What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of high-quality and versatile clothes you love and rotate through often. Each piece should go well together and be timeless so they won't go out of style. The basic idea of a capsule wardrobe is to covet core pieces that you love so you can create an almost endless amount of versatile looks from a curated selection of items that are already in your closet. You’ll be doing MORE with LESS, and look amazing while you do it!

That sounds great, but how does a capsule wardrobe even work?

Your perfect capsule wardrobe should have around 25-45 items that match one another. Typically, it consists of neutral colours like white, black, beige, navy or grey.

Go for a consistent colour scheme so everything matches one another easily and beautifully. But throwing in your favourite colours that you’ll wear year after year across multiple seasons is great too – it’s important to still be you! Ultimately, your wardrobe should only include high-quality items that will last you years (that’s where Miik will come in 😉).

How to start a capsule wardrobe

Start with decluttering your wardrobe! Go through things you don’t wear or things that are not fitting anymore. But don’t throw those away – donate or sell the ones you don’t want.

Now that your closet is ready with all the things you truly love, slowly start adding high-quality clothing that will become part of your staple wardrobe.

When buying new items, don’t forget to choose things that are flattering to your body type and style. Certain things like necklines, silhouettes, and fabric types are important things to consider before investing in a whole new closet. Remember, this stuff has to last!

Why start a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is sustainable! With fast fashion on the rise, it’s important to take a step back and see the damage it continues to cause. Did you know the fashion industry is the second most polluting industry after oil? Yup, you read that right! Our closets are overflowing with cheap clothes that we only wear once or twice.

So where does a capsule wardrobe come in? It starts by being mindful of our purchases and choosing slow fashion vs. fast fashion. Not only is this great for our planet, but having a wardrobe where everything goes together effortlessly makes decision-making much less stressful.

Capsule wardrobe colour basics

Capsule wardrobe colour basics start with your classic black and white. Now, try to pick a third colour that you love and stick with it. This doesn’t mean you can’t add a pop of colour to your wardrobe.

Once you have the basics down, add in your favourite accent colours that match your personality, style and skin tone. Consider colours you’ll wear during any season, like jewel tones and your absolute faves!

You can even try to add in some patterns, but they have to be timeless so you won’t feel the need to discard them next season. Stripes are good!

What capsule wardrobe basics do I need?

You’re going to need 2 to 3 items in each of these categories. Don’t forget to stick to the colours you picked earlier!

Basic Tees: They are super easy to dress up or down, and go with everything. Sutton v-neck classic tee

Tank Tops: Comfortable and easy to style. Eliana high-low tank top & Shandra reversible tank top

 

Blouses & Shirts: Consider what style you want to go for and incorporate that into your wardrobe. Lucia collared shirt & Gibson notched collar button-front shirt

Sweaters: Comfortable and classy. Nate luxe fleece cowl neck sweatshirt & Benny luxe French terry zip-up hoodie

 

Skirts: You should have at least one skirt that matches everything. Frankie midi skirt & June simple skirt

Jumpsuit: Easy, classy and comfortable to wear! Andie open-back casual jumpsuit & Alice reversible wide leg capri jumpsuit & Perle open-back sleeveless jumpsuit

Shorts: Biker shorts go with everything! Raven high waisted biker short 

 

Dresses: You can’t forget the dresses!! We recommend at least one little black dress. Benton summer wrap dress & Dylan collared midi sheath dress

Jeans: Go for light wash jeans as they are easy to style and are timeless. Chloe straight jeans

Pants: They’re super fun to style and can dress up any outfit instantly. Faye wide leg wrap tie capri pant & Christal pull-on pintuck dress pant

 

Jackets and coats: Consider getting a trench coat; they’re super timeless and a classic. If that’s not your style, look for a timeless jacket that you will love to wear year after year. Having a couple of options will help switch up looks. Corey moto jacket & Trench wool coat

 

Cardigans: 2-3 cardigans should be more than enough to dress up any outfit and be comfortable all at once. Rory waterfall cardigan & Polly pocket cardigan

 

Shoes: Make sure the ones you pick are comfortable, durable, and multi-seasonal. The Weekend Boot Z in Grey & The Terrus in Allegra & The Jasmine Leather Sandal

Handbags: Invest in 2-3 quality handbags that will last a long time. Tote bags & Workbag - Black Pebble

 

Accessories: Once again, we’re going to reiterate how important quality is! Save your money and invest in quality pieces you’ll want to wear every day. Halona tie scarf & Element White Pearl Slide Necklace & Blair bamboo tie waist belt

Kick-start your capsule wardrobe with Miik.

This is just to get you started. You’ll also want to consider your activities and lifestyle. Are you a very athletic person that loves to run and hates to dress up? Then maybe you’ll need more leggings and tank tops instead of dress pants and dress shoes. Do you have a corporate career keeping you in-office 9-5? Pieces that can be easily dressed up or down by throwing on a blazer could be your go-to.

Take some time to thoughtfully list out YOUR perfect capsule wardrobe – because these are styles you’re keeping for years. And not only you will spend less money buying clothes you don’t need, but you’ll end up finding your very own style that’s unique to you.

Remember, your new capsule wardrobe isn’t supposed to happen overnight, so don’t worry! It takes time, some thinking and a little strategy to create that perfect minimalist wardrobe that just works. If you're feeling overwhelmed, start by creating a capsule wardrobe for each season. We already started on our fall capsule wardrobe for 2022 so be sure to check that out!

Need a little help? Take a look at how to build a core closet with Janice Meredith.

With much love,

Your Miik team 🤍