This piece is a written transcript of an interview I did recently on the value of capsule wardrobes for women over 60. They are not for everyone. I, for one, would feel limited by a capsule wardrobe but others love them. Are you a capsule wardrobe kind of person?

What does a capsule wardrobe mean?

It is a collection of clothes that combine easily. The pieces all mix and match, combining to create numerous outfits.

Why do you think women in their 60s can benefit from building a capsule wardrobe?

There are several advantages to creating a capsule wardrobe. I have listed a few below:

1. Space saving

If you have limited space, creating a capsule wardrobe means. No space is wasted. There are no double-ups. 

2. Money saving

Capsule wardrobes are efficient. Every piece is used and there are no ‘special’ pieces in your wardrobe that can’t be worn without buying new things to go with them. your clothes work hard for you and nothing is wasted.

3. Time saving

The beauty of a capsule wardrobe is that you don’t need to think much about getting dressed each day; grab just about any second piece from your wardrobe and it will go with the first piece you put on.

4. Travel capsules

Even if the idea of a capsule wardrobe doesn’t appeal to you on a day to day basis, creating a capsule from your existing wardrobe for when you’re travelling has all the above advantages.

What are the top clothing items you recommend women MUST have in their closets?

There are no top items that suit EVERY woman. Each woman is as different as her lifestyle and preferences are.

But what I will say is that it’s a good idea to have double the amount of tops as you have bottoms. Tops get changed more frequently due to body odour whereas you can wear the same skirts or jeans / trousers for several days or weeks without needing to launder them.

Also, tops are more visible and are therefore more easily remembered than bottoms. If you wear the ame bottoms frequently but rotate your tops, you’re less likely to become bored of them.

How do colour and pattern come to play when choosing clothing staples for your closet?

Capsule wardrobes are based around colour schemes. A great way to design your capsule wardrobe is to choose a couple of core neutrals that will be the basis of your wardrobe and then some supporting and accent colours.

It’s much the same with incorporating prints. Choose prints that contain at least a couple of your colours (whether that be the core, supporting or accent colour). But unless you know how to mix prints well, ideally stick to just wearing one printed garment at a time and combine these with your plain colours.

Want help with combining prints? Read this.

As a stylist, how would you recommend building a capsule wardrobe for women who enjoy wearing statement pieces?

You can absolutely incorporate statement pieces into a capsule wardrobe. There’s no reason for a capsule wardrobe to be boring or dull.

The most important thing is that the colours harmonise well together. Decide: will they be bright or soft colours? Will they be warm or cool? By adhering to a colour scheme your clothes will all work together.

There is advice on how to do that right here.

Below is an example of a capsule wardrobe I created through assembling images of things I have found for different clients over the past few months. You can see that there are numerous outfit possibilities that can be realised through sticking to a restricted palette.

If you’d like me to source a capsule wardrobe for you, or even just a few pieces, you can organise that here.