Capsule Wardrobe Checklist | The 5 Shopping Phases

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Want to know the exact capsule wardrobe checklist and when to buy what clothes?

When I first started building my capsule wardrobe I had no idea what to actually buy. Through a disgusting amount of research and mistakes, I can finally say I nailed should be in a capsule wardrobe.

As a general rule, in a capsule wardrobe, there should be 9 categories of clothing:

1. Tops
2. Bottoms
3. Outerwear
4. Loungewear
5. Activewear
6. Underwear
7. Swimwear
8. Footwear
9. Accessories

These 9 categories are obviously the start of this capsule wardrobe checklist. In this article, you will find exactly what to buy and when to buy it.

In this article

1. The 5 shopping phases
2. Tops
3. Bottoms
4. Outerwear
5. Loungewear
6. Activewear
7. Underwear
8. Swimwear
9. Footwear
10. Accessories

The 5 shopping phases

Shopping for a capsule wardrobe can be tricky, especially if you are a beginner. Not to mention you probably are on a shopping budget, so it’s vital that we approach this methodically.

This is why we are going to dive into each clothing category in 5 phases, to make sure you know exactly what you should buy for your capsule wardrobe at any time.

Also, this process will flow more easily if you already know your personal style, if you don’t know yet here’s how to find your own style.

In total, there are 5 shopping phases that include what should be in a capsule wardrobe:

Tops

Let’s talk about tops. These pieces need to be the foundation of all your outfits, this is why it’s super important to get them right.

I suggest not playing too much with fits in the first phase. When starting the process it’s best to stick with the fit you use and like the most. For example, if you always dress oversized do not experiment with tight clothing in the beginning.

In my opinion, starting with fitting clothing it’s way easier. This will allow you to add more layers, especially in winter since you may look bulky if you layer too many oversized clothes. Of course, if you love how it looks anyways go for it!

Also, it’s really important to pay attention to necklines. When you are trying to create an outfit sometimes you will notice that a V-neck suits your outfit better, other times a round neck may be more appropriate.

Essentially, what I’m trying to say is you need options. Having just one t-shirt or just one tank top is not enough, even if you have them in different colors, it is a good starting point though.

Remember that the tops category also includes dresses.

Aurora’s tips

in every table for neutral colors you will see black. if black is not in your color palette you could consider another neutral color that suits you better, blue for example.

Here is the top checklist for each shopping phase:

Bottoms

Along with the tops, bottoms will help you build the base of your outfits.

If you take anything from this section, let it be this: your bottoms need to fit you flawlessly. While what you choose to buy first is super important, making sure anything you buy fits you properly is crucial, especially for bottoms!

You see, it’s possible you get everything right and end up having an amazing capsule wardrobe. If those clothes don’t elevate your figure and highlight your body in the right places though, your clothes will shine but you won’t.

What we are trying to do here is not only make a capsule wardrobe but build one to make you feel beautiful, put together, and empowered at all times.

Here is the bottom checklist for each shopping phase:

Outerwear

Quality materials such as wool, cashmere, and silk tend to sit better on your curves and look more elegant. Not to mention they will last you for a lifetime.

If you think about it yes, it might feel like a big investment at the time but it will allow you to expand your wardrobe over time since these pieces last literally forever.

In addition, you will probably be spending around the same amount over time because cheap clothing tends to ruin over time so you will need to purchase the same piece over and over again.

From experience, I can tell you it’s better to have fewer clothes at first (of course you don’t have to buy everything at once, especially if it’s expensive) but are good quality and allow you to build your wardrobe over time.

Also, with good quality, I don’t necessarily mean designer pieces. I’m talking about the fabric quality.

Here is the outerwear checklist for each shopping phase:

Loungewear

Here is the loungewear checklist for each shopping phase:

Activewear

Naturally, if you don’t practice any sport or activity this category is not for you, you can absolutely skip it.

However, for my fitness girls we need to talk about activewear. Our goal here is to look cute while also being practical. In order to do that we need to concentrate on two things:

• Technical material
• Matching sets

Of course technical material is key, we need something that will catch our sweat while we work hard. This will often mean favoring nylon and polyester over cotton since they are more durable and have better stretch.

If you need any suggestions the best places where I love buying activewear are Nike, Gymshark, and Oceansapart.

For what it concerns colors if you want to be able to style all your activewear pieces together it’s best you follow the usual capsule wardrobe rules: stick to neutrals and basic at first then start implementing different colors and fits.

Also, you need to keep an eye on two little details when shopping for activewear:

• Make sure your pants are not see-through, always double-check by doing some squats before you buy them.
• Pay attention to grey. A lot of the time if you sweat it will be very visible, if you are a sweaty person it’s probably best to avoid grey entirely.

If you’re anything like me though you can just purchase matching sets based on your needs. For example, I go to the gym three times a week so when I was just getting started I bought three cute gym sets in different colors. Whit time I started purchasing more to include garments for each season, but that’s pretty much it.

Here is the activewear checklist for each shopping phase:

Underwear

Okay, you need to hear me out on this: underwear is as important as the clothes you wear!

I know most of us don’t really pay attention to our underwear if not for some sexy time, I feel you, I used to think that way too. My mom always told me to never leave the house if I didn’t have matching panties and bras and, as you can imagine, I used to laugh at her.

One day though I decided to buy a really sexy set, I wanted to try something different. That day I felt so sexy and confident I felt like I could rule the world.

So I thought why wouldn’t I want to feel like that every day? This is why I rely on my capsule wardrobe so much, it’s not so that people think I’m dressed better (even though it helps sometimes ahah) it’s only for me. I want to feel beautiful and confident every single day of my life and I want that for you too.

Here is the underwear checklist for each shopping phase:

Swimwear

Swimwear is something that is definitely up to you, you can buy any color and any style you want.

If you need some suggestions I would buy four pieces for my first capsule wardrobe summer:

• White two-piece bathing suit
• Black two-piece bathing suit
• Fancy two-piece bathing suit
• Fancy one-piece bathing suit

These are the basics. Then every summer I would buy two to three bikinis based on what I’m feeling that summer, even if they are all neon orange, not a problem.

This way I continue to build my bathing suit collection without spending a fortune.

Footwear

Shoes are essentials for polishing off an outfit. Not only that but you will need different shoes for different occasions, so it’s super important you pick them right.

In the very beginning, you could create almost any outfit with white sneakers, a pair of black boots, and a nude pump. But of course, if you’re anything like me you love shoes and you are going to buy way more than these and that’s okay 😂.

Naturally, you need to make sure your shoes are comfortable at least in the beginning. When you are just starting to tick off things from your capsule wardrobe checklist you cannot afford to have uncomfortable shoes, you won’t have too many of them yet.

Also, I included heels in this list. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing them don’t worry it’s not mandatory but I suggest you try them. Heels are really feminine and make your legs super long. Plus, they give a little bit of a butt-lift which is always good if you ask me.

Here is the footwear checklist for each shopping phase:

Accessories

Basically, you can come up with really basic outfits and elevate them thanks to jewelry. Isn’t it amazing? This is why you could even start with statement pieces in this case, of course, if you prefer dainty jewelry that is also fine.

Here is the accessories checklist for each shopping phase:

Please remember you don’t have to buy everything right away. This process is supposed to take a long time, take how much time you need there is no rush.

This post was all about the ultimate capsule wardrobe checklist.