How to Build the Perfect Capsule Wardrobe

Kate

• 10 min read

January is all about new beginnings. Whether that means a fresh haircut, a new job or a brand spanking new membership to your local gym, we all love to kick start the new year with something positive that makes us feel great. At Shop It To Me, one of our all-time favorite January resolutions is to clear out our closets and streamline the hordes of clothing collected over the last year. An organized closet equals an organized mind. Don’t you agree?

The greatest part of clearing out your closet and starting fresh is that this is the perfect time to create your very first capsule wardrobe.

What even is a capsule wardrobe?

It’s a buzz word in the industry that has gone from a strict and super-literal set number “37-piece”-only clothing collection to a more general term for being more selective with your shopping choices. Not necessarily about the number of pieces,  a capsule wardrobe basically means curating your closet in a more versatile, carefully chosen way that means less chasing seasonal trends and more working on your own personal style, choosing pieces that you can wear again and again.

In a fashion world that is now more eco-conscious than ever before, sustainability and creating less waste is important. Choosing better quality pieces that transcend the seasons and become fashion staples within a multitude of looks is what capsule clothing and building a more minimal wardrobe is all about.

How to start building a capsule wardrobe

From Vogue and Elle to some of the biggest and most well-known fashion bloggers in the game, there is a lot of talk about how to create your own capsule wardrobe and edit your personal collections, ready to top up on your ultimate fashion essentials.

Here, our style experts collate their knowledge to bring you our very own Shop It To Me capsule wardrobe list and a step-by-step on how to get there. Let’s get going!

  1. Be Ruthless/Brave

To kick start your closet spring clean and edit, you’re going to have to be prepared to get a little ruthless. Now, this doesn’t mean we suggest completely clearing your hangers and starting from scratch. Firstly, you probably have some really great pieces in your wardrobe already that you can work with and secondly, you need something to wear to work tomorrow!
Capsule wardrobe shopping can be a process that happens over time, so don’t worry if the clear and edit part makes you a little nervous. Plus, leave your basics and workout clothes separate so that you don't get too heavy handed on your clear out.

How do I know what to send to the charity shop?

Set aside a good portion of time for this process so that you can take your time and remain stress-free.

Go through each item of clothing in your closet. Hold it up and decide if you’ve worn it in the last year. (Some stylists say 3 months, so we’re easing you in, here!) If you haven’t worn it in the last year, say your goodbyes and add it to the charity shop pile. You might try and convince yourself that it’s “useful” but if you haven’t managed to add it to a look in the last 12 months, you don’t need it. Period.

If you’re keeping the item, start piles of “keepers” in categories, such as:

  • Basics
  • Dressy Tops
  • Pair of Jeans
  • Day Dresses
  • Night Dresses

This will help you to reorganize them back into your closet once you’ve edited out anything you’re not keeping. Doing this process once a year also helps to remind you of great pieces you might be neglecting and starts to prompt ideas of new outfits you can create from chic things you already own. The art of wardrobe capsuling begins!

2. Take a Break

We told you this process wasn’t too painful. Stage 2 is to simply take a break.

Sit on your newly edited wardrobe for a week or so. Now that you’ve cleared out filler clothing that you never wore, are you finding yourself drawn to anything different? Decide what your staple items are that you just couldn’t live without and figure out if there is a trend in terms of color and style.

Are your most worn pieces all black?  Or do you love color? Or print?

What items do you feel you’re craving that your wardrobe is missing when you’re trying to piece together your outfits?

All of these questions will help you to better clarify your style and point you in the direction of which capsule wardrobe essentials are going to work best for your style.


3. Shop

Whether you do this gradually or you head online at home for a capsule wardrobe shopping spree, now is the time to start making your choices. As it’s still winter time, this is our starter shopping list to build a capsule wardrobe for winter and spring. All of these pieces can be worn mixed and matched and will work with the majority of pieces already in your closet, giving your look a timeless finish with every outfit.

  • Black leather biker jacket
  • Blazer
  • Smart Camel Coat
  • Straight leg blue jeans
  • Black skinny jeans
  • Statement trousers
  • Midi Skirt
  • Day to night wrap dress
  • Perfect white t-shirt
  • 3 Knits – 2 Neutral and 1 Statement
  • White sneakers
  • Pointed pumps
  • Black heeled ankle boots
  • A chic bag – which will depend on your lifestyle
  • Earrings
  • Sunglasses

When it comes to work-out clothes and loungewear, keep these pieces separate from your capsule wardrobe. You want to keep your look chic and polished, so save your exercise or super-casual clothing for just that.  

How to choose better quality clothing for your capsule wardrobe

Creating a capsule wardrobe is a combination of choosing wardrobe staples as well as key pieces. This doesn’t mean basics only, so don’t be afraid of getting caught in a neutrals-only zone from top to toe. That’s not what it’s all about. Statement pieces are also key to ensuring your signature style, even if you’ve not quite decided what that is yet, shines through.

When it comes to choosing better quality pieces for a smaller, more carefully edited wardrobe, you’re probably instantly thinking you’re going to have to spend a lot more money, right? Actually, when done right, you can fill your wardrobe with chic, high-end pieces while saving on the price tag.

This is where Shop It To Me becomes your brand-new best friend…
Curating the best designer and high street sales of the minute on an easy-to-use, easy-to-browse platform, built for the savvy shopper who knows what she wants, Shop It To Me is your go-to online store. The perfect place to collate your new beautiful quality capsule wardrobe at a fraction of the standard retail price.

