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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Your alarm rings and you look at the screen of your phone only to find out that you have approximately seven minutes to get ready or otherwise, you will be late for your class. You jump out of bed, brush your teeth, and then try to put together an outfit, slowly running out of time. When time is your enemy, closet capsule will make you look stylish and not late to class.

what’s a capsule closet?

Capsule closet is primarily composed of neutral toned clothing. It’s a limited selection of pieces that never go out of style and can be easily paired up with different articles of clothing. A capsule wardrobe allows you to create many stylish outfits with only a couple of staples that should be in everyone’s closet.

here’s everything you need to know

Start planning out your capsule closet:

  1. Go through your closet and throw out/sell/donate the clothes you no longer wear.
  2. Decide on a neutral color that will be the base tone of your closet (black or navy).
  3. Add neutral basics essentials (white, ivory, beige, tan, camel, or gray).
  4. Select your accent colors (2-3 colors that will make your outfits stand out).
  5. Add patterned items and layers (1-2 patterned items and layers that will bring your outfit together).
  6. Add shoes and accessories (such as bags, jewelry, and scarves).

After you’ve imagined your dream capsule wardrobe, it’s time for our favorite thing – shopping! Here are some of the staples you should consider having in your closet:

  1. Two basic tees
  2. Two tank tops
  3. Two shirts and a blouse
  4. Three dressy bottoms
  5. Four sweaters
  6. One jumpsuit
  7. Two jackets
  8. Two business-casual pairs of pants
  9. Three pairs of jeans
  10. Three dresses
  11. Two pairs of shorts
  12. Four pairs of shoes

Capsule closet is not for everyone, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see if it’s right for you. Remember to have fun with building your new closet! You can switch up the pieces of clothing with whatever colors you end up choosing and make it truly yours!

Benefits to capsule closet

Save money

With a capsule closet, you don’t have to go shopping as often! Because you only have the essential pieces, you’re saving money on compulsive shopping!

Save time

You know exactly what kind of style you like which, if you end up shopping for new pieces to add to your collection, will save you the amount of time you spend looking through the racks.

Always look stylish

With staple pieces that never go out of style, you are able to create variations of stylish outfits that are always trending. How can you go wrong with a white t-shirt, simple jeans, and a biker jacket?

More sustainable

Since you don’t have hundreds of clothing pieces in your wardrobe, you actually wear everything you own. No clothing is going to waste, because you don’t have as much options to choose from.

Less stress

Finally, capsule closet causes you less stress. You will memorize every single item you own in a matter of couple of weeks and thanks to that, picking out an outfit will be much easier!

Liv Barwinska

Illinois '24

Hi! I was the previous VP of Editorial for the Illinois chapter and I majored in Journalism. Writing has always been a big part of my life and Her Campus allowed me to follow my passion, while being surrounded by amazing and supportive girls. These past two years with HC have been incredible and I'll forever be grateful for my time here. Go Illini! All the love, Liv xx