My Capsule Wardrobe - Key Items

Over the past couple of years, I have very slowly but surely been crating my dream capsule wardrobe. Anybody that knows me will admit that I am a fashion lover through and through and my closet is something that is incredibly important to me. I feel like in my younger teenage years I was all for fast fashion and buying everything that was on trend at that moment, I am now at a stage in my life where I want to go for quality over quantity and I really think hard about items before I go ahead and integrate it into my closet. I wish that I had adopted this way of thinking sooner because I dread to think about the carbon footprint that I have left behind from my days of fast fashion, but now I am all for minimalism and my capsule wardrobe.

 

For those of you guys that may not know, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of items clothing items which are carefully selected as they can be worn in a multitude of ways. Such as you may be able to wear a pair of trousers in a multitude of ways and paired with various other items from your capsule wardrobe in order to create a whole variety of looks, while keeping a minimal number of items in your collection. I think that at this stage I have around 50 carefully cultivated pieces in my closet and all of them can be worn in so many different ways and even though I know that it may sound excessive for some, but for me that is a very simple closet that I can honestly do so much with. So, I thought that I would sit down and share with you some of the items that I am loving and that are key items!

 

Good Quality Knitwear

As a very cold-blooded person, good quality knitwear is an absolutely must for me. I think that there is something so amazing about pairing a quality cashmere item with a crisply ironed pair of trousers. Even on more relaxed days I will take a good quality cardigan and wear it with a pair of jeans, and it is a simple yet beautiful outfit that looks well put together but really took no effort at all. My favourite store for knitwear has to be M&S because it is just great for key basic items!

 

Mid-Thigh Dresses

I am a lover of dresses, mainly because they are comfortable, and I can wear them all day without feeling the band of jeans or trousers digging in after I tuck into my Weetabix at work. A dress I find is an age appropriate thing for me because you can dress them up or down in so many different ways making them perfect for a whole array of occasions and environments. Reiss is my favourite brand for dresses and I probably have around 7 of them in my closet at the moment.

 

Assortment of Mini Skirts

Miniskirts are one of my true loves in life. The thing that I adore about a mini skirt and why I wear them so much is because they truly are an item that can be worn year-round. In the summer you can wear them with a lovely blouse and then as the weather starts to drop and it gets a little chillier you can layer up with tights and in the winter months you can even go with thermal tights. Again, I think my favourite store for these has to be Reiss!

 

A Good Pair of Loafers

As soon as it gets to the October time and I am opting for a pair of flat shoes, you can bet your bottom dollar that I am going to be wearing my loafers. In my closet I will admit that I have more than one pair of loafers because I find that they can all add something slightly different to an item, but I just love how chic and classic loafers always look. I will admit that my favourite pair has to be my stunning Gucci Loafers because they just look amazing with so many outfits and with the collapsible back can even be worn as a slip on in the summer!

 

Staple Pair of Heels

A good pair of high heels is absolute essential for me. I am quite a small person and I find that most people tower over me, so I need a good pair of heels in my arsenal to give me a little boost when I really need them. I have many pairs of high heels in my wardrobe, but for me my absolute favourite for an everyday basis has to be my Manolo Blahnik BB Suede Pumps in black or Nude. They always look perfect when paired with a simple pair of jeans, one of my workwear dresses or a mini skirt if I am heading on our in an evening.

 

Basic T-Shirts

You can never go wrong with a good set of basic items like some high-quality t-shirts. I got some long and short sleeve t-shirts from All Saints and I absolutely adore them. They are great to throw on with a pair of jeans for a great everyday outfit or I will dress them up a little more with one of my miniskirts. I think that there is something so chic about a good basic item and crisp white and black t-shirts completely do that for me and I would recommend to everybody.

 

A Classic Trench Coat

The thing that I adore about a trench coat is that they are so versatile. You can throw it on top of a dress with a thick pair of tights to go out into a cold wintery morning and then if you are opting to wear it out on a warmer summer day, you can wear it with a simple t-shirt and a mini skirt underneath and you know that you are good to go for the day.

 

Honestly, there is a wonderful simplicity to having a capsule wardrobe. It makes planning the outfits that you are wearing so much easier because you are not overwhelmed by hoards of clothes and new items coming in every single week. For me, aside from the benefits of having a smaller amount, I am really happy that I am now making conscious decisions on the items that I do want to integrate into my closet and the impact that they will have having in the world. I am sending less to landfill, thinking about the sustainability policy of the company that I am ordering and making much more concise decisions. I honestly would recommend a capsule wardrobe to all of the fashion lovers out there that wasn’t to make the most out of their closet and their money!