How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe That Really Will Last a Lifetime
You don't need a wardrobe that's bursting at the hinges to look chic everyday—here I share my tips and tricks on creating a capsule that will work hard for you for years.
Ava Gilchrist
Not so long ago, the fashion world was buzzing about the concept of a capsule wardrobe—the kind of compact closet that only held the minimum number of pieces that matched each other with great ease and that allowed for much time saved in the mornings. Perhaps because the economic downturn hit at the same time that a furious decade of fast fashion was taking a toll on our closets, the capsule wardrobe appeared to be the solution to everyone's fashion woes. Social media was (and remains) also to blame.
As users took to Instagram wearing brand-new outfits for each post, many found it difficult to keep up with the endless fast-fashion hauls and OOTDs being presented to them. Overconsumption was rife, but then, things started to turn. As a community, fashion lovers banded together to call for more sustainable shopping habits and championed getting sufficient wear out of the clothes they owned rather than replacing them when a new trend or aesthetic came around.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
As the name suggests, a capsule wardrobe is an approach to dressing that encourages investing in a limited number of everyday pieces that are versatile enough to be mixed and worn with one another, whilst also being timeless enough to last seasons. For some, this can include French staples like jeans, ballet flats and white t-shirts. For others, perhaps those who take a more British approach to style, it could include trainers, pleated skirts and chore jackets. The fundamental point is that a capsule wardrobe should be innate to your tastes and be comprised of the pieces you regularly wear and love.
Still, creating a capsule wardrobe is a very personal endeavour—one that takes time, perseverance, and a lot of analysis. What works for one person's capsule wardrobe won't work for another, so there's no hard and fast rule to assembling one. Realising this, I thought about my own capsule-wardrobe journey as well as my favourite basics. What I learnt from my experience was that times change, trends move on and so do tidy solutions. And it turns out we might have taken the capsule wardrobe approach too literally.
Scroll on to read my tips and tricks for creating a hardworking capsule wardrobe of your own and to browse items that have the potential to be worn for a lifetime.
How to Capsule Wardrobe, According to a Fashion Editor
Invest in Solid Basics
Your wardrobe doesn't have to centre around them, but a well-assembled edit of clothing staples will anchor your outfits and maximise the versatility and wearability of more characterful pieces. Of course, if you subscribe to the minimalist aesthetic, you'll likely already have a sound edit of basics on hand.
Create a Capsule for the Life You Live
Perhaps you used to get dressed up and go out dancing every weekend, but if that's no longer on your radar, then perhaps you don't need that new pair of heels or that sparkly dress. Instead, if you're now more likely to step out in jeans and loafers, why not consider investing in a more premium pair than you ordinarily would that will last longer and that you'll get a considerable amount of wear out of?
Don't Be Swayed By the Trends
But don't feel the need to sit them out entirely. If a trend speaks to you and feels intrinsic to your personal style, then by all means, embrace it. If you can see yourself still loving and wearing this particular trend or item in two years' time, then it might be a good fit.
How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe: The Process
1. Begin With a Simple Clear-Out
Style Notes: Initially, limiting your wardrobe to a specific number of pieces might help you. But after a while, it might not serve you anymore. Give yourself the freedom to evolve over time as you learn. So, start with a good clear-out. If you find yourself asking 'how to organise my closet?', fear not. The process is actually quite simple and incredibly effective. You can read more about it over on our guide, but a general top-line rule is to donate or sell anything you've not worn in the past twelve months. If you've not touched it in over a year, there is really no need to keep hold of it.
2. Take a Shopping Pause
Style Notes: Instead of buying new clothes right away, give yourself some breathing room and live with your wardrobe as it is for a week, a month or however long you like. Just see what it feels like to live with less or limited clothing.
3. Build Up Slowly
Style Notes: Trying to curate the perfect capsule wardrobe too quickly might mean you end up buying more than you actually need. Let it be imperfect, and understand that there will likely always be gaps in your wardrobe. It's okay not to have everything right away—or ever, for that matter.
