--- title: A Silk Scarf, a Leather Belt and Gold Earrings Can Remake a Capsule Wardrobe, and Change How You Feel All Day description: A silk scarf, a tan leather belt and gold earrings turn a small capsule wardrobe into dozens of outfits. How to choose and wear each one this season. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2026-11-06T15:00:00.102Z updated: 2026-11-06T15:00:00.118Z canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/capsule-wardrobe-accessories-silk-scarf-leather-belt-gold-earrings image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-14436095.webp categories: Fashion, Style publication: Rich Woman Magazine schema_type: Article --- The capsule wardrobe began in London. In the 1970s Susie Faux, who ran a boutique called Wardrobe in London's West End, encouraged women to build a small set of quality pieces that work together, and to add a few seasonal items around them. Fifty years on, the idea has outlasted every trend that tried to replace it. Most capsule methods count clothes and shoes and leave accessories out of the total. That omission is the opportunity. The same navy jumper, white shirt and dark trousers look like different outfits depending on what goes around the neck, at the waist and at the ears, and a woman who owns a dozen garments can dress for a month if she chooses three accessories well. ## Why what you wear changes how you feel In 2012 Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky of Northwestern University published a study in the *Journal of Experimental Social Psychology* that gave the idea a name: enclothed cognition. Students who wore a white coat described as a doctor's coat paid closer attention on tests than students who wore the same coat described as a painter's coat, or who simply saw the doctor's coat on the desk in front of them. The researchers concluded that clothing affects the mind only when two things happen together: the wearer attaches a meaning to the item, and the wearer physically has it on. Later attempts to repeat the experiment with larger groups have produced mixed results, so the effect is better treated as a useful idea than as a law. It still offers a practical rule for accessories. Pieces that mean something to you, a scarf from a trip, earrings from your mother, a belt you saved for, are worth more to your confidence than pieces bought only because they are fashionable. ## The silk or cashmere scarf A scarf does more work than any other accessory because it brings colour and texture to the face, which is where people look first. A neutral capsule in navy, grey, camel or black can take almost any shade at the neck, and this season's palette is generous. The image library Press Loft, which tracks what brands are sending to editors, lists claret, wine red and deep burgundy as a rising colour story, while its Cashmere edit leans on oatmeal, porcelain and warm off-white. A large silk square can be knotted at the throat with a shirt, folded into a headband, tied to the handle of a bag or threaded through belt loops. A cashmere scarf in a soft neutral can be worn over a coat in November and over a dress on a cold evening. Choose one colour that flatters your skin, and let the rest of the wardrobe stay plain. Rich Woman has also traced [the history and the future of the silk scarf](https://richwoman.co/article/sustainable-fashion-extraordinary-facts-from-the-history-and-the-future-of-silk-scarves). ## The tan leather belt with brass hardware A good belt changes the shape of an outfit. Worn over a long cardigan, a blazer or a knitted dress, it defines the waist and turns loose layers into a deliberate silhouette. Worn with trousers and a tucked shirt, it finishes the look the way a frame finishes a picture. The new equestrian mood that Press Loft identified this week points to saddle tan leather, brass hardware, chestnut and oxblood. A tan belt with a simple brass buckle suits all of those, and it sits as comfortably with denim as with tailoring. Choose real leather of a width that suits your frame, and it will last for years of wear. ## The gold earrings Earrings sit beside the face in every conversation, every photograph and every video call, which makes them the accessory other people notice most. A pair of gold hoops or sculptural studs makes a plain knit look finished, and a bolder pair turns the same outfit into evening wear with no change of clothes. Gold works with the warm tones of the season, from tan leather to burgundy silk, and gives the capsule one consistent metal. For a woman building confidence, earrings are also the easiest place to begin, because they ask for no change in shape or style. ## How the three accessories work together The three pieces cover the three places the eye travels: the face, the neckline and the waist. A navy jumper with gold earrings reads as office wear. Add the burgundy scarf and it reads as lunch with friends. Belt it over a long skirt and it becomes a weekend look. Six garments and three accessories can make well over a dozen distinct outfits, and [our London capsule wardrobe](https://richwoman.co/article/london-capsule-wardrobe-week-of-19-october-2026) shows the same method across a full week. The capsule principle also applies to the accessories themselves. Buying one scarf, one belt and one pair of earrings of real quality costs less over time than buying many cheap versions that wear out, and it leaves less to decide each morning. ## Frequently asked questions **Q: What accessories are essential for a capsule wardrobe?** Most stylists start with a scarf, a belt, a versatile bag and one or two pieces of everyday jewellery, such as earrings or a simple necklace. The best choices are pieces in neutral or flattering colours that work with most of the clothes you already own. Because accessories change how the same garments look, a few good ones multiply the number of outfits a small wardrobe can make. **Q: What are some good items to include in a capsule wardrobe?** A capsule wardrobe is usually built on versatile basics in a small, coordinated colour palette: well-fitting trousers or jeans, a white shirt, a fine-knit jumper, a tailored jacket, a simple dress, a good coat and comfortable shoes in neutral tones. Many people add a few seasonal pieces each quarter. The aim is that almost every item can be worn with every other. **Q: What are the 37 items in a capsule wardrobe?** The 37-piece capsule is a popular method in which you choose 37 items of clothing and shoes for each season, including tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear and footwear. Accessories, jewellery, underwear, loungewear and workout clothes are usually left out of the count. The number is a guide rather than a rule, and many people find a smaller or larger total suits them better.