You have a work presentation at 9 AM, a drinks date at 5 PM, you want to hit the gym on your lunch break—and you need to do it all in a single outfit. But you don’t panic: you have a capsule wardrobe.

A capsule wardrobe is a minimalist and sustainable mix-and-match fashion innovation; it helps you prioritise versatile pieces rather than individual outfits. And it’s especially suited to an active lifestyle. You can throw together stylish ensembles effortlessly and be well-equipped for whatever your day has in store, whether it’s a planned trip to the gym or a surprise dash to catch the bus.

If you’re wracked with indecision every time you open your closet or dresser drawers, a capsule wardrobe may be your fashion saviour. And P.E Nation has everything you need to build your own.

Capsule wardrobes optimise the number of outfits you can make from a limited number of clothing articles. While this strategy may have originated from minimalist trends, capsules maximise your current wardrobe’s potential.

At first, you might feel like a capsule wardrobe will limit your creativity and stifle your unique personal style due to having fewer clothes. But it’s these self-imposed restrictions that make room for discovering and absolutely loving your personal fashion style.

And it can help you dress for your lifestyle—not anyone else’s.

Besides the obvious advantages of having an organised closet full of stylish and full-function pieces, capsule wardrobes have much to offer both you and the environment. Here are just some of their life-changing impacts: 

• You’ll save time – Getting dressed in the morning feels like a monumental task when your closet is overflowing with endless options. But with a capsule wardrobe, you know exactly which pieces work together and for which occasions. It’s an efficient and fool-proof outfit-making machine. You won’t have to do as many laundry loads, either.  

• You’ll save space – Capsule wardrobes are lifesavers for active people, but especially for those with limited closet space. In a capsule wardrobe, there are no throwaway pieces; you won’t have any shoe mounds collecting dust under your bed, or any crumpled clothing towers in closet corners.  

• You’ll save money – When you focus on choosing clothing articles to build individual outfits, you end up buying a lot more than you need or will ever wear. By avoiding the allure of fast fashion, you can put your money towards fewer, higher-quality classic pieces that you truly love. Your closet—and your wallet—will thank you.  

• You’ll save the planet – Clothing trends have changed drastically over the last few decades. Before, clothing item purchases were few and far between, but now, the average person buys one article a week. When you start to curate a capsule wardrobe, you naturally place higher value on slower, more sustainable fashion. You’ll be wearing these pieces more often, so you want them to last. Not only does this increase the longevity of your closet, but benefits the planet, too.  

Overall, capsule wardrobes teach you to love and cherish the select clothes you have. Each timeless piece has its place and purpose. What more can you ask for?

Now that you know how revolutionary a capsule wardrobe can be for your busy lifestyle, it’s time to draw up the plans, break out the clothes hangers, and get to work. Learn how to build a capsule wardrobe with these three simple steps.

Before you donate your clothes or buy any new ones, take a moment to think about what you need from your wardrobe. Many people buy clothing while thinking, “Oh, I’ll find a time to wear that.” (Yet often, they never do). Capsule wardrobes reframe your relationship with your clothes, asking you to stop thinking, “I want to wear this,” and start saying, “I will wear this.”

The most effective wardrobe is one that supports your current lifestyle. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to better understand and optimise your wardrobe-lifestyle relationship:

• Are you more active or more leisurely?

• Do you prefer comfort, style, or both?

• How often do you need to dress professionally?

Now is also a good time to reaffirm your clothing likes and dislikes. Here are some other important clothing aspects to think about:

• Colours – You might assume that capsule wardrobes have to be completely neutral to properly coordinate, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You can play with fun and unique colours, as long as you stick to a limited palette. Look at some common colour palettes—what are you most drawn to?

• Materials – What fabrics are you most comfortable in? Which ones are easiest to clean? If you’re active, you likely sweat a lot. You’ll want clothing you can just throw in the washer without worrying about them.

• Climate – Capsule wardrobes are all about practicality. It’s important to build your capsule collection around your environment as well as your lifestyle. You probably don’t need an arsenal of knitted sweaters for chilly days if you live near the equator.

