If you relate to Cher Horowitz’s wardrobe meltdown, a capsule wardrobe could be your answer to stress-free dressing. A capsule wardrobe is a carefully curated selection of clothes, shoes and accessories that you rotate interchangeably. What it isn’t is boring or restrictive - let’s debunk 5 popular misconceptions.
A capsule wardrobes is for minimalists
There’s no hard or fast rule about how many and what sort of clothes your capsule wardrobe should contain. It could be just 20% of your overall wardrobe that you rely on when getting ready in a rush. You could even have multiple capsule wardrobes curated for different seasons or separated by work and events wear. What we’re getting at is that you don’t have to be a minimalist and swear off buying new clothes or limit yourself to just 15 items. It’s more of a system of organising the clothes you already own so you can get the most versatile wear out of them.
All capsule wardrobes are neutral and colourless
This is probably the biggest myth and we’re here to prove it wrong. A capsule wardrobe can be any colour combination you like. Start by choosing a base colour to build your outfits around and then add in some accent hues that compliment each other. Whether you prefer neutral basics or bold brights, opt for a colour palette that makes you feel confident.
Capsule wardrobes don’t have to be 50 shades of beige. Shop colourful staples in our Capsule Edit.
Curating a capsule wardrobe is expensive
A good capsule wardrobe starts with the clothes already hanging up in your wardrobe and can be the perfect challenge to rewear the things you hardly reach for. It also requires a lot of trial and error as you hone your personal style. While there’s no need to buy a new capsule wardrobe every season (the best ones can be worn all year round!), your style naturally evolves. Occasionally filling in the gaps doesn’t have to be expensive. Shopping secondhand sustainable fashion - our speciality - is the best way to find high-quality items for less, all while helping the planet. Check out our Capsule Edit for inspiration.
Capsule wardrobes restrict your style
Capsule wardrobes aren’t meant to deprive you of choice; they’re meant to inspire you to rewear your existing wardrobe in imaginative ways, unlocking infinite outfit combinations. Dresses now double up as skirts and can be repurposed as tops. Layering gets experimental. And there’s nothing more creative than mixing and matching your clothes in new, unexpected ways.
Fill the gaps in your capsule wardrobe with secondhand fashion. Shop sustainable fashion for less in our Capsule Edit.
You need to throw away the clothes you don’t wear
We’ve touched on this before but a capsule wardrobe doesn’t usually contain the entirety of your clothes. You don’t need to suddenly bin those that didn’t make the cut (and we’re all for reselling rather than binning here anyway). A capsule wardrobe simply helps you understand how well you utilise your clothes so you can make informed decisions about whether you want to rewear or resell them. If you outgrow or fall out of love with something, we’re always here to help you easily pass it on.
Feeling inspired to create your own capsule wardrobe? OWNI is a digital wardrobe and resale platform for making sense of what you own. Sign up today to join thousands of Owners already digitising, curating and circulating their belongings.
