My Thoughts on an Anti Capsule Wardrobe:
By: Maggie Klimuszko
First, I need to clear the air on some technicalities, by definition a capsule wardrobe is a collection of pieces that can be mixed and matched with each other to create many outfits (I’m on board with the definition here.) The idea is to own a few key pieces that work for different occasions, without owning too much (... and this is where the definition stops serving me…)
Societally, we’ve widely interpreted the definition to mean that pieces in neutral colors and classic silhouettes are the only way to achieve a capsule wardrobe. This, plus the reawakening of “quiet luxury” styling and a plethora of social media dressing trends has led to the death of personal style. In short, everyone looks the same… and the “look” isn’t good.
I’ve found myself lacking inspiration lately, turning to interiors, architecture, and art rather than street style. The number of well-dressed, interesting individuals has narrowed to single-digit numbers and I can’t take it anymore. Inspiration used to be a scroll away, but not these days. I collect foreign fashion magazines like it's my full-time job, and have found myself in some niche corners of Substack which has brought some of that wonder back.
Fashion is meant to be fun. It’s meant to make you think, and gasp, and smile. Most importantly, I think it's the best tool you have to tell the world something without actually saying a word. My Anti Capsule Wardrobe series was born out of a desire to bring this unabashed, unexpected playfulness back to fashion. The Fall Winter ‘24 RTW runways were the final push I needed- take a peak at Moschino, JW Anderson, and Marc Jacobs to see what I mean- talk about love at first sight.
I’m aware enough to admit that my favorite fashion moments are the ones that I disliked at first. I had a visceral reaction to Prada’s Spring Summer ‘25 and am embarrassed to say it wasn’t a good one. I was like ???!! What is this??? That show haunted me for weeks. I couldn’t get it out of my head. The more I stewed over the images, the more I uncovered about each look. Needless to say, I now think it’s absolutely genius. The show solidified my theory about detail dressing and the importance of styling.
Which brings me back to my Anti Capsule Wardrobe Series. Over the last several years, I’ve really started to hone my personal style and collect some pretty unique pieces. I’ve always gravitated towards statement pieces over basics. When friends come over to borrow clothes, they’re always disappointed not to find anything they want to wear in my overstuffed closet because it’s all either too weird or too wild. I love it. I’ve been noodling on how to share the crazier pieces on my channel for a while and just decided to rip the bandaid off. Maybe I could be the inspiration that I’m looking for, for someone else. Or, at the very least, maybe I could make someone stop their scroll and get good Prada love/hate reaction out of them.
I was shocked by the outpouring of positive responses I got from followers and friends after the first week of posting. Turns out, a lot of people are interested in building their own Anti Capsule Wardrobes.
My Favorite Pieces from my Anti Capsule Wardrobe and some newness on my radar:
The way I shop now is akin to hunting. I’m never scrolling the new arrivals pages, instead I’m stalking The Real Real, Vestiare Collective, or Poshmark for specific pieces. There are over 100,000 pictures in my camera roll and 99,999 of them are screenshots of treasures from fashion’s past. That being said, a pretty good chunk of my ACW are newish items, I mean, I am a consumer after all.
Add this to neckband to any outfit, and you’ll look 10x cooler:
Prepare to be stopped in the street:
You’ll be the most popular at the party carrying this:
https://edie-parker.com/products/undies-metallic-crossbody-silver
Layer this to instantly elevate and add some interest to an otherwise boring outfit:
https://shop.vivetta.com/en/shirts-tops/990-camicia-ricami-gatto.html
On my radar (Unrealistic version LOL):
Can’t stop thinking about these:
Into collar details in unconventional places:
https://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/p/bottega-veneta-jodie-mini-shirt-stripe-print-top-handle-bag-prod183940294?utm_source=google_shopping&ecid=BGCS_GL_CV_HA_RT_NONE&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA34S7BhAtEiwACZzv4ctC1XOUxchMzq9ZQQnw6Lel232sxM63yOXw5JGPstctAy64ZzsBSBoCV6gQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Love an unexpected work bag, if I was in the market for one (and had unlimited budget) this is what I’d be buying:
Into anything with tactile interest right now:
Level up your holiday look with these:
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