Capsule Wardrobe Accessories: How to get the most out of your capsule wardrobe

Today’s post is about capsule wardrobe accessories, and how you can use a small collection of accessories to get the most out of your capsule wardrobe. All while keeping your wardrobe and your closet simple and clutter-free!

If you’re not familiar with the idea of capsule wardrobes, it means having a small collection of clothes you love and can easily mix and match. All to make getting dressed easier and simplify your life.

I love having a simplified, capsule wardrobe. But one of the common objections to a capsule wardrobe is the fear of getting bored or ending up wearing the same outfits over and over.

Fewer clothes still give you options

First of all, just because you have fewer clothes, doesn’t mean your wardrobe will be boring. With the right pieces in your wardrobe, you can put together plenty of outfit options, even with a smaller wardrobe.

But another way to get the most out of your capsule wardrobe and add interest to your outfits is with accessories.

**This post is in partnership with Nordgreen watches and contains affiliate links. Click here for the full disclosure policy.**

Add interest with capsule wardrobe accessories

Adding the right accessories to your wardrobe can allow you to wear the same, small collection of clothes and still keep them feeling fresh and interesting. And help you feel like you’re not wearing the same outfits on repeat.

The key to choosing capsule wardrobe accessories is choosing the right pieces to add interest and variety while still keeping your wardrobe streamlined, simplified and clutter-free.

In today’s post, I’m sharing tips and ideas to help you compliment your capsule wardrobe with a small selection of accessories. Of course, aiming to keep your accessories, as well as your wardrobe, as simple as possible!

I’ll start with the basic capsule wardrobe accessories that can help you get the most out of your wardrobe. Then show you how you can personalize your capsule wardrobe accessories to fit your style, preferences and lifestyle.

Make your capsule wardrobe work harder with accessories

Adding accessories to your capsule wardrobe is a great way to help your smaller wardrobe work harder and go further.

Different accessories can completely change the look of an outfit. They can dress an outfit up or down, or just change it up. Adding accessories is a great way to finish off an outfit and pull it all together too.

Accessories make a capsule wardrobe work harder

This is especially important when you have a smaller wardrobe. The more you are able to make the items in your wardrobe work harder for you and wear them in different ways, the fewer clothes you need to still have plenty of options.

And if you’ve kept your capsule wardrobe on the neutral side to keep your clothes as versatile as possible, accessories are a great way to add interest and variety.

Beyond this, here are a few more benefits of adding accessories to your capsule wardrobe:

• Accessories don’t take up much space, allowing you to keep your closet simplified and clutter-free, while still having a way to add interest and variety to your wardrobe.
• Most accessories can be worn even if your size or shape change, so you can get a lot of use out of them.
• Accessories let you add more of your unique personal style to your outfits, even if your clothes are fairly neutral.

Here’s an example of capsule wardrobe accessories at work:

The same black dress can look completely different based on how it is accessorized.

The first option is a casual outfit perfect for everyday wear.

Changing out the accessories below changes the look of the outfit, dressing it up a bit.

And finally, changing the accessories have taken the same black dress and dressed it up to work for a more formal setting.

This shows how having a small collection of accessories for your capsule wardrobe can help make your clothes work harder and stretch your wardrobe further.

How to build a collection of capsule wardrobe accessories

In this post, I’ll show you how you can put together a collection of capsule wardrobe accessories to get the most out of your capsule wardrobe.

We’ll start with how to declutter the accessories you already have. Then move on to how to build a collection of accessories essentials. And then finally, look at ways you can add your own personality and style to your capsule wardrobe accessories.

For the purposes of this post, capsule wardrobe accessories will include:

• Jewellery
• Scarves
• Purses and bags
• Hats

I won’t be covering shoes in this post, because I feel like talking about decluttering and choosing shoes for your capsule wardrobe could be a whole post in itself! If there’s interest, that’s something I can address in a future post. But in the meantime, the same ideas I talk about in this post can easily be applied to shoes as well.

How to declutter your accessories

The first step of building your collection of capsule wardrobe accessories is decluttering what you currently have.

Gather all the accessories you currently have in one place so you can see everything together. Then start sorting your accessories into two categories:

• Keep: things you love and wear often
• Get rid of: things you never wear or don’t like

Try to be as honest and as ruthless as possible while you’re sorting. Jewelry is often a tricky thing to declutter because many items have sentimental or monetary value.

But do your best to only keep the things you love, hold happy or important memories for you, you wear often, feel good while you’re wearing and suit your style and preferences.

Assess what’s left

After you’ve decluttered your accessories, look at what’s left. It should be items you love wearing and capture your style.

It’s ok if you feel like you have some gaps in your collection of accessories. Just remember, there’s no need to rush out and buy a bunch of accessories all at once. Instead, use what you have and slowly, thoughtfully and intentionally add accessories as needed.

What to look for in capsule wardrobe accessories

In order to keep your capsule wardrobe accessories simplified and clutter-free, but still hard-working and versatile, there are few things you should look for in your accessories. This goes for assessing your current accessories, as well as when you’re adding new items to your collection.

Something you love

First, each item should be something you love, something that sparks joy for you and something that feels like it suits you and your style.

Suits your preferences and lifestyle

Next, look for accessories that you can see yourself wearing and can think of multiple outfits you’d wear the accessories with. As well as multiple activities you do that you could wear the accessories for.

For example, you might love sparkly, dangly earrings, but rarely have the occasion to wear them. If that’s the case, you probably don’t need 15 different pairs of sparkly, dangly earrings, even if you do love them. Simply because they don’t suit your lifestyle.

