Having a capsule wardrobe is something that I consciously try to practise. I try to buy clothes that go with all my other clothes and also try to only buy new clothes when I need to. When I do buy clothing to replace something else in my wardrobe I make sure to correctly recycle it or sell it.
Trying to achieve a capsule wardrobe is something that is wildly popular right now. It initially started in the 1970s when Sausie Faux coined the concept due to her frustration caused by the lack of well-made clothing available on the high street. Then Donna Karan made a collection called ‘Seven Easy Pieces’, which featured only the most influential and essential pieces from the collection. However, the increase in fast fashion has tricked us into believing that we must own everything, and as a result, we have wardrobes full to the brim of clothes that we may never wear.
“Capsule Wardrobes push us to think more about whether we truly need each piece in our closet.”
Caroline Joy described the concept as “A capsule wardrobe is a practice of editing your wardrobe down to your favourite clothes (that fit your lifestyle and body right now), remixing them regularly, and shopping less often and more intentionally.” Practising mindfulness over selecting your clothing is the ultimate goal by considering what we need and therefore slows the fashion buying process down. It also encourages you to shop within your own wardrobe! When you get that feeling that we all get from time to time, that ‘I don’t have any clothes to wear!’, force yourself to look deeper into your wardrobe. It might even mean emptying it out so you can see its contents and you may find something you forgot you had.
Courtney Carer of ‘Be more with less’ helps others create capsule wardrobes. But there is no right way of doing this. She created an online project called ‘Project333’ which urges participants to choose 33 different items to wear during three-month intervals. This is so they fit in with the difference seasons spring, autumn, summer and winter. However, this may differ depending on where you live. This tip helps people declutter their lives and encourages intentional styling.
“Finally, remember that your clothing is for you - even if you parse it down. Personal style allows us to find confidence in ourselves.”
The preconception of a capsule wardrobe is it must all be neutrals, clean lines and simple patterns but this isn’t the case, and it is completely open to personal style.
If you want to find out more about creating your own capsule wardrobe look at these two links:
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