Can you recall the number of instances in which you opened your wardrobe, picked an outfit in less than 30 seconds, got dressed, and felt satisfied? Most people find it pretty confusing when pairing companies that too in a time restraint. We, as consumers, get influenced by the changing trends and end up buying items we can’t restyle. This is where the idea of a capsule wardrobe comes into place.
Minimal clothing is cutting down on unnecessary items we keep picking. Building a supreme capsule wardrobe for men means buying minimal clothing and indulging in timeless and elegant pieces that we would reach out to even after five years.
“Capsule wardrobe” was coined in the 1970s by Susie Faux, a London-based boutique owner. She described it as a limited number of go-to staple items that could be paired with each other. This way, one could have fewer clothes but of superior quality.
How to make sure your clothes fit the idea?
They should follow specific parameters if you want to make the best use of them. Keep these in mind before making your next purchase.
- Versatile over trendy: There’s nothing wrong with having distressed jeans, but they certainly don’t fit the idea of versatile clothing. They are good as an individual piece, but you would want to have a clean look in your jeans as they can be dressed up and dressed down as per the occasion.
- Neutrals are dandy: Colours form an integral part of our wardrobe. Yes. However, not everyone feels comfortable in bright, bold colours and often, people go wrong in pairing them. On the other hand, Neutrals are less prone to malfunction, and they fit the idea of a capsule wardrobe. Men, unlike women, keep things simple. Incorporate white, black, grey, navy blue and say brown for a change.
- Choose what’s appropriate: You come across a cool Hawaiian print shirt and are so tempted to buy it that you forget you are hardly going to make use of it. Trends and social media tend to influence our choice of clothes. Buy something you can wear at least twice a week differently.
- Quality over quantity: As mentioned above, social media influences us to buy what’s trendy. We tend to overlook the concept of good quality and go with the flow. Take a minute and think if the clothing is worth the money.
Why do you need a capsule wardrobe?
To be precise, IT MAKES YOUR LIFE EASY. Imagine you are in a hurry to go somewhere. You open your wardrobe, and you see a lot of everything. You pick one thing and try to match it with something. That something doesn’t look good, so you find something. Agh!!
Too many options, too much confusion. Not only does it hamper your decision-making, but it also wastes your time.
You spend less and save more. You don’t have to worry about trends coming in.
Having limited pieces enhances your creative skills as you develop a new outfit every day.
You’ll be a part of environment-conscious people. Not many people think about how fashion is damaging our only planet. Did you know the fashion industry is the second largest cause of pollution? Fast fashion is growing at a hazardous rate. To add to this, laborers are exploited to lower the cost of items.
So you see. One step will change many things and make you stand apart from many people.
How to build a minimalist wardrobe?
Developing a new wardrobe can be intimidating. But for good things to come, you have to empty the not-so-good. There is no need to throw away what you have. Take a look and segregate your clothes into what you can and can’t keep. You always have the option to donate what you don’t want.
Before you begin with anything, consider assessing your style. Is there any particular set of clothes you see yourself wearing more than others? What colors do you think you’ll wear more often? Once you are done with this, start building your minimalist wardrobe with these items.
- T-shirts: One of the most worn items and often ignored. Avoid logos and graphics as they don’t look chic. Look for plain t-shirts as they can be paired with almost anything and they don’t break a look. Go for t-shirts that are made of premium cotton. Start with a few white, a few greys and one in olive green for a change.
- Sweatshirt: Ditch logos and opt for plain sweatshirts—these help layering in winter and look great under jackets. Apart from greys and whites, you can have a brown sweatshirt.
- Trousers: Trousers form an essential part of a working man’s wardrobe. Style and comfort with quality fabric are the aspects one should consider before purchasing trousers. When buying minimalist trousers, look for Everyday Pants and Air Trousers and style them with your upper wear. Go for trousers that are designed in a way to provide maximum comfort and optimum style.
- Oxford shirts: The simpler, the better. These form an integral part of your look when under a suit and over a t-shirt. Hence it is essential to get these in premium quality. Keep an eye on the quality of the shirts. Have two of these in white and blue, for starters.
- Loungewear: Since you have a few t-shirts, you might want to have loungewear items apart from them. Grab a pair of shorts and funny tshirts in plain colours. You can dress them up to run an errand if needed.
- Jeans: Dark, slim fit and clean jeans look more dressy than light wash jeans. You can dress these up and down as needed.
- Polo t-shirts: There’s a thin line between casual and formal and these seem to fit just in between. You can wear these however you want, for casual and formal occasions paired with other elements. Have a few of these in white and navy blue.
- Jacket and blazer: Both of these will take your style to the next level. A minimal black leather jacket, a blue denim jacket and tailored navy blue blazer are the only pieces you will need initially.
- Footwear: Have a pair of white sneakers and a pair of black oxford shoes. These are very minimal yet classy pieces to begin with, and you might want to add as you go.
With this, you are done with your minimalist capsule wardrobe. Now it’s time for you to show your skills and pair these together. Good luck.