The Essential Capsule Wardrobe

Written by Abby Wood

After a long year of staying home, many of us have started to experience COVID fatigue. Have you heard of it? We are tired, stressed and trying to navigate a new normal. With the added stress of this past year, I have noticed a bit of a shift in my clients’ wardrobe needs. Some of them have even decided to shift to more of a capsule wardrobe.

What’s a capsule wardrobe? It’s a group of clothing that mixes and matches together to help alleviate decision fatigue in the wardrobe department. If you want to look at a few examples, check out Pinterest for a million and two ways to do a capsule wardrobe.

But, if you have COVID fatigue, you might be having wardrobe fatigue too. And if you are, then a capsule wardrobe might be perfect for you. This is the perfect way to make getting dressed simple and streamlined. Now, for a few of my rules for building the perfect capsule.

Pick a simple color palette with neutrals playing a strong role. With a color palette, you will easily be able to mix and match these pieces without having to think about it too much.

Think about the cost per wear, or CPW, of each piece. You might spend more on one item, but if you plan to wear it more often, the CPW is automatically less. It’s more money up front, but in reality, you are spending more on one piece instead of the same amount on multiple pieces.

Choose quality over quantity. Just like most things in life, you will get what you pay for. If you are adjusting your wardrobe to a capsule, that means fewer pieces. This also means you will be wearing and washing them more often. Make sure to purchase wisely based on your expectations of how long you want them to last.

Focus on fit. With fewer pieces, you should add only the best of the best fits. Be thoughtful in your purchases. A capsule wardrobe means you are wearing a select group of items that mix and match together. You are entering a long-term relationship. Make sure you really love them before making a commitment.

Don’t let the idea of a capsule wardrobe limit your style. You can still wear what you love, you just have to be more selective about it, and make sure it works with your color palette.

AWW Spring 2021 Capsule Wardrobe Essentials

• Basic tees
• Sleeveless top
• White blouse
• Great blue jeans
• Black jeans
• Denim jacket
• Leather jacket
• Blazer
• White sneaker
• Neutral sandal

Abby Wood is a wardrobe stylist and style blogger in Kansas City, and her education in design plus retail experience make her an expert in fit, fabric, style and trends. Her professional experience in fashion began with an apprenticeship with a bridal designer, shifted to creating and showing her own line, moving up to management and training at a retail level and now professional styling as an independent consultant. Abby loves to help individuals develop and evolve their own sense of style.
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