This site contains affiliate links, please read our disclosure for more information. The content on this website was created with the help of AI.
A successful capsule wardrobe will revolve around a certain number of pieces working together. However, that can only happen if you own all of those pieces. In other words, planning is essential to the process—getting rid of clothes that won’t be in your closet anymore leaves room for the new clothes that you will be including. Also, it’ll leave you with a solid foundation on which to build your future clothing purchases—do you really want to buy two or three shirts that duplicate what you already own? Of course not—that defeats the purpose of having a capsule wardrobe in the first place.
A capsule wardrobe typically has 25-30 pieces, which is more than enough to take you through any occasion. Clothes that are versatile, quality made and mix and matched accordingly will enable you to survive 6 days a week without washing your outfit, not even tucking your shirt in (or touching it if wearing a 3/4 sleeve top). The two outfits you wash each week can simply be hang dried. This is the best way to save money and energy on laundry. With just having three different items for all but two of the items (dresser and work wear) this is easily achieved. So, the answer in short is: one per colour tone paired with another neutral 1-2 pieces per day.
The number of colors in a capsule wardrobe can vary, but it’s basically defined as a limited number of colors selected from one’s closet and used to create an outfit. This is done to reduce the time it takes to get ready in the morning, which is quite useful if you are always in a hurry. It’s more flexible than other closet organization methods, allowing you to swap items in and out of your capsule so that its colors stay current with your moods and preferences. With a color system you will always have something to wear.
So, now that you understand capsule wardrobes and how to create them, it’s time to create your own. Taking a few hours now could save you a lot of time and wasted effort in the future. Demonstrating your vision on paper will help it crystallize and make the next steps easier to navigate. Here are the simple steps to creating your capsule wardrobe:
A capsule can contain as few as 15 items — things you wear all the time.
It’s certainly not a hard and fast rule, but I like to encourage people to have no more than ten colors in their capsule. If you’re looking to purchase something new, and the color already exists in your closet, ask yourself: are you adding this color to a full outfit? Or can you mix it with other pieces already in your wardrobe? If not, ask yourself why.
The capsule wardrobe is meant to change your life. It gives you a way to simplify, declutter, and renew so that you can focus on the things that matter most. The point of your capsule wardrobe should be to make your life easier, not more complicated. It’s really up to you what you decide; they’re only suggestions. Either way, be proud of the small changes you made in your clothing habits and remember how great you feel after getting rid of stuff. The clothes are just a bonus.
Now the size of an individual’s wardrobe doesn’t matter, but will vary depending on where you live and how long you have to travel to work. Even still, there are certain colors in greater abundance than others, which is why we suggest choosing mostly neutral colors or colors that go with everything.
The idea behind a capsule wardrobe is to have a small collection of essentials that don’t go out of fashion, such as skirts, trousers, and coats. These can be augmented with seasonal pieces from the same brands or other ones that fit into your style and taste. There’s no need to buy everything at once; you may find yourself buying some items over time, particularly if you’re looking for something specific — like a pair of jeans or boots — but even then it’s not essential that you get it right away. The idea is not to spend money on items you won’t wear enough times to justify their cost! If an item doesn’t work out after trying it on once or twice, return it without any guilt (or keep it if conditions are right).
A good way to start building your capsule wardrobe is by going through what clothes currently fill your closet. Start by taking everything out of drawers and closets so they lay flat on the floor in piles according to type: shirts/tops/knits vs pants/skirts vs dresses vs outerwear (jackets & coats), etc., so that all items are visible at once rather than having them intermingle randomly within each category. Once this step is done take each pile one by one and make three piles: keepers (things I want), maybe keepers (things I’m undecided about) and throwaways (excess stock).
Don’t have a lot of clothes and maybe don’t feel like they have a good selection. It’s not the number of clothes that is important, but how you put them together. If you mix colors and styles, most people won’t notice what you are wearing anyway.
