Understanding the foundations of capsule wardrobes – Q&A style!

We’ve covered how realistic it is to expect your capsule wardrobe to last a lifetime, and reasons to utilize a capsule wardrobe. Today we’re covering the foundations of capsule wardrobes – Q&A style!

This post was originally sent (with a discount) to my email list to help welcome Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe into the world. If you’d like to get first looks at most blog posts, products, and services, sign up here.

​Shall we dive in? 

The foundations of capsule wardrobes

1. What exactly is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a method of constructing a small cohesive collection of clothes that maximize the number of outfits while minimizing the number of individual items.

It does this by using a simple math problem as it’s foundation: # of tops multiplied by # of bottoms multiplied by # of shoes = # of outfits

From there we can add in outer layers and one-pieces and other options. But that simple math problem is the seed from which sprouts the entire capsule wardrobe concept.

2. How is it different from a regular wardrobe?

Great question! I hear a lot of confusion around this – which is what inspired this “foundations of capsule wardrobes” post.

The primary difference between a capsule and a regular mix and match wardrobe or a small curated collection of clothes is the number of outfits each individual piece works within.

The key distinction is the optimization – aiming to get the number of outfits as high as possible.

In a “perfect” capsule wardrobe, every single piece of clothing creates an outfit with every single other piece of clothing. That means you can create an extraordinary number of outfits from a fairly limited number of clothes.

In Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe​ I build an example capsule right alongside you, and ended up with 200 outfits from 17 pieces of clothing, and it was not a “perfect” capsule. It is highly optimized, but it’s still not “perfect,” so the number of outfits could have been higher.

(If you’re curious, the primary inefficiencies are: 1. not every single top works with every single dress. 2. I paired each dress with each outer layer and most tops, but I did not explore the dress + top + outer layer options.)

3. How many items of clothing are typically included in a capsule wardrobe?

How many items you include in your capsule wardrobe depends on how optimized it is and what its intended use is.

A highly optimized “perfect” capsule intended for a week-long casual vacation needs fewer items than a seasonal capsule wardrobe for your everyday life. Which, in turn, needs fewer items than a moderately optimized capsule for your whole year.

In general:

Small: 8-9 items is a small capsule wardrobe that still gets you a significant number of outfits

Medium: 15-20 pieces is a good medium sized capsule wardrobe. This is what I walk you through in Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe​.

Large: 25-30 items is getting to be a very large capsule wardrobe.

Once you start getting larger than 30 items, you want to check in and make sure the optimization that is required to make a true capsule wardrobe is worth the effort.

If it is, go for it and good luck! (Send me details, I would love to hear!) (I also offer done-for-you capsule wardrobe building, if you want help with your endeavor – schedule a call.)

If not, that’s ok! Consider a small curated closet or a regular mix and match wardrobe instead.

4. What kind of items are usually included in a capsule wardrobe?

Prioritize versatile tops, bottoms, and shoes. They don’t need to be basic but they do need to be versatile.

(If you’re making a true capsule and using it as your primary closet, it also helps if the pieces can go a long time between washes.)

5. How do you decide what to include in a capsule wardrobe?

This is the art of building a capsule wardrobe. In the guide I walk you step by step through when to add a top, when to add a bottom, shoes, outer layers, etc.

But which tops, bottoms, shoes, outer layers, etc. is up to you! Express yourself and have fun!

(The process I walk you through in my capsule guide is also fast, so if you don’t like what you included, call it a rehearsal and you should have enough time to make a new one.)

6. How often do you change or update a capsule wardrobe?

This is a great question and mostly comes down to personal preference. I would say the primary driver of how often you change or update a capsule wardrobe is: what was your intended use for your capsule in the first place?

If your primary reason is vacation – change it each vacation (or don’t and just treat it like a to-go bag!).

If your primary reason is to test a new style – give your test a timeframe and revisit after that.

And if your primary reason is to make your mornings simpler – review each quarter or six months to avoid a style rut and stay up to date with the weather, but otherwise let it ride.

Many people love building a new capsule every month or every season because they love the process of changing things up, and a capsule easily facilitates that.

If you want to build a new capsule every few months you can.

But if you don’t want to build a new capsule every few months you don’t have to.

(Now that I write that, taking an hour each Sunday to build an 8-9 piece capsule wardrobe would be a really powerful style move.)

7. Can you still express your personal style with a capsule wardrobe?

Yes. Choose your what to express your who.

When you understand the foundations of a capsule wardrobe, and have a process, a lot of the capsule style “rules” that constrict self expression can be thrown out, and you can just use common sense instead.

Some of those rules include:

• “A capsule wardrobe must be neutral colors.” (No it doesn’t.)
• “Stay away from prints.” (If your style is best expressed through prints, do prints. If your style is best expressed through solids, do that.)
• “Your capsule wardrobe must include this must-have item.” (No need. You should probably include clothes that will create outfits, but no must-haves.)
• “Stick to versatile basics.” (You definitely want versatility, but they don’t need to be basic.)
• “Rotate with the seasons.” (Change, rotate, revamp, refresh, or remake your capsule when you’d like. Seasonally? Sure. Monthly? Sure. Yearly? Sure. Changing one piece when you feel like it? Sure. You probably don’t want to wear shorts in a snowstorm, but follow your heart.)

​There we have it – the foundations of capsule wardrobes Q&A style!

I hope this helps answer some of your questions about capsule wardrobes. They are an incredibly powerful personal style tool that I hope you add to your style toolbox sooner rather than later.

This post was originally sent (with a discount) to my email list to help welcome Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe into the world. If you’d like to get first looks at most blog posts, products, and services, sign up here.