Style Fashion Guides
The Perfect Capsule Wardrobe
Do you waste time every morning wondering what to wear? Is your wardrobe a minefield? It's time to be brave, stop procrastinating and get rid of the clutter. A few hours spent sifting through your fashion mistakes will save you hours in the long run. And with a little help from the experts, that daily 'I don't know what to wear' routine could be relegated to the past. It's time for a capsule wardrobe.
In the beginning...
Perhaps the first question that needs asking is: 'What is a capsule wardrobe?'
Susie Faux invented both the phrase and the concept back in the 70s. The owner of the London shop Wardrobe, she's a great believer that women require less quantity, more quality. "A woman only needs two pairs of trousers", she says, "but they have to fit perfectly, and you won't get a well-fitting pair of trousers for less than a £100".
As well as trousers, Susie would add a dress or a skirt for more formal occasions, a well-fitting jacket, a coat, and a casual knitted jacket (or smart cardie). And, she says, you need just two pairs of shoes - one pair of flats and one with a little heel. Finally, two bags - a small formal one and a larger bag for every day.
Capsule versus Fashion
Can it really be that simple? Doesn't a wardrobe that's so pared down risk becoming rather dull? Tessa Hood runs a company called Changing Gear which provides advice on capsule wardrobes as part of a wider 'personal branding' service.
She feels it's important to understand that the essence of a capsule wardrobe is that it is not entirely based on fashion. "A capsule wardrobe should continue year on year", she says. "Start with good basics like trousers or skirts that are classic and fit really well, and then if you like, you can add little tops from places like Zara that are a bit more fashionable".
Like Susie Faux, she believes that it's worth paying more money for good quality trousers or a jacket. "You have to think of the cost per wear - that is the cost of the article of clothing divided by the number of times you wear it. Let's say you have a beautiful cashmere sweater that costs £500. That's a lot of money, but if you wear it 500 times over a period of 5 years, then it's only £1 each time and that's good value."
Perhaps the first question that needs asking is: 'What is a capsule wardrobe?'
Susie Faux invented both the phrase and the concept back in the 70s. The owner of the London shop Wardrobe, she's a great believer that women require less quantity, more quality. "A woman only needs two pairs of trousers", she says, "but they have to fit perfectly, and you won't get a well-fitting pair of trousers for less than a £100".
As well as trousers, Susie would add a dress or a skirt for more formal occasions, a well-fitting jacket, a coat, and a casual knitted jacket (or smart cardie). And, she says, you need just two pairs of shoes - one pair of flats and one with a little heel. Finally, two bags - a small formal one and a larger bag for every day.
Capsule versus Fashion
Can it really be that simple? Doesn't a wardrobe that's so pared down risk becoming rather dull? Tessa Hood runs a company called Changing Gear which provides advice on capsule wardrobes as part of a wider 'personal branding' service.
She feels it's important to understand that the essence of a capsule wardrobe is that it is not entirely based on fashion. "A capsule wardrobe should continue year on year", she says. "Start with good basics like trousers or skirts that are classic and fit really well, and then if you like, you can add little tops from places like Zara that are a bit more fashionable".
Like Susie Faux, she believes that it's worth paying more money for good quality trousers or a jacket. "You have to think of the cost per wear - that is the cost of the article of clothing divided by the number of times you wear it. Let's say you have a beautiful cashmere sweater that costs £500. That's a lot of money, but if you wear it 500 times over a period of 5 years, then it's only £1 each time and that's good value."