4. Do a Trial Run
Style Notes: Want to test a capsule without really committing? Try a 10-day remix challenge. Pick 10 pieces out of your wardrobe and wear only those pieces for the next 10 days. See how it goes!
5. Rent One-Off Pieces
Style Notes: The rental market has grown exponentially over the last few years and presents a more considered way to wear new clothes—well, clothes that are new to you. In your capsule wardrobe, you should have more than enough to assemble lots of outfits, but if you're looking for something for a special occasion, say a wedding, then renting can allow you to try something new without the need for frivolous and unnecessary spending. It might, in turn, help you identify a gap in your capsule you can look to filling.
Ready to get your capsule collection together? Go through the gallery below to see the kind of classic pieces that will hold anyone's wardrobe together.
Shop the Perfect Capsule Wardrobe
1. Leather Jackets
Style Notes: From Alexa Chung in the early 2010s to Hailey Bieber in the late 2020s, a leather jacket is a style that will truly never go out of style. It's more versatile than other outerwear trends and can easily be mixed and matched with so many other pieces, making it the perfect addition for those needing something to protect them from the elements without investing in every jacket trend imaginable.
Shop the Look:
Whistles is known for its impeccable leather craftsmanship.
Wear this with, well, everything you own.
2. Tailored Trousers
Style Notes: For city-dwellers looking for trousers that can adapt to any setting—an office, a bar, a restaurant, the list is limitless—allow us to introduce you to tailored trousers. Incredibly polished and impeccably easy to wear, these will bring a sharp edge to any look and make even the most humble wardrobe item look more elevated.
Shop the Look:
The very best of Toteme.
Reformation's Mason pants are some of the most coveted trousers out there.
3. Knitted Jumpers
Style Notes: There's no one who doesn't look good in a knitted jumper. (Chris Evans in Knives Out, Joe Keery in Stranger Things, Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally...you get the point.) Still, the beauty in this essential is that it complements so many other classic pieces while adding a layer that can be styled in so many different ways. Throw it over your shoulders with a blazer and jeans to channel Celine or tie it around your waist with a slip dress to emulate the designs of Bottega Veneta.
Shop the Look:
Ideal for laid-back days.
You'll never not love a cashmere version.
4. Polished Skirts
Style Notes: An unsung but incredibly relevant option to feature in any capsule wardrobe is a polished skirt. Be it a leather pencil iteration or a satin style, the elegance and ease innate to this shape will provide balance to a closet that can feel overrun with sturdy trousers.
Shop the Look:
Wear with a timeless white button-down or a dressier blouse.
This skirt will look so chic with simple tops and, naturally, a black blazer.
5. Elegant Blouses
Style Notes: Not a tank top, not a t-shirt, but a blouse. A far more sophisticated option that will provide a reprieve from the tailored or boxier shapes you might wear in the daytime.
Shop the Look:
An elegant staple, whatever the season.
Leopard print has swiftly become considered a neutral print, being both elevated and extremely versatile.
6. Black Ankle Boots
Style Notes: Put your best foot forward with a pair of black ankle boots. A slick and stylish option that enhances jeans, softens dresses and makes any skirt more refined.
Shop the Look:
The pointed toe will always feel fresh.
The perfect black boot does exist.
7. Blue Jeans
Style Notes: For centuries, jeans have been an indispensable part of the sartorial landscape. From Jane Birkin to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, every chic dresser of note is synonymous with this style.
Shop the Look:
If you don't own a pair of jeans, Agolde's designs will convince you to invest in them.
These also come in petite.
8. A Silk Scarf
Style Notes: If last summer proved anything, it's the versatility of silk scarves. Whether worn around the handle of your handbag, around your jeans like a belt or on your head à la Gracie Abrams at Glastonbury, this is a small but mighty addition that will add dimension to any wardrobe.
Shop the Look:
I love this print.
Secure it around your neck for an oversized-choker look, or use it to tie back your hair.
9. A White Shirt
Style Notes: From Marisa Abela at the 2025 Fashion Awards to Kaia Gerber on the Valentino haute couture autumn/winter 2023 runway, there are no limits to where a white shirt can take you. Inherently crisp and refined, pair it with everything from a pair of pleated wide-leg pants à la Kendall Jenner in The Row to over the top of a bikini come your European escape in August.