I recommend picking 12-15 items that work with each other. Choose items that are versatile and can be dressed up or down to suit your needs. Remember to tailor your choices to the weather and culture of your area. Enjoy your new, versatile wardrobe!
As you can see, the number of pieces that you choose to have in your capsule wardrobe all depends on your tastes and lifestyle. Having a very limited number of items may be sufficient for some, but for others having more options may be preferable. Ultimately, it’s best to sit down and decide which type of lifestyle you want to lead and what things are most important to you. After you’ve done this, it should be easier for you to decide how many pieces your wardrobe should contain.
You need 10 to 15 key pieces including tops, bottoms and dresses.
I’m not here to say you should do a capsule wardrobe. You just have to decide this for yourself. However, I will tell you that the benefits of doing one are many, and the world will not come to an end if you want to try it out.
The concept of a capsule wardrobe is simple: you need 10 to 15 key pieces including tops, bottoms and dresses. These pieces can be mixed and matched in different ways to create multiple outfits. This approach saves time by eliminating the need to decide what to wear from a closet full of clothes that are unworn or rarely worn. It also saves money because you are not purchasing all those items you don’t wear often, but still want for some reason!
A capsule wardrobe can be created in one of two ways: either by selecting clothes that match each other flawlessly or by combining items that complement each other well but aren’t necessarily designed specifically as an outfit set.
We connected with the concept of a capsule wardrobe because it is flexible, convenient and easy to create a wardrobe with a variety of pieces. We understood that we have to pay greater attention to the details when creating such content. But what did not know is that colors are a significant aspect, too.
So for the fashion purist, building a complete, versatile capsule wardrobe can be overwhelming: there’s a lot to choose from, and making sure you get it right the first time is key.
A capsule wardrobe has been defined as a small collection of favorite items that can be mixed-and-matched to create different outfits. Capsule wardrobes might be used for people on minimal budgets, or those with a limited work space for their clothing.
These are then complemented by five to 10 accessories like scarves and jewelry.
Though the question of why to limit is more straightforward than that of how, the answer is a little more nuanced. Capsules are about quality over quantity. The goal isn’t to amass a pile of clothes and wear the same ones everyday, but to have a handful of items in your closet that you feel good in and that offer ample variety for different events and occasions.
A well-defined wardrobe will not only make many aspects of your life more convenient and enjoyable, it will also serve as a valuable resource to you personally as you continue on your journey towards a streamlined lifestyle.
You may be wondering what accessories you can add to your capsule wardrobe. Remember, a broad range of accessory options is important because it adds variety to your outfits and prevents you from wearing one or two pieces repeatedly. These are then complemented by five to 10 accessories like scarves and jewelry. It’s also important that the accessories match your style so that they don’t detract from the rest of your look when worn together. It’s a good idea not to spend too much money on any particular piece of jewelry or clothing item since this defeats the purpose of having a limited number of items in your collection!
In order to know how many colors you want in a capsule wardrobe, you must first determine the answer to this question: “Am I most comfortable in neutrals or colors?”
The traditional wardrobe approach is to pack it all in, using the entire closet and potentially bringing the excess back each season, or worse – donating or throwing away those pieces left behind. However, those who carry a capsule wardrobe will usually live that way for life! There’s no going back from that once you’ve discovered the beauty of living with less.
Having just five clothing items for each category, plus the ability to mix and match those five items for unlimited outfits, makes the capsule wardrobe a powerful and flexible tool you’ll want to try in your quest for a more organized closet. I hope this guide has helped you better understand what a capsule wardrobe is and how it can be used. Remember that a capsule wardrobe isn’t a rigid plan that controls your clothing choices, but rather something you can use to help free yourself from clutter and maintain your fashion sense while still feeling comfortable at home in your own clothes.
This should be enough for three months.