As you’re pondering these questions, write down your findings or create image boards to keep your vision fresh in your mind as you move on to the next steps.

Once you’ve identified your wardrobe needs, it’s time to part with the clothes that don’t meet those needs.

Start by weeding out clothes you haven’t worn in over a year—and especially ones you’ve never worn at all. Capsule wardrobes are all about getting good wear out of your whole closet; if you only wear a piece once every blue moon, it probably doesn’t belong in your capsule.

The weeding process is often the hardest one. Many clothes have emotional and nostalgic ties, even if you haven’t worn them in years.

If you’re struggling to say goodbye to those sneakers that haven’t left their box, or that going-out top with the tag still on, remind yourself that:

• It’s okay to feel guilty that you didn’t get proper use out of this piece of clothing.

• It’s going to go to someone who needs it.

• Your wardrobe will benefit from the extra space and improved functionality.

If you’re not sure where to bring old clothes, search for local charity shops or non-profits. You can also offer clothing to friends or neighbours; you may be surprised by who takes you up on it.

With all of your new tools (and your scraps out of the way), it’s time to start building. Now, if the idea of ensuring that every single clothing article pairs with one another overwhelms you, you aren’t alone. That’s what the module approach is for.

Wardrobe modules are like more manageable, mini-capsules that make up your full wardrobe. Modules can vary in size and ratio, but here’s one of the most common ones:

• 3 tops

• 2 pairs of pants

• 1 outer layer/layering option

• 1 pair of shoes

Each module has a designated category (casual, professional, active, etc.), and each piece coordinates with the others to build a set number of outfits. With a single module, you can create twelve distinct ensembles.

The magic of modules is that you can tailor them to your multifaceted needs. If you’re a highly active person, you’ll probably have 2 to 3 activewear modules and only one polished module. And if you spend most of your time in the boardroom, odds are you’ll need more professional modules than casual ones.

Since you already know what your wardrobe needs are, building your modules will be a breeze.

Here are a few more helpful pieces of advice to aid you on your journey to a more functional, wearable wardrobe:

• Build capsules for each season – Capsule wardrobes work even if you live somewhere with seasons. Focus on building two capsules for the extreme ends of the year (summer and winter), and incorporate some transitional pieces for the less predictable months.

• Extend the capsule treatment to your accessories – You can capsule-ise your accessories, too. Trim down your jewellery, bag, and hat collections to include the most versatile and foundational pieces.

• Select clothes from sustainable brands – Building a capsule wardrobe is an inherently sustainable practice. You’re using less, and throwing less away. Stay in the sustainable spirit by shopping from brands who use high-quality, eco-friendly materials.

• Let your wardrobe evolve – Even though the best capsule wardrobes are built to last, they’re not time capsules—you can adapt them to your needs as your lifestyle changes and your tastes evolve.

Capsule wardrobes are meant to simplify and streamline your outfit decisions, so you can spend less time getting dressed and more time living life. With a little bit of planning and initiative, you can make your capsule wardrobe dreams a reality.

An active lifestyle requires you to effortlessly adapt to different situations and environments—your outfit should, too.

At P.E Nation, we design each piece of clothing with a multifaceted mindset—making our lifestyle line and gym clothes the perfect foundation for your capsule or modular wardrobe. We also incorporate sustainable practices into every area of production, from the recycled fabrics we use to the compostable packaging materials we ship with.

For wardrobe staple pieces that make a statement, browse P.E Nation’s performance wear collections now. You can shop by style, fabrication, and activity to find the missing pieces for your timeless, one-of-a-kind capsule collection. Speaking of activity, if you’re looking to tailor your attire to specific fitness pursuits, explore our articles on the best gym outfits, running outfits, and yoga outfits. These guides will help you select the perfect gear that combines style, comfort, and functionality for your next workout.

SHOP NEW ARRIVALS

Sources:  

Anthropocene. Keeping Clothes Out of the Garbage. 

The Mom Edit. How I Finally Made A Capsule Wardrobe Work.