A Guide to Incorporating Cardigans as Part of a Capsule Wardrobe
Minimalist-inspired lifestyles are in, along with the concept of the capsule wardrobe – a “mini wardrobe” comprising a smaller selection of pieces that you love to wear. This trendy and cool concept of a small collection of your favorite useful clothes is allowing people to be more conscious and selective about how they fill and use their wardrobe.
Creating a Capsule Wardrobe
The capsule closet concept has many perks, including saving both space and money. What this means is that you are also free to spend a little more on fewer, higher-quality clothing items without breaking the bank. This leads us to the question of how to pick and choose which items to include in the capsule wardrobe, and which items to leave out?
Because the capsule wardrobe rotates with the seasons, a good way to begin choosing your capsule closet items is to make a list of key pieces you need for each season. If you break it down by season, it will be easier to identify and choose how many pieces of clothing (and how many outfits overall) you need, depending on the time of year. When planning your capsule wardrobe, make a list of must-have clothing items for each season. Keep in mind that some items, particularly the cardigan, might be used throughout more than one season.
Enter the Cardigan
Fall and winter capsule wardrobe planning is one of our favorites because of all the basic cozy knits and timeless jeans. When we think of fall and winter capsule closets, we think of all the perfect sweaters we get to live in all season long. One of the most versatile and core pieces of the capsule closet is the cardigan. Women’s cardigan sweaters are a forever favorite and are key to getting any lady through cooler weather.
Cardigan Versatility
Creating a capsule wardrobe means that you divide your closet into sections – with clothes and outfits you need for different occasions. Cardigans fit into a wide array of categories such as loungewear, formalwear, layering, and outerwear. Having a handful of high-quality cardigans, such as a women’s cashmere cardigan and a wool blend cardigan in different colors and lengths are key for multiple sections of the capsule closet.
You can choose a piece of women’s loungewear for relaxing around the house. You might also pick a neutral color and well-fitted cardigan made from high-quality material for an office setting. A lightweight but warm cardigan, such as cashmere, is ideal for layering. A thicker cardigan, especially a longer one, is great worn as an outerwear item and can double as a light coat.
The Formal Casual Cardigan
One cardigan can go a long way. When designing a capsule wardrobe, some people are worried that they may not have enough outfit options for a variety of needs or occasions. Having one cardigan that works for formal or work occasions and is still comfortable enough to wear for casual or at-home hangouts is not impossible! You can have a cardigan that is versatile for many occasions, is easy to style, and perfect for adding to any work from home outfits.
A high-quality, neutral cardigan is ideal for the capsule wardrobe. This will ensure not only that the cardigan will last, but also that it will look good for a long time. Having a well-fitting cardigan doesn’t mean tight-fitting, but instead, one that isn’t too large or small, and that flatters your unique shape and style.
A neutral color adds versatility to any clothing item, especially for sweaters. A black, beige, gray, dark blue, or deep brown sweater is easy to dress up or wear casually, making it a great addition to any capsule closet. Bold, bright colors and vibrant patterns tend to be a little too distracting for formal or dressier outfits, which is why you might want to choose neutral and solid tones. Materials such as cashmere, wool blends, and alpaca are also more formal for dressing up, while still being cozy enough for all your casual occasions.
Dress a cardigan up with some trendy pants and heels, or dress it down with your favorite leggings. The same cardigan works great either way.
Because cardigans are so wildly versatile and diverse, having a healthy selection of high-quality and long-lasting cardigans will help ensure each section of your capsule wardrobe has the necessary core pieces to keep you feeling stylish through the fall and beyond.