So you’re about to go off on another trip! Feeling overwhelmed about the amount of clothing in your closet and what you need to pack? There must be a better way, right? Good news: if you’re willing to put a bit of work in, there is a better way: creating a capsule wardrobe for travel! Learn how to build a travelling capsule wardrobe so you can:
- Save money on buying clothing in the long run
- Reduce mental energy and time spent packing
- Enjoy a less cluttered closet
Read on to learn about how to build a travelling capsule wardrobe.
What is a Travel Capsule Wardrobe?
Before I get into the details on how to create a travel capsule wardrobe, let’s first define a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is a collection of high-quality items of clothing that:
- Match and go with many other items of clothing
- Are versatile i.e. can be worn in many different seasons
Rather than focusing on buying many trendy pieces of clothing that may be in style one season and out of style another, the capsule wardrobe prizes quality over quantity and focuses on minimalism. What does this mean? A person stocking a minimalist capsule wardrobe will tend to spend more money on basic items of clothing that last longer. For example, he or she might buy a black blazer from a higher-end department store that costs $100 rather than a bright pink blazer that cost $20 at a fast-fashion shop.
While a standard capsule wardrobe focuses on acquiring basics for different seasons, a minimalist travel capsule wardrobe focuses on stocking your closet with core pieces you always use during your vacation. If you’re travelling to a warm country, your travelling capsule wardrobe will contain warm-weather clothing such as a bathing suit, tank top and flip-flops.
On the other hand, if you’re traveling to a cooler country such as Iceland or Norway, you’ll need to stock up on travelling wardrobe essentials such as long-sleeved shirts, sweaters and leggings.
Why is Stocking a Travelling Capsule Wardrobe Important?
Why is buying a traveling capsule wardrobe important – why is stocking a minimalist wardrobe important at all? For one, if you only buy and commit to packing items that you’ll actually use, your suitcase will be a lot lighter. If you pack less, you’ll be a lot less likely to incur overweight baggage fees at the airport check-in counter. When you don’t have extra baggage fees, you’re automatically saving money!
In addition to avoiding excess baggage fees, you’ll feel a lot less overwhelmed about the prospect of packing. When you only own 3 or 4 tank tops in mostly neutral colors as opposed to 5 different tank tops, half of which aren’t the style of the season, you’ll spend a lot less time packing! Your closet will also look cleaner and you’ll have a lot less mental clutter. There are numerous studies proving that a clean closet is better for your mental health.
Last but not least, when you commit to stocking a traveling capsule wardrobe, you’ll save money in the long run. If your closet is less cluttered and contains mostly essentials that go together with many other outfits, you’ll have less reason to spend money on random items of clothing or accessories. $50 spent here and there can really add up in the long run!
Choose the Basics for Your Travelling Capsule Wardrobe
You’ve committed to creating a travel capsule wardrobe, so now it’s time to work on stocking your wardrobe. The first step you’ll need to take is to check what you currently own. This list will later be compared to a standard list of clothing you’ll want to stock your wardrobe with. Take out a piece of paper or make a note on your phone of:
- What items of clothing you own – t-shirts, jeans, pants and more
- How many you own of each color – for example, 2 black t-shirts, 3 white t-shirts, 1 pair of black jeans. Do this for each and every item of clothing you own.
When making your list, only focus on pieces that will go with multiple outfits and are classic items of clothing. For example, don’t include a bright pink dress or multi-colored handbag – only include neutral-colored items on your list. Handbags, shirts, pants and more in black, tan and white should be included on your list.
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Adding New Items To Your Travel Wardrobe
After you’ve completed the two steps above, you’ll need to compare your list to a capsule wardrobe list for travel. If you travel to different countries with varying climates and it’s your first time stocking your travel wardrobe, start with one season.
Here are two minimalist travel wardrobe lists you can use for inspiration – one for summer and one for winter. Assuming you’re going away for 3-5 days, try to stock up with 3-4 pieces of each in neutral colors such as black, white or tan, with the exception of accessories such as sunglasses and hats – only pack 1 or 2 of those. If you’re going away longer, add 3-4 more pieces of each maximum. Remember, if you’re traveling a bit longer, you can always do laundry while on the road!
Additionally, keep in mind that these lists are non-exhaustive. Don’t forget undergarments and don’t be afraid to add in one or two trendy pieces you enjoy wearing. There’s nothing wrong with throwing in a geometric print dress you just love – just don’t fill your entire suitcase! Both a summer travel capsule wardrobe and a winter one always contain t-shirts, tank tops, jeans, pants, sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, socks and undergarments. Therefore, be sure to always include these items on your list.
Spring or Summer Capsule Wardrobe Checklist
A summer or spring travel capsule wardrobe should include items that are versatile and can be worn with different outfits during warm weather. Be sure to include the following items:
- T-shirts
- Tank tops
- Shorts
- Jeans
- Flip-flops
- Dressier sandals
- Running shoes
- Dress (for women)
- Handbag (for women)
Winter Travelling Capsule Wardrobe Checklist
A winter travel capsule wardrobe is similar to other seasons, but also includes items like long-sleeved shirts and jackets to prepare for cooler climates:
- T-shirts
- Tank tops
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Sweaters
- Hoodies
- Long pants
- Jeans
- Winter and/or fall jacket
- Boots
- Shoes
- Winter hat
- Mittens
Business Travel Capsule Wardrobe
While I’ve covered the basics on how to stock a vacation capsule wardrobe, how about if you’re on business? A business travel capsule wardrobe is similar to a regular capsule wardrobe. However, you’ll want to make sure you stock your closet with work-appropriate staples in neutral colors such as tan or black including:
- Blazers
- Dress pants
- A trench coat
- Dressier closed-toed shoes
- A statement handbag or briefcase
Customizing Your Wardrobe to Suit the Occasion
While you’re obviously going to create and stock a capsule wardrobe that’s appropriate for the weather in the country or region you’re visiting, you’ll also want to ensure it’s appropriate for different occasions.