Thought you couldn’t afford to shop designer? Think again.

Shopping designer sales for your capsule wardrobe

The perfect way to add a designer capsule wardrobe to your life is to shop the sales. However, do you really want to rifle through the racks at Barneys or wait until just the right time to purchase that bag? No, we didn’t think so.

On Shop It To Me, you can browse current and last season staple fashion pieces from all the designers and top retailers online, right now. So, that’s exactly what we’ve done for this winter/spring capsule shopping list. Find staple capsule pieces for your new wardrobe at up to 70% off the RRP.

Black leather biker jacket

A classic piece that will serve you time and time again for years is a black leather biker. They are flattering to every shape and size, warm but not too hot, and SO versatile that just the right one can be styled with anything from a white tee and jeans to a full-length evening dress. Find styles from brands like All Saints and Maje on Shop It To Me for a fraction of the retail price.

If you're building your capsule wardrobe during the summer, you might also want to include a denim jacket here as another light-weight jacket option that you can wear time and time again through most seasons.


Blazer

Flattering, so chic and an effortless addition to literally any look, a sharp blazer will be your new closet BFF, making the sale price on Shop It To Me even sweeter.

Smart Camel Coat

The right coat can dress up any outfit in an instant. Add it to leather pants, pointed pumps and a dressy top and it nails the look. Team it with yoga pants, a long tee, and sneakers and somehow you look ready for brunch with the girls. Find all the latest styles on Shop It To Me’s selection.

If you're looking for a more light-weight, summer capsule ready coat, you can always replace this piece with a trench coat.

Straight leg blue jeans

High-waist, straight leg blue jeans. If you’ve not tried a pair on yet, put it at the top of your to-do list. And finding your perfect pair with a sale price tag? Even better.

Black skinny jeans/leather pants

A classic piece that never fades. Opt for quality and fit here and you’ll wear them 3 times a week.

Statement trousers

Because capsule wardrobe staples are not just about simple basics. Statement trousers are a chic way to dress up a look with a little of your personality. Whether you like animal print, striped or simply lots of volume in the width, a pair of statement trousers can be paired with a simple white tee, a black cami, any of your knits and both heels or sneakers. Plus, find current season pieces on Shop It To Me reduced.

Midi Skirt

Pleated or satin, or both, a midi skirt is a versatile way to really update your look with a little-added sass. You can dress a midi skirt up or down so easily with just a switch of pointed pumps or sneakers and add anything from your camel coat to your leather biker to change up the look.

Deciding whether to opt for an A-line or pencil skirt for your midi will come down to your own personal style and body type with more flowing and loose-fit this season's biggest shapes.

Day to night wrap dress

A wrap dress will forever be a women’s most flattering tool, thanks to Diane Von Furstenberg. A simple black dress can be the perfect choice, but also don't be afraid to opt for prints, which can be just as transitional if you select the colors that really suit you and your style. Invest in the best when it comes to this style staple but never pay full price again with Shop It To Me.  

Perfect white t-shirt

It’s all about the fit when it comes to this piece. Opt for better quality to benefit from a thicker and more luxurious cotton and invest in a whitening washing detergent to keep it fresh, always.

T-shirts are more versatile than tank tops and have become a modern-day staple in every fashionista's wardrobe. Here, you could also add a crisp white button-down for a similar effect. A button-down shirt can be dressed up slightly more than a simple tee but don't feel like you couldn't also style it casually with ripped denim and sneakers.

3 Knits – 2 Neutral and 1 Statement

Depending on your coloring, choose between black, grey and camel and ensure you add a pop of color in your favorite hue too with this season’s knits already reduced on Shop It To Me.

White sneakers

When we're looking at how to build a capsule wardrobe and thinking about pairs of shoes, think Victoria Beckham in Adidas and stick to bright whites. You can even find high-quality classics that never go out of style with serious price drops on Shop It To Me.

Pointed pumps

Keep it sleek with a pointed pump. If you’re not used to wearing this style, just give it a go, we guarantee you’ll be instantly attached and start to put together outfits with heels every day of the week.

Black heeled ankle boots

They can pair with everything on the list, plus everything in your current wardrobe. From dresses to shorts, heeled ankle boots are a must-have and every big name brand has a price drop on them on Shop It To Me.

A chic bag – which will depend on your lifestyle

Depending on your lifestyle, you’ll have different requirements for what you need from a day to day bag. A structured tote is perfect if you have a lot to carry or keep it small with a chic, boxy cross over bag. Remember to choose a color palette that will work for you throughout the seasons all year round.

Earrings

Whether you love droplets or hoops, a bold earring can update any look and dress up even the most casual of ensembles. From high end to high street, find the perfect pair reduced to your budget on Shop It To Me.

When it comes to creating the perfect capsule wardrobe and choosing the right pieces of clothing, it’s all about listening to your instincts and choosing new pieces that will come to be your go-to favorites time and time again. Quality is crucial to getting the idea of a capsule wardrobe right and shopping designer sales for these key pieces means you can get the beautiful quality pieces and items of clothing you love for a price you’ll love even more.

Are you ready to start building your own capsule wardrobe? Sign up to save on designer capsule collection pieces and let Shop It To Me bring the sales to you now and ready for next season.