A capsule wardrobe is a selection of pieces that will go well together allowing you to combine in many ways to create different outfits that can be worn in a variety of settings. Building a capsule wardrobe is a great way to keep your wardrobe interesting as you’re not wearing the same outfit combinations every day and also creates a great base so that you are likely to have a ready made outfit that will go with almost any new item you buy.
Capsules can be more niche & specific (e.g. a summer capsule or a business capsule if you work in a formal environment) but what we’re focusing on here is a versatile capsule that will create outfits that can be worn from casual to semi formal settings and will be comfortable for most of the year outwith the extremes of summer & winter. Much of this still applies if you live in a warmer climate than we have at MSB – you will just need to focus less on the jackets & knitwear & replace with lighter shirts, tops, etc.
In all likelihood you will already have many of these items in your wardrobe so building a capsule hopefully shouldn’t be too costly. If you don’t, don’t worry, just try to focus your next clothing purchases on some of the items you are missing.
So, what do we need in the wardrobe…
T-Shirts
Let’s start with the most basic item. We need a selection of plain t-shirts that can be worn on their own or used as a base to layer under jackets, shirts, jumpers, etc.
Plain white t-shirts are essential and are the most versatile item of clothing you can own. A simple outfit of a white t-shirt with jeans is one of the most attractive outfits a man can wear.
Other colours we need are black & grey, with navy blue, brown & olive green being useful additions to the wardrobe.
We recommend completely plain but a small, embroidered logo on the chest is fine with most outfits. Always go for a crew neck, which should sit at the base of your neck.
As ever, the fit of the t-shirt is vital – not too loose, not too tight – and don’t be tempted by fads like longline or baggy. It’s a good idea to try on a few different brands to find one that fits your body well.
Plain t-shirts are items that will get a lot of wear and so no matter how well you look after them, they are going to need replacing more often than some other garments. White t-shirts especially will look tired fairly quickly. Because of this we don’t recommend spending big bucks on them – you can get decent quality from brands like Uniqlo, H&M and Mango at a good price.
You’ll need a minimum of 2 white, 1 black & 1 grey t-shirts.
As well as plain you’ll want at least one simple horizontal striped t-shirt. Don’t go wild on the colours, a simple blue and white striped t-shirt layers great under a jacket or open shirt.
Finally we also recommend at least one plain polo shirt – grey, black, white & navy are all very versatile
Shirts
Shirts can be worn in various settings so form another staple of the capsule wardrobe. There are loads of types of shirt from crazy bright Hawaiian to super formal business – but in the capsule wardrobe we want versatility so are going to stick with styles that can be paired with different outfits in different settings.
Firstly we want a couple of classic button-down oxford shirts. The thicker fabric & button down collar make them a great choice for smart casual offices – they can be paired with chinos or trousers and are fine with or without a tie. But oxford shirts also look great in more casual outfits – you can wear them unbuttoned over a t-shirt with jeans & trainers or in the summer roll up the sleeves and wear with shorts.
We recommend having one white & one light blue oxford shirt. If you work in an office you’re probably going to want a few more – light pink is also very versatile.
The next shirt we want in the wardrobe is a chambray shirt. Chambray is a fabric with a similar appearance to denim but is softer and lighter in weight (due to a different weaving process). Chambray shirts are great for casual occasions worn with jeans or chinos but they can also look surprisingly smart paired with a blazer.
Finally we want a checked or plaid shirt in the wardrobe. Checked shirts are a bit of a minefield as a tasteful check can look effortlessly cool but get it wrong and the pattern dominates the outfit, usually not in a good way.
Generally, the smaller the check the more formal the shirt – for example a gingham check works well in the office. We’re looking for versatility so we want a medium sized check for our capsule shirt. In terms of colour we recommend keeping it fairly neutral with greys, browns & blues working well. We also want the colours to be a bit muted rather than bold & bright – which will help the shirt age well.
Once we have our checked shirt we can wear it open with a white t-shirt underneath or wear it buttoned up with jeans or chinos. Add a casual jacket for a great layered look for Autumn.
A good quality shirt can last for years so we want to avoid cheap flimsy fabrics.
Sweatshirts & Knitwear
We need some warmer tops for when it’s too cold just to get away with shirts & t-shirts – for us at MSB in Edinburgh that is most of the year! Again, a few simple pieces will allow us to mix, match & layer with other items in our wardrobe.
