by Dani Fankhauser

Capsule wardrobes are a major trend, and for good reason. When done right, a capsule wardrobe is both less expensive to maintain and better for the environment. And on a macro level, the minimalist fashion concept appeals to the basic human need to love how you look. 

I first discovered capsule wardrobes when I was seeking the next step in my career and applying the old adage “dress for the job you want” to my work life. At the time, I worked at a media startup where there were few expectations for office style — most of us wearing jeans and not so different from what I wore in college. I didn’t know where to start. And when you’re buying clothes for the job you want, how do you pay for it before you actually get the salary?

Some people (like me) come to capsules out of a desire to uplevel their style, while others, such as Unfancy blogger Caroline Joy, started using a capsule wardrobe to curb an over-shopping habit. In recent years, the concept picked up steam with organizing expert Marie Kondo’s call to edit your belongings down to those which spark joy. 

In 2021, a capsule wardrobe offers a chance to embrace a personal style that better reflects your post-pandemic self, to get rid of clothes that no longer fit, and to not spend so much money in the process. In this article, we will go over how to start and maintain a capsule wardrobe, but first, here are the basics on the system. 

What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a curated version of your closet in which everything matches everything else. Each season, you can swap out pieces to match your local weather. Everything fits your body perfectly, you like how it looks on you, and it syncs with your personal style. This versatility means that with fewer items, you are able to make more than enough outfits you’ll need for three months’ time. After that, you adjust the capsule based on seasonal changes and trends. 

The capsule wardrobe is not the same as a capsule collection, which is a fashion designer’s limited-edition product line, sometimes a collaboration with another designer or brand. 

Donna Karan popularized the idea of a capsule wardrobe in 1985 with a collection called “7 Easy Pieces” which included a black trousers, a skirt, a white button-up, a white T-shirt, a leather jacket, a dress, and a cashmere sweater. 

Since then, the total number of pieces has shifted quite a bit higher, with most capsule wardrobe enthusiasts recommending somewhere between 33 (recommended by Project 33) and 37 (recommended by WhoWhatWear) pieces per season. This includes everything you wear: tops, bottoms, jumpsuits, dresses, cardigans, jackets, outerwear, scarves, shoes, and bags. 

The breakdown is individual. Someone may want to include 10 pairs of pants, while another could get by with a pair of jeans and a pair of slacks, and have more variation in dresses, jackets, and tops. The capsule would not include underwear, socks, workout clothes, or pajamas. 

One easy way to think about a capsule wardrobe is that it’s what you would take with you on a three-month trip to another country, if you were only allowed one suitcase. You have a general idea of the weather and the types of activities you might do, such as going to a dinner party and an office, but need to be prepared for surprises, and you won’t have the option to buy new things while you are there. 

The top 6 benefits of a capsule wardrobe

A study found people bought 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000, but wore them for half as long. Think about it — the shift over the past 20+ years to fast fashion means people spend more money on more things but get less use, or for that matter, enjoyment out of them. 

Capsule wardrobes are green

A capsule wardrobe does the reverse. First of all, it’s great for the environment. The fashion industry is often cited as a top contributor to global emissions due to how fabric and clothing are manufactured — plus all those clothes that are thrown away are filling up landfills. According to the U.N., the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second. By styling from a wardrobe of fewer, better clothes, you buy less and create less waste. 

Capsule wardrobes help you save money

What's good for the environment is good for you, too. In the process of buying fewer clothes, you save money — even if you buy higher-priced items, because they will last longer and match the rest of your closet, thus getting more wear out of each piece. 

Capsule wardrobes lead to more total outfits

Another benefit of having an intentionally-curated closet where everything matches is you have more outfit combinations overall. For example, five tops and five bottoms in a capsule will result in 25 outfits, and that's not including accessories, shoes, or outer layers, which will each increase the number exponentially. 

Capsule wardrobes are efficient

With fewer items, your closet is more organized. There's no forgetting about your favorite shirt because it's crammed between two coats or pinching your fingers every time you try to rehang a hanger. 

