Looking perfect every single day takes time and effort, right? Not necessarily, if you have curated the perfect capsule wardrobe, looking great can be as easy as waking up, grabbing any combination of clothes and accessories off of the rail and heading out of the door!

A capsule wardrobe is a simplified version of a collection of clothing, usually made up of a few timeless pieces, that make looking stylish as simple and straightforward as possible. They contain a mix of clothing to suit every occasion and event, and if done right, they shouldn’t go out of style.

The benefits of a capsule wardrobe.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of having a capsule wardrobe.

• You’ll always have a complete outfit ready. Versatility is the name of the game and that means every item in your wardrobe will work as a part of a few different outfits. So you’ll never be suck with nothing to wear.
• It simplifies outfit planning. Getting dressed each morning is so simple with a capsule wardrobe, you won’t be overwhelmed by choice.
• It’s versatile without being boring. As all your clothing can be mixed and matched to create countless combinations, a capsule wardrobe is endlessly versatile. So even with less clothing, you’ll never get bored of your outfits.

• It keeps clutter to a minimum. Having less clothing makes your wardrobe easier to organise, and you’ll be able to see what you’ve got at a simple glance.
• You’ll be less likely to to panic/impulse buy. You’ll have an outfit for every occasion at the ready. You won’t need to panic buy a new piece of clothing for every dinner date, holiday or important meetings coming up.
• You’ll actually wear your clothes. Buying cheap, disposable fashion and then wearing each item just once or twice is bad for the environment, your wallet and your wardrobe.

Picking your colour pallette

A man’s capsule wardrobe should be a classic, and everything should coordinate so it looks stylish when worn together.  

It can help to look at your existing wardrobe and identify which colours you wear most often, as well as which clothing you’d want to keep. You can then use these shades as the foundation for your capsule wardrobe.

You can inject personality with a few patterned items and accessories, but remember the essential rules: you should be able to mix and match everything to create several different outfit combinations. That means picking complementary colours that will look great when worn together. For a men’s capsule wardrobe, neutral shades tend to be the most versatile.

Choosing Key Pieces: A men’s Capsule Wardrobe Checklist

• A smart, tailored Jacket
• A casual Jacket
• Three Shirts, including at least one formal shirt (perhaps as many as six, if you need one for each day of work)
• Four plain colour block T-shirts or polos. You should have at least one white t-shirt.
• A pair of casual chino’s or trousers. Again, you’ll likely need more of these if you wear these to work.
• Two pairs of quality jeans, preferably in different washes.
• A pair of shorts. You can always add a couple of extra pairs to transition your wardrobe to summer clothing.
• A pair of smart classic shoes, like brogues or boots.
• A pair of casual shoes, like deck shoes, loafers or smart trainers.
• An everyday bag or satchel.

Seasonal pieces, such as winter coats and swim shorts, can be sorted elsewhere when they aren’t needed. This will keep your capsule wardrobe as clutter free as possible. Likewise, a formal suit will also be handy for weddings and other formal events, so keep this in a suit bag somewhere out of the way.

As long as your pieces coordinate with one another, you should have no problem creating a week’s worth of outfits using just these pieces. It’s possible to create all sorts of combinations using just these 17 pieces, so you should have plenty of fresh looks all season long. Accessories, like belts, cufflinks and even colourful or patterned socks can all be used to liven up your outfits, too.