- So you're thinking about starting a capsule wardrobe,
but you're not a minimalist,
and you don't have a minimal style.
Well, let me help you.
When I first started my capsule wardrobe,
I was really inspired by this minimal, scandy style,
but as I got further and further
into building my wardrobe,
I realized that wasn't the only element of my style,
and there are other things that I like,
but I could include them,
and it actually worked fine.
So I decided to put together a guide
based off of my own experience
of how I would build a capsule wardrobe
if I was starting from scratch.
And if you're new around here,
hi, my name is Lucy Moon.
I talk about capsule wardrobes, style,
some skincare, some beauty,
some living in London stuff.
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So for me personally, I know a lot of people say
when you're building a capsule wardrobe,
you can do a whole bunch of different tasks and exercises.
There are all sorts of tools on the internet to help you.
I don't necessarily think you need all of that;
I just think you need your intuition.
But I think there's one or two things
you can do to start with,
just to give you a broader, bigger picture sense
of what your wardrobe currently looks like
and what you actually gravitate towards.
So I'd start by opening your wardrobe,
taking a big look.
As you're looking, pull out your favorite items.
Now this means items that you wear a lot,
you always gravitate towards,
and also the ones that make you feel the most comfortable.
So we're talking the ones
that meet that lovely Venn diagram middle
of you really love the way they look,
and you love the way they make you feel.
Now do the same with your coats,
your shoes, and your bags.
Put all these items together
and give them a proper look,
and think, what is it about these items,
is there any continuity there?
What draws me to them?
Why? Why?
Are there any themes that are standing out to you?
Are there any distinct colors?
Are there any distinct styles?
Is there anything that you notice trend-wise?
Make a note of any trends that you notice
in this collection of clothes.
I would use these clothes as a beacon
to guide your future purchases,
and just, in general, the way you approach
building your capsule wardrobe.
So the way that I see a capsule wardrobe functioning,
is, at its core, there are some basics.
There are some core things that rarely change out
season to season.
And there's a kind of rotation on the outer side.
So I would say that rotation mainly splits
into one section being autumn-winter,
and one section being spring and summer.
So for half of the year, probably,
if you live in the Northern Hemisphere,
half of these clothes will be in storage.
Mine live under my bed.
So yeah, there's a very weather-specific rotation,
I think, that happens.
I reckon this format could also be adjusted
for rainy season and dry season,
but your core collection will probably be larger,
and your rotation would be smaller.
So the capsule wardrobe that I'm gonna help you build today
is autumn and winter.
If you are living in a different place,
or it's summer where you are, I'm sorry.
Hopefully I'll make a summer capsule wardrobe video
later in the year.
So I've been trying to break down the formula
to how I make my capsule wardrobe function.
And I think, honestly, it boils down
to different types of occasion.
I think you have to have items
that fill casual, work, smart, party,
holiday, and occasion.
Your work category will normally fall
somewhere between one of the other five,
depending entirely on your work.
And also, some of us are working from home at the moment,
so that might not even apply to you at all.
But I realized that when my capsule wardrobe
struggled to function
was when I only had casual clothes
or when I only had smart clothes.
I need a variety of pieces
that can be fit into different formulas
and create a wide variety of outfits.
And I think, by gut instinct,
you look at a piece,
and you kind of know which category it fits into.
So, for example, I might have a T-shirt
that I'm like, well, you're pretty casual,
but I can always pair it
with a pair of my smarter trousers
and then some trainers,
and then I've made another casual outfit,
but it feels more put together,
so maybe you could wear it for a smarter occasion,
maybe to a work event or a meeting.
You now have an adaptable wardrobe
that can meet the needs
of your fluctuating life circumstances.
Another example is, during the pandemic,
I realized I didn't have enough casual clothes.
I had clothes that were designed for going outdoors,
for meeting people, for doing evening events,
but I really didn't have that much
for just sitting around the house.
I lived in jeans,
but what I really needed was more comfy trousers.
So I think the way to avoid this conundrum
is to make sure you have an even keel number of these items
that you can pair with more casual items
or more dressy items
to make the outfit that is right
and adaptable for whatever situation
you're gonna be in.
And I think for most people,
and definitely most men,
a lot of their situations do just fall
in the casual category,
so you're probably gonna have more casual clothes
than anything else.