Sweatshirts / hoodies – we want a couple of plain sweatshirts & hoodies. These have a slightly sporty appearance so work well in casual outfits paired with trainers. Hoodies especially layer well under jackets. Grey is the most versatile colour but black, olive green and tan/camel are also good options.
Next up are a couple of simple knitwear items – jumpers & cardigans. These are great for the office worn over a shirt or polo but can also be combined with denim for a casual autumn look. Black & navy blue are our favourite colours to match with other outfits, grey & brown are also solid versatile choices.
Sweatshirts and knitwear can last a long time so it’s worth getting good quality. Merino wool is a great choice for the knitwear.
Jackets & Blazers
Best Buys – Light Jackets & Overshirts
Finally for the top half of our body we’ll look at jackets & blazers. As mentioned at the start of the article, this capsule isn’t designed to cover the extremes of winter so we’ll ignore big winter coats.
This is an area where there are a lot of options and so rather than saying “you have to have these 3 types of jackets” we’ll make a few suggestions that will work with the capsule and you can choose depending on your needs & preferences. We would suggest having 3 jackets/blazers – 1 smart, 1 casual and another somewhere in between.
So in rough order of smartness, the jackets we’d suggest are as follows…
Blazer
We’d recommend everyone owns a blazer for smarter occasions. A plain blazer is great with a shirt & tie for smarter days in the office but can also create a smart, stylish look worn over a t-shirt or a merino jumper.
Getting the right size is important with all clothing but is absolutely essential with a blazer. This doesn’t necessarily mean getting a made to measure tailored blazer but, given this will be one of the more expensive purchases in your wardrobe it’s worth considering taking your off-the-shelf blazer to a tailor to make some alterations if the fit isn’t perfect.
We recommend a plain blazer for versatility. Always go single-breasted and, if your body shape allows it go for a slim fit. We find charcoal to be the most versatile colour (this goes great with dark jeans & a white t-shirt for example) but navy blue is also a good choice (we love the classic combination with beige chinos & a light blue shirt).
Overcoat/Raincoat
Overcoats have quite a formal shape so can be worn over a suit but they are surprisingly versatile and can look equally great with jeans and a jumper or even layered over a hoodie. Raincoats are similar in shape but, as you’d expect, are made with waterproof fabric.
Our favourite style/colour is grey herringbone which looks amazing with jeans. Navy blue, black and brown are also versatile and camel overcoats also look great (but maybe aren’t for everyone).
Harrington
A bit more casual but still smart enough to wear to the office, Harringtons are a shorter jacket making them a good choice for spring. We favour navy blue, which will go with just about any outfit you can think of.
Bomber
Similar to the harrington but with a more casual collar and sometimes roomier sleeves, bomber jackets are also very versatile although probably a little bit too casual for the office.
We like them in khaki or olive green or navy blue. Avoid black unless you want to look like a bouncer!
Chore Coat
Chore coats have evolved from traditional workwear coats. They are generally made from durable fabrics such as denim or twill and are recognisable by their collar, button up fastening and large pockets. Definitely more on the casual end of the spectrum, they look great with jeans in spring or autumn.
Choose either a dark denim or navy blue, dark green or tan/camel if going for a different fabric.
Denim
A classic medium wash denim trucker jacket will never go out of fashion. Very much a casual piece, these look great over a t-shirt or hoodie with jeans or cargo trousers. If pairing with jeans try to get a contrast between the colours – matching double denim can be a bit much!
Overshirt
OK, not really a jacket but definitely a versatile piece that can be worn instead of a jacket! Overshirts have gained a lot of popularity over the last few years and are great for layering in casual outfits.
We recommend a warm, durable fabric such as flannel, wool or corduroy. Colourwise go for navy blue, dark grey, tan/camel, dark green or even a deep burgundy.
See our best buys for jackets & overshirts here.
That’s the top half of the body done, lets move on to our legs
Jeans
You’ll have noticed that for nearly all of the pieces so far we have said “these go great with jeans” – so we’re going to need some jeans in our wardrobe.
Different fits of jeans come in and out of fashion all the time, for a long time they seemed to get skinnier & skinnier and in recent years wider fits have become more popular. But regardless of current trends a pair of slim or straight leg jeans will always look good and are much more versatile than the passing fads. The exact fit you choose will depend on your body shape – don’t try squeezing in to slim fits if you have thighs like Roberto Carlos! We’re looking for a fit that is comfortable but not loose.