A capsule also allows you to get dressed quickly. In today's overindulged closets, many people struggle with the paradox of choice, a theory that explains why we are less satisfied when provided with more options. Researchers found that a shopper who was presented with four flavors of jam was happier with their purchase than the shopper presented with 12 flavors. 

Capsule wardrobes make you happier about your clothes

Your confidence in getting dressed each day is bolstered by the fact that you only allow clothes you love into the capsule. This means everything in the capsule fits you perfectly, is appropriate for your region, season, and lifestyle, and is either a timeless classic or on trend. There is no question of "does this go together" or "do I look okay" — you barely need to look in the mirror before heading out, because you're wearing your favorites and already know you look great. Unfancy puts it this way: with a capsule, you free yourself of clothes that don't serve you. 

Capsule wardrobes cut down on unfocused shopping

The final benefit of a capsule is that you save time spent shopping. When you shop, you do it intentionally, as if the clothes are candidates you're interviewing for a slot in your closet. You know what you need and once you've found the right items, you don't need to shop again for three months. 

Does a capsule wardrobe fit your style?

Most articles on capsule wardrobes showcase a single rack lined with neutrals, mostly solids, with one striped shirt. If this is not your current style, you might be wondering if it will be too dull to commit to wearing so few pieces of clothing for a full three months. Yet if you were to plan a vacation, you'd surely be able to take your personal style with you. A capsule wardrobe doesn't have to be boring — in fact, it probably shouldn’t be. 

There are two components to a capsule, and within each of them, everything is flexible. No matter your personal style, there will be room to express it. The base of a capsule are timeless, classic pieces. For someone who works in a formal office, that could be a pencil skirt or a pair of slacks. For others, it might be a white V-neck and jeans. These are pieces you wear frequently. 

The second component of a capsule wardrobe includes the seasonal prints, patterns, and trends. Here, you can buy a floral blouse with puffed sleeves or an asymmetrical snakeskin print skirt — something that looks very "in" for a moment but may look dated within a year. This is also the place for burgundy in the fall, red in the winter, mint green in the spring, and whatever Pantone names its color of the year. By pairing your classics with trends, you look stylish, and because your closet is smaller, you get more use out of each in-season or trendy piece. 

A capsule wardrobe can fit any kind of personal style, body type, climate, or lifestyle because you only need it to fit you. Next, we'll go over how you can narrow down your closet to those favorite and essential items that will make up your capsule. 

How to get started with a minimalist capsule wardrobe: 4 steps

Your capsule wardrobe will be unique because it will revolve around your lifestyle and preferences. Instead of looking at someone else's closet or a predetermined number of tops, bottoms, and shoes, use this process to identify the capsule you already have hidden in your closet. 

Step 1: Track your current outfits

First, track your outfits for at least a week. If you can, track for 30 days, simply making a list of each item you wore. Once you complete this, tally up what pieces you wore the most, as well as highlighting any piece you simply loved wearing. For the pieces you wore most or enjoyed most, make notes on attributes: Are they soft? Did you receive compliments? Was the climate constantly spurring you to grab this specific light jacket? Do you like how your body looks in a certain dress? 

Step 2: Try everything on

The next step is to pull everything out of your closet, including dresser drawers, and try it on. As you try on each item, place it in sorting piles. These include: Clothes you love that fit, clothes that fit but are off-season; clothes that do not fit or you don't love; clothes that are out of style, worn out, stained, or otherwise bad quality; and clothes that may fit but bring back unpleasant memories. 

Step 3: Keep or sell/donate

Once you've sorted all your clothes, you have two choices. The categories of clothes that fit and you love, whether they are in-season or off, are the ones you will keep. The rest can be sold, recycled or donated. If you are queasy at the idea of getting rid of a big chunk of your closet, simply put them in boxes or in the back of your closet with a sheet over them so you're not tempted to wear them. 

Step 4: Create your capsule

From the in-season clothes you are keeping, you may need to narrow down further to your favorites to make your capsule, which should be between 30-40 items, including shoes. You will also most likely need to invest in a few high-quality items to fill out your capsule. For example, if you are getting rid of three pairs of shorts that don't fit, you can buy one pair that does. If you have five black shirts you wear often, pick your two favorites for the capsule.

