If you’re tired of staring into your wardrobe and thinking ‘I have nothing to wear’ or, like Capsule’s Emma Clifton, you suddenly need a whole new wardrobe because you’re not sure how to dress like an adult, you might find a capsule wardrobe is the answer to your problems.
Whether you’re building a new wardrobe from scratch or you just need a few key items and new outfit ideas, we’ve got inspiration on the key pieces that can help create a capsule wardrobe.
Capsule x The Warehouse
Somewhere between the pandemic, pregnancy, and postpartum, I have… completely forgotten how to dress like an adult. Maybe I never really knew? But now, every time I have to wear anything that isn’t loungewear, a mist of confusion comes over me.
Enter… the Capsule wardrobe. (Capsule’s Capsule wardrobe? The Capsule² Wardrobe? Yes, we have enjoyed this pun a bit too much.) The capsule wardrobe is a concept of having a wardrobe of timeless pieces that you can mix and match to create multiple different outfits, to stop you from getting overwhelmed when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. If you are someone who absolutely loves clothes and loves creating outfits, this probably sounds like a boring set of maths and it’s not for you. But if you’re someone who regularly stares into your wardrobe and thinks ‘there is nothing here’, then simplifying your closet down and adding in a few missing pieces could save you time and stress.
Once you’ve got your key pieces, then it’s time to play! By mixing and matching your items, you can create multiple new looks and create a sustainable closet where different items work for different looks.
How To Build A Capsule Wardrobe… On A Budget
The Key Pieces
Clockwise from left: The T-shirt – H&H Women’s Short Sleeve Crew Neck Cotton Tee, $6, size 8-20. The shirt – H&H Women’s Oversized Poplin Shirt Blue, $35, Size 8-20. The stretch dress – H&H Women’s Long Sleep Brushed Rib Midi Dress, $35, size 8-20. The T-shirt dress – H&H Women’s Ballet Sleeve Rib Midi Dress, Black $25, size 8-30. The shacket – H&H Women’s Oversize Shacket, $60 Size 8-20. The padded jacket – H&H Women’s Quilting Jacket, $55, Size 8-20. The cardigan – H&H Women’s Oversized Cable Button Through Cardigan, $35, size 8-20. The skirt – H&H Women’s Rib Midi Skirt, $25, Size 8-20. The belt – H&H Women’s Double Metal Loop Belt, $18, SM – 3XL. The mules – H&H Women’s Holly Mules, $22. The heels – H&H Women’s Briley Dress High Heels, $35. The boots – H&H Women’s Chunky Chelsea Boots, $40. The leggings – Active Intent Women’s Pocket Core Ankle Leggings, $35, SM-3XL. The jeans – H&H Women’s High Rise Mom Jeans, $40, size 8-20.
The Outfit Combos
The T-shirt: A classic white, a classic black and then a classic striped t-shirt can work with jeans, leggings, a skirt or as a layering piece under a cardigan, jacket or open shirt. The Firetrap Women’s Crop Tee, $20 each, are also a great option if you’re someone who likes to tuck their t-shirts in – crops mean less fabric and an easier tuck.
The shirt: True story – I went to a lunch the day before heading into The Warehouse, saw a woman wearing this exact shirt and single white female’d her by buying it the next day. You cannot go wrong with a striped shirt – it works across multiple outfits and every season. Tucked into jeans, under black jacket – chic. Worn loose and undone over the knit dress – great for work. Layer under the cardigan for a cosy librarian look, wear over togs in summer. THE BEST. Word to the wise – this is selling fast.
The stretch dress: The most comfortable dress ever – available in brown and black. Long, super stretchy, and so soft. A great layering piece, while feeling like you’re wearing your soft pyjamas.
The T-shirt dress: Made from 65% recycled material, this dress goes up to a size 30, and is a dream combo of polyester, cotton, elastane (if you have Thighs with a capital T, you know how much we love elastane). This dress works for any season – dress up with heels and a chunky necklace, or down with boots, a shirt over the top, and a jacket for work. Can work in summer or under a jacket with tights for winter.
The shacket: A polyester wool blend, this is super soft and snuggly – like wearing a blanket outside but society appropriate. Part shirt, part jacket, you can also layer it over the stretch knit dress for work or throw it over jeans or leggings for watching Saturday morning sport.
The padded jacket: An affordable alternative to the padded jacket trend, this boxy style jacket works well with leggings, a turtleneck as a run-around layer, also as a blazer alternative over a shirt and pants. A great trans-seasonal layer!
The cardigan: No judgment please but I’ve basically worn this for two weeks straight. On day two, my hairdresser (coolest tier of human alive) asked me where it was from. RESULT. So soft, so snuggly.
The skirt: Again, our friend elastane comes to play here with this thigh-celebrating skirt. Long and stretchy, it’s a great piece to wear to work or in the weekend – and the brushed cotton version goes up to a size 30.
The shoes: Mules, heels and boots are classic shapes that never go out of style and can work across any outfit. Keeping them in neutral colours means they blend in with any look and any season.
The leggings: I mean, we already wrote an entire love letter to these leggings so why not get them in black??
The jeans: I never knew about Mom jeans until I became a mum – turns out they just mean looser in thigh??? Yes, please. Another clothing item that falls into The Warehouse’s Better Products ‘investing in better cotton’ genre, these jeans are comfortable and cool. I went up a size and cinched in with a belt, making it easier to tuck shirts and blouses into. The subtle ripped knee says ‘I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom’ but won’t get you on the receiving end of a death stare from your boss.