Step-by-step compilation of a capsule wardrobe and capsules using examples

About the capsule wardrobe and its purpose

We have already told in Dress magazine what a capsule wardrobe is and why you need it, but if you missed our publication, we remind you:

• A capsule is a set of interchangeable things that are combined with each other, which are designed for a certain situation - the time of year, the sphere of life, the event;
• Capsule wardrobe - a set of different capsules.

The task of the capsule wardrobe is to save time and money. Once you have thought through and collected one or more capsules, you will forever forget about "nothing to wear" and "nothing goes with anything".

In addition to the obvious saving of financial and time resources, wardrobe capsules help to rid the closet of an overabundance of things. Having a well-composed capsule, you do not have to declutter the wardrobe, because there are simply no extra clothes there.

Look at the recommendations from the editors of DRESS about updating the wardrobe and how not to buy extra things ➜

But before reviewing the wardrobe, carefully study the disadvantages of a capsule wardrobe:

• Monotony. The classic capsule includes no more than 4-5 colors, 2 of which are basic, often monochrome. Of course, you can make a capsule of 10 colors, but the compatibility of things in this case will be at risk;
• Limitation. If one of the items of clothing fails - tears, fades or wears out, it urgently needs to be replaced with a similar or similar one. Just 1 thing can destroy the entire capsule;
• Tangible investment. Stylists insist that you need to collect things for the capsule as soon as possible, so at the initial stage you will have to invest a fairly large amount.

But, in any case, a capsule wardrobe is a great solution for girls and women who do not want to spend time making bows.

5 rules for making a capsule wardrobe

1. Compatibility. Without exception, all things should be combined with each other. The ideal capsule is when you take a random top and bottom and get a concise and stylish outfit;
2. Optimal size. When assembling a capsule, consider how much time the sphere of life for which the set of things is intended takes. There is no need to make a capsule for winter from 20 things, if you live in a climate with year-round summers and single days of coolness or make a capsule in the office for 30 sets when you work from home and appear in the office 1-2 times a month. The number of things in the capsule should correlate with the time spent on the sphere - the more time it takes, the larger the set and vice versa;
3. Experiments. Situational and seasonal capsules, unlike the basic wardrobe, allow and even welcome fashionable and accent things. Combine the base with a simple cut, and fashionable, bright clothing items and accessories. If you do not add brightness and individuality, the capsule will be boring;
4. Migration. One thing can be part of multiple capsules. For example, a basic white shirt is perfect for a capsule in business style, casual and academic;
5. Distribution of top and bottom. The top, that is, sweaters, shirts and tops in the capsule should be larger than the bottom. This is a psychological aspect associated with the fact that the upper part of the body is remembered by others better than the lower, which means that you need to change things there more often;
6. Diversity. Choose things from different categories to get more bows. It makes no sense to buy 3 trousers and 7 shirts - it is better to combine trousers, jeans, a skirt, and on top of different types of shirts, tops and jackets.

Stages of compiling a wardrobe capsule

It is possible to assemble a capsule wardrobe yourself, but it is important to consistently go through all the stages - from the idea to its implementation. We have collected a step-by-step plan on how to create a capsule wardrobe for a woman, and then we analyzed in detail each stage.

Capsule Wardrobe Plan:

1. Identification of the dominant spheres of life;
2. Determination of the style of clothing and the future capsule;
3. Definition and analysis of the shape type;
4. Determination of the color scheme;
5. Preparation of the capsule;
6. Making a list of things;
7. Buying things for the capsule.

Each of the points has its own subtleties and nuances, so we advise you to study all the subsequent information if you want to learn how to make capsules yourself.

Step 1: Spheres of Life

First of all, it is important to determine which cases, events or activities take away most of your time. It depends on what things in the wardrobe should prevail. If you are a mother on maternity leave, you do not need a business capsule, and a businesswoman does not need to make an extensive pleasure capsule.

It is convenient to distribute the spheres of life using a diagram. Draw or create a circle in Word and divide it into sectors – each sphere of life has its own sector. The size of the sector is determined by the amount of time spent on the sphere. If you are, say, a businesswoman, then most of the circle will be taken over by work, and your mother's family and home will dominate the maternity leave.

In the diagram above, most of the work and family and home take over, which means that a girl with such a scheme needs to make at least two capsules - one for going to the office, the other - for home and spending time with family.

For the smallest sectors, the capsule can not be made - some things from the office and home capsule can be used for trips, and for sports just get a couple of tracksuits.

