Building a Capsule Wardrobe

Keeping up with trends can be really difficult and expensive. There is always something new that's "in" and something old that's "out," and with styles shifting faster than ever, it can seem a little overwhelming keeping up with everything. That's why I'm going to talk about one of my favorite things, the Capsule Wardrobe.

If you don't know what a capsule wardrobe is, let me explain. Pretty much it's a curation of beautiful, high-quality, classic clothes and accessories. A capsule wardrobe is filled with pieces that will never go out of style. You'll always look amazing if you curate a capsule wardrobe.

Here are a couple of essentials that I pull for my capsule wardrobe (or am drooling over!) and a couple of tips for curating your own.

The Essentials.

Jeans.

I will never go without a pair of beautiful jeans. For my wardrobe I have three types: Black, Distressed, and Skinny. These jeans are perfect for any occasion. Want to have a girls night out? Have a business casual interview coming up? Going out on a date for coffee? All of these jeans are perfect options.

Black jeans can be dressed up or dressed down effortlessly. I constantly wear my black jeans, even if it's summer time (and I live in Texas), just because they are so versatile. My personal favorite Jeans are on sale and linked here.

Distressed jeans are perfect for running errands in, going to coffee shops, or getting work done. I personally have a boyfriend-cut pair that are a lifesaver when I'm feeling comfy. Here is a great option that are high quality.

Skinny jeans are perfect for anything from date night to casual Fridays at work, and these jeans are a wonderful pair to snag ahold of. (they're also on sale!)

Bottoms.

From shorts to skirts to overalls (?) there can be a lot of questions when it comes to building a capsule wardrobe. For me, I like to keep one pair of plain denim shorts (Example here) and one pair of high-waisted shorts (Example here). This gives a lot of options for outfit creation, and they are styles that are classic.

I fudged a little bit with my capsule and I've added a denim skirt as a throw back to my childhood, the '90's. (Example here) What I really love about this skirt, however, is that it matches everything and is really cute! While it might not last me ten years, I definitely am getting a lot of use out of it right now! This is just another example of having fun with your wardrobe. Splurge on one piece that you think is really cute to give a little "tend" to your wardrobe. As long as the rest of your wardrobe is classic, everything will match with ease and comfort.

Tops.

With tops there is a lot of flexibility when curating your own capsule wardrobe. The biggest thing to remember is that you want clothes that are classic and high quality, such as silks, cottons, and linens. Also be sure to stay away from any flashy colors and prints. A capsule wardrobe is filled with pieces that will last a long time, and part of that means neutrals! Some of my favorite colors for tops are slate, black, white, burnt sienna, woody brown, forrest green, and mustard yellow. (Sale! Example here) Try to curate tops that will go with a variety of outfits, including stripes! (Example here) Feel free to get a little fun with your tops too, just try to buy pieces that you're not only going to want to wear in a year, but that will last that long. 

One thing you're going to want to be careful with is washing tops. I have lost and shrunk many tops by washing or drying them without reading their labels first. Most of my nice tops are air dry only, and a couple are hand wash only. A small price to pay for a beautiful wardrobe. If this isn't something you're interested in, be sure to check the labels of all your tops before buying them! A couple of my favorite places to buy quality tops are Zara and Madewell, all of their products are actually made-well and hold up through a lot, plus you don't have to worry too much about washing instructions. I haven't had nearly any problems with washing my Madewell tops.

Another brand I really love buying staple-pieces from, especially when I'm on a budget, is Old Navy! There are tons of options from basic tees to blouses. My only caution is that Old Navy clothes might not hold up for multiple years, but the low price of these quality clothes really can't be beat. And they're having a sale right now! (Example here)

Dresses.

I own a couple of dresses for summer that are must-haves for any capsule wardrobe. Light, breezy, and classic. For dresses I like to look for light-weight basic colors that can work year-round. I follow the same guidelines as I do for tops. I look for simple, classic, high-quality pieces that can work with tights in the winter or bare in the summer. (Example here)

Shoes.

This is probably the hardest part of the capsule wardrobe, at least it is for me. I am a shoe-fanatic. I love shoes, so sticking to just a few staples is really difficult. I like to keep it simple (if you haven't noticed) with a small, neutral heel like these two pairs from Calvin Klein (here and here). These two heels are perfect for a girls night out, everyday work outing, an interview, or just walking the city.

For a casual heel I like these from Seychelles and these from Nisolo, two of my favorite companies! 

For everyday shoes I am in love with these Oxfords from Nisolo (dying to get my hands on a pair!)

When it comes to shoes the most important thing to remember is quality. You want to buy shoes that are going to last you a long time and not fall apart from years of use.

Accessories.

For all of my accessories I stick to gold and brown tones. All of my jewelry is gold, and I only keep subtle, small pieces. I like to stick with studded earrings, a simple bracelet, and a small necklace. These are all pieces of jewelry you can wear everyday and will keep well over the years. 

For bags I absolutely love this genuine leather bag from Nisolo, this briefcase from Kate Spade, this camera bag from ONA, and this wristlet from Fossil. All are staples I'm obsessed with!

*This post was not promoted by any of these companies, although, if you like what you see, contact me and we can collaborate!