BUILDING THE PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE

It is a selection of clothing, footwear and accessories which can be successfully mixed and matched to give you the most versatility out of your wardrobe. You will basically use your capsule wardrobe as a starting point to build upon to continue to create easy to wear outfits that you will feel confident in.

There are several things to consider when building or adding to a capsule wardrobe.

1.   Lifestyle – What do you primarily need your wardrobe for? What type of lifestyle do you lead? Is it for work purposes (corporate wear) or for everyday wear or both? Do you socialise a lot? Do you exercise a lot? Where do you spend your time? What do you need to wear?

2.   Your Goals – Where are you headed? Do you have a 12 month or 5-year plan? What do you envision yourself wearing? What would you like to change about your wardrobe? Have a plan of action.

3.   Your Body shape – You are planning a wardrobe for the present and not just the future. What is your body shape now? Find out what pieces you need to add to your wardrobe which will suit your figure type and look and feel good on you. Do these pieces suit your lifestyle?

4.   Your Personal Colours – What colours are best suited to you? What are the best colours for different occasions or events? Colours can help set the stage for a business meeting, an interview, an event or important date.

5.   Your personal Budget – What can you afford? What can you buy now and then continue to build upon in the future. What should you invest in for maximum benefit in your wardrobe?

TAKING STOCK OF YOUR CURRENT WARDROBE

Take a good look at your current wardrobe and assess the following -

Is it colourful or neutral? Does it have a lot of patterns or plains?

Do you have a lot of pants, blouses or skirts or dresses and do you wear them?

What do you like in your wardrobe and wear often and ask why?

What don’t you wear often and ask yourself why?

Do you see a need for certain clothing? – for example you have a lot of skirts but no blouses to wear with them.

LOOK FOR INSPIRATION

Choose words which describe the way you like to dress and write them down. These are words which are all about how you want to look and feel. If it is for work you may write words like Professional, Creative, Honest or Reliable. If it is for a special occasion, you may write Feminine, Stylish, Dramatic or Elegant. If it is for everyday wear you may write Casual, Relaxed, Comfortable or Sporty. From there create you own storyboard using these words and pictures which relate to what you want. Put anything else in your storyboard which inspires you. This forms a foundation for your personal style.

COMPARE AND COLLATE

Go to your existing wardrobe and compare what your mood board has and what you have in your wardrobe which matches this aesthetic. Do you have some consistent items which match what you want. Look for Colours, Patterns, Fabrics, Styles and outfit formulas you can work with. This forms the basis of your wardrobe, and you can build upon it.

CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR PALETTE

Work out which colours you want to work with for your core wardrobe pieces and which colours/prints can be used as basics or accents to go into your wardrobe. Choose 3-5 Neutral colours for Core pieces, 2-4 Colours for Basics to go back which the core pieces and 3-5 accent colours. Only around 10% of your wardrobe will be accent colours. They will often be too strong to use all the time.

CHOOSE YOUR PIECES

What you love to wear which suits your aesthetic is the starting point of your new wardrobe. Build upon these items. Firstly, create a shopping list of what you need to add to these items to fulfil your new wardrobe. Add specific items you have identified that you need. For example, a Navy Blazer and a Taupe pair of wide leg pants. Once you have the basics to mix and match you can add colours, prints and styles to co-ordinate with these. Make sure you re-evaluate your lifestyle to make sure you have enough clothing that works best for you.

Consider the following –

Around 8-10 tops are enough to get you started. A classic white or off-white blouse is a must. A few neutral tops which can be mixed and matched and some printed tops to add interest.

Around 4-6 Bottoms can be mixed and matched. This should include at least one pair of well-fitting pair of jeans, 2 pair of well-fitting pants or skirts which can be worn as a suit, Casual pants x 2 or casual skirts x 2

If you love dresses then 3-4 dresses that you can dress up of down.

A classic black or Navy or Taupe Blazer – This can be paired with denim or lower separates to look corporate (like a suit) or casual. Whatever blazer you get should match back with a similar pant or skirt (Navy blazer/navy skirt).

Footwear – neutral flats (black/navy/taupe), a pair of good black heels, a good pair of sneakers, a good neutral sandal (this could even be a metallic),

Knitwear such as a cardigan to mix and match with your tops.

40% tops, 30% bottoms,10% one pieces (unless you love dresses then add more) 20% layers.

If you find this overwhelming or simply do not have the time to tackle your wardrobe and you feel like you need some professional help, I am here to advise and organise for you.

Style By Suzie