← Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
285 | Capsule Wardrobes Don’t Have to Be Boring — Here’s How to Build One You’ll Love
00:14:49
When most people hear “capsule wardrobe,” they picture a tiny closet full of plain basics—beige sweaters, black trousers, a sensible blazer. Practical? Sure. But inspiring? Not so much. And that’s exactly why capsules have a reputation for...
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When most people hear capsule wardrobe, they picture a tiny closet full of plain basics. Beige sweaters, black trousers, a sensible blazer. Practical, sure, but inspiring? Not so much. And that's exactly why capsules have a reputation for being, well, frankly, a snooze fest. But in my experience, a capsule wardrobe can be one of the most exciting and freeing ways to get dressed when it's built around your unique style, your real life, and the right mix of staples and star pieces. It's not about stripping your closet down to a rigid checklist. It's about curating pieces you actually love so you can dress with confidence and ease every single day. When your wardrobe feels exciting, everything else gets easier. Your mornings, your mood, and the way you show up at work, on the weekends or at special events. It's not just about the clothes. It's about. It's about your confidence. In this episode, we're going to reimagine what a capsule wardrobe can look like and how to build one that feels both stylish and personal. If you've ever wanted to simplify your closet but worried that going the capsule wardrobe route would feel restrictive or dull, you are going to love what's ahead. Welcome to her style podcast, where we're all about empowering you to show up and get dressed every day with confidence. I'm your host, Heather Riggs, a 15 year and counting certified image consultant and color specialist, ready to build a wardrobe and a personal style you love. Let's get started. I think we should just go ahead and start by addressing the elephant in the room, which is the fact that so many women are really turned off by the idea of building a capsule wardrobe. And I think it's because they have a reputation for being so cookie cutter, a little vanilla, and on the bland and minimalist side. And it really comes down to three things or kind of misconceptions that people have. The first one is the numbers game, and women kind of focusing in on the thought that they need to shrink their closet down to maybe 25 or 30 pieces. Some small number like that that feels a little bit intimidating, and that becomes the goal, rather than actually building a wardrobe that excites them. And you don't have to compromise one for the other. Another thing is a neutrals only stereotype. If you scroll Pinterest and you're looking up capsule wardrobe ideas, you are going to see a sea of black, white, beige, and gray. All the neutral, all the basic colors. And I know that that aesthetic works for some people, but for women who love color and personality and pattern. It can feel like you're stripping all of the joy and creativity out of getting dressed. And the last thing that I think deters people is the fact that you often see those cookie cutter lists. If you Google capsule wardrobe checklists, you are going to see the same items repeated and recommended over and over, like a trench coat, a striped T shirt, a pencil skirt. Whatever the lists are, they always assume that everyone has the same life, the same personal taste, and the same budget, which we of course know is not true. And so it's no wonder that capsule wardrobes can feel intimidating, boring, or irrelevant to you. And if you ever thought that is a cool concept, but it doesn't work for my style or my life, you're right, it probably doesn't. That capsule wardrobe that you're seeing out there probably doesn't work for you. But the exciting part is that you don't have to follow those rules. Now. I already busted all of those capsule wardrobe myths in depth in episode number 23, so that is a perfect episode to check out next if you want to take an even deeper dive into why those things are not necessarily true. They don't have to be that way in order to set up an effective capsule. I really don't believe that they have to be boring or bland. But if we want to talk today about how to make them more exciting, I want you to start thinking of your wardrobe in three layers. The first layer to a successful wardrobe, whether it's a capsule or not, is having those staple pieces. These are going to be your wardrobe anchors. They're the pieces that you reach for weekly. They're the building blocks of your wardrobe, and they're what gives you a lot of versatility. So I'm talking about basic pieces like your jeans, blazers, knit sweaters, your go to boots, all of those essential things. The second layer for your wardrobe is your star pieces. This is where your capsule is really going to come alive. And what a lot of those cookie cutter checklists are often missing. And these aren't just fun pieces. They are the clothes that make you feel like yourself. It could be anything from a feminine blouse with ruffle detailing, a creative patterned skirt, or a dramatic statement jacket. The key here is in finding the right balance. Your capsule doesn't have to be 90% beige with one hot pink blouse. Instead, I want you to decide, how much personality do you want your wardrobe to have? If you lean into classic or natural styles, maybe just having a few star pieces are enough for you. If you're more creative or dramatic, you're probably going to want to free up more space for those so your capsule never feels stale. I want you to use your style foundations as your compass here, so always refer back to your signature style goals, what flatters you best, what colors light you up, and think about those pieces as you are looking at building the whole collection together. The third layer to always come back to and really think about are your seasonal pieces. And these are going to be the refreshers for your closet. They're the fun little updates that will help to keep your capsule feeling modern and flexible. I'm talking about accessories, trend items, or just some simple seasonal swaps like a linen dress for the summer or a textured knit scarf for the fall. The trick is not to let these seasonal items take over your closet. A capsule is going to become overwhelming when every item is a seasonal buy, is something that's going to come in and out of style quickly, or that you have to constantly rotate when you're getting dressed. So instead, I want you to cap yourself, yourself at a limited number of these items per season and make sure that they play well with your staples and your star pieces so you can get the greatest return on your investment. Let them keep your closet feeling current without overwhelming it or you. We never want to feel like you are overloaded with clothing options when you go to get dressed and when you find the right balance of these three for you, again, it's going to be different for everyone. But when you hit that sweet spot, your wardrobe is going to start to feel both reliable and fun. Fun. Your staples are going to give you that needed versatility. Your star pieces will make it feel special for you, and then those seasonal items are going to keep it feeling fresh. A common frustration that I hear