Easy Capsule Wardrobe for Fall Winter 2020

With many of us working from home, now more than ever it’s time to consider buying a capsule wardrobe. Working remotely means that we don’t need as many outfits during the different days of the week since we are no longer going to the office. Heaven forbid that you would wear the same outfit to the office twice in a week, right? Thus, one of the benefits of working from home is we can save on our clothing costs.

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

Susie Faux coined the term “capsule wardrobe” way back in the 70s. This term referred to a set of essential items of clothing that you could wear from, for example, one autumn to the next. The goal was to buy fewer pieces, but ones that you really like and which leaned along classic lines so they would not go out of style next year.

Steps for Creating a Capsule Wardrobe

1. Choose a colour scheme – Because you will be buying fewer pieces, you want to make sure that the clothing items you buy complement each other. Choose a few neutral colours such as black, brown, navy, grey or white and add one or two brighter accent colours such as burgundy, red, orange, green or tan.
2. Choose classic lines and patterns – The clothes in your capsule wardrobe should last you several years so you don’t want pieces that are eclectic.
3. Choose high-quality items – You will be wearing these pieces more often so make sure you buy items that you fall in love with and want to hold on to for several years.

Below are the pieces I am recommending for your Fall Winter 2020 capsule wardrobe. From the top left-hand corner going clockwise:

1. Wilfred Porto Pant, $138, from Aritzia – You will probably spend your work from home hours wearing leggings, jeans or yoga pants. I mean, who can see you from the waist down on Zoom, right? Unless you have to get up to attend to a household emergency. If you are on an important Zoom meeting, you’ll want to at least be dressed in “business casual” attire, which means a decent pair of pants. These pants will also take you out for dinner with your social bubble or visiting your parents for Thanksgiving dinner. The Wilfred Porto Pant from Aritzia is beautifully designed and in a neutral beige colour that can be worn with a black, navy, burgundy, red, green, white, or cream top.
2. Ecco Shape 35 Mod Block Women’s Boot, $240 – Black booties used to be an exceptional wardrobe item, but they have now moved into the mainstream. We gals now need a pair of black (or brown) booties to wear with our cropped pants or jeans, dresses, skirts and leggings. These booties feature my favourite block heel, which makes them so much easier to walk in and the design of the boot is classic.
3. Puffy Sleeve Crepe Blouse, $69.90, from RW & Co. – You may need only one print blouse for fall or winter and this one from RW & Co. is it. The print design allows it to be worn with black, burgundy, denim, or even beige…yes, it will look great with the above-mentioned Porto pant! You will look super professional wearing this blouse during your Zoom meeting. It’s also cute enough for a date night or meeting your gal pal for coffee.
4. Charlotte High Rise Straight Fit in Prelude Jeans, $248, from Citizens of Humanity – These stylish ankle-length jeans from Citizens of Humanity will look great with booties and a bulky sweater. Although wide-leg jeans from the 70s are in style for fall 2020, you don’t want your capsule wardrobe to contain fad clothing items.
5. Stitch Detail Fitted Dress, $227, from Ted Baker – You will need one dress in your capsule wardrobe and this sheath dress from Ted Baker is so versatile. Because the style and length is so classic, you’ll be able to wear this dress for several years. Deep purple provides a little more interest than the classic black dress. Wear it alone for an in-person business meeting or dinner with your significant other or wear it with the Alpaca sweater (featured next) for a super stylish look.
6. Wilfred Alps Cardigan, $198, from Aritzia – This will be your go-to sweater for the season. As mentioned, you can dress it up by wearing it over the Ted Baker dress or you can go super casual and wear it with the Mother jeans. It will also look great with the Wilfred Porto Pant – I love cream and tan together! It’s so classy!
7. DKNY Snakeskin Print Crossbody, $238, from Hudson’s Bay – You will need a handbag that can work with all of your capsule wardrobe pieces and I am convinced that the DKNY crossbody is the purse that will pull everything together. It will provide some excitement when paired with the Ted Baker dress and give you a polished look when worn with the Alpaca sweater and porto pant. You can even be daring and wear it with the RW & Co. blouse for some intriguing pattern combinations.
8. Teardrop Earrings, $39.50, from Club Monaco – These earrings beautifully blend the classic look of teardrops with the modern look of metal and will elevate each piece in your capsule wardrobe. Earrings are 2 1/2″.

You might be interested in reading, “10 Minute Beauty Routine for Work from Home“.