What’s a Capsule Wardrobe and How Can You Build One?

This day and age, you can’t even scroll on social media without an ad popping in front of your face every few posts or so. We don’t even realize how easy it is to get sucked into budol culture and the practice of adding to cart just because something’s on sale. And this goes for anything–makeup, home office items, but especially, clothes.

But with the rise of this culture, so came the rise (or rather, the revival), too, of building capsule wardrobes. This is a conscious effort to encourage people to reduce textile waste and invest in longer-lasting pieces.

We say “revival” because capsule wardrobes are by no means a modern term. In fact, it was first coined by Susie Faux, owner of the London-based boutique called Wardrobe, in the 1970s. According to her, a capsule wardrobe is “a limited number of essential or staple items that you can wear for multiple seasons.”

However, it was only in 1985 when the entire concept took off. During this time, designer Donna Karan launched her first capsule collection named Seven Easy Pieces. And as you can guess, the entire collection was a small set of clothes that can be mixed and matched for any occasion with the intent of allowing women to go from a tailored office look into a classic, night-out soiree.

To this day, that’s what a capsule wardrobe is all about: It’s about having a limited amount of interchangeable pieces that you can style in multiple different ways, so that you don’t need to buy a bunch of different outfits.

In doing so, you’ll be able to save: (a) a lot of time in deciding what to wear, (b) money, because you’ll be investing in pieces that can be worn to a bunch of outings, and (c) the environment from an overwhelming amount of textile waste.

Now the question persists–how do you build a capsule wardrobe? We give you a few starting tips below.

How can I build a capsule wardrobe?

1. First and foremost, declutter. Look into your wardrobe and segregate all the pieces you own according to ones you see yourself still wearing and ones that you’re ready to donate, sell, or give away. A good rule of thumb to follow is if you haven’t worn something in the past year, then it’s most likely time to say goodbye to it already. 

2. Next, take a good look at the pieces you want to keep and really figure out your style. Contrary to popular belief, capsule wardrobes don’t need to be all about neutrals and boring colors. You can absolutely rock a bright neon top with an equally bright set of bottoms. Those same striped jeans can be worn with your favorite structured shirt. Point is, the essence of a capsule wardrobe is having a set of pieces that you love and will wear, but that doesn't mean switching out your bold style for all-muted clothes. 

According to The Modern Minimalist, it’s really all about finding pieces that fit right and can be dressed up or down. This goes for bottoms, tops, and dresses. Take note of the quality, too, as the goal of having a capsule wardrobe is to have items that you can wear for years and years to come.

3. Once you’ve narrowed down your staple pieces, you should have a general idea of what items you want or need to add into your capsule wardrobe. When shopping, remember that the golden rule is to find clothes that can easily transition from one look to another.

Dresses are super popular these days because of how easy they are to slip on and change up. Plus, they allow for a bit of cool respite from the summer heat.

In this regard, we take cue from The Editor’s Market, a popular fashion brand that’s known for their versatile, timeless, and high-quality pieces.

The homegrown Singaporean brand landed in the Philippines back in December 2022. Since then, they’ve had a couple of pop-up shops in varying malls. Currently, you can find them at Glorietta 3, The Podium, and SM Aura.

Can I sustain a capsule wardrobe?

The easy answer would be yes because these capsule items are ideally pieces that you’ll be able to wear to a variety of occasions. 

However, sustaining and maintaining this wardrobe is another feat in itself. It’s important to note that having a capsule wardrobe also means being intentional about your purchases and reminding yourself that you do not always need the latest trendy pieces. It’s a conscious choice; one that should feel rewarding, easy, and uniquely you.

The Editor’s Market is one of Parlon’s OG Club partners. Get 5% off their website and in-store if you sign up to be a member of the OG Club.

To be an OG member and unlock more perks, sign up HERE. For more information about Parlon, visit  www.parlon.ph and follow Parlon on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.