is my capsule works for work, but not for the rest of my life. Or it might be the opposite for you. Maybe you've got casual pieces nailed, but then feeling professional and appropriate for your career is what is tripping you up, and this is the best fix that I can recommend. When you're building your capsule, think not only of the layers that we just talked about having the staples, the star pieces and the seasonal items, but also mapping it across your real life. When it comes to your work wardrobe, ask yourself whether you need pieces for presentations, networking or being on camera. Make sure that your capsule has at least a handful of reliable power outfits that align with your role and communicate the exact message that you want. When you show up at work for your weekend or off duty life, ask yourself, do you spend Saturdays at the soccer field or having brunch with your girlfriends, running errands or out on a date night. Your capsule should be flexible for those events too. So of course you want to think about all of the things that you need to get dressed for and make sure that you have the perfect pieces for all of those different activities. And then of course you don't want to forget about events and special occasions. This could be anything from a wedding to a conference or upcoming holidays. If those are on your calendar. Build in a few mix and match options so you are never scrambling last minute. I think it's always helpful to have some good high low combinations that you can reach for in a pinch and don't be afraid to deviate either and add in or ideally rent those special event outliers that don't feel fit in with your day to day capsule routine. I'm going to paint a picture for you just to show you how different this could be depending on what your life looks like. A work from home mom might need a few elevated casual looks that are going to transition seamlessly from zoom calls to carpool pickups, plus one or two polished dresses for church or for date nights on the weekend. A corporate professional might prioritize blazers, structured trousers and heels that mix and match for office settings with just a handful of relaxed weekend and after hours pieces. And then a frequent traveler might lean heavily on versatile basics in wrinkle resistant fabrics and then layer in a few star pieces that are going to instantly transform the feel of her outfits for both sightseeing and dinners out. Whatever the scenario, whatever your look life looks like, it's so important to personalize this for you. And when you start seeing your capsule through the lens of your actual lifestyle, that is when everything is going to click together. The right capsule is the one where you look in your closet and you feel like every outfit option is both relatable and reflective of who you are when it aligns with your real routines and your upcoming commitments. Whatever's on your calendar for the season ahead, it is going to become effortless and inspiring to use. So here's what a capsule wardrobe you love is really made of. It starts with those tried and true staples, the pieces that you're going to reach for on repeat because they always work again. They don't have to feel boring, they don't have to be in neutral colors. You always want to bring it back to your style foundations. And then of course you're going to want to bring in a few star items that showcase your personality and make the whole wardrobe feel like you. And to keep things fresh, add a seasonal touch here and there, a couple of updates so that your outfits stay current without having to start all over from scratch. You're going to add those in in ways that work with your existing base. And finally, think about how the capsule supports your actual life, work, weekends, and everything in between. So it's not just stylish, but practical too. When you put all of this together, you are going to create a wardrobe that feels dynamic, personal, and flexible enough to evolve with you. That's what makes a capsule exciting. You love wearing it over and over again and mixing your pieces in new ways so that it always feels fresh and fun. This process naturally happens when you are shopping with your signature style, your most flattering fits, and maybe most importantly, your best colors in mind. Because everything's going to work together so seamlessly. My closet doesn't look anything like your traditional capsule wardrobe. I don't know if anyone else would even call it that, but for me, it hits on all of those essential notes. I have floral print tops, I have sweaters in a rainbow of colors, jeans in my favorite silhouettes, and accessories that bring out all of the romantic and dramatic touches that I love. My capsule is not filled with classics and neutrals. It has way more than 50 pieces, but it works well together. It feels like a cohesive collection of clothing, and it represents me where I am in this season of my life. And that's the kind of streamlined wardrobe that I want you to have too. When you build your capsule across the reality of your lifestyle, you can stop worrying about what to wear and start enjoying your wardrobe again. You will know that you have everything on hand that you might need for all of the different occasions. And I think that is the real magic of a capsule wardrobe. And really, when I say capsule, I just mean a curated collection. You can take that to mean whatever you want it to. This is your wardrobe and you get to make the rules. And it's not just having fewer clothes. It's about having the right clothes. The clothes that make you feel confident, stylish, and ready for whatever your day holds. If you want help creating your own version of this one that reflects your unique style, your best colors, your life. This is exactly what we do. Inside Her Style Collective. This is my 90 day group coaching program to help you build a wardrobe that feels effortless, versatile and exciting. If you are tired of wasting money on clothes you don't wear, or standing in front of your closet feeling completely stuck, this is your next step, Her Style collective is where we take out all of the guesswork. I'll guide you through finding your best staple pieces, identifying those star items they're going to move the needle for you, and mapping your wardrobe to your real life. Doors are open, so if this is what you've been craving, it is the perfect time to join us inside and start curating a closet you love before the year ends. Head to herstylellc.com collective to get started and I will meet you back here in a few days for another episode where we'll dive even deeper than into shopping for your real life, not the fantasy one in your head. I'll see you back here soon, friend. Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you want to stop copying everyone else's style and start dialing in your own swoon worthy signature look, head over to take my free 5 minute personal style quiz which you can find at the link in the show notes. If you've enjoyed our time together, please be sure to rate, review and subscribe to Her Style podcast so you never miss an episode. Finally, I invite you to make this a two way conversation and send me a DM over on Instagram eatherigstyle to let me know how I can best support you on your style journey. I'm always here for you in style and service. Until next time.