If you have a choking full closet with too many clothes, and still feel like you have nothing to wear, a men’s capsule wardrobe is what you need.
Pause and think. How can you save precious time wasted each day standing in front of a messy, overloaded closet? How can you manage a well dressed, stylish look every day without wasting a lot of money?
The answer to all these queries is a Capsule Wardrobe! In this Capsule Wardrobe for Men tell-all, you will learn the meaning and reasons for having a capsule wardrobe. We will provide examples of certain types of capsule wardrobes, plus capsule wardrobe outfits using classic menswear staples. We will also answer some frequently asked questions regarding what is a capsule wardrobe. So without further ado, let’s dive into this purposive concept.
Table of Contents
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A men’s capsule wardrobe concept is having a set number of good quality, interchangeable clothes that give you a maximum number of outfits. Besides being eco friendly, the capsule wardrobe has multiple benefits like saving your hard earned money and time. In short, it is the ultimate solution for men’s style needs in today’s highly competitive and busy times.
To make sure that your style game is on point, you need good quality clothing, the ability to create smart looking outfits, and well matched accessories. By having a capsule wardrobe, all of these factors are ensured.
A capsule wardrobe comprises a limited number of classic staples, which can be used in multiple outfits. It includes classic shirts, bottoms, jackets, shoes, and accessories recommended in the men’s style guide, saving you from the mess of unnecessary stuff piling up in your closet.
The whole purpose of having a capsule wardrobe is to minimize clutter, save the time you spend in front of the closet each day, and put a limit to (or completely ban) impulsive shopping. If chosen right, these clothes can build tons of outfits, negating the myth that a capsule wardrobe can be boring.
Why Do You Need A Men’s Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe solves the issues which hinder a man’s effortless style.
- Versatility
A capsule wardrobe for men doesn’t only have less number of clothes. These clothes, although fewer, can be mixed and matched with each other in several ways. Think of a white t-shirt and imagine the number of men’s outfits it can create. It matches easily with almost any kind of bottoms and jacket.
The same is with a classic navy blazer. Browse our navy blazer outfits for men to see how you can wear it in different ways. Hence, it is a must have in the capsule wardrobe.
- Buying Quality Staples Saves Your Money
If you sit down to calculate how much money you spend on buying clothing staples each year, you will definitely get a displeasing reality check. In a capsule wardrobe, every penny that you spend is for items that you can pair with a variety of other staples and use again and again. It is the prime example of money spent and worth gained.
Instead of wasting thousands of dollars on purposeless shopping, you will shop with a clear mindset and make a collection of clothes worth the cost. A great example is a premium quality leather bomber jacket, which would give you lots of different looks, and last for a long time. Read our in-depth bomber jacket guide to learn why it should be a wardrobe mainstay.
- Time Saving
A streamlined wardrobe will save you time. Having a few interchangeable clothes makes it easier to decide what outfit should you wear today. Getting ready becomes easier when you can easily spot your best clothes in the closet. Take an example of a capsule wardrobe for travel, which would likely have a list of transitional and easy to pack clothing.
- Less Clutter
We have all been through a clothes crisis where we get puzzled about having nothing good to wear, even in front of a closet filled to the brim with clothes. We head to the clothing stores to buy new ones without realizing that we are adding to the much useless pile.
When you boil down to a lesser number of clothes that truly reflect your personal style, your closet is decluttered, giving you relief from the everyday chaos that you earlier faced. You wear everything you own.
Lesser clothes mean simplified laundry and a very easy to maintain closet. Plus, you have a lot more space for keeping the valuable stuff neatly.
Easy Steps to Build a Capsule Wardrobe for Men
Here is an easy five-step guide that streamlines the process of building a men’s capsule wardrobe for newbies and fashion pros alike.
- Identify Your Style
The first thing, probably a no brainer, is to find your personal style. Take time to analyze your lifestyle. Whether you are more towards the rugged look or want to keep things subtle by adopting a minimalist style. This gives you significant hints towards the kinds of classics that will be a must in your wardrobe.
Also, keep in mind your daily routine, weekend schedule, and the places you frequently visit to get an idea of the appropriate dress codes you will follow. For instance, you may need to dress up in business casual style for most of your week, which calls for blazers, chinos, dark slim fit jeans, and dress shirts.
