Capsule wardrobes make it possible to travel with a minimal but stylish collection of your clothes. The aim of a capsule wardrobe is to have a selection of interchangeable items, without having an unnecessary amount of clothes you don’t wear – or carry.
Here’s what you need to know to create your own perfect capsule wardrobe.
T Shirts
Before I adopted the capsule wardrobe mentality, I had way too many t shirts. More than I could care to count to tell you the truth, and this made it extremely time consuming whenever I was packing for a long trip. I managed to cut down my collection to only those that still fit, and those that were functional.
Here are a few varieties of t shirts I have in my capsule wardrobe:
- Crew neck
- Polo Shirt
- Long sleeved t Shirt
- Baseball t shirt
I like to keep a variety of each style including different colours and materials, as I want my outfits to be as varied and interchangeable as possible. Any occasion calls for a t shirt, that’s what makes them so great, the amount of variety out there means there is something for everyone. You can even add you own unique style with a personalised t shirt from a personalised clothing company like Banana Moon Clothing.
Trousers
Another hugely versatile item, again with many materials and styles available to suit any taste. When putting together my travel capsule wardrobe I maintain the same style and functionality mentality.
Here a few of the styles of trousers I have in my capsule wardrobe:
- Jeans
- Chinos
- Smart Trousers
- Shorts
As you can see, I have covered all bases in just 4 styles, and unlike t shirts I tend to keep fewer pairs of trousers on hand, but I always make sure |I have some quality jeans for day to day activities which require something a little more hard-wearing, and a pair of smart trousers for any formal events I may have to attend.
Shoes
Now this one I find it hard to keep to a minimum as I am a shoe fiend and a proud one at that, but everyone has their vice, right? Despite this I still manage to keep a small capsule of suitable footwear for any long travel journey. The key here is to find pairs that are comfortable and hard-wearing.
Here are a few of the shoe styles I have in my capsule wardrobe:
- Comfortable trainers
- Dress shoes
- Hiking boots
- Casual boots
When packing for your long-term trip footwear choice is really important, as these are potentially heavy items that take up valuable space in your suitcase. I always keep a pair of comfortable trainers, some casual boots that are also comfortable and heard wearing, and a solid pair of waterproof walking/hiking boots. When packing for you travels, bag choice is just as important, you can see the different types of travel bags here.
Coats
Coats are another item that take up a lot of space, and you can quickly amount quite a collection, especially heavier winter coats, as many people buy a new one each year without much thought that their existing winter coat has only a few months of use. As with any garment in your capsule wardrobe, a few styles can cover a lot of needs.
Here are a few of the coats I have in my capsule wardrobe:
- Heavy winter coat
- Wind breaker
- Denim jacket
- Waterproof jacket
Having a heavy winter coat is a must, especially for the British winters, but when you are travelling these may be heavy and take up valuable space. To combat this, a packable waterproof jacket is a must, especially when worn over other layer of clothing to offer you any warmth you may need.
Loungewear/Casualwear
I could not live with myself if loungewear didn’t make it into my capsule wardrobe. I have found the older I get the more I enjoy slipping into a comfy pair of joggers and a big jumper. When you are travelling home comforts can feel a million miles away, so to conquer this I always pack some comfortable clothing, and more often than not I find myself wearing this type of outfit travel in, as comfort on a long-haul is essential.
Here are a few of the loungewear items that made it into my capsule wardrobe:
- Hoodie
- Joggers/sweatpants
- Big sweater
- Dressing gown.
As comfortable as loungewear can be, when you are travelling you may not have a huge need, apart from relaxing on days off and during so pack light here!
