The capsule wardrobe is not a new idea. It was named in the 1970s by Susie Faux and popularized through Donna Karan's "Seven Easy Pieces." But the essence has always been the same: more combinations from fewer pieces, more days from fewer decisions.
The key to building one well isn't choosing the pieces individually; it's choosing the relationship between them. A blazer that meets the same trouser in two different ways. A shirt with the courage to stand both in the office and at dinner.