- Clothing Type
In continuity with finding your style, you will also need to decide what kind of clothes you require. This may, in turn, compel you to create a seasonal capsule wardrobe for men, which is a very wise decision to ensure variety and less clutter. For instance, men’s summer fashion lightweight casual shirts and shorts are a must have for a summer or spring capsule wardrobe. Winter capsule wardrobe would likely have an assortment of jackets and warm trousers.
- List Your Favorites
Usually, a capsule wardrobe has 14 to 30 clothing staples. That number can surely increase depending upon your lifestyle and how often you do laundry. Make a list of your absolute favorite clothing essentials. Add items that you already own and want to have. Be authentic with your style, as there is nothing worse than trying to dress up in a way that doesn’t go with your personal style.
Next, cancel out ones that do not fall into the classics and versatile category. For instance, a snakeskin shirt may be something you like, but it won’t provide you with many outfits. When you are building separate seasonal wardrobes or a capsule wardrobe for travel, you can add a few unique items for a distinctive style.
When you are done deciding on the top 30 wardrobe essentials, purge the things you no longer need and shop for new staples. The planning you did will pave the way for intentional purchases. Make sure you check quality material and craftsmanship as you would be wearing these staples many times.
- Assess Whether it Works
Building a capsule wardrobe isn’t a one way street. If you feel the clothes you have are inadequate/ unsuitable, you can always review the list and make changes as you desire. Keep what works with your style in the best possible way.
- Maintain Your Wardrobe
You can change the capsule wardrobe partially or entirely after some months if you want to add different styles and colors to it. Seasonal wardrobes may need an upgrade every year as your size or style changes.
What is a Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe?
The terms capsule wardrobe and minimalist wardrobe are used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between these two concepts. Minimalism refers to owning clothes that have a clean, classic, and simple design. Such clothes make outfit creation a breeze as they can be easily paired with other staples.
On the other hand, a capsule wardrobe is mostly separate for every season, having a fixed number of clothes that you love wearing. You strive not to shop anymore until you are prepared for a new capsule wardrobe.
The common thing in these two concepts is owning fewer clothing items than a regular men’s wardrobe.
Fusing the two concepts gives us a minimalist capsule wardrobe. In this, you basically build a capsule wardrobe with clothing that qualifies for the minimalist style. These staples never go out of style, giving you years of duty while staying in good shape.
Basic Men’s Capsule Wardrobe Checklist
A classic capsule wardrobe ideally comprises clothing that would give you outfits in different styles. Whether you want a smart casual dress code or a casual laid back attire, the wardrobe will have staples for both. Here is what you should own to create a classic men’s capsule wardrobe that works for most men.
- Basic white t-shirt
- Black polo shirt
- Striped full sleeved t-shirt
- Flannel plaid shirt
- A light grey henley
- White button down shirt
- Light blue button down shirt
- Black jeans
- Blue jeans
- Olive chinos
- Joggers
- Denim shorts
- Grey wool trousers
- Pullover hoodie
- Crewneck sweater
- Leather bomber jacket
- Beige trench coat
- Parka Jacket
- Navy Blazer
- Denim Jacket
- Lace up boots
- Derby shoes
- Loafers
- White sneakers
- Black high top sneakers
- Slides
- Watch (One dress watch one sports watch)
- Belts (one brown, one black)
- Snapback cap
- Sunglasses
Sample Men’s Capsule Wardrobe for Every Season
If you are looking for a separate capsule wardrobe for each season, here is an idea of what pieces you may want in each of them.
Spring Capsule Wardrobe
The Spring capsule wardrobe mainly consists of transitional essentials, such as fleece jackets or wool trousers. It also gives you an opportunity to add some colors and patterns to embrace the spring feel truly. Here is a spring capsule wardrobe checklist.
- Black and white paisley short sleeved shirt
- Two basic t-shirts (probably in yellow and pale blue)
- Denim shirt
- White henley
- Suede jacket
- Navy blazer
- Sports coat
- Lightweight black chinos
- Khaki trousers
- Light wash denims
- Chino shorts
- Suede Chelsea boots
- White sneakers
- Leather sandals
Capsule Wardrobe for Summer
Lightweight items made with breathable natural material keep you cool in the warm season. So a capsule wardrobe for summer must have items in cotton, linen, or seersucker fabric. T-shirts, polos, and Hawaiian shirts are a few mainstays. Shorts are definitely your savior, so you can look for various men’s shorts outfit ideas to look stylish in those.