But I think it's great to be able
to adapt those casual clothes,
dress them up, dress them down,
make sure that you're comfortable
and you have an outfit that's ready to go
in any situation.
That is ultimately what stops you going out
and buying unnecessary clothes.
It's also worth saying
that all of these categories are relative.
You might be sitting there thinking,
well, I never have to dress smart.
Or you might be thinking,
well, I always have to dress smart.
Maybe it's for work, maybe you're a lawyer,
or maybe you never dress smart
because you just can't think
of any environments where you would.
But your smart might be
seeing your significant other's parents,
or going to church.
Or another scenario that doesn't necessarily reflect
what everyone else sees as a smart occasion.
So your smart clothes will function
for that particular circumstance.
And that's totally fine.
Everyone's wardrobe is different,
everyone's life is different,
and we can adapt it.
So with these different occasions or environments,
I think of those as being specific
to individual items,
and you'll probably follow your gut on that.
You'll probably look at your sequin skirt
and go, probably a party item,
or like, probably a fun item.
So moving on, these are the types of clothes
that I think every wardrobe should have.
I've gone for an absolute minimal number here.
Obviously, have a wardrobe that fits
how many clothes you are actively wearing,
how much you like fashion,
how much you want to experiment
and play with your clothes.
Everything is adaptable here.
I've just gone for a very, very minimal number.
And I personally believe that it's not good
to feel antsy as soon a your washing basket
starts to look full.
I'm not gonna go into the ethics and philosophy
behind capsule wardrobes and sustainability,
but I will say, for me,
I'd much rather you were getting long-life wear
out of your clothes
than you were refusing to buy new ones
or only buying secondhand.
But that's up to you to decide,
that is your decision to make.
And obviously, adapt these to your circumstance.
If you are never in smart events,
then you're probably only gonna want
one pair of smart bottoms.
But hopefully this formula can be adapted to everyone.
I would start with six basic tops.
Basics look different for everyone.
I don't mean just white, black, and gray.
For me, basics look like a plain, white T-shirt,
a vest, and some polar necks.
But for you it might be bold-color shirt.
Whatever your version of basics are,
it should embody the core of your style
and be able to mix and match
with a lot of your wardrobe.
It's kind of the most simplified,
pared-down version of your style.
And oftentimes, especially in winter,
a lot of these items will be seen as building blocks.
So they'll be often covered by jumpers
and other layers.
And then I think you should have four fun tops,
stuff you're excited to wear,
stuff that warms your heart
when you look at it in your wardrobe.
And a lot of the time
these can be dressed up or down,
maybe just worn with jeans on a weekend,
or maybe paired with some heels on an evening.
It's worth saying as well
I've structured this guide
to be quite specific to womenswear,
but hopefully, if you wear
more androgynous clothes or menswear,
you'll be able to adapt this to your style as well.
Two nice tops.
So for this, I mean stuff that feels
a bit more luxurious,
stuff you're excited to put on,
but can definitely be dressed up
for maybe an evening event.
One loungewear set.
Now you might be thinking, what on earth?
But I genuinely think
whether it's a cute set of in-the-house pajamas
that make you feel cute,
or whether it's a proper sweat set
or maybe athleisure,
I think it's really, really important
to have one comfy set that you can wear
that is for getting dressed
but you're staying in the house,
or maybe you're just walking the dog,
you're just wandering about, pottering around,
a nice reset Sunday outfit.
But I think something about the coordination element of it
just makes it feel way more put together
and kind of like an outfit.
Now to jumpers.
I think you should have at least two smart sweaters.
This could mean anything to you.
This could mean they're just maybe more tailored,
or it could mean, for me, it's knitwear.
Like, this counts as a smart sweater,
this Sezane knit.
For me, it's something that can be paired
with jewelry and a nice trouser.
And then I think you should have two more casual sweaters.
For me, this is sweatshirts and hoodies.
Obviously, I would expand this group
if four jumpers are not enough for you,
because it's definitely not enough for me.
But I just wanted to make the distinction
between more smart knitwear or jumpers,
and then more casual ones.
I think it's good to have a bit of both.
I would have at least one pair of jeans.
I've just written one pair here,
because I know some people do not like them,
but jeans are so versatile,
and you can nearly always find a jean
that works for you,
whether it's stretchy, whether it's cropped,
whether it pinches your waist a little bit.
You can always find one that works for you.
I feel like most people probably have three pairs of jeans.