Step 2: Style and Character

Decide in what style the capsule will be composed. Capsule wardrobe style casual and boho will be strikingly different, so it is important to find out which outfits you like best.

In addition to a specific style, try to determine the general direction, the nature of the capsule. The capsule wardrobe and the capsules included in it can be:

• Classic. In this case, the outfits have a simple cut, perfect fit, sophistication and elegance;
• Sports. Here the basis is the sport style, and things are comfortable and convenient;
• Natural or ecological. The wardrobe consists of natural fabrics;
• Naive – easy, with a hint of childish;
• Romantic - light, feminine, refined, gentle;
• Dramatic - shocking, extravagant, bright.

Usually, women choose the nature of the wardrobe based on internal sensations. Look at the examples below and visually determine which option is closer to you, what you like more. As a rule, such a simple visual test reflects the type of personality - naive, slightly infantile girls choose an outfit with a hint of childhood, business sharks immediately look at the classics, and bright and creative ladies will give preference to drama without hesitation.

Step 3: Shape

Determining the type of figure is the process of correlating its parameters with the main classification of body types. This step allows you to highlight the weaknesses and strengths and decide which things, from what fabrics and what style are better suited for your capsule.

There are 5 main types of shapes:

1. Hourglass – shoulders and hips about the same width, narrow, well-defined waist;
2. The apple is the widest place - the stomach. Usually expressive breasts and thin, short legs;
3. Pear - narrow shoulders, wide hips, waist almost does not stand out;
4. Rectangle - shoulders, hips and waist have approximately equal measurements;
5. Inverted triangle - narrow hips , broad shoulders, waist is either absent or slightly highlighted.

To do this, it is important for each type of figure to adhere to its recommendations:

• The capsule for the apple figure type is aimed at visually lengthening the silhouette and balancing the top and bottom. It is impossible to focus on the waist - this will only increase the imbalance;
• A capsule wardrobe for a pear figure should emphasize the waist, draw attention to the neckline and emphasize the beauty of natural forms;
• Capsule for a rectangular type of figure is an increase in volume in the shoulders and hips, which allows you to visually form a waist;
• The capsule wardrobe of the inverted triangle should take into account the lack of volume in the hip area.

As for the hourglass - there are no tasks to balance the proportions, so you can wear almost anything that emphasizes an already attractive figure.

Step 4: Color Gamut

Determining the color scheme is one of the main rules for compiling a wardrobe capsule. If at the stage of preparation you do not determine the palette, then you can not go to the store - you will buy a bunch of incongruous things.

The color palette is built either on the basis of ready-made schemes, or at random, but be careful - experiments with color in the absence of taste can end badly for the capsule.

It is recommended to include in the capsule:

• 1-2 base colors. The basic colors include monochromes - white, black, gray, as well as neutral colors - dark blue, brown, pastel. The base color is universal, that is, it is combined with any saturated color;
• 1-2 main ones. The main color is the one that prevails in the wardrobe;
• 2-3 additional - accent colors that are used in accessories, prints, shoes.

You can choose the basic colors to your liking, but with the main and additional ones, it is better to be more serious and use the color wheel - there are sites on the Internet that themselves select combinations after determining the main color.

According to the color wheel, choose one of the schemes:

• Monochrome - 1 color and shades close to it;
• Complementary scheme - 2 colors standing opposite each other;
• Split complementary scheme - the color standing opposite is replaced by its neighboring shades;
• Triad – colors standing in the color wheel at the corners of the triangle.

Of course, you can use another number of colors - combine only basic shades, add 3 main and 1 accent or even build the entire capsule on monochrome. The main thing you need to know when determining the color scheme:

The more colors, the more difficult it is to pick up and combine things.

Now about what shades of capsule wardrobe for the color type spring, summer, winter or autumn. The first thing that is important to understand is that color typing and determining successful shades is subjective. Few people around you will really analyze whether a turquoise jumper suits you, and how it relates to the skin or hair of a girl – most will simply determine whether he likes the color, without relying on your appearance.

Our advice is to consider color types, but not to focus all your attention on them. It is better to analyze the reflection in the mirror than to blindly follow successful and unsuccessful colors. Below we will leave a scheme for color types and averaged shades.

Step 5: Composing the capsule

After theoretical training, it's time to start making a capsule, but first – another small step towards the perfect wardrobe – make a list of things that you do not like in cut, style or fit.

Example:

• Pencil skirts;
• Fitted jackets;
• Things with flowers and embroideries;
• Sequins;
• Pants-clash.

