What is a wardrobe capsule?

If, like most of us, you spend too much time in front of your dressing room in the morning, wondering what you’ll be able to wear, it’s time to take an interest in the capsule wardrobe ! Thanks to capsule dressing room, we save time, money and style. Explanations.

The wardrobe capsule: definition

The capsule wardrobe, or capsule wardrobe in its French version, is a dressing room that is built as a whole and not piece by piece, as we are used to doing.

The wardrobe capsule should only contain clothes that fit you well, that you like to wear and that match your style.

The idea is to reduce the quantity purchased in favor of quality, and to always think about the outfits you will be able to create before buying a piece. Basically, we try not to crack on importable pieces – hello the one-shoulder top with ruffles and sequins. The main interest is you create a coherent wardrobewhich goes straight to the point and which suits you.

The capsule wardrobe is therefore made up of timeless pieces that you love, to which you add a few pieces chosen according to the seasons and trends.

We can say of a capsule wardrobe that it is minimalist in the sense that it contains only essentials, but that does not mean that your clothing style must be minimalist. You can absolutely have a bohemian, comfy, normcore or even trendy style while having a capsule wardrobe.

The concept was invented by Susie Faux in the 70s, later taken up by Donna Karan who launched her own capsule wardrobe in 1985 (the ” 7 Easy Pieces Collection “), and popularized recently by many bloggers and influencers.

Why is that cool?

There is a lot of good reasons to get into the capsule wardrobehere are the best ones.

To save time

Clearly, the main attraction of the capsule wardrobe is that you save a lot of time every morning. You will no longer spend 15 minutes panicking because you have “nothing to wear”: you only have outfits that work, that look good on you, and that you like. No more disappointment of having imagined an outfit that does not fit at all in reality.

To save money in the long run

Having a capsule wardrobe forces you to think before shopping, and thus greatly reduce compulsive purchases. In fact, we no longer spend money on things we don’t need (typically a third pair of black jeans) or won’t wear. Result, more money to spend elsewhere and it is always appreciable.

To respect our planet

It’s no longer a secret that the clothing industry is one of the most polluting on the planet, not to mention the mediocre working conditions of most workers. To opt for a wardrobe capsule therefore allows for more responsible consumption ethically and environmentally, which is very cool. By buying less, you can buy betterand therefore select parts made in conditions that respect the planet and humans, it would be a shame to deprive yourself of it.

Answers to the big questions about the capsule wardrobe

Find here the answers to the questions that we often ask ourselves when we discover the capsule wardrobe concept.

How many rooms are you entitled to?

For Susie Faux, at the origin of the concept let’s remember, the capsule wardrobe should contain only two pants, a skirt or a dress, a sweater, a coat, two pairs of shoes and two bags, that is to say 9 pieces in all and for all. According to Donna Karan, only 7 is enough for stylish working girls. Today, the queens of the wardrobe capsule agree on around thirty pieces. Caroline Joy, from the blog Unfancy, recommends a total of 37 pieces: 9 pairs of shoes, 15 tops, 9 bottoms, two dresses and two jackets. For once, it would be almost too much.

In reality, there is no numerus clausus : just set a reasonable limit.

Are we counting her work clothes?

On this point, it all depends on your work outfit. If you have to wear a specific uniform or outfit to do your job, then don’t count it in your dressing room. On the other hand, if you can dress freely for work, then all your pieces count. We do not count, on the other hand, his underwear, his jerseys, his pajamas and sportswear.

How often do you go shopping?

Officially, we only go shopping during season changes and therefore capsule wardrobes. The idea is to buy nothing for three months, then invest in one or two pieces suitable for the coming season. In practice, you keep the basics that work in all weathers (jeans, t-shirts, shirts, etc.) and you replace the pieces from last season. At the end of winter, you swap your XXL sweater for a pastel blouse, for example.

We explain to you how to create your capsule wardrobe in another article, stay with us!