LIKE so many of us, Deputy Showbiz Editor Emily Webber felt overwhelmed with piles of clothes she never wore.
Here’s how she created the ultimate capsule wardrobe.
Emily Webber felt overwhelmed with piles of clothes she never wore Credit: LORNA ROACH
Emily created the ultimate capsule wardrobe Credit: LORNA ROACH
Standing in front of my wardrobe, I am faced with the daily dilemma of nothing to wear.
But not for a lack of clothes: there are tops swinging from every hanger, jeans squeezed on to the rails, and enough T-shirts that I never need to do a wash again.
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From tired River Island dresses dating back to my part-time sixth-form job 10 years ago, to bobbled jumpers I somehow feel obliged to keep, I have enough clobber to stock a shop. But the thing is, I barely wear any of it.
As I’ve got older, I’ve become a fan of the clean-girl aesthetic, as seen on Hailey Bieber, Sofia Richie and Kendall Jenner. Based on good-quality basics that give an effortless, polished look, it’s a million miles away from 99% of my clothes.
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So there’s only one thing for it – it’s time for a radical wardrobe revamp.
Rifling through my rails and drawers, I count almost 60 items in total, including 20 tops, 10 shirts and 12 pairs of trousers.
Realising I need to be ruthless, I resolve to keep only a few select items and then add the bare minimum to build my ultimate clean-girl capsule wardrobe.
First, I create three piles: keep, sell on Vinted, and take to the charity shop. I also decide on a colour palette of what suits me best – blue, black and white, with the occasional splash of red.
As I pull something from the rail, it goes through a vetting process. Have I worn it recently? Does it fit the colour scheme? Would I put it on tomorrow?
I whittle down the shirts to just two – one blue and one white – and decide that since my endless crop tops are no longer my style, they’re all destined for the charity shop.
For trousers, I settle on one pair of blue jeans that are perfect for all seasons, plus one pair of Massimo Dutti trousers, to form the basis of my work wardrobe as they look effortless, and most importantly, don’t need ironing.
I count 12 dresses, including many that have shrunk in the wash and a Zara geometric maxi which, any time I wear it, I always see someone else in, too. Feeling ruthless, I get rid of them all.
This means I have no occasionwear left, but rather than shelling out for fancy dresses that I’ll only wear once in a blue moon, I resolve to rent one from Hirestreet or By Rotation instead.
As for footwear, I keep just one pair of black mesh slingback kitten heels from Marks & Spencer which will be great for dressing up a pair of jeans and are comfortable to wear all night.
My raffia bag from Accessorize fits in well with the rest of my wardrobe and the style won’t date, either, so that stays.
Surveying the paltry items that have survived the cull, I can immediately see what holes need filling.
Emily shares the steps to her radical wardrobe revamp Credit: LORNA ROACH
Emily says every time she adds a new piece, she finds something to sell on Vinted or give to a friend Credit: LORNA ROACH
From the £250 I make selling my old Ted Baker coat, two pairs of Replay jeans and some Russell & Bromley loafers that were a blister waiting to happen, I invest in a £30 white T-shirt from COS that will give me endless outfit options.
Meanwhile, a £190 white linen blazer and shorts co-ord from Marks & Spencer gives me three outfits in one and also works across seasons.
A pair of new GH Bass loafers are just the thing to get me through winter, and I also invest in some red Puma Speedcat trainers to add a splash of colour.
Since I chucked my old coats, except my Massimo Dutti black blazer, which is perfect for work, I also put my birthday money towards a 1980s unisex Burberry trench, which I’ve always wanted and find in a vintage market in east London.
Then a red Massimo Dutti bomber jacket is the perfect piece in my wardrobe jigsaw.
THE VERDICT
Now, with 14 curated items in my wardrobe, getting ready for work has never been easier. I can pull things from the rail with my eyes closed and know they will go together.
Instead of shopping to feed the dopamine rush each pay day, I’m going to do an annual wardrobe detox to take stock.
My Notes app has a list of what I need, and big-ticket items I can treat myself to when I have saved up birthday or Christmas money, or ask for as a present.
Every time I add a new piece, I find something to sell on Vinted or give to a friend. A walk-in wardrobe may be on your bucket list – but as I’ve discovered, one rail of clothes can transform your life.
HOW TO CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE OF YOUR OWN
If you want to streamline your wardrobe, like Emily, then Fashion Editor Abby McHale has the lowdown.
When looking at what pieces to keep, use the rule of three. Ask yourself: “Have I worn it at least three times this past season?” If the answer is no, then it might be something worth passing on.
Once you have the items that you most wear, start thinking about what you can wear them with – the 3-3-3 method is helpful here.
If you have three tops, three bottoms and three pairs of shoes, you can make 27 different outfit combinations.
Basics are the foundation of any wardrobe and should make up around 80% of your new capsule collection – think a good pair of jeans and/or trousers, classic shirts and T-shirts, and a good hardworking coat, plus a pair of boots.
Go for timeless rather than trendy.
The other 20% can be made up of more colour and print, depending on your personal style – like Emily with her accents of red.
