How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe With 20 Pieces

Most men wear about 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time. The rest is the shirt that never quite fit, the trousers bought for one wedding, and the jacket that seemed like a good idea. A capsule wardrobe flips that: fewer clothes, all of which you actually wear, and all of which go together.

Twenty pieces sounds limiting. In practice, it gives you dozens of outfits, and you never stand in front of the closet wondering what works.

The rules

1. Stick to a tight color palette. Navy, gray, white, olive, brown and black cover almost everything. Every top should work with every bottom.
2. Fit beats brand. A $40 shirt that fits beats a $200 shirt that doesn’t. Budget for a tailor.
3. Buy fewer, better things. Look at fabric and construction, not logos.
4. Build for your actual life. If you work from home, you need fewer suits and more good knitwear.

The 20 pieces

Tops (8)

1. White oxford shirt
2. Light blue oxford or poplin shirt
3. Chambray or denim shirt
4. Two plain crew-neck T-shirts: white and navy
5. A navy or gray polo, or a long-sleeve henley for colder months
6. Merino or cotton crew-neck sweater in gray
7. Navy quarter-zip or cardigan
8. One flannel or overshirt for weekends

Bottoms (4)

1. Dark wash, slim-straight jeans, no rips or fading
2. Navy or gray chinos
3. Khaki or olive chinos
4. Gray wool trousers, or the trousers from your suit

Outerwear (3)

1. Navy blazer, unstructured if you’ll wear it casually
2. A versatile casual jacket: field jacket, chore coat or bomber
3. A winter coat: wool overcoat or a down parka, depending on your climate. Our guide to winter coats for every budget has picks.

Shoes (4)

1. White or minimal leather sneakers. See our pick of sneakers for everyday wear.
2. Brown leather boots, chukka or Chelsea
3. Dark brown or black dress shoes, derbies or oxfords
4. Loafers or a casual pair suited to your climate

One suit (1)

1. A navy or charcoal suit that fits properly. It handles weddings, interviews and funerals. Our visual guide to how a suit should fit shows what to ask your tailor for.

How to build it without starting over

Don’t throw everything out. Start by sorting what you own into three piles: wear often, wear sometimes and never wear. Keep the first pile, consider the second, and donate the third. Then fill the gaps one piece at a time, starting with what you’d wear most. Americans throw out a lot of clothing. The EPA tracks textile waste and recycling, one more reason to buy fewer, better pieces.

Make it last

• Wash less, and colder. Most clothes last longer with less washing.
• Hang shirts and blazers on proper hangers.
• Learn to iron. It takes five minutes. Our guide on how to iron a shirt properly shows how.
• Look after your shoes. Cedar shoe trees and regular conditioning make leather last for years. See how to care for leather shoes and boots.

A capsule wardrobe isn’t about owning less. It’s about never owning something you don’t want to wear.

The Everyday Gent

For the core pieces worth paying for, see our buy-once wardrobe guide. Follow the care label. The FTC explains what the symbols mean in its guide to the care labeling rule.

Seasonal swaps

In winter, add a heavier knit, thermal layers and proper winter boots. Our guide to winter boots for men covers the options. In summer, swap sweaters for linen shirts and add a pair of shorts. Keep the core the same.

Got a dressy event coming up? Our guide on how to dress for a winter wedding shows how to work your capsule pieces into something sharper.