Building a capsule wardrobe is essential to keeping up with the trends while being smart about your fashion choices.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a small or limited collection of clothes that complement each other well. It is usually neutral-toned and includes all the pieces that you would usually wear.
As students, it is important to optimize your budget and your closet space. Clothing isn’t something that you need to be splurging on to be called fashionable or trendy. It would be better to invest your money into buying clothing pieces that you are sure will never go out of style. This would be the “core” of your wardrobe.
The Benefits of a Capsule Wardrobe
Having a capsule wardrobe can help save you from wasting money on pieces of clothing that go out of style immediately. It can also save you money from impulsive clothing purchases so you can use your money elsewhere such as on nights out or gadgets.
It would also save you time in making decisions on what outfit to choose before going out. You’d never have to stress out thinking about what to wear or how to pair which piece with which! You’ll be having the essentials. And it’ll be your signature look!
It’s also good for the environment. Having a limited amount of pieces helps with keeping a sustainable lifestyle. Since you will only need to spend your money on fewer pieces, you can invest in sustainable brands. You can stray away from fast fashion clothes and get some of the highest quality clothing as with a capsule wardrobe you will surely use them regularly.
But in general, with a capsule wardrobe, you can always look put together and produce fresh outfits. This is possible even while reusing your pieces. Having a capsule wardrobe doesn’t mean having a boring closet. You can still have your trendy boutique dresses or your streetwear style. That’s the good thing about fashion. You make the rules!
You probably have a huge closet and it’s far from becoming “capsule-sized”. So how and where do we start building your capsule wardrobe? There’s no right or wrong way to do this but here are some steps to help guide you along the way.
- Take Inventory of Your Clothes (and Let Some Go)
The first step in creating your new wardrobe would be taking a look at your existing one. You will now have to choose which pieces to keep and which ones to let go of or donate. You can ask yourself these questions to help you in choosing:
“When was the last time I wore this?” If you notice that you haven’t worn that piece of clothing for quite some time then it is probably best to let it go.
“Does this still fit my style?”
“Do I feel good when I wear this? Is it comfortable?”
If the answer to either of these questions is “no” then you should probably let these clothes go too.
You must only keep the essentials and the ones you see yourself wearing in the future. There is no use in keeping clothing that you do not feel comfortable in or do not plan on wearing.
- Plan Your Capsule Wardrobe
Once you’ve let some of your other clothes go and have extra closet space you can build your wardrobe! You now have to decide what style you would like and what pieces you would like to add to it.
Since we’re planning a student wardrobe, it would be best to go with a comfortable style. You can put some comfortable pieces in, as well as some formal ones for special occasions. Of course, you shouldn’t forget clothes for when you have nights out!
Here is our checklist for a student capsule wardrobe:
- Essential Tees
- Tank tops
- Sweater
- Sweatshirt/Hoodie
- Day and Night Jacket
- Jeans
- Trousers
- Skirt
- Carry-all Bag
- Small Bag
- Little Black Dress
- Sneakers
- Loafers
- High Heels
These are just the general categories of the types of clothing that you will be needing for your wardrobe. Now let’s discuss them in more detail to help you choose!
The Essential Tee
The essential tee is comfortable, chic, and never out of style. It gives a relaxed vibe but it is something that you can easily dress up or down. It would be most likely one of the pieces that you wear the most whether you stay in or go to class.
It is important to have a white tee, a black tee, and a neutral-colored one. You can wear this as it is or you can accessorize it! It looks good with jeans or with trousers. This is what makes the essential tee magical.
Tank Tops
Tank tops are very similar to the essential tee in terms of versatility. These can also be dressed up or dressed down. You can wear it to a cafe date or maybe a night out with the girls. They show a little bit more skin so they’re perfect for summer. But if it’s chilly, pair it with a jacket and you’re good to go!
Sweater
The sweater is an essential top for chilly days such as fall or winter. You may want to cover up but still look dainty then a nice cashmere sweater would do just the thing. These go nicely with jeans or a skirt. If you use a plain sweater you can add some accessories, or maybe style your hair.
Sweatshirt or Hoodie
During exam week, chances are you won’t have time to put together an outfit. This is where you can put your hoodie to good use. Having an all-nighter? Wear a hoodie. No time to get ready? Keep on wearing the hoodie! It’s perfectly acceptable and comfortable.
Day and Night Jacket
Having a day and night jacket is important. A good suggestion for this would be a denim jacket. It’s perfect for going to class or a night out. Having a lot of jackets in your closet wouldn’t be preferable so make sure to choose one that you can use on all occasions.
Jeans
Like our essential tees and tank tops, the jeans are our universal bottoms. Having at least two pairs is a must, in denim and black color. As long as you have jeans you can pair them with anything you want. Blouse? Check. Shirt? Check. Tank? Check. You can’t make any mistakes with jeans.
Make sure you choose jeans that you are comfortable moving around in. Don’t choose something flashy or itchy. You will be wearing these pretty often.
Trousers
If you have an event where you need to look a little more put together, use trousers. These can pass for semi-formal wear as long as you do it right. A black tank top and good trousers with loafers and heels would be the way to go!
Skirts
Skirts are another timeless piece. They are comfortable and effortlessly stylish. They’re perfect for summer as they let a little more air in and they feel very freeing. There are also many different lengths depending on what you are comfortable with. You can wear them with a tank top and heeled sandals as a summer look or a tank top and a leather jacket when going out.
Cary-all Bag
Since you’re a student, having a sturdy bag that carries all of your essentials is important. You can opt for a neoprene tote bag or maybe a backpack. Both can do just what you need them to and it’s up to you to choose whichever you are comfortable with.
Smaller Bag
A smaller bag would be for running quick errands or going out at night. You wouldn’t want to be lugging around a huge tote bag when all you need are your wallet and your keys. A good choice would be a cross-body bag as you can hang this on yourself and keep your hands free.
Little Black Dress
Of course, you will be needing your little black dress. It’s timeless, essential and iconic for a reason. It’s good to wear for dates and parties. Got someone to impress? Wear your little black dress!
Sneakers
We don’t want to forget the shoes in our wardrobe. A sneaker is essential for comfort and everyday use. You don’t want to be using heels or sandals when rushing across campus to catch your classes. Sneakers are best for this purpose. It’s laid back and comfy. A white sneaker is a good choice if you are only buying one pair for your wardrobe.
Loafers
Loafers are comfy but can also be worn as business-casual shoes. They add a little formality to your footwear but not too much. It’s the go-to footwear for easy professional looks. You can wear loafers paired with some trousers and a blazer or jacket.
High Heels
You need heels! Because what would you be wearing with your little black dress? Heels can be formal. It gives out femininity and attractiveness. It adds length to your legs and can go with jeans and skirts as well.
Conclusion
These are just some pointers into what type of clothing you need to include in your wardrobe. The best tip for mixing and matching all of your pieces together is sticking to a color scheme. When planning it all, make sure to choose a color scheme that you are comfortable with and buy clothes that fit the scheme. You can’t mix and match a blue-toned palette with a random neon jacket.
The key to having a capsule wardrobe would be consistency. Be consistent with your color scheme and style. Once you figure it out, everything else will flow. Good luck and have fun with your capsule wardrobe making!
