Capsule Wardrobe Definition: What’s a Capsule Wardrobe & 5 Reasons You Should Care

Capsule Wardrobe Definition: What’s a Capsule Wardrobe?

(and more importantly – why you should care!)

You’ve probably heard the term capsule wardrobe thrown around before since it’s become a bit of a buzz term. But if you’re confused about what the definition for capsule wardrobe is, you’re not alone, so let’s clear this up once and for all.

It was back in the 1970s that Susie Faux (the owner of a London-based boutique called Wardrobe) first came up with the term “capsule wardrobe”. She used it to describe a small number of staple items that you can wear for across multiple seasons. The aim was to streamline your closet, only including high-quality pieces that could easily be mixed and matched, so ideally in coordinating colours.

Today, the definition of capsule wardrobe is essentially the same, but it’s now common to see capsule wardrobes made up of 33-37 pieces meaning you can create a higher number of outfit combinations.

Don’t make me limit my options, dammit!

To some, having to limit your choices to a fraction of the total items in your closet seems like torture. Tbh, I used to feel the same way. But that was until I realised that I was actually only WEARING a tiny fraction of what I owned, and not wearing it particularly well.

In fact, most of us are in the same boat (read about that in my Capsule Wardrobe Essentials post!)

So with that realisation, I opened up my mind and realised the following.

A Capsule Wardrobe…

…makes getting dressed SO much easier — less time & energy!

If you were to add up all the time you spend standing in front of your wardrobe wondering what to wear (or trying multiple outfits on, throwing them on the bed and eventually settling on your everyday go-to) you’d probably feel a little ill. I for one reckon I could have written my first book with the time I wasted just over the last 5 years.

A capsule wardrobe gives you less to choose from but more clear outfit choices that are “pre-approved” and guaranteed to look great mixed and matched. You can save yours to The ‘drobe App and spend 30 seconds picking your favourite each day rather than up to 30 minutes of staring at your over-stuffed closet.

…forces you to get creative with your style

Because the number of pieces you can choose from are limited, you actually need to try and create multiple outfits with each one rather than wearing the same top and skirt every single time. You’ll also start looking for ways to shake it up with accessories, bags, shoes and even fun tee tucks and sleeve rolls.

…saves you a ton of money over time

If you were excited about shopping your own closet each day, wouldn’t you probably ease off the online shopping since you no longer resented your wardrobe? Most of us tend to shop when we’re feeling bored, uninspired or like we “have nothing to wear” which is usually what happens when we have TOO many options and can’t even see them all because they’re squished at the back of our closets.

…helps you develop a killer signature style

When you dress more consistently thanks to carefully chosen pieces that mix and match, you’ll start to notice themes in what you wear. Narrowing down to the outfit formulas you love most and then elevating them with accessories is the key to developing a signature style. You know, when your personality starts being reflected accurately in your clothing and people start to say things like “Oh, I saw this top the other day that was SO you!” Trust me, it feels good when that happens.

…helps put an end to fast fashion

This should be a no-brainer, but if we can start wearing more of what we own and shopping less, we stop contributing to a terrifying problem. Less landfill, less using precious resources, no more supporting companies that put their employees lives at risk.

Not bad, huh?

Even if you’re not the kind of person to use a capsule wardrobe all year round, I highly recommend trying it out at least once. The worst that can happen is you learn more about your own style habits… the best thing is that you reignite a love of your wardrobe again and start feeling amazing in what you wear. ??‍♀️

If you want some tips on how to create a capsule wardrobe, check out our article on capsule wardrobe essentials – it’ll help!