How to Build Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe (from Scratch)
Throwing aside hanger after hanger, I searched desperately for something to wear.
My boys rushed in as my eyes scanned the large expanse of my full closet. I tried to focus on my task as they chased each other and knocked things over. “Mommy, can we go?” my 4-year-old asked impatiently.
“Yeah, in a minute,” I said, feeling more frustrated with each passing second. How can I have all these clothes and nothing to wear? I wondered to myself.
After too many moments like these, I decided there had to be a better solution. As a busy mom, I didn’t have time to stare blankly at my closet or try on multiple outfits before I left the house every day. I needed clothes that were ready to go. Clothes that I loved wearing and could throw on confidently.
Maybe you’re a busy mom like me or just tired of clothes being such a big deal. You’re ready for something simple that will leave you less frustrated in the morning.
Or maybe you are sick of spending money constantly on clothes.
I’m glad you’re here because I found a way to build a capsule wardrobe that anyone can follow—even if they’re fashion-challenged and super busy, like me. Stick with me on this journey; you’ll have your perfect capsule wardrobe by the end.
How to Build Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe (from Scratch)
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a curated collection of versatile, timeless clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of outfits. Susie Faux popularized the concept in the 1970s, and Donna Karan’s “Seven Easy Pieces” collection in the 1980s gained widespread attention.
The idea behind a capsule wardrobe is to simplify your closet by selecting high-quality, essential pieces that fit well and can be worn interchangeably. Typically, a capsule wardrobe consists of around 30 to 40 items, including tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, and shoes, although the exact number can vary depending on individual preferences and lifestyle needs.
Capsule wardrobes promote a minimalist lifestyle and reduce decision fatigue. Thus saving you time and money. It’s about investing in pieces you love and building an uncluttered wardrobe that fits your style.
The Problem With Prepackaged Capsule Wardrobes
If you’re like me, a capsule wardrobe sounds like exactly what you need. But after searching, you’re left wondering how this can work for you.
Have you seen those images of capsule wardrobes that look so perfect? Have you seen those prepackaged guides that tell you exactly what to put in your capsule wardrobe?
When I look at picture-perfect capsule wardrobes, I think none of them would look good on me. And I don’t have the funds to buy a new wardrobe.
Plus, I already have a bunch of clothes. Capsule wardrobes are founded on minimalism, so the solution isn’t buying more.
And tiny tops and dresses aren’t my thing. I’m a mom. Not a teenager.
But on the other hand, I’m a mom who needs basic clothes that wash well most of the time. I rarely have to wear a trench coat, a suit, or a nice dress.
If a capsule wardrobe were going to work for me, it would have to be tailored to me. And the same goes for you.
This guide will walk you through building your capsule wardrobe. The wardrobe that fits your needs comprises many items you already own and includes items you’ll love wearing. Let’s get started.
Building Your Capsule Wardrobe
Step 1: Evaluating Your Needs
Start by evaluating the types of clothes you wear during an average week. (Not the week of your anniversary, vacation, or a week where you’re sick in bed.)
The first step is to consider the current season and list what you do daily. Then, list the types of clothes you wear for each activity.
For example, mine would look something like this:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Errands Chores Appointments Walks Park Zoo | Work Home | Work Home | Work Home | Errands Chores Appointments Walks Park Zoo Date Night | Sports Errands Family Events | Church Time w/Others & Family |
| Athletic Loungewear or Casual | Business Casual Loungewear | Business Casual Loungewear | Business Casual Loungewear | Athletic Loungewear or Casual Dressy | Athletic Loungewear or Casual Dressy | Dressy Casual |
Keep this simple and try to cluster outfit types.
Step 2: Establish Your Modules
Look back at your week from step 1. Any clothing type listed two or more times will become a module.
Based on my example, I would create a module for athletic loungewear, business casual, casual, and dressy outfits.
Tips:
- Create 4 modules
- Combine similar clothing
- It’s ok to have some overlap
- 2 modules if listed more than 3 times
- Create a title for each module
- Don’t be afraid to revise
- Ignore loungewear
Mine would look like this:
| Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Casual | Casual | Dressy Casual | Business Casual |
A Few Insights
After this step, I realized one of the reasons I struggled so much with getting dressed was that I wear so many different types of clothes. This made it difficult for me to know which clothes went where.
You might only wear two different types of clothing. In that case, make two (or three) different modules for each type of wear. This will make things more simple in the long run.
Step 3: Visualize Your Modules
From here, list the types of clothes you wear in each module. This will give you a clear picture of what each looks like.
List pieces you love to wear. Think about that denim jacket you love wearing every chance you get, your favorite shoes, or that perfect-fitting T-shirt. List all of those and put them in a category. Then add some classic pieces—a white t-shirt, leather jacket, black pants, or skinny jeans.
Next, get some visual inspiration for outfits. Go to Pinterest, create a slideshow, cut images out of magazines if you feel crafty, and create visuals for each type of clothing.
This was one of the most helpful steps for me. It helped me visualize what I wanted to wear.
Step 4: Creating Your Modules
Now that you understand the types of outfits you need, you can start creating your modules.
You will have four modules. Each module comprises one outerwear item, three tops, two bottoms, and one pair of shoes. Christie Ressel explains this in her video, “How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe: Tips from a Stylist.” Check it out if you want a more in-depth overview.