But yeah, completely up to you.
I'd then have two casual bottoms.
These are pairs that are comfy,
these are ones that you're comfortable
working from home in.
Speaking of which, I'm actually wearing some today.
Don't know if you can see,
but I've got my nice, stretchy,
under-the-stories ones on.
I've called these bottoms specifically,
because for you, this might be shorts,
might be trousers, might be jeans,
or it might be a skirt.
I know some people don't even like trousers
and they just wear skirts.
That's also totally fine.
I'd have one pair of smart bottoms,
something you could wear with a shirt.
And then I'd have two pairs of fun bottoms,
something you wanna wear at the weekend,
something you wanna wear to parties,
something that could be really fun
with a little white T-shirt,
or could go even harder.
You could do something even more fun,
maybe something with an interesting pattern or texture.
Again, it's something you would be excited to wear,
especially on a weekend or to a party.
The next one's applicable more to womenswear,
but it's two full-length items.
So whether that's dresses or jumpsuits,
whatever floats your boat,
something you can put on
and then just add a shoe and a bag and a coat,
and it feels like a full outfit.
This, again, will cater more
to whatever your general style is
and your general occasions you end up going to.
For me, that works out was casual dresses
that can be dressed a bit smarter as well
for a work event.
And then one occasion-wear full-length.
So for this, I mean probably a suit,
if you're into menswear,
or maybe a long, formal,
or like wedding-y dress, if you're a woman.
By wedding-y, I mean like wedding guest,
not getting married yourself.
But something you can whip out
for a proper event, for example,
a fancy Christmas-do or a winter wedding.
And if you have a lot of those kind of events happening,
I'd really recommend checking out rental sites.
I would highly recommend rental sites,
they have so many options.
It's much more affordable and better for the planet,
I believe, than going and buying a whole new outfit.
Okay, let's move on to jackets.
Now this one is very subjective,
depending on wear you live.
I am in the UK,
so for me, jackets are very important.
I grew up in a family
where we just wore one jacket for everything,
and you got a new jacket every winter.
That is not (laughs) a functional way
of wearing jackets, I've found.
I think if you want to be able to build outfits,
you kind of need a few different types of jacket,
depending on the weather.
So this makes sense for me,
but obviously adapt it to what works best for you.
One rain jacket.
I think this is the one that is definitely
variable for me,
but something that you can fold up really small,
put in a suitcase, travel with,
but protects you from the elements.
One fleece.
I didn't see the value in fleeces
until I got one,
and I wear mine all the time.
It's a perfect casual jacket.
It's great for weekends,
great for going on a walk,
a great casual thing to have.
One nice jacket.
So one for wearing to a party or an event.
I tend to have a blazer,
but for you it could be a bomber jacket,
it could be an aviator,
it could be a leather jacket,
just something nice.
Another optional one is a fun jacket,
so something that feels a bit party.
It sounds silly, but for so long,
I didn't have one in my wardrobe,
and I really felt a gap.
Maybe that's just because of my lifestyle,
but now I've got this faux fur,
ridiculous, leopard-print green one,
and I love it.
A leather jacket would also be great.
Obviously, not for everyone,
but for me, the party jacket has to go
with an all-black outfit.
One warm coat.
I feel like for womenswear,
this often looks like a very long-line wool coat.
And it should be an everyday coat
that looks good with the majority of your wardrobe.
One super warm coat.
For me, this is my puffer jacket.
My life has changed irrevocably since I got this,
especially when it gets to the depths
of cold, chilly winter,
this has been a lifesaver.
It's for when you still want to look good,
but the elements aren't on your side.
Shoes, let's move on to shoes.
So I would have two pairs
of casual, comfy shoes.
For most people, this might be a trainer,
but it could also be a Birkenstock,
could be a mule,
something that is broken in,
really, really comfy,
and something you can alternate
with the other pair of casual shoes.
It's something I'm still trying to learn myself,
but when you alternate your shoes,
you don't wear them out as fast,
and it's really much, much, much better for your wardrobe.
I'd have one pair of boots.
I think that's pretty self-explanatory.
I'd have one nice or smarter shoe,
one you can dress up and down,
like a loafer, a mule,
a smarter shoe that doesn't tear your feet up.
For some people, this might be a desert boot,
or even could be a heeled boot.
And then I would have one pair of dressy shoes.
Now let me come with some caveats.
