Capsule wardrobe for men

Pick a base of navy, grey, cream and white, add denim blue, and allow one or two warmer colours such as brown or a muted green. With that range, almost any top goes with any bottom.

Stronger colours are better spent on one item at a time, usually shoes or a cap, than on trousers and jackets you wear several days a week.

One mid or dark wash in a straight cut and one lighter or grey wash in a wider cut cover most casual days. Add a pair of canvas or twill trousers in cream or sand for days when denim feels too casual.

T-shirts do most of the work. A heavier white T-shirt, a navy one, a striped long-sleeve top and a long-sleeve polo give four different looks with the same jeans. Heavier cotton holds its shape and looks better under an open jacket.

For colder days, a fine wool knit or cardigan and a hoodie in grey or a muted colour. The knit takes you towards smart casual, the hoodie towards the weekend, and both fit under the jackets below.

A work jacket or chore coat in cotton for mild days, and a warmer jacket in wool, waxed cotton or suede for the colder end of the season. Both should be short enough for wide jeans and plain enough to go over every top you own.

One clean pair in white, cream or grey leather and one in suede, in brown, black or a stronger colour. The suede pair adds texture to plain outfits; the neutral pair goes with everything else.

A watch, a cap and a beanie change an outfit more than another pair of trousers would. Because they are small, they are also the safest place for colour and pattern.