Shop the Look:
This oversized style is perfect for layering in any season.
You will wear this forever.
10. Ballet Flats
Style Notes: Slippers, loafers and Mary Janes are all worthwhile inclusions in any wardrobe, but when it comes to a capsule wardrobe, it's always a priority to consider which shoe you'll wear the most. Enter: Ballet flats. They're as practical as trainers, but far more thoughtful, as sturdy as boots, but not as sculptural and as pretty as heels but considerably more comfortable.
Shop the Look:
These are made from a buttery soft leather.
It's a miracle that these are still in stock.
11. Casual Dresses
A wear-everywhere dress is a prime investment. For that throw-on-and-go effortlessness, invest in a style that has a hem length that can suit a manner of settings, is made of really wispy material and will do the hard work in making you appear put together.
Shop the Look:
Doên's dresses are pieces you can dress up or down with ease.
Australian brands like Faithfull the Label always balance polish and ease impeccably.
12. Sleek Bags
Style Notes: When it comes to curating a capsule wardrobe, the primary point of call is selecting pieces you'll wear time and time again. So, when it comes to accessories, it's best to steer away from anything to micro in size, chintzy in design or cumbersome in weight. A polished and sleek style that can carry most belongings but still slips under your shoulder is the exact thing you should look for.
Shop the Look:
The bag every editor wants.
13. Trench Coats
No, it's not just Lily-Rose Depp who has love for trench coats buttoned to the top. From Burberry to Nour Hammour, the classic shape sweeps your body in a wash of refined fabric and will do a lot of the leg work in making you feel more considered and thoughtful in what you're wearing. Best of all, it acts almost like a cloak that can conceal whatever you're hiding underneath.
Shop the Look:
A trench will forever be a wardrobe staple.
You'll wear this for a lifetime.
14. Mid-Height Heels
Not too tall, not too short. Mid-height heels are the perfect option for those who are seeking to include something with a bit more vertical distance in their capsule wardrobe, but don't want to invest in something either towering or entirely horizontal.
Shop the Look:
A Parisian's favourite.
Throw these on with your favourite LBD and you're ready for any plans.
15. Blazers
Style Notes: From Princess Diana's post-royal wardrobe to the iconic cast of The First Wives Club and Saint Laurent's spring/summer 2025 collection presentation, there is no shortage of iconic suits for you to reference when compiling your own Savile Row-inspired outfit.
This style is so beautifully cut across the body and fitted to a tee.
16. Going-Out Bags
Style Notes: Where most of the items on this list lean towards quotidian settings, the perfect way to make your clothes feel more appropriate for evening soirées or after-hours events without having to invest in a party dress is through a going-out bag. Look for something lightweight, refined and made with a hint of sequins.
Shop the Look:
A clutch worth coveting.
Make like Prada's spring/summer 2026 runway and invest in a satin pouch.
17. Belts
Style Notes: Trends come and go, meaning that if you invest in them strategically, you'll find yourself not only wearing them for years to come, but primed for their return. The easiest way to do this is through a belt. Be it leopard print or studs, these micro motifs will stretch further when worn in smaller and more considered doses like this.
Shop the Look:
Another deer print style to tug at your heartstrings.
The hardware on this belt is a great touch.
18. Versatile Lingerie
Style Notes: The French have a term for the act of strategically concealing the body only to showcase a trim of lace or a satin strap of a bralette: séduction voilée. Emulating the elegance and sensuality of boudoir dressing, these are pieces that will add a hint of glamour to any fundamental and look as good on their own as they do when paired with other items in your capsule wardrobe.
Shop the Look:
This will look so chic peeking out from underneath a relaxed-fit shirt that's tucked into tailored trousers.
Just so pretty.
Why Trust Us?
At Who What Wear UK, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognisable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality and real-world wearability.
We regularly try pieces ourselves, everything from bestselling jeans to designer shoes, speak to external experts and fashion insiders and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.