First up and absolutely essential is a pair of dark wash / indigo jeans. These go with just about everything – wear with a shirt & blazer and you’re looking smart, or dress down with a hoodie & white trainers and you can hit the skate park (if you like that sort of thing).
A good pair of jeans can last many years so it’s definitely worth investing in a good quality pair. We love Nudie Jeans – they use quality denim and the pairs we have owned have been incredibly comfortable and almost indestructible. Unfortunately they’re not cheap and it’s not always easy to find them on sale but even buying at full price they are worth the money.
Dark wash / indigo is without doubt the most versatile denim colour, we’d almost recommend having 2 pairs of these before even thinking about other shades. After this, medium-wash, black & grey are the colours you should look for for versatility.
Chinos & Trousers
Whilst they’ve always been around, chinos have become more and more popular as offices have become less formal. Combining elegance with comfort they can be worn in almost any setting so are a great addition to the capsule wardrobe.
As with jeans we recommend a slim fit rather than a classic fit but as always, make sure they are comfortable.
Navy blue and beige are the classic chino colours and are particularly good for the office – pair with a white button-down oxford shirt for a great smart-casual look. We also like olive green and grey – pair either of these with a plain white or black t-shirt and clean white trainers for a modern, minimal look.
The last type of trouser we are adding to the wardrobe is the often overlooked cord trouser. We’re not talking about the chunky mustard ones worn by posh, old men – we’re looking for then cords in a fit similar to jeans, ideally with a slightly stretch fabric for comfort. These are great for adding a bit of texture to an outfit. We love brown or beige cords paired with a denim jacket for a great autumn look.
Now on to footwear…
White Trainers
Up to this point there has been a bit of choice in terms of colours or styles for each item in the wardrobe. But one wardrobe essential that can’t be substituted is a pair of white trainers.
At MSB we love colourful trainers – but the workhorse pair that gets worn the most are the plain white leather ones. Obviously they look great in casual outfits but they can also work with smarter outfits (as long as they are clean and in good condition)
We recommend leather for both aesthetics and practicality as they are much easier to keep clean. We also recommend that the trainer should be as close to plain white as possible – no bold ticks or stripes for these. A white sole is also preferable, the only alternative would be a gum sole which can look great but does reduce the versatility of the trainer.
A decent quality pair can easily last a couple of years if looked after. We are fans of the big sportswear brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma & Reebok as they have good quality trainers at reasonable prices and are often available at discounts. Timeless models like Nike Air Force 1’s & Blazers or Adidas Stan Smiths are great for the wardrobe. See our favourite white trainers here.
Boots & Shoes
And for the final items in our capsule wardrobe we’re going to look at boots & shoes. We reckon you need at least one pair of boots & one pair of shoes but the type you choose should be determined by your needs – e.g. if you’re not an office worker & don’t need to dress up too much you maybe don’t need a pair of oxford shoes.
Black & brown, unsurprisingly, are the colours to go for, with brown being a bit more versatile than black. Our capsule isn’t for very formal so we’re looking for shoes smart enough for the office but casual enough for the pub – so we don’t want shiny patent leather.
Shoes & boots are another example where buying quality will save you money in the long term – if looked after, a good quality pair can last for years. All the shoes we recommend are classic styles so won’t go out of style.
Oxford / Derby Shoes
Oxfords & Derbies are classic dress shoes so are definitely at the smart end of the shoe spectrum. Obviously these will work in formal occasions but they can also work well if paired with the right casual outfit.
We recommend models with a toe cap as these make the shoe a little less formal. We also prefer shoes without brogue details. Either black or brown leather will work with many outfits. We don’t want much shine on the leather as this will make the shoe look too formal to be worn casually.
Chukka Boots
Chukkas are a great choice in spring or autumn. They look great with casual outfits such as jeans & a jumper but can also be worn with chinos & a shirt for an office smart-casual look.
We like brown, tan or even cream suede chukkas – although cream can be a bit difficult to keep clean. Dark grey is also an option.
Work / Trench Boots
Functional & stylish, these are ideal for casual outfits in autumn & winter. We advise dark brown which will look amazing with jeans & an overshirt. Work boots tend to be quite expensive but buy a decent pair and they will last for many years.
So now we have covered the essential wardrobe items click here for outfit combination ideas and here for some of the best deals on our capsule wardrobe items.