the foundational wardrobe
there’s been a lot of talk over recent years about the capsule wardrobe — a simple closet that consists of staples that can be mixed and matched. as a concept, i love the idea of a capsule wardrobe in the sense that it encourages you to buy less and buy better. for these reasons, i can subscribe, but i also think the idea of a capsule wardrobe can sound a bit boring and unoriginal — like it lacks individuality or uniqueness. many people hear capsule wardrobe and picture a closet full of neutral colors and simple silhouettes. a closet full of “basics”. this just doesn’t make sense for everyone. there’s no one size fits all when it comes to curating a wardrobe. of course you can argue the capsule wardrobe can be made your own with your style preferences and personality — and that’s essentially what i’m doing here — but i like to look at the process of building a wardrobe a bit more like a formula rather than a rule.
similar to a capsule wardrobe, the foundational wardrobe will help you buy less, buy better, and make getting dressed more simple. think of it as the base, the core, the foundation of your wardrobe — the items that are essential to building an outfit. for me, those pieces would include an oversized white tee, a loose-fitting pair of denim in blue and black washes, a maxi skirt, a leather jacket, a loafer, etc. these are the items i would consider staples in my wardrobe. that i wear weekly or even daily. as long as i have these items, i can make any outfit — either using a combination of these items or adding an additional “fun” piece. more on that later. these items can be different for everyone. maybe you wear more color or pattern day-to-day. a striped tee or leopard print top could be a staple item for you. silhouette and fit are also different person to person. a white tee or denim pant could mean something different for me versus you — i like an oversized fit, maybe you like a more fitted top or a straight leg jean.
so, step one of building your dream wardrobe is figuring out what you like — what styles, what colors, what fit. and not just what you like right now because it’s trending, but what styles you have always found yourself gravitating towards. from there, you can build your foundation. i recommend investing in high quality items that will last you for years ahead. you shouldn’t have to buy new staple items every season. this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to buy super expensive or brand name items, but pay attention to how things are made and their fabric content. it’s worth paying a little more for a 100% cotton or linen or silk piece that’s well made than a cheaply made polyester piece that will only last you a few wears. you also don’t have to buy new! this is the area i will often times justify buying new items as i know they will be in my closet for many years, but you can definitely find these pieces secondhand!
now that you’ve established the foundation of your wardrobe, you can have a little more fun with it. add some statement pieces, and a little more personality. these are your fun pieces — items that can be combined with your staple items to easily make any outfit. pair a fun top with your go-to pair of jeans or your white tee with a patterned skirt, or style your jeans and white with a statement accessory or colored shoe. again, this is completely your own! one person’s fun piece could be a staple item in someone else’s closet.
this doesn’t mean go out and buy every style that’s trending for the current season, though. this should still feel thoughtful and intentional. these are the pieces you might not wear weekly, but you still reach for them often. they still feel timeless to you. they should reflect your personality and lifestyle. and they should still make sense with the rest of your wardrobe — you should be able to style them multiple different ways using other pieces in your closet. these items i like to shop secondhand and vintage to find pieces that are truly unique and special. i still prioritize finding high quality items that are made well and from natural fabrics. of course i don’t expect everything in your wardrobe to last forever. styles and tastes and sizes change. just make sure you’re donating or selling or recycling the items that are no longer serving you.
once you have the foundation of your wardrobe and then your additional fun items, you have some easy outfit formulas. foundation + foundation + foundation = outfit. foundation + foundation + fun = outfit. you could even mix all fun items together if you have that in you — whatever formula works for you! the point of the foundational wardrobe is to make getting dressed more simple. as long as you have those foundation pieces you can make any outfit. for some people the capsule wardrobe works, or they’ve made they’re own version of it, and thats great! if you’re stuck on the neutrality of it all, maybe give the foundational wardrobe a try. as long as we’re all buying less and buying better and buying secondhand more often, however we get there works for me.
if you are just getting started building your foundational wardrobe, i’ll give you an example of what mine looks like:
the foundation
- white oversized tee
- white, black & gray baby tees
- white & black mock neck tops
- button down top
- crew neck sweaters
- cardigans
- black, blue & white loose fitting denim
- black & gray trousers
- white linen pant
- black cotton pant
- black mini skirt
- black maxi skirt
- sweats/comfies
- workout sets
- blue denim jacket
- black & brown leather jackets
- trench coat
- puffer coat
- white sneaker
- loafer
- black boot
- sandal
- black bag
- silver & gold dainty, minimal jewelry
- gold watch
- silver & gold belt
the fun
- colored or patterned tops
- graphic tees
- top with interesting silhouette or neckline
- colored or patterned skirts
- fun jackets (i.e. color, patches, silhouette)
- statement belts
- statement jewelry
- colored shoes
- colored or patterned bags
- different fabrics or textures (lace, silk, suede, etc.)
- fun socks
as you can see, i like to keep the foundation of my wardrobe (& outfits) pretty simple and neutral. the fun items heavily consist of accessories but also any different colors, patterns or textures — anything that feels a little more unique. if you’d like, you can shop some of my closet here.