Whether you’re pondering a capsule wardrobe, or perhaps just the idea of downsizing, the best place to start is with a clean slate. The first step to building a capsule wardrobe is figuring out what kinds of pieces you want and need to fill your closet with. Make sure you answer this one question before anything else: how many outfit combinations do you typically wear in any given week? Once you have this number in mind (and have sourced your favorite pieces), you’re ready to start building!
Ultimately, the contents of your wardrobe will depend on your own preferences. Don’t feel like you have to follow every rule to the n-th degree—there’s no point in being so restrictive that you’re not enjoying yourself. But do think about what grey items you can add to your wardrobe that would provide a similar foundation, and incorporate them into a capsule wardrobe if you decide that’s the right choice for you.
When you’re working with a limited number of items, it’s important to maintain a consistent color palette. Varying your outfits from just one or two pieces is possible by using accessories and mixing and matching different items. For example:
- Day 1: wear the orange sweater with chambray shirt, black jeans and moccasins. Accessorize with gray scarf, gray gloves and gray beanie.
- Day 2: wear the blue dress over black leggings (this is called layering), add gold necklace, gold earrings and brown boots. Accessorize with brown purse or backpack depending on how casual you want to look that day!
- Day 3: wear red shirt under white T-shirt; pair this with navy blue trousers or skirt depending on how formal an event is scheduled for later in evening; finish off outfit with red heels!
A capsule wardrobe isn’t a full-on shopping ban. It’s just a way to streamline your choices and save money. You don’t have to give up the look and feel of the clothes you love — you just need to learn to make a few key items work for you in various situations, wearing them over and over again until you get sick of them.
The more you have in your wardrobe, the more you’ll find yourself wearing the same things. This can get boring and spending less money on more clothes just seems too good to be true. However, I’d recommend aiming for at least 25 pieces and then expanding your wardrobe when necessary. After all, a capsule wardrobe is meant to save money and time, not make you feel like you need to buy a whole new wardrobe.
As for me, I’m going to use one color per season, travel light, and focus on mixing up my tops and bottoms. I will probably use the white, black, grey, navy, and tan colors this year. I really think this wardrobe is going to work for me. Are you trying a capsule wardrobe? Or have you tried one before? Let me know in the comments below!
If you keep to a specific color palette, it’s easy to mix and match different pieces.
A good rule of thumb is to have an even number of items; however, that can be hard to achieve since you still need to choose the “odd” piece. There are a few choices if you find yourself in this position: extend the number of items, have an odd piece that serves two purposes (such as a belt or scarf), or choose only one item that can be worn multiple ways (such as a black pant or cardigan).
A capsule wardrobe is a carefully curated selection of clothing to build a complete look from; essentially, it is a small wardrobe that is based on the principle of minimalism. In this article, we will try to assess what the best “ideal” number of pieces for a basic capsule wardrobe would be. We’ll also take a look at the other sections (or “capsules”) you can use in your wardrobe alongside your clothing capsules and we’ll share some tips on how you can put together a capsule wardrobe more easily.
The reality is that there aren’t an infinite number of possibilities out there, and that the specific elements you choose to include (and exclude) in a capsule wardrobe will largely depend on your personal lifestyle and preferences. That said, our findings suggest that an ideal design will fall somewhere between 28-32 pieces — not too overbearing, but enough to make choosing outfits at any given moment a relatively stress-free experience.
If you keep to a specific color palette, it’s easy to mix and match different pieces.
Here’s what you need to know about choosing the right shade:
Some say that 30 is the smallest number of items you should have in a capsule wardrobe. But is there a magic number? Ultimately, it all comes down to your lifestyle and your preferences. If you own your own business, choose to wear the same uniform every day, or are aiming for exactly 28 pieces to take on a trip to Fiji, then buy more of what you don’t need. And remember that what matters most is having the essentials—without them, a wardrobe is useless.
