How To: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building the Perfect Capsule Wardrobe

Covid-19 restrictions are lifting and holidays are finally becoming a plausible reality - instead of a wistful conversation over FaceTime. However, that means the challenge of cramming all your worldly possessions into a 23kg bag faces us once again. I don't know about you, but holiday packing usually threatens to leave me stood in front of my wardrobe screaming "I've got too many clothes", while also feeling like I've got nothing to wear. Relate to that? *enter capsule wardrobe*

The minimalist, no fuss capsule wardrobe seems to be dominating the Instagram and Pinterest feed of every chic, put-together girl online that I envy. So if you're anything like me, and are craving some semblance of feeling like you've got your life together - this one's for you.

Step 1: Stop Shopping!

Don't panic, it's not forever! But while you're entering the beginning stages of building your dream capsule wardrobe, the last thing you want to do is be buying even more clothes. If you reach the end of this guide and there's still gaps in your new wardrobe, feel free to go on a spree, but until then, put down the debit card!

Step 2: Plan

Like anything in life, if you want to get it right, don't speed straight into it. Instead, take some time to acknowledge the clothes you wear on a day-to-day basis. Spend a few weeks taking stock of your style, your outfits, what you enjoy wearing and pieces you never seem to take off. Your comfort zone is definitely something to work with when constructing your capsule wardrobe - after all, you're going to wearing it all the time!

Step 3: Pick a Colour Scheme

It can be daunting at first to reduce your wardrobe to a limited spectre of clothes, but this is first step to building a cohesive collection of garments to mix and match. It's generally a rule of thumb to stick to fairly neutral colours, such as black, white and grey, which all blend together and can be used to create a multitude of different outfits.

Step 4: Pick Out Some Basics

It's a good idea to set yourself a target amount of pieces to build your capsule wardrobe. Somewhere between 16 - 20 items is typical, but its important to work towards your personal aspirations, based on storage space and just how minimalist you'd like to be. Once you've decided how many items you want to include, dedicate around half your wardrobe to basics in your neutral colours (selected in step 2). In my experience, I've found its generally a good idea to start with trousers as these will be the bases of your outfits. Aim for two or three pairs of jeans in varying colours, something that can be dressed up - like a suit trouser - and something a bit more relaxed and comfortable, such as a long skirt. It's important at this stage to tailor your capsule wardrobe to your specific needs. If you work in an office all day, maybe lean on the side of business-casual basics that can be dressed down at weekends. If you frequently spend time socialising and going out, think about how your day-time outfits can be transformed into evening looks. I'll give you a hint - it's all in the accessories! - think jewellery, shoes and bags. Even hair and makeup can dress-up or dress-down a look!

Step 5: Add a pop of colour

Okay, so you've nailed your basics - congrats! Now its time to elevate your extremely neutral wardrobe into something a bit more interesting. At this point, think back to the work you did in the planning stage of Step 2. What colours did you notice yourself wearing a lot? Was there a certain colour that you noticed made you feel confident, powerful and attractive? If so, introduce a few pieces in that shade into your wardrobe. If nothing specific jumps out to you, here are my suggestions.

If your neutrals are black, white and grey, bold colours such as blue or red will create a fun, fashionable palette that will never get boring!

If your neutrals are more beiges and browns, earthy tones such as sage green or pale pink will look elegant, feminine and classy.

Step 6: Choose a statement piece

Next, its time for the fun part! At this point, you should only have room for one or two more items in your wardrobe, including shoes and bags. Everything should blend together nicely, but perhaps not yet have that Wow! Factor that makes you excited to get dressed in the morning. This is your opportunity to inject a bit of your personal creativity into your collection. This might be a bright bag, or a funky pair of shoes - something that makes you feel unique and happy when you wear it! In my capsule wardrobe, my statement item of choice is a bright orange coat - its a contrast to the blues that run throughout the collection, and breaks the rules of a capsule wardrobe enough for me to feel I've held onto my creativity and individuality despite the minimalist simplicity of the collection.

Step 7: Cut loose

You've made it to the final and scariest step of this guide: bagging up your old clothes and getting rid! Whatever you choose to do with the garments that didn't make the cut - whether you gift them to a friend, sell them, give them to charity or burn them in a ritualistic bonfire to see out your days of clutter - there's no going back now. However, this is also the most liberating step of the journey. You've done it!

Step 8: Enjoy

Welcome to your new, stress-free wardrobe. Congratulations, you've just saved yourself an extra 20 minutes in bed every morning! Now would be a great time to test out your new capsule wardrobe by styling some outfits. Why not challenge yourself to creating as many different looks as you can?