Get Dressed the ‘Capsule Wardrobe’ Way—and Lower Stress

Factors from Covid-19’s confinement lifestyle to Marie-Kondo culture have all fed the popularity of capsule wardrobes over the past year. Aren’t we all on a quest for control? But the capsule wardrobe concept has been around for decades. The term even merits its own relatively concise Wikipedia page, which credits the invention to Susie Faux who, in the 1970s, founded a London boutique called Wardrobe. Donna Karan’s mid-80s version, Seven Easy Pieces, changed the game for “Working Girl”-era women. And women’s magazines have trafficked in variations on “Five Ways to Wear It” or “10 Wardrobe Staples” for years.

For some modern-day apostles, it’s about putting your closet on a fashion diet. You can approach this by adhering to a preferred color palette or eliminating all but go-to basics—but rules help. Back in 2010, Courtney Carver, a 51-year-old in Salt Lake City, Utah, created Project 333, a 3-month challenge that required her to refrain from shopping and whittle her wardrobe to 33 items (underwear, sleepwear and workout gear don’t count). The process was part of a life-simplifying journey that began when Ms. Carver was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Once a self-described “adder,” she used to shop weekly to boost her mood. “It was ‘If I get this thing, I’ll feel happier,” she said. “It was never about the item. It was escape.”

Lee Vosburgh, 33, a blogger who runs the website Style Bee, created the 10 x 10 Challenge in 2015 as an antidote to her own shopaholism. Her call-to-action: Restrict yourself to 10 items, and style them into 10 outfits over 10 days. For her part, Jennifer Alfano, 52, a former Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar editor who now runs TheFlairIndex.com, doesn’t adhere to any magic-number methodology. She advocates eliminating excess by making “a list of what you have, why you have it and why you should keep it.” Next, reduce your closet to “an ultimate packing list” to identify essentials. Early last year, Ms. Alfano undertook an epic purge, parting with 281 items including her Hermès Birkin bag, which had sat unused for years. Among the keepers: an Yves Saint Laurent pea coat, Céline by Phoebe Philo sweaters and Manolo Blahnik shoes. She suggests selling your castoffs on sites like TheRealReal or recycling them through the service TerraCycle.

Over a 30-year career in fashion, which included executive posts at Lane Crawford and Net-a-Porter, Sarah Rutson, 51, had accumulated a world-class wardrobe…full of redundancies. “Did I have 30 black jackets? Yes,” she said. Now based in Los Angeles and working with brands and startups, Ms. Rutson has sold around 50% of her clothing. Her current capsule comprises such sharp but comfortable pieces as Birkenstocks, leather pants, crisp cotton shirts and statement rings.

A capsule wardrobe is the answer to a query Ms. Rutson heard constantly during her retail days: “No matter how old someone was, how much money they had,” she said of the customers, “it was always the same question: How do I wear it?” When you assemble a deftly curated closet devoid of flashy, trend-driven splurges, you cut out that confusion.

7 OUTFITS FOR 7 DAYS

Think you can’t get by with just 12 closet staples? Think again. From our lean capsule wardrobe, we’ve assembled one different (but equally chic) ensemble for each day of the week.

Monday

Combine this feminine, tie-neck blouse with interesting but small hoop earrings and comfy denim for your Zoom meeting. Result: polished but not distracting.

Tuesday

Elevate your run to the corner-store with a tailored coat and pretty pearls that make your sweats look intentional. 


Wednesday

Keep this cheerful, wear-everywhere dress casual by coupling it with sneakers and a classic handbag for a coffee date.

Thursday

Tomboy-ish basics (with a hint of feminine flare) are core capsule-wardrobe items. Wear, rewear, and wear again—on a busy or any other day of the week.

Friday

A cozy, oversized sweater is elegant and effortless when paired with relaxed denim and a slim boot—an attractively nonchalant option for a casual night date.

Saturday

When paired with sweatpants, that same cozy sweater becomes the polished element in your relaxed lounging look.

Sunday

For a socially distant brunch, your sweatshirt can become a quirky styling piece that turns your favorite wear-everywhere dress into a skirt.

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