How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe That Will Last a Lifetime

Post author:CW Blog
Post published:December 31, 2021
Post category:TB

December 31, 2021 at 06:05AM

Not so long ago, the fashion world was buzzing about the concept of a capsule wardrobe—the kind of compact closet that only held the minimum number of pieces that matched each other with great ease and that allowed for much time saved in the mornings. Perhaps because the economic downturn hit at the same time that a furious decade of fast fashion was taking a toll on our closets, the capsule wardrobe appeared to be the solution to everyone’s fashion woes.

Around that time in 2014, Caroline Rector, a Texan and fashion lover who’d had enough of the chaos, began to whittle down her closet to a mere 37 pieces, documenting the process on her brilliant website, Unfancy. And everyone paid attention to her method.

Now that a few years have passed, we decided it was finally time to catch up with the capsule-wardrobe guru for a refresher course. Times change, trends move on, and so do tidy solutions. And it turns out we might have taken the capsule-wardrobe approach too literally.

“Before I started my capsule, I noticed that I had a bad habit of going shopping when I needed to jolt myself out of a bad mood. Hard day at work? Shopping. Not feeling very pretty today? Shopping. Frustrated with my family? Shopping!" explains Rector, who has since curbed her emotional spending habits by creating enforced shopping "fasts” and focusing her attention on seeking out top-quality, long-lasting pieces. Through this method, she’s really found her style. “I’m much better at dressing for the life I have rather than a fantasy life,” she says. “My closet matches my lifestyle now.” It’s more about mindfulness than it is about sticking to majorly strict rules that you feel guilty about breaking.

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Does that sound like a stylish set-up you’d like for yourself? We thought so. Read on to get Rector’s top capsule wardrobe–building tips.

“I think mine is now somewhere around 50 pieces, but I actually don’t keep a numerical count anymore. Instead, I go with what feels right. That’s one of the biggest changes I’ve made to my capsule. After a year of living with a strict 37-piece wardrobe, I felt that it was time to let my ‘capsule diet’ melt into my real life. I let go of some of the structure, like going on strict shopping fasts and limiting my closet to a specific number of pieces. But I carry the heart of it with me—smaller closet, intentional purchases, less shopping and more joy.”

“Keep a playful, open attitude, and treat it like a game. You’ll encounter a few frustrations along the way, but a capsule isn’t about suffering. It’s about trying something new and learning more about yourself.”

“At first, limiting your wardrobe to a specific number might help you. But after a while, it might not serve you anymore. Give yourself the freedom to evolve over time as you learn.”

“Instead of buying new clothes right away, give yourself some breathing room, and live with your wardrobe as it is for a week, a month or however long you like. Just see what it feels like to live with less clothing.”

“Let it be imperfect. I’ve been at this for years now, and my wardrobe still isn’t perfect. I’ve realised it never will be, and embracing that truth has helped me find peace—in my wardrobe and in my life.”

“Want to test a capsule without really committing? Try a 10-day remix challenge. Pick 10 pieces out of your closet, and wear only those pieces for the next 10 days. See how it goes!”

“I work from home, so I spend 70% to 80% of my time at home. But something in me decides that’s not cool enough, so sometimes, I trick myself into thinking that I spend 40% of my time at home. Since I’m not being honest with myself, I end up with fantasy-life clothes instead of real-life clothes.”

Ready to get your capsule collection together? Go through the gallery below to see the kind of classic pieces that will hold anyone’s closet together, and read more of Rector’s wise wardrobe advice on her site.