Capsule Wardrobe For Work | 34 Classy & Stylish Essentials List

September 22, 2022October 17, 2022

Being a girl boss is tough already. Here’s how to stay fashionable with minimal effort.

Let’s face it, how you present yourself at work does impact your confidence and how others see you. It’s an initial impression and it isn’t a top priority at work, but it helps!

We girl bosses have enough to deal with. Work-life balance is already a struggle. Now, we have to deal with looking classy and fashionable too? Come on, now!

However, here’s a little secret to dressing up quickly in the morning before work that will only take about 10 seconds for you to throw together! The secret is a capsule wardrobe for work.

I’ve created a capsule wardrobe for the fall, winter, spring, and summer. This time we’re focusing on how to build a professional capsule wardrobe.

Disclosure: Vain Affair is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.

In This Post ➜

What Exactly Is A Capsule Wardrobe And How Can It Help Me?
What You Need For A Capsule Wardrobe For Work
How To Mix & Match For Ultimate Variety
What To Consider When Building Your Capsule Wardrobe For Work
Best Stores To Shop
Frequently Asked Questions

What Exactly Is A Capsule Wardrobe And How Can It Help Me?

Need a refresher? A capsule wardrobe is a collection of clothing that can be mixed and matched to create a wide variety of outfits. All the pieces in the collection complement each other, which makes outfit coordination quick and easy!

It’s a great way to minimize your closet to only the key pieces you’ll need. You’ll save lots of time dressing in the morning! It’s also budget-friendly too.

It’s a great way to add some style to your wardrobe and make it more accessible. A good capsule wardrobe for work can help you transition from business casual to business outfits too. It can even help you discover new ways to wear your favorite pieces.

If you are looking for a wardrobe that’s easy to wear and pull off, this is the wardrobe for you.

What You Need For A Capsule Wardrobe For Work

Now that you know how a professional capsule wardrobe can benefit you, here’s a list of the best clothing for a work capsule wardrobe in 2022.

These pieces are a great starting point for you to set up an office capsule wardrobe. Feel free to add or remove to this collection, so that it’s customized to your needs.

Style Tip: Keep a consistent color theme in your wardrobe. I highly recommend neutral colors, such as white, beige, brown, gray, and black. These colors never go out of style! I recommend it for all capsule wardrobes.

Tops

When it comes to a work capsule wardrobe, the very first thing I tend to reach for are my tops! There are so many styles to choose from.

However, it can be easy to collect tons of tops that don’t coordinate well with other pieces in your professional wardrobe.

Here’s what tops you should have to streamline your workwear top options. These options will give you enough variety that can easily be mixed and matched with your bottoms.

2 T-shirts – Add a white and gray t-shirt to your capsule wardrobe. T-shirts pair well with trousers for a business casual look and work well layered under cardigans too. Get a v-neck and a scoop neckline t-shirt to vary the styles.
2 Blouses – Blouses are fun ways to add elegance and details to your outfits. Look for blouses with ruffle sleeves, wraps, or tie details. You can also go for classic professional patterns, such as thin stripes.
2 Dress Shirts – It’s always a good idea to have at least one white button down shirt. They are extremely versatile and a great base for professional looks. Get another dress shirt in another neutral color for more variety.

Knitwear

2 Cardigans – Offices tend to blast their air conditioners on high, so it can get pretty chilly inside the office. Also, cardigans are great layering pieces when the temperature outside drops. Make sure to have at least one regular cardigan and one cropped cardigan. The cropped cardigan looks great with high-waisted pants and dresses.
2 Sweaters – When it’s fall and winter, sweaters are my staple pieces. Get one lightweight sweater and one chunky knit sweater. My favorite lightweight sweater material is merino wool. I also love cable knit sweaters for chunkier knits.

Bottoms

2 Tailored Trousers – There’s nothing more professional and sleek than a nice pair of tailored trousers. Get one wide leg and straight leg trouser to switch up the styles. I also recommend getting one in the color beige and another in black.
2 Jeans – Depending on your workplace dress code, jeans might be an option for you! If it is, get one pair of straight leg jeans and another pair of skinny jeans. I would also get one in the color blue and the other in black. However, if jeans are not allowed, then I would get more pants or trousers instead.

Skirts

1 Satin Midi Skirt – A midi skirt is the perfect length for work. Midi skirts end mid-calf, so it’s not too short or long. Plus, the satin material makes the midi skirt look luxe and classy.
1 Knee Length Skirt – Switch up your skirt length with a knee length skirt. This could be a pencil skirt or A-line skirt. The general rule is that skirts for work should not be any shorter than knee length.

Jackets

1 Tailored Blazer – Having one sleek blazer that fits your perfectly is essential for important work events or presentations. Having at least one will come in handy!
1 Oversized Blazer – Include a casual boyfriend blazer or oversized blazer for business casual wear. These blazers look great with a t-shirt and jeans too!

Work Dresses

2 Shirt Dresses – Dresses come in handy when you’re too tired of coordinating a top and bottom together. Get knee-length dresses or longer. You should have one classic black dress and one white dress. You can never go wrong with these colors.

Bags

2 Tote Bags – Tote bags are a classic work bag staple. They’re large enough to carry lots of small things for work. Plus, some are even specifically designed to carry your laptop too. Get one in the color black and another in brown. Both these colors will match just about any outfit you wear.

Shoes

1 Pair of Flats – Flats are easy to walk in and look polished. These are one of my favorite office shoe staples.
1 Pointed Toe Block Heel Sandals – These sandals look professional and incredibly cute for work. The pointed toe shape makes these shoes more professional and the block heel gives height and comfort.
1 Pair of Pumps – A classic pair of nude pumps is a staple for any dressy work event or elegant aesthetic. They look great with dresses and skirts.
1 Ankle Boots – Ankle boots are a fall and winter staple. Get one with a pointed toe and block heel for a professional look that is easy to walk in.