For summer, men’s capsule wardrobe checklist includes:
- Three basic t-shirts (white, grey, black)
- An athletic, sweat wicking sleeveless hoodie
- Half sleeved polo shirt
- Half sleeved button shirt
- Oxford button down
- A lightweight chambray shirt
- Black slim fit jeans
- Blue jeans
- Twill shorts
- Grey chinos
- Cotton blazer
- White sneakers
- Chukka boots
- Slides
To accessorise your summer outfits, keep summer caps, hats, sunglasses, and bracelets in your capsule wardrobe for summer.
Fall Capsule Wardrobe
Before the onset of the harsh cold weather, fall gives us a free hand to follow fashion trends and experiment with layers. Add staples in your fall capsule wardrobe that will serve the purposes of protecting you from the brisk winds and leveling up your style quotient.
- Plaid flannel. Check out our men’s flannel outfit ideas to rock the flannel with style.
- 2 Crewneck t-shirts
- Plain henley
- Striped henley
- Beige cardigan
- V-neck sweater
- Black motorcycle jacket
- Fleece jacket
- Dark blue jeans
- Corduroy pants
- Black joggers
- Chukka boots
- Black and white converse sneakers
- Lightweight wool scarf
Winter Capsule Wardrobe
- Full sleeved v neck t-shirts
- Grey sweatshirt
- Black turtleneck
- Two dark shaded button downs
- Heavyweight leather jacket
- Parka jacket
- Trench coat
- Hoodie
- Grey joggers
- Black corduroy trousers
- Navy blue jeans
- Laced up boots
- Hightop sneakers
- Wool scarf
Add warm accessories like gloves, beanies, and other winter staples to your winter capsule wardrobe. A woolen scarf is a must have to stay cozy in freezing temperatures.
Capsule Wardrobe Outfits
By now, your question about what is a capsule wardrobe definitely got answered. Let’s move on to creating outfits out of a classic capsule wardrobe.
- All Black Outfit
Pair a black hoodie with black slim jeans and your stylish black denim jacket to create an all black outfit for men that inspires everyone. Make sure you accessorize the look with black Rayban aviators and a leather strap watch. For footwear, slip on a pair of black Chelsea boots.
- Smart Casual Outfit
When the dress code is smart casual, take help from your capsule wardrobe to pick up a white oxford, khaki pants, and navy blazer. Round off the look with white sneakers for a smart yet comfortable look.
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If you want a detailed guide on styling khakis, check out these khaki pants outfit ideas.
- Street Style Outfit
Team up your grey henley and dark washed jeans for an effortless look. Add street vibes by rolling up the sleeves and putting on a pair of brown chukka boots. Round off the look with sunglasses and a classy dress watch.
FAQs
How Many Items are in a Men’s Capsule Wardrobe?
When it comes to a capsule wardrobe, the number of items may vary depending upon the factors like lifestyle, frequency of laundry, and season. However, a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 50 staples can form a highly versatile men’s capsule wardrobe.
What are the Cons of a Capsule Wardrobe?
If you haven’t put a lot of thought and planning into your capsule wardrobe, there are a few things that may feel bothersome to you.
- You may get bored with repeating the same type of outfits (hinting towards a lesser creative approach to outfit building and a significantly less number of clothing staples).
- It involves shopping for high quality essentials, which may make a dent in your budget. However, we suggest looking at the broader picture on how it will save you money in the longer run by curbing impulsive shopping for clothes every now and then.
- You may need to have more than one laundry day per week. If this irks you, try adding up a few more classic staples, which will include multiple the number of outfits you can create.
How Long Can a Capsule Wardrobe Last?
A basic men’s capsule wardrobe checklist with 14 items ideally gives you enough outfits for a good three to four months. A wardrobe with a higher number of staples may even last longer. Commonly, your wardrobe needs a switch at the end of each season.
How to Organize a Capsule Wardrobe?
A small closet with a few clothes is relatively easier to organize than a large walk in type with many clothes. Try increasing storage space by hanging most of the clothes. Hanger tags will reduce the time you spend looking for particular essentials. Another tip is to put away out of season staples in storage baskets to reduce clutter.
Takeaway
A classic capsule wardrobe is a solution to a lot of men’s style related issues, such as confusion about what to wear or having a messed up closet. It is beneficial for men who cannot dedicate much time towards style, but neither want to compromise on it daily. Bringing down the number of clothes you own and keeping the ones that you truly want to wear is a step that will certainly give you a much-needed clarity of mind and an upgraded style.
We have laid down different ideas for capsule wardrobe for men, such as a minimalist capsule wardrobe and seasonal capsule wardrobe to help you curate your own easily.