Step 1: Start with the items you already have and love. Put their images on a slideshow, lay out the pieces, and sort them into your modules.
Step 2: Add other pieces. Go back to your Pinterest boards to help keep you on track. All of the pieces in each module must go together.
For example, if you have a pair of olive pants, don’t put an olive top in that module.
Here’s an example of my Business Casual module.
I started with two pairs of comfortable, well-fitting, cropped dress pants, my loafers, and a chambray shirt I love. I also threw in my work polo because it’s easy to wear. Then, I added a top and a light cardigan that would go with both pants. And there was my module.
Continue to do this with each module until they’re all created. For now, fill in every piece with clothes you own.
Note: Remember to try everything on after creating your module to ensure it all goes together. In this module, one of my original pairs of pants was legging-style, which I could only wear appropriately with the cardigan. I ended up swapping them for a more versatile pair.
Tips for Creating Outfits
Creating outfits can be hard when you don’t know what looks good on you, even when you have a collection of images you love.
Here are a few tips for getting started:
- Get a basic understanding of dressing for your body type. Your body shape can explain why some things don’t look good on you. But don’t get stuck here.
- Start with neutral colors and then build accent colors into your modules.
- If you don’t know which colors to choose, learn about your color palette. This will give you a color scheme from which to work.
Start by choosing a neutral palette—black, gray white; navy, beige, white; or brown, beige, white—based on what looks good on you and then decide on a few accent colors.
I always use black, gray, and white as my neutrals because warm shades don’t look good on me. I focused on blues, pinks, and greens as accent colors this season.
If you love bold colors and patterns, mix those in, but use basics to balance things out.
Step 5: Shopping
You have your capsule wardrobe. But you might not love all your pieces.
If you have missing pieces, return to your Pinterest boards before buying anything, and think about what piece you’d love to see there. Then, find something similar and clip a picture of the item you’re considering in your slideshow to ensure it works in your module before purchasing.
Label items you’d like to update and buy as needed. Since you already have a wardrobe, you don’t have to rush out and replace everything. You can wait until the perfect pieces come along. Only buy pieces that fit into your module, fit great, and that you’ll love wearing all season (or longer).
I’m not an easy fit, so many of the pieces I shop get returned. I take the image of each piece I consider and plug it into my module, but it doesn’t mean it’ll fit me great. Having placeholders keeps me from sticking with a piece I don’t love to have something.
My Final Modules
Step 6: Creating the Capsule
Once you have your final modules, your capsule wardrobe is ready!
I suggest putting it in a section of your closet, sorted by module. This helps create a functional closet and makes it easy to get dressed.
When I go to my son’s T-ball game, I go straight to my Athletic Casual Module and throw on some items in a few minutes. If I’m heading to work, I go to my Business Casual Module and dress in a few minutes.
My Final Capsule Wardrobe
Step 7: Moving Forward
A traditional capsule wardrobe can be mixed between modules and is geared towards one setting. So, all of your modules might be able to mix and match.
For my purposes, I kept my modules separate until I was comfortable with them. Then, I occasionally began pulling an outerwear piece from a different module or crossing shoes. I still prefer to keep them separated in my closet and pull from another module when I see an opportunity.
As you become more comfortable with your wardrobe, you may want to add additional modules. You’ll need to create or modify them for different seasons/weather.
I love this simplified way of dressing. My only steps moving forward are to label items for replacement, set a seasonal budget, and update items as needed.
When shopping in the future, create a shopping list of great versatile pieces that fit into at least one of your modules. You’ll buy fewer clothes and waste less money on clothing pieces you only wear once or twice. Based on this, I set and stick to a reasonable budget for replacement clothing.
My Thoughts on The Process
Now that I’ve created my first capsule wardrobe, I spend less time getting dressed, save money, and like how I look a lot more.
But I’ve learned a few things about this process to share with you.
First, some pieces won’t work, which is okay for now. I don’t love my dressy casual module, and I rarely pull from it because of that. But because it’s a simple module with a few pieces, I can easily pinpoint the problems.
I’ve learned that it doesn’t have to be perfect today. I can shop around and find pieces down the road, and having something to wear is helpful.
Make these modules your own. Adjust as you go.
Mistakes
One of the mistakes I made was combining spring and summer. I thought I could wear the same things through both seasons because spring and fall last about 2 months each where I live. But on weeks of stark weather changes, I desperately searched for pants and shoes I hadn’t included. In the future, I’d create a full module for spring and a new one for summer, even if it meant reusing many of the pieces.
Another mistake I made was creating four separate styles. Though I dress this way, creating a separate business casual wardrobe with two modules makes more sense, and then focusing on at-home clothes separately. In that case, I would create two different capsule wardrobes. I created my dressy casual module with the thought that it could fit into work and home life. As a result, it fits into neither, and I can’t create as many different looks.
Special Occasions
I bought just one versatile little black dress for special occasions. It can be dressed up or down with shoes and outerwear from most of my modules. If I were taking pictures or attending special occasions often, I would likely buy an additional dress for that occasion. If you attend special events once a month or more, you might decide to create a special occasions module.
Build Your Own Capsule Wardrobe
If you’re ready to start your capsule wardrobe, I’ve created a guide that makes it simple. Grab my Capsule Wardrobe Planner, which takes you through each step and helps you create a wardrobe you’ll love. You’ll also receive updates about relevant posts to help you on your mom journey.
