A 90s DKNY Inspired Winter Capsule Wardrobe

I have been thinking about it so much that I decided to make a 90s DKNY winter capsule wardrobe this week to tie it all together for myself.

Over the last week, I went through and watched all the Donna Karan 90s fashion shows that I could find from 1989 to 2000, and through those, I pulled looks and pieces that I was drawn to.

She has a lot of key pieces that you see repeated in some form or another season after season which proves to you the longevity and timelessness of her looks.

In so many of her shows, it was hard to tell what year they were from because so many things were so current looking.

Aside from the obvious lack of video quality or some of the late 80s hair dos.

It was also cool to see how many of her looks have also become recent trends.

Remember the Hot Girls Summer look of this year when pairing a black unitard with an open white button-up was the thing to wear?

This is straight up from Donna Karan Fall 1990 show (27:32 timestamp) except this is a less casual and more chic version of the summer look.

And the Donna Karan Fall 1991 show has the thick gold necklace that she was famous for throughout the whole show. We see similar trends today.

I tried to include one with the same vibe, but you can see the original here. It’s gorgeous.

Can you imagine owning it?

Donna Karan was also part of the 90s minimalism like Calvin Klein but hers was less intentional.

She wanted to design clothes that would solve the, “I don’t know what to wear” feeling that we all experience at times.

She became the queen of basics with everything she made being not only beautiful but useful as well.

Simple silk slip dresses, and skirts, oversized sweaters, fitted turtlenecks, both slim and wide trousers.

She gravitated to neutrals and monochrome making many of her looks head to toe one colour, usually favouring black, grey, and chocolate brown.

Even the tights would match.

And speaking of tights, We Love Colors has every colour that you can ever need if you dig the monochrome vibe, or just want to add a bold tight to your look because that is always a fun way to add visual interest.

It’s also really difficult for me to spell colours with no u, and leave it like that. Breathe Sara.

Her styling was all about the details. The gold necklace I talked about. Thick statement belts and cinching belts that were used around cardigans, coats, blazers for an extra touch.

She used brooches not only as accessories but utilitarian to pin a sweater or cape closed.

It’s the small little details like that that can really make an outfit.

Have you ever heard of Donna Karan’s Seven Easy Pieces from 1985?

She was ahead of her time.

Her idea was that with the right basics, a woman could accomplish anything.

The Seven Easy Pieces were an interchangeable group of workwear clothes. These pieces have stood the test of time and look as chic and fresh today as they did in 1985.

Everything was almost all black, very sleek. It consisted of a bodysuit, a tailored jacket, a cashmere sweater, a dress, something leather, a white shirt, and a skirt.

These pieces have changed slightly over the years, but the one constant piece is the bodysuit.

Any way you mixed them together, they made outfits that would take you from the office to date night.

So you could say that the Donna Karan seven easy pieces concept made her a capsule wardrobe pioneer.

I knew I loved her for a reason.

You might also like:
A Cool Palette Winter Capsule Wardrobe
A Winter Capsule Wardrobe on a Budget
The Better Than Basic Capsule Wardrobe for Winter
How to Build a 90s Winona Ryder Capsule Wardrobe
How to Build a 90s Kate Moss Capsule Wardrobe
How to Make Your Winter Capsule Wardrobe More Androgynous
Styling Navy and Black in a Fall Capsule Wardrobe
A 90s Minimalist Fall Capsule Wardrobe

I am now offering digital styling guides, and personal styling services. If you are looking for some styling help that is inexpensive and easy, check out my digital styling guides. If you want some one-on-one help shopping, building and editing your wardrobe, or packing for a trip, I can also assist. Check out all the styling services that I offer here.

This post contains affiliate links. By using my links to shop I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks for supporting what I do 

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Amazon
• Link

Sharing is caring!