What a Capsule Wardrobe Is
A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothes that all go together. The term is usually credited to London boutique owner Susie Faux in the 1970s. The benefits are fewer decisions in the morning, less spending and more outfits from fewer clothes.
The secret is colour: keep everything to a few neutrals that match each other, then add one or two colours you love. The 20 pieces below use navy, grey, white, olive, stone and brown.
The 20 Pieces
Tops (4): 1. white T-shirt, 2. navy T-shirt, 3. grey T-shirt, 4. navy polo shirt. Shirts (3): 5. white oxford shirt, 6. light blue oxford shirt, 7. olive or chambray overshirt.
Knitwear (3): 8. grey merino crew neck, 9. navy merino crew neck, 10. cream or oatmeal heavier knit. Trousers (3): 11. dark indigo jeans, 12. stone chinos, 13. grey wool trousers.
Jackets (3): 14. navy unstructured blazer, 15. waterproof or field jacket, 16. navy or camel overcoat. Shoes (4): 17. white leather sneakers, 18. brown suede desert or Chelsea boots, 19. brown or black loafers, 20. dark leather derbies.
Read more: Smart Casual for Men, Explained
How the Pieces Combine
Every top goes with every pair of trousers, which gives you 30 top-and-trouser combinations from the 10 tops and 3 trousers before you add jackets and shoes. Weekend: T-shirt, jeans, overshirt, sneakers. Office: oxford shirt, merino, wool trousers, loafers. Dinner: blazer, white shirt, chinos, suede boots.
Adjust the list to your life. If you work in an office that wears suits, swap the overshirt for a suit. In a hot climate, swap two knits for linen shirts and add shorts.
Building It Without Overspending
Don't buy all 20 at once. Start with what you own that fits the colours, then replace clothes as they wear out. Spend most on the things you wear most and that last: shoes, outerwear and trousers. Get them tailored: hemmed trousers and adjusted sleeves make cheap clothes look expensive. If you're unsure which colours suit you, read what colors look good on me.
You can put the pieces together on a model set to your build and height in Ollie Stylist, then follow the shop links for the ones you need.
Read more: Old Money Style for Men: The Complete Outfit Guide