Fewer, better pieces: how to build a capsule wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe isn't an aesthetic. It's a method: a limited number of pieces that combine with one another, chosen because you wear them – not because they were on sale.

Start with what you already wear

Notice what you reach for in an ordinary week. Those pieces are already your capsule. Everything else is noise. It's a more useful starting point than buying something new.

Build around a colour palette

Choose two or three neutrals as a base and at most two accent colours. When the palette is narrow, almost everything combines with everything – and you need fewer pieces to make more outfits.

Prioritise the layers you wear most

It's rarely the statement piece that carries a wardrobe. It's the inner layer, the trousers and the outerwear. Put the money where the wear is.

Quality is a question of use

An expensive piece you wear twice a year is more expensive than one you wear weekly. Count cost per wear rather than cost alone. It usually changes what feels worth investing in.

Maintain rather than replace

A capsule wardrobe only works if the pieces last. Read the care label, wash less often, and repair rather than replace. Our guide to cashmere care covers the routine for the finest materials.

Where a baselayer fits in

A long-sleeve inner layer in a good quality is one of the hardest-working pieces you can own: on its own, under a blazer, under a shirt. Alea Baselayer is designed for exactly that role – one size, in a cashmere blend with modal and elastane. See how to style it year-round.