The list is needed so that only those things that you like and give confidence and comfort get into the wardrobe.

The second organizational question is where to create your capsule wardrobe? There are several options where you can pick up and combine things:

• Make a capsule wardrobe online from a computer or laptop - use designers or graphic services, for example, Canva - insert photos of things from online stores and play with combinations;
• From a mobile phone - for this in the Play Market and App Store there are special applications for creating a capsule wardrobe - Smart Closet, Outfit Mind, Combyne and others. In apps, you can browse store catalogs and add things you like.

You can resort to capsule services - these are companies that, after an online survey about the figure, preferences and budget, make up a capsule and send you a ready-made parcel with things. Payment for such a function consists of a budget for the purchase of things and the cost of the services of the company's stylists.

And now - the scheme of the capsule wardrobe, or more precisely - the order of adding things to the capsule.

Any capsule, whether it is a capsule wardrobe in the office or a set of things for the short, is always built on the basis of one basic thing. The base can be a dress, trousers, skirt, suit, so the first stage: determine the basic thing of the capsule.

You can start from the situationality of the wardrobe or personal preferences:

• For a business capsule, the main one may be a pantsuit;
• For a mother on maternity leave - jeans;
• Capsule for the summer season – light dress;
• For the secular capsule - an evening dress.

We make a business capsule, so we take a suit as a basis.

Now add additional basic things - shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks, T-shirts, tops. It is better if this is simple, unprinted items of clothing that are easily combined with each other and with the base. We added a white shirt, a black turtleneck and a cropped top.

Now we select shoes - you can choose 1-2 pairs that will look most harmonious with the base and additional things. We chose boats.

After the backbone of the wardrobe is assembled, we expand the base, that is, we increase the number of basic things that can replace the costume or its parts. Add a pencil skirt, shorts made of costume fabric and cropped pants.

If necessary, now you can add more things - a few new options for the top, already more complex than at the beginning or a couple of other shoes. We will add a dress and ankle boots.

When all the things are collected, it's time for accessories – jewelry, hats and handbags.

In the end, we used 8 items of clothing, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 bags and several jewelry. After you collect all the things and small details - be sure to "try on" all the things with each other to understand how wearable the bows will be.

Common questions about formulating a capsule:

• How many things should be in the capsule? No one restricts you, but usually it's 8-12 pieces of clothing without taking into account shoes and accessories;
• How are basic, basic and accent things distributed? The base takes on 50-60% of all things, the addition of the base to give individuality 30%, accent things - 10-20%. That is, if you have a capsule of 10 things, 5 of them will be basic, 3 - additional and 1-2 accent;
• What should definitely be in the capsule wardrobe? It depends on the purpose of the capsules. For an office capsule without a pantsuit or skirt suit and a shirt or blouse, everyday is unthinkable without jeans, and vacation without a swimsuit and light pants. First, we determine the goal and only then the backbone of things.

Step 6: Make a list

We highly recommend collecting a capsule wardrobe at random. A list of things, compiled in advance, will help to refrain from unnecessary purchases and get a really working capsule at the output.

Make a list based on the things you used in the visualization of the capsule. If these were random pictures from the search, before you go to the store, analyze the catalogs of online boutiques and choose the most suitable things for the set you have compiled.

For each item, specify:

• Shop;
• Color;
• Size – Sometimes it is useful to first take measurements of the figure.

And also - check the existing wardrobe. Maybe you have some of the right things in your closet – a basic shirt, a T-shirt, jeans. This will help to save money.

Another example of compiling a capsule wardrobe is on the example of two capsules for the spring.

Step 7: Buying Things

After making a list, go shopping, armed with 3 principles of proper shopping:

1. Mandatory fitting. No matter how convenient online stores are, when compiling a capsule, it is better to measure clothes. Things can be small or not suitable in style - at the stage of preparation this can not be predicted and only a fitting will help here;
2. Purchases only on the list. No matter how much you like a blouse on the action, if it is not in the list of things for the capsule - do not buy, otherwise the whole essence of the capsule wardrobe will go downhill;
3. Refusal to save. Do not try to save on buying things for the capsule, because it will most likely not last 1-2 seasons, which means that things should be of high quality, made of good materials and with perfect seams and accessories.

As you can see, any girl can make a minimal capsule wardrobe - the main thing is to follow the advice and not rush. And in subsequent publications about the capsule wardrobe, we will give examples of ready-made capsules - look and be inspired.

See other DRESS magazine publications in the Wardrobe ➜

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