February 18, 2022

How to Make a Man's Capsule Wardrobe

If I told you to throw out more than three quarters of your wardrobe every year, you would probably (and rightfully) criticize me for being so wasteful.

Unfortunately, this isn't so far from what many of us already do.

Each year, up to 85% of all textiles are thrown out in a landfill.

Many of us aren't yet in a position where we can minimize our consumption to what would be even close to acceptable levels, but there are ways of perhaps consuming more responsibly in our fashion. Many people have found a way through capsule wardrobes.

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

What is a Man's Capsule Wardrobe? | Fashion Designer Nathon Kong

Capsule wardrobes are a way of minimizing how you consume fashion.

Rather than having a bunch of outfits, the concept behind a capsule wardrobe is to minimize the collection of articles we own by buying clothes that all go with each other to form many outfits. That way, you essentially have more outfits while buying less clothes.

Have you ever had trouble narrowing down what you are going to wear? Have you ever owned a pair of bright blue pants that you have rarely worn since the pants only went with very few of the clothes you owned? These are problems that a capsule wardrobe seeks to solve for men.

How to Match the Clothes in Your Wardrobe | Fashion Designer Nathon Kong

Photo by Fernando Lavin on Unsplash

By limiting your choices and by consisting of only the minimal clothes and accessories one needs, capsule wardrobes make getting dressed faster, easier, cheaper, and more eco-friendly.

How can Accessories Add to a Capsule Wardrobe?

Capsule wardrobes are built around the idea that accessories allow you to drastically change your outfit simply by changing a tie for a scarf. Here are some essential accessories for a man's minimalist closet.

1. Foundational Suits

Custom Suit Lining Fabric | Fashion Designer Nathon Kong

Suits are the base layers of every man's capsule wardrobe.

Suits, especially bespoke suits, are a common part of most men's capsule wardrobe. Most men already own a suit, and if you are one of a few men who don't, it would be a good idea to get one. Suit are one of those clothing articles you can reuse and wear in multiple different situations, as by simply changing a few accessories you get a totally different outfit.

Speaking of accessories...

2. Neckties

Neckties are a classic men's accessory while being surprisingly versatile, making them great inclusions to a man's capsule wardrobe. Many men think of neckties as formal accessories, but this is not so. You can wear a necktie casually with minimal effort. Neckties also come in different forms: from solid colours to patterns or different materials like silk.

Neckties are essential to a man's capsule wardrobe.

3. Silk Scarves

Silk scarves can easily replace a necktie in a man's outfit, and you should seriously consider including one in your capsule wardrobe. No matter the colour or design of the scarf, this accessory goes with most other pieces of clothing since its purpose is to add something new to your outfit while still being more casual than a necktie.

Silk scarves are versatile accessories that should be in every man's capsule wardrobe

4. Bow Tie

It is nice for men to have a formal piece of neckwear that isn't a necktie. That is where the bow tie comes in. You will probably only wear a bow tie for very formal events, but your capsule wardrobe should include at least one.

Having at least one bow tie in a man's capsule wardrobe is important for keeping it versatile.

5. Pocket Squares

Pocket squares are how most men accessorize a suit in a small way. Having one or two pocket squares in a man's capsule wardrobe is one way of creating different outfits from the same suit.

Unique pocket squares are how men accessorize a suit.

Where to Buy Suit Pocket Squares | Fashion Designer Nathon Kong

How Many Items Should be in a Capsule Wardrobe?

The idea behind a capsule wardrobe is to have enough articles that you can make many outfits, but few enough clothes so that you are indeed minimizing your consumption of clothing and avoiding that "I don't know what to wear" feeling so many men experience.

A capsule wardrobe should have at least two suits of very different but very neutral colours (blue, black, grey). If men want to have a minimalist wardrobe, they should avoid having more than three suits.

In terms of neckwear, most men like to have at least three ties with one silk scarf and/or one bow tie in their capsule wardrobe to mix up their outfits every now and then. This can be completely up to the man and what they want for their personal style. Some men wear more bow ties and scarves than neckties, so how many of each accessory a man has will vary.

The number of accessories, as well as what kind, varies from man to man.

A man should have as many pocket squares as he has suits in his capsule wardrobe to keep mixing and matching his outfits. It is a good idea to have a plain white pocket square, but most men will find that they also want pocket squares with a design from time to time.

Wear Clothing with a Purpose

One of the keys to minimizing how much clothing we buy is to form more emotional and meaningful attachments to what we do wear. That is why Nathon Kong creates art pieces incorporating exclusive and limited-edition artworks with a story that inspired their creation.

One of the exclusive artworks of Nathon Kong

Most of the works are created by participants of Les Impatients, a non-profit organization that supports people with mental health difficulties through therapeutic art programs. 10% of all Nathon Kong's proceeds are donated to Les Impatients to give back to the community and support mental health awareness.