- If you’re working with neutrals, stick with white and black. These are your most versatile colors, as they can be worn with any other shade in your wardrobe. For example, if your neutral base is black jeans or trousers, use white tops and jackets to create contrast without clashing.
- Picking two or three shades for different clothing items will make it easy for you to mix-and-match all season long. This way, even when one piece goes out of style (or gets damaged), it won’t throw off your whole look!
The number of different outfits you can put together from your capsule wardrobe depends on a few things. First, how many pieces are in your wardrobe? Second, how many different colors does your wardrobe contain? And lastly, how many different combinations can you come up with for each color? By taking these questions into consideration, you can decide for yourself if it is possible to create multiple outfits from a capsule wardrobe.
Ultimately, the size of your wardrobe is entirely up to you. Of course, as a general rule of thumb, the more items you can get away with having in your closet, the easier it will be to come up with a variety of different combos and looks. However, if you find yourself struggling to mix and match wardrobe staples because there are too many options available to you, then a capsule wardrobe is well worth considering.
Hopefully, this series will have given you a better idea of how to put together your very own capsule wardrobe. Not one size fits all. In fact, there are plenty of alternative ways to go about building your wardrobe, but we believe that the fundamentals and concepts outlined here will serve as a valuable guide. Experiment, try things out, and see what works best for you in the end!
If you create a capsule wardrobe, you don’t have to buy so many clothes!
Because I think she has put together a solid list of items that will be both versatile, classic and allow her to mix and match to create multiple outfits. If you’re a person that loves having options, a small wardrobe might seem limiting. But when we look at the reasons most people wear the same outfits over and over again, it makes sense. If you wear what makes you feel confident, then why not have fewer pieces in your wardrobe?
The answer depends on your own daily needs. Does work require you to wear a suit? Do you like to switch up your outfits based on your mood? How many do you have time for? Hopefully, through the various resources and examples we provided, we’ve helped you find an answer that is best for you.
A capsule wardrobe is the new way of living the modern minimalist life. It shows you how to be more resourceful and have clearer connections between your clothing and yourself. There are no right or wrong answers, but it is essential to find out what amount of clothing works best for you. In the end, however, it’s up to you decide how large or small your wardrobe should be. It really depends on what items you wear by using smart shopping tips like a capsule wardrobe strategy.
What does the perfect number of pieces to make up your ideal wardrobe look like? That’s going to vary for each individual, but we’d love to hear from you guys. Our current recommendation is 30-35 items. That leaves plenty of room for mixing and matching. Plus, it helps minimize the amount of time you spend trying to decide what to wear–and saves you money in the process.
If you create a capsule wardrobe, you don’t have to buy so many clothes.
Because when it comes down to it, the less clothes you have in your closet, the better!
When everything matches and looks great together, it’s easy to mix and match outfits (which saves more time).
And because there aren’t tons of options for what to wear each day (because they’re all one color), then it’s easier for me not get caught up in “what I’m going to wear today?” which leads me back into my closet where I try on different outfits over and over again until something feels right.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can use your own sophisticated eye to decide how many colors/items are in a capsule wardrobe.
We believe that to have the best experience with a capsule wardrobe, you need to buy high-quality pieces that fit well. They should be versatile and fit in your lifestyle. We tried to lay out the basic foundations of a capsule wardrobe, but if you want to tailor it even further, remember these tips:
A capsule wardrobe is a great way to get a “reset” button on your current wardrobe, but even the best closet can use some additions. With these suggestions, you’ll reach your ideal wardrobe the faster and easier way.
Of course, if you’re looking for recommendations on how many garments to include in your wardrobe, there’s no easy formula. But what we do know is that inspiration and freedom are always good things to have. With that in mind, it’s worth taking this method for a spin and seeing what you think. If you want more details on how to set up a multi-season capsule wardrobe and all of the options it offers you, check out this capsule wardrobe example. And if you have any questions about the whole process, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
When it comes to your wardrobe, who says “too much” can’t be a good thing?
