An ‘Essential Capsule Wardrobe’ has a myriad of meanings for each woman! For example are there office ‘rules’ about what you can wear. These may be unofficial rules but expectation is there that they are followed, for example in a previous position of mine there was an unwritten rule that women did not wear trousers to work. Everyone complied although there was no official policy and we could have gone against the trend and worn trousers. Are there restrictions in the actually role that you undertake that will dictate what you wear? In my role (usually) office based I still need clothes that will cope with going onto building sites and into equipment warehouses.
Thus it proves that the essential wardrobe should be an adaptable and hard wearing, plain trousers from a high street store are relatively cheap, hard wearing and look smart. These can then be used with a variety of tops to show the individuality of the wearer, hippy chic tops for a casual look or a smart blouse for a more tailored look. These tops can be from a variety of stores and will meet most people’s budgets from basic stores like Primark to designer like Karen Millen – it becomes a matter of choice and how deep your pockets are. Further individuality can be gained from your choice of jewellery, is it simple chain and pendant or a bolder necklace that draws admiring look.
As I have got older the most important part of my capsule wardrobe is comfortable shoes, yes they must look smart but they absolutely must be comfortable. I do like wearing heels but refuse to wear those that engender pain by the end of the working day. So good quality leather shoes are a must – gone are the days of cheap fashion shoes. Another essential is a good quality coat; nothing spoils the professional image than a cheap fleece or jacket over an otherwise classic office look.
Establishing your own ‘capsule wardrobe’ is all about knowing yourself as a person, and having the ability to take into account the type of work or situations you will be involved in during the day. The trick is then to balance this knowledge with what is fashionable or classic depending on your taste with the availability and cost of the clothes. I find it works best as a small selection of clothes that can be changed regularly as my tastes or the seasons roll by
