couple of these in black and white.

For the summer, it’s also worth looking into finding the perfect white tank or vest. Weekday have some great options, and again, Adanola’s tanks are a really great go-to.

Click here to shop our range of tops and t-shirts to find the perfect option to suit your style!

Sweaters are an absolute essential come Fall/Winter, especially if you live here in the UK. Sweaters make for great layering pieces, whether you wear them with a t-shirt on summer night, or whether you layer them under thicket jackets and coats in winter. If you get a great sweater, you'll likely be able to wear it for almost any occasion.

Because you’ll be wearing this all-year round, be sure to invest in a couple of comfy sweaters. Again, opt for blacks, greys or neutral colours, especially if you’re going to be spending a bit on these pieces. We’d recommend viewing these as investment pieces, and therefore would recommend sweaters from PANGAIA. Don’t forget to check out their recycled cashmere range for a great wool option.

Shop our full range of sweatshirts and jumpers here.

No surprises with this one! Denim has been a timeless wardrobe staple for decades, and thats not likely to change anytime soon. Although we love a great pair of joggers, there's nothing thats quite as versatile and classic as a great pair of denim jeans. This is a must for any women's capsule wardrobe.

Denim is one of those things that always manages to get caught up in a trend cycle, so for longevity’s sake we’d recommend opting for a classic, straight fit in a light wash. We love a Levi’s option, but Weekday denim is also a great choice if you’re building your wardrobe on a budget.

Shop our range of denim jeans for top retailers.

A good pair of tailored trousers are a great option to dress up or down, and look just as good with heels or sneakers. We’d recommend starting with a black pair, and adding pairs in grey and a light khaki or safari for some lighter options too. Go for a relaxed straight leg, but consider building a wide-leg pair in too. We love ASOS Design for trousers as they always have options for tall and petite gals too.

If a utility vibe is more your thing, consider adding a straight-leg pair of Carhartt or Dickies trousers to your rotation as they’ll do the job just as well!

You may be reducing your wardrobe, but that definitely doesn’t have to mean compromising on warmth. Jackets are still a hugely important part of the wardrobe, and everything we’ve mentioned so far will work perfectly with a cosy puffer jacket in the middle of winter. Again, if you’re investing, you just can’t beat The North Face on quality. A favourite of many is the iconic TNF Nuptse but be sure to shop the full range to find the perfect jacket for your personal style.

Consider also adding a more middle-weight option. A neutral or monotone wool coat or trench is a great idea, as it’s smart enough to go with dressier options. For a lightweight pick, add an oversized blazer to your rotation - a leather blazer would be a good, timeless option. You can find some of our favourite picks by shopping our selection of jackets and coats.

Okay, if you’re here, chances are you’re into your trainers – and don’t panic! We’re not going to tell you to throw out all your sneakers. But building a capsule wardrobe is all about building foundations for every outfit, so we do need to consider the sneakers that will go with the most. Our top picks would be a white leather court sneaker like the classic Nike Air Force 1 or New Balance 550, or the Nike Dunk Low “Panda” if you wanted a style with something more about it.

Next, you’ll need a good pair of boots to tackle those colder spells. We love a trusty pair of Doc. Martens as they’re built to last and super-comfortable once they’ve been broken it. The brand is also our ultimate go-to for summer sandals.

If you need something dressy, a good pair of heels is an option. ASOS have hundreds of styles to choose from, but we’d recommend something black and strappy for more versatility.

If dresses and skirts are your thing, or you want to add something you can wear for special occasions, we’d definitely recommend adding an LBD into the mix. A plain black dress or black skirt is easy to take from day to night, and will easily go with the rest of your capsule wardrobe. Go for something timeless in a midi or mini length as both are super-easy to wear!

Convinced? Hopefully we’ve shown you that building a capsule wardrobe doesn’t need to be limiting or scary, and that it’s actually super easy to build your existing style into your capsule wardrobe. If you’re ready to get started, head to our clothing hub to shop our fave ‘fits, or check out these other articles below.