When you shop for your capsule, you will be shopping intentionally. Instead of buying things that appeal to you at the moment, you'll be searching for a specific item as if you're working off a list of ingredients for a recipe. Because your new items will be worn frequently, it is best to pay attention to washing instructions as well so you get the most use out of it. 

What to include in your capsule wardrobe 

The base of your capsule wardrobe are the classics; pieces that can be worn for years. This could include comfortable flats, a denim or black leather jacket, a blazer, or a pair of solid neutral-colored pants. 

When selecting your base, you need to choose between black and navy as a base color. Typically, black and navy look odd together, unless you are making a fashion statement or have patterned pieces that incorporate both colors. For most people, it will be easier to pick, and for most of us, the answer is black. 

The rest of your base can be made up of other neutral colors, which include denim or chambray, grey, beige, cream, or white. Don’t forget to include shoes and outerwear, which should last multiple seasons and are often worn in neutrals. 

Once you’ve got your base, which could make up anywhere from a quarter to 90% of your capsule, you can add in the patterns and trends. If you are especially sensitive to wearing matching colors, you might choose an accent color, such as pale pink or goldenrod, which will give you more flexibility in pairing patterns together. 

Once you have decided on your capsule, count the items and see if you are within your intended range. If you have too few items, consider buying multiples of an item you really love to make your laundry schedule a little easier. If you have too many items, see if any are similar and consider trying to live without one of them for the first month. 

To see some sample capsules, visit StitchFix to see a woman’s and The Essential Man to see a man’s capsule closet. 

What happens next? Tips for updating and maintaining your capsule wardrobe

A capsule that contains more than 30 items should last you three months with no outfit repeats. But depending on your plans and the weather, you might find yourself repeating some outfits, and that’s okay, too. Once you’ve made it to the next season, you can evaluate your capsule, make changes based on what you actually wound up wearing, and create a new one for the new season. 

About two weeks before the end of a season, do a miniature version of the closet clean-out, tallying up what items you wore the most and which you loved the most. If there was anything outside of your capsule you were itching to wear, you can add that back in. Consider your plans and lifestyle for the next season (and any changes in weather) to decide what trendy pieces to add into your capsule, such as an off-the-shoulder blouse for summer or a new beanie and a few scarves for winter. 

Your capsule is personal to you, so as each season goes by, you will find a flow in making changes that work for you. Most people who use the capsule method find that once they haven’t touched an item in a full year, it is time to get rid of it. Overall, your closet gets smaller, you spend less money on better things, and feel better about what you wear. 

Stores and products to help you maintain your capsule wardrobe 

The rise in interest in capsule wardrobes has led to many new tools and websites that help people plan and organize their capsules. If you want to get the most outfit combinations out of your closet, these tools will help you visualize your clothes to do that. 

Cladwell is an app that allows you to create a visual interface of your clothes and put outfits together. They also have an online course that will help you get started with a capsule, if you feel you need more direction. 

The leading retailer focused on capsules is Vetta, which curates themed capsules (i.e. Eclectic, London) made up of five neutral pieces. These items are designed for capsules so are made of high-quality materials and styled to last through many fashion trend cycles. (We also always have the latest Vetta promo codes here at Knoji.)

When you are cleaning out your closet and need a place to get rid of pieces that no longer fit you, your lifestyle, or style, you may use ThredUp, a service that lets you mail in a bag full of clothes to be sold on consignment or recycled, or Poshmark, an app that allows you to set a price for each item and sell to other individual users.

Finally, as you are choosing new items for your capsule, you can supercharge the environmental and social impact of your closet by choosing clothing from ethical and sustainable brands, which use fabrics and processes that create less pollution. These brands are designing their clothes for a mindful customer, and so the clothes won’t fall apart the first time you wash them and are designed to look stylish through many years of trend cycles, making them perfect for your capsule wardrobe.