Here are several occasions you’ll want to prepare for by ensuring you have the appropriate clothing stocked in your wardrobe as well as the pieces you’ll want to stock up on:
Beach Day
A beach vacation capsule wardrobe should always include core pieces like bathing suits, a cover-up and flip-flops. If you have more room in your suitcase, you can add one more of each item. Don’t have enough room? One of each is fine.
Ski Day
For ski destinations, ensure you own a quality ski jacket, snowpants and other accessories appropriate for going down the slopes. Quality items will last you longer and you’ll save money in the long run by not having to re-purchase items to replace worn-out ones.
Nice Evening Dinner
If you’re planning on going out for a nice evening dinner during your travels (which you should at least once!), be sure to pack 1 or 2 nice outfits that can be worn on multiple occasions.
Personally, I like to pack a lbd (little black dress) that can be dressed up or even worn during the day. I dress my outfit up or down by swapping out the jackets and shoes. If I’m wearing the dress during the day, I’ll wear it with a denim jacket and flip-flops, but if I’m going out at night, I’ll pair the dress with black or tan boots or sandals and a leather jacket.
Where to Shop for Your Wardrobe
I’ve defined what a travelling capsule wardrobe is, why it’s important to have one and how to get started, but where should you buy your clothing from?
The most obvious answer is the local mall or department store where you can easily find brand-new clothing in a variety of styles. Hold on a minute! Since stocking a travel capsule wardrobe is all about minimalism and frugal living, you’ll want to focus on trying to purchase the highest-quality items of clothing at the lowest price.
Where is the best place to find items to create an affordable capsule wardrobe? Easy – your local thrift store! Check out different secondhand stores in your area. There’s nothing like a Saturday morning treasure hunt perusing through the racks of the thrift store.
Benefis of Shopping Secondhand
Shopping secondhand has many benefits, including:
- Saving money
- Helping the environment
- Having fun shopping and bonding with others
1. Saving Money
Secondhand items are generally at least half the cost of buying retail. When you purchase clothing secondhand, you’ll automatically save tens, if not hundreds of dollars! While ten or fifteen dollars saved doesn’t seem like a lot of money, if you go thrifting once a month and save $50 on each trip, over the course of 12 months you will have saved $600!
When you’re thrifting, try to find quality pieces. Even though the items are cheaper than buying retail, if you buy a low-quality item of clothing, you’ll have to replace it soon anyways.
If you can’t find quality clothing at the local thrift store, there’s nothing wrong with buying retail. Again, try your luck at the local secondhand stores first, then peruse the local mall if all else fails.
2. Helping the Environment
When you stock your travelling capsule wardrobe with essential pieces that are high quality and last a long time, you’re helping save the environment. There are several ways you help the environment:
- Buying less means that you’ll eventually throw away less items of clothing. Most items of clothing find their way into landfills, so you’re helping reduce environmental waste.
- When you buy secondhand, you won’t be contributing to the demand on factories producing new items of clothing. A lot of energy is required to produce new clothing. From factory emissions, water used in producing cotton t-shirts and the emissions generated by trucks and other modes of transportation transporting goods to various stores, new clothing is costly to the environment.
3. Having Fun Shopping with Others
Creating a minimalist travel wardrobe with a smaller amount of higher-quality items means that you’ll most likely need to do at least one shopping trip to replace or update your current inventory. If you enjoy shopping, there’s nothing like spending some quality time at the mall with a few friends! A shopping trip is a great time to catch up with friends and bond over shared interests, including minimalism and stocking a capsule wardrobe.
When shopping with others, it’s important to choose likeminded people who are also committed to frugal living. You might have a good friend who is fun to be around but struggles to save his or her money. There’s nothing wrong with being friends with him or her, but it’s a good idea to be careful how much time you spend shopping with him or her. Friends often influence our habits – including how we spend or money and what we spend it on!
How to Pack a Travelling Capsule Wardrobe
You’ve got your capsule wardrobe set, and the day to pack for your next trip has finally come! How do you pack your wardrobe so you fit all your items into your suitcase? Here are my top tips on how to ensure you avoid overweight baggage fees and keep organized:
Wear Your Heaviest Items
- Save space by wearing your heaviest items on the plane. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but you’ll save space in your suitcase.
Pack Your Shoes at the Bottom of Your Suitcase
- To optimize the limited space you have, put the heaviest items at the bottom of your suitcase – this includes shoes.
Roll Your Clothes
- To save space, take the time to roll up your clothes. It seems silly to do, but it really does take less space than folding clothes and sticking them in a suitcase!
Conclusion – Travelling Capsule Wardrobe
A travelling capsule wardrobe is the best way to save money, reduce clutter, eliminate packing stress, and help out the environment. Once you commit to stocking and keeping up a capsule wardrobe for your adventures abroad, you won’t want to stop! Whether you’re traveling to Canada or somewhere in Asia, a capsule wardrobe will save you time and money! If you’ve stocked up a travel capsule wardrobe, why not try other challenges like making a general minimalist capsule wardrobe or committing to engaging in simple pleasures?
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Janita is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over five years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars for funding investments and traveling to over 20 countries.
Janita completed training in personal finance at The University of Western Ontario and McGill University, two prestigious Canadian universities. Her expertise has been shared on GoBankingRates, Yahoo Finance, and NASDAQ.com.
