The Capsule (Within Your) Wardrobe

I’m no stranger to capsule wardrobes. I’ve created hundreds for clients, written thousands of words about them, and been quoted (in major publications, no less!) criticizing conventional advice around how to build them. I support them for those who have determined they’re the best way to approach their own wardrobes, and also acknowledge that there are many reasons someone may not be best served by one. It’s called nuance! Look it up!

Up until recently, I was firmly on the side of “I like variety too much for a capsule wardrobe.” These days, though, I’ve been feeling a strong urge to minimize my wardrobe and keep things simple; perhaps even adopt a uniform.

I’ve realized that whether I want to dress up, dress casually or somewhere in between, with very few exceptions, I tend to wear the same thing. And I like that. Where I once really enjoyed having a lot of variety and different looks/vibes in my wardrobe, now I’m more interested in not having to think about it. Basically, my Signature Look.

But, I don’t want to buy anything. At least not right now. So, instead, I’m creating my Signature Look and capsule out of what I have, and I came up with a little exercise to help you do the same. No color palettes, no checklists, no moodboards required: just understanding, refining, and building upon what you already wear. Because the goal of the capsule wardrobe is not just to make it easier to get dressed: it’s to ensure that the easiest outfits for you are also the most stylish outfits for you.

This exercise is best performed with your closet and a full body mirror. I also recommend having a place to lay out your clothes so you can reference/grab/try on pieces and fully explore different combinations as you work out your capsule. A digital wardrobe app like Indyx would also be great!

The Formula

What’s your go-to casual “formula?” We all have one: it’s the combination that just works everytime, that we wear more than anything. Is it a cute top and jeans? A satin midi skirt and a crop top? A dress and a cardigan? Basically A + B. If it’s a solid go-to, you most likely have at least a few—if not several—versions of both A and B. For this exercise, I’m keeping the formula very specific, meaning I consider, say, a button up + pants to be a different formula than a button up + shorts, and a sweater + trousers is completely different than a polo + jeans. This is just to keep the exercise simple. My Basic Formula is a blouse and a long skirt. So, let’s start there.

I have plenty of casual blouses and casual long skirts. If I wanted to wear the same thing every single day—and I do—I’m pretty set. This is where we start to build by asking what functions we actually need to fulfill in our wardrobes. I’ve talked about functions before: it’s the specific reason you need the piece, not just a specific piece. For instance, most capsule wardrobe checklists will include jeans, but, for someone who doesn’t wear jeans, what you actually need is a bottom you can throw on and style up or down, that matches everything, and then, perhaps, different versions of that bottom for different occasions and activities and environments. Let’s ask some questions.