For women, this often means heels.
But if you don't wear heels,
don't get heels.
This pair of shoes has to be
something you could spend the whole evening wearing,
and it has to go with a fair bit
of your smart and evening wardrobe.
My friend Emma, who I recently did
a "Nothing to Wear" episode with,
has an amazing pair of By Far heels.
They're transparent, and they've got
these silver gems on them.
They go with her entire wardrobe.
She could wear them with an all-black outfit
and they'd look amazing.
She could wear them
with the most colorful outfit she owns,
and they'd also look amazing.
They look good in summer,
they look good in winter.
Be more like Emma.
If you're not a heels person,
maybe look to some smart loafers
or some smart brogues,
or maybe even look at ballet flats.
And then I would have one pair of whatever shoes.
I'm talking ones that you can do a muddy walk in (laughs).
It sounds silly, but how often
have I ruined a pair of shoes
from wearing them when it's pissing it down outside?
Too many times.
Don't make my mistake.
I would keep this as an old pair of trainers or a Wellie.
And on to bags, one carryall bag.
So by that I mean a backpack or a tote,
something you can pile groceries into
or put your laptop in,
something that will carry everything you need.
But I want you to actually like wearing it.
This is practical, but also looks good.
One classic everyday bag,
goes with the majority of your wardrobe,
and you can fit all your essentials in it.
And then I'd have one fun bag,
like one you can take to little parties.
This, again, is something I don't have,
and I really, really feel the void,
especially around Christmas party season.
However, don't stress about this one.
You could always rent a bag
if you've got a particular occasion coming up.
And finally, let's talk accessories.
So this ones a bit more vague,
but having the right kind of underwear is vital.
I've spoken about this before.
I'm not putting a number on this.
This you will work out over time
as you build your capsule wardrobe.
But you need to make sure you've got the right socks
for the right shoes and the right pants,
ones that don't have VPL
on the outfits that you might worry about VPL.
You might want some underwear
that goes with the tone of your skin
so it's not visible under sheer items.
If you're a tights person,
get some tights that go with your wardrobe.
One belt, I would have a very versatile belt.
It could even be a scarf,
just something that you can thread through your belt loops,
either to add something nice visually to your outfit,
or for more practical reasons,
like holding your trousers up.
One pair of sunglasses.
I didn't have this for the longest time,
but even in winter, there is sun.
Maybe not so much in England,
but there really is sometimes a sunny day.
Cold weather accessories.
I'm not putting a number on this,
but I feel if you lean more towards menswear,
it's probably gonna be some hats,
maybe a cap, maybe a wooly hat or a beanie,
that's probably what I mean,
not a wooly hat.
And if you wear more womenswear,
maybe gloves, scarf, or maybe all of these,
no matter what.
But just make sure you've got them
for when it gets very chilly.
And finally, let's talk about jewelry.
I love having a basic wardrobe of jewelry,
just a few pieces that I wear day in, day out.
They make me feel like my outfit is complete.
I just feel like jewelry finishes an outfit
and makes it look more put together.
Watches are also great.
So I'd have a little think
about what kind of jewelry works for you,
what works with your outfits,
what works with your lifestyle,
and just what you like.
So those are all the items
I would put in my capsule wardrobe.
In terms of where to begin building,
I would start with working out your basics
and build out from there.
I think it's also really helpful
to focus on coats, shoes, and bags.
They often go neglected and forgotten
in terms of of building a wardrobe and building outfits,
but they can be invaluable.
And also, having the right ones of those items
for the right season,
the right functions for your life,
it makes such a difference.
Even when you don't like the majority of your wardrobe,
if you've got a coat you love,
you put on the shoes that you really like,
and you have a bag that you really like,
and you step out of the house,
you feel like yourself.
And it's worth saying
some of these items will be easier to source than others.
Some of them lend themselves
more to slow purchasing to secondhand buying,
to just taking a moment, looking around,
finding the perfect one.
Anyway, I think that brings us to the end of the video.
Leave all of your capsule wardrobe tips
in the comments, I'd love to read them.
And I really hope this video has been helpful
If you're trying to build your perfect capsule wardrobe.
And I hope it's shown as well
that you don't have to be
a minimal style king or queen
in order to do this.
It can really work for everyone.
I'll leave some capsule wardrobe building resources
and some other fun videos below.
Thank you so much for watching.
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I will see you in my next video.