THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO BUILDING A CAPSULE WARDROBE

The title of the post may surprise some of you guys. So before knowing how to build a Capsule Wardrobe, let me tell you what this term actually means.

While surfing the internet I came across this term called " CAPSULE WARDROBE".

It is a term established by Susie Faux, the owner of a London boutique called "Wardrobe" in the 1970s. This term spread widely in the British and American media.

According to Susie Faux, a Capsule Wardrobe is a collection of few essential items of clothing that never go out of fashion. Basically, these clothing items are the must-haves in a wardrobe. But the interesting fact is: the items can differ from person to person. It is not necessary that my capsule pieces must match yours. It widely depends on the profession and lifestyle of an individual.

Open your wardrobe and see how many clothing items you actually like to wear or how many outfits are practical? 

You will come to the conclusion that most of the pieces in your wardrobe are impractical and you never tend to reach out for them.

Fast-fashion has enabled many of us to stuff our wardrobes to full capacity breaking the bank. And yet, how many of us find ourselves moaning in the mornings that we have "nothing to wear"?

90% of us experience this every single day right?

So, if you are among those overwhelming people, this article is for you. I am going to help you shop in a smarter and practical way.

These are the tips to create your own CAPSULE WARDROBE:

      

1.STICK TO BASICS

We all get attracted to bright fun colors and tend to purchase them without thinking much about it. The first step to create a capsule wardrobe is to think before you buy. The smart way of creating a functional closet is to incorporate maximum basic items. Basic pieces are so versatile and you can make the best of those pieces. A basic white/black t-shirt or jeans will never go out of fashion. And the best part of basics is you can mix and match those few items to create a variety of outfits. A simple white t-shirt can be worn in at least 9 different ways. 

Be creative with your outfits.

Basic outfit options

2.CHOOSE THE ITEMS CAREFULLY WHILE SHOPPING

Enter a store with a list. Inculcate a habit of listing down items that you need in your wardrobe before going shopping. This list will help you to avoid situations where you end up buying half of the store but nothing is of your use. This tip enables to buy only those pieces that you will be using for a longer period of time.

3. DON'T GO CRAZY WHEN YOU SEE A SALE BOARD

Let's not deny the fact that we all go super crazy seeing a sale board! The sale board is made for us foolish customers. We usually tend to buy each and everything in the store like a mad person. Shopping becomes more competitive and less reasonable. Don't just jump to a store because of this. If you actually need to incorporate certain items in your wardrobe then only step into the store. This will save your bank as well as time that you would have spent arguing with other customers.

4. BUILD A WARDROBE THAT COMPLEMENTS YOUR PROFESSION

Just imagine seeing a businessman wearing shorts and a t-shirt for a seminar. Is it appropriate? No right?
Similarly, every working individual needs to dress up according to his profession. An engineering student will dress up differently than a doctor or a reporter.
So, try to buy pieces that are work appropriate as you will be spending most of your time working. If you have a wardrobe full of clothes but you have nothing to wear to your office then the wardrobe is practically not functional.

5. INCORPORATE 6 TO 7 SPECIAL PIECES IN YOUR WARDROBE

I know wearing only basics can sometimes be boring so you can incorporate some special pieces in your wardrobe. But keep in mind not to wear all those pieces together. For example, never wear a floral trouser with a floral top. That looks hideous. Always try to incorporate only one special item in your outfit and keep the rest of the pieces neutral to balance the whole look. This also draws attention to that item more.

* When it comes to patterns, always try to wear subtle pattern clothing rather than a chunky pattern. A subtle pattern will not only look great but will also help you to look slimmer. Chunky patterns can really make you look fat.

Pattern top with a neutral bottom

6. MAKE SURE YOUR CLOTHING ITEMS ARE FUNCTIONAL

We all end up buying items that we really don't need and will never end up wearing them. Before rushing to buy an item think of how many ways you can style that item. If you can not create at least 6 to 7 outfits from one piece, you are probably making the wrong decision. Spending a lot of money on one item that we will wear for once is really not worth it.

Multiple ways of creating outfits with one T-shirt 

7. SELECT BOTTOMS THAT GO WITH MULTIPLE TOPS

Make the most of your bottoms. A simple pair of black jeans look equally well with t-shirts, shirts, crop tops, off the shoulder tops, blouse, cami everything. So try to invest in good quality bottoms that flatter your body type perfectly. Pair them up with multiple tops and you will look different every day.

Bottoms that gives lots of outfits options

8. KNOW YOUR SILHOUETTE RIGHT

It's very important to know your body type. Everybody has a different body type. Clothing that looks good on you may not look good on me. While shopping always makes sure to try outfits before purchasing. If you know your silhouette right then its become so much easier to shop. 

9. ACCESSORIZING IS THE KEY

You can always create a whole new look just by accessorizing it. Changing accessories can bring so much more out of the outfits. Keep the entire outfit same and just change the accessories, you can easily get 3 to 4 looks with the same outfit. Accessorizing is the key when it comes to utilizing the most out of the items you already have in your closet.

    

A simple example where an indo-western look can be created from a formal look

10. TAKE INSPIRATIONS

There are so many platforms to take inspirations. Use those platforms as a weapon to change your fashion game. Take help from Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can easily find plenty of fashion influencers on these platforms. But taking inspiration and copying are two completely different things. Never try to copy someone completely. It's always important for creating your own style statement. Take inspirations and try to give your own twist to it.

11. BUY EXPENSIVE LOOKING CLOTHING ITEMS 

Finding out expensive looking clothing can be tricky but not impossible. There are plenty of items in the market that look expensive but does not come with an expensive price tag. Like, instead of buying a full cotton t-shirt, try to purchase a silk t-shirt. Silk looks so much more expensive and classy. These items of clothing make you look polished and sleek in no time.

Above are the tips and tricks to create a CAPSULE WARDROBE. 

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