Suits your wardrobe

Third, look for versatile accessories that will be easy to mix and match with your wardrobe.

For example, if your capsule wardrobe is built around the base color of black, adding a navy purse might not be a great choice because it won’t be as versatile with your wardrobe.

Meets your style goals

Think about what you want to achieve with your accessories. Do you want to add a pop of color? Or maybe you want your accessories to be simple and classic? Or maybe your goal is to add some unique, interesting flare to your wardrobe?

There’s no right or wrong way to accessorize your wardrobe. But it helps to be clear about your style goals so you can choose accessories you’ll love and will fulfill the purpose you want them to.

Capsule wardrobe accessories essentials

To give you a place to start with your accessories collection, here is a list of capsule wardrobe accessories essentials. This list is a great place to start when you’re simplifying your accessories and creating a collection to compliment your capsule wardrobe. It focuses on the basics that work well with most wardrobes.

Of course, take into account your own personal style, preferences and lifestyle. There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to capsule wardrobes. But you can use this list as a guide to help build a versatile collection of accessories to compliment and get the most out of your capsule wardrobe.

Six capsule wardrobe accessories essentials

Aim for classic, timeless styles with your accessories essentials. These are the pieces that will work with your wardrobe for years, without going out of style or looking dated.

Once you have your collection of basics, you can add in a few trendier pieces if you like. But having a good foundation of basics is a great way to get the most of your capsule wardrobe with the least amount of stuff.

1. Stud earrings

Simple and classic pearl, diamond/cubic zirconia or metal stud earrings are great because they’re classic and timeless, perfect for everyday wear.

2. Statement earrings

For dressier occasions, a pair of drop, dangly, or sparkly earrings are great. Again, aim for something classic and timeless to invest in for your collection of basics. You can always add trendier statement earrings later. But having a classic pair of dressier earrings is great to start.

3. Classic 18” necklace

Again, look for something simple, classic and timeless that will go with a wide variety of outfits and work for many different occasions. An 18” length is often considered to be the most universally flattering length and is a great basic to have in your collection of accessories.

4. Statement necklace

As with earrings, having a statement necklace in a classic style is great for more formal occasions.

5. Watch

A simple, classic watch is a very versatile accessory to add to your collection of basics. Both metal and leather straps are great options. Keeping the watch face simple will help it feel timeless and functional.

This Nordgreen watch is a great example of a classic, versatile watch to add to a capsule wardrobe. The simple design makes it versatile for a variety of outfits. And the bands are interchangeable so you can get a variety of different looks without needing multiple watches.

As a bonus for Simple Lionheart Life readers, you can use coupon code LIONHEART to get 15% off Nordgreen watches.

6. Handbags

The size and style of bag that works best for you will depend on your lifestyle, activities and preferences. But there are a few classic, versatile styles that can be great additions to a capsule wardrobe.

Decide which will work best for you based on your needs and preferences. Then look for a quality, classic style bag in a color that will mix and match well with your clothes to compliment your capsule wardrobe.

You don’t need all three bags, but these three style options cover most events and activities.

Shoulder or cross-body bag – great for everyday use.

Larger tote bag – Great to use when you need to carry more or for travelling.

Clutch – A good option for formal occasions.

Adding your own style to your capsule wardrobe accessories

Beyond these capsule wardrobe accessories essentials, you can add even more interest, variety and personality to your wardrobe with a few extra accessories. These extra accessories can be trendier and more unique to your personality and style.

Here are some examples of accessories you can add to your capsule wardrobe to make it your own:

Scarves

Scarves are a great way to add color and variety to your wardrobe. And there are so many different ways to tie and wear scarves to add even more interest to your wardrobe.

More capsule wardrobe jewelry options

Beyond the basic jewelry ideas to accessorize a capsule wardrobe listed above, adding more variety to your jewelry options is a great way to stretch your capsule wardrobe while still keeping it simple and clutter-free.

You can keep things neutral with your capsule wardrobe jewelry, just adding a few different pieces for variety. Or you can add trendier or bolder jewellery choices to your collection to suit your style and preferences as well.

Hats

Hats are a great way to make a simple outfit feel more put together and intentional. And it’s functional by shading you from the sun too!

Find your version of enough for your capsule wardrobe accessories

You don’t need a large number of accessories to compliment your capsule wardrobe and give you some added interest and options.

In fact, fewer accessories have the same benefits as fewer clothes – less decision fatigue, easier and faster to get dressed, less stress, saves you money, easier to keep your closet organized, etc.

However, you have to find what feels like “enough” for you. One of the big goals of a capsule wardrobe is to make getting dressed faster, easier and less stressful.

There are no right or wrong amount of clothes to have in your capsule wardrobe. Instead, it’s about finding the right amount for you. The same goes for your capsule wardrobe accessories. Decide the number of accessories that feels like enough for you.

For example, if your accessories make you happy and work well with your wardrobe, it’s probably “enough” for you.

However, if the number of accessories you own are stressing you out, or it’s hard to decide which accessories to wear because you have so many options, maybe it’s time to simplify a bit more.

Compliment your capsule wardrobe with a simplified collection of accessories

I hope this post gives you an idea of how you can compliment your capsule wardrobe with a simplified, personalized collection of accessories.

Accessories can be a fun and useful way to add to your capsule wardrobe and make your small selection of clothes stretch further.

Do you like using accessories to compliment your wardrobe? What are your favourite ways to accessorize your wardrobe?