Accessories

Style Tip: When in doubt, simple and minimal gold jewelry goes great with everything in a capsule wardrobe for work. You want accessories to add a bit of shine and complement your outfit, not overwhelm it. Avoid any loud and gaudy statement jewelry and look for unique subtle details instead.

2 Earrings – Have one pair of everyday minimal gold earrings and one pair of unique statement earrings on hand. This will give you some variety and help switch up your look.
2 Necklaces – Have 2 lengths of necklaces to vary the styles depending on your outfit. I recommend a dainty gold choker necklace and a regular length necklace.
2 Rings – Add 2 rings to your capsule wardrobe. One ring can have a minimalist style and another can be a unique statement ring.
2 Belts – Belts add another dimension to your outfits. A simple black belt will help break up an outfit and cinch in the waist.

How To Mix & Match For Ultimate Variety

The key to making a capsule wardrobe work for you is to include pieces that can be mixed and matched together. This way you can create multiple outfits using the same pieces.

Here’s a few tips to help you create mix and matched looks:

Neutral colors, such as white, beige, brown, gray, and black, all pair really well with each other. They’re polished colors that you really can’t go wrong with for work too.
Create monochromatic looks with a top and bottom. For instance, it can be an all black or beige look. It doesn’t need to be an exact color match, so play around with similar shades. Monochromatic looks will make you look more refined and expensive too.
Only invest in pieces that you know will match with 3 other tops or bottoms in your capsule wardrobe. For example, a top should match with 3 other bottoms that you currently have in your work capsule wardrobe. If you can’t think of anything to match the piece, then it won’t give you enough versatility.

What To Consider When Building Your Capsule Wardrobe For Work

While the capsule wardrobe I put together above lays a basic work wardrobe foundation, it’s important to tweak it to your specific needs. You might need heavier layers if you work somewhere cold or more blazers for presentations.

Whatever it may be, here’s a couple of things to keep in mind as you’re creating your own capsule wardrobe for work.

Office Attire Guidelines – Your office or work environment may let you know what attire they expect their workers to be in. If not, you can always ask! Otherwise, stick with polished business casual workwear and see what your co-workers are wearing to get a better idea.
Weather & Temperature – Are you spending a lot of time in an office? If so, you might need to get a few more cardigans or sweaters because it can get very chilly inside. Trust me, shivering in an office all day is the worst! Dress in layers, so you can remove them if it gets too warm.
Commuting – If you’re taking public transit or commuting to work, it’s a good idea to get some comfy flat shoes. Keep any heels specifically for work under your desk. That way you can wear comfy flats while you’re riding a train or bus to work.
Budget – Think about how much you’re willing to spend on work clothes. Keep in mind that you can also thrift expensive brands if you want to save more money. It’s best to start off with enough pieces that you can wear for 2 weeks and slowly build your work capsule collection over time. Don’t make the mistake of spending all your budget at once!

Best Stores To Shop

It can get pretty overwhelming with all the choices out there. I’ve narrowed down some of my favorite places to shop for workwear. I’ve got options for every budget!

Low Budget (About $50 or less each)

Mid Range Budget ($50 up to about $175 each)

High Budget (Over $175 each)

Not ready to pay the full price for designer or luxury items? You can still thrift designer pieces for a fraction of the price! Here’s a few places to thrift items for killer deals:

Online Thrift Stores

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Pieces Do You Need In A Work Capsule Wardrobe?

The amount of pieces you will need in a work wardrobe will vary depending on your specific situation. Lay the foundation first with at least 2 weeks worth of outfits.

Use these 2 weeks to scope out what’s the office appropriate attire that your coworkers are wearing. Then, slowly add on to your work capsule wardrobe as you see fit.

The capsule wardrobe for work that I outlined above has a total of 34 pieces. Use it as a guideline as you shop for pieces to add to your wardrobe.

A general guideline for a capsule wardrobe is 30-50 pieces. However, it isn’t meant to be strictly followed.

Depending on your work needs, you may need more blazers or dress shirts. Just adjust it accordingly! The goal is to make a minimalist professional work wardrobe that works for you.

How Much Should I Be Spending On My Capsule Wardrobe?

According to financial planner Pete Dunn, a monthly clothing budget should not be more than 5% of your after-tax income. Therefore, the more you make, the higher your clothing budget can be.

Never go into debt to buy new clothes. Period. If you have to put new clothes on credit, then it’s a sign that you’re going over budget.

Is A Capsule Wardrobe Effective?

Yes, a capsule wardrobe is very effective. Not only does it help you save time coordinating outfits, but it’s well planned in advance, so you’re saving money and less likely to purchase unnecessary clothing.

A capsule wardrobe is great for those who want more efficiency without sacrificing style. Once you start a capsule wardrobe, you’ll be amazed at how creative you can get with limited clothes.

What Should You Avoid Wearing To An Office Job?

An office job will typically require you to follow business casual attire. Here’s a few things to avoid wearing at an office job.

Avoid see-through clothing or clothes that reveal too much skin. This is usually considered inappropriate. However, you can cover up with a cardigan.
Don’t wear super short, extremely tight, or baggy clothes. The office is not for streetwear, so save them for when you’re off work.
Ripped jeans are also a no-no. These are also considered streetwear and should be saved for after work.
Gym clothes should be for the gym or athleisure, but not for the office!
Dirty, wrinkles, or stained clothes should either be cleaner and ironed beforehand.

Slay work with your stylish and efficient capsule wardrobe! Share your work outfits with me too. 😉

Disclosure: Vain Affair is reader-supported. When you buy through affiliate links on our website, we’ll make a small commission, without impacting your price. Thank you. Learn more.

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