The Sustainability Project: A Capsule Wardrobe
The definition of a capsule wardrobe changes slightly depending on who you ask, but the basic principle is the same. A capsule wardrobe is about simplicity and practicality. Rather than having closets and dressers full of cheap clothing and shoes that you hardly wear, you have a small “capsule collection” of well-made, practical clothing that you wear a lot. You invest in a few quality pieces that will last for a long time and you get rid of the cheap, low-quality pieces that are not serving you well.
Capsule wardrobes are usually seasonal. Naturally your clothing necessities will change seasonally. So most people will have a spring/summer capsule wardrobe and a fall/winter capsule wardrobe.
For most of my life, I suffered from sheer clothing overwhelm. I had so many clothes–closets and dressers absolutely bursting. But the vast majority of the clothing that I owned I never even wore. I would hold onto pieces that held sentimental value, even if they no longer represented my style and even when they no longer fit me.
Getting dressed every morning was an absolute nightmare. Even though I had more clothes than I knew what to do with, I always felt like I “had nothing to wear.” That is the problem with having an unconscious wardrobe. It’s a mess. It doesn’t serve you well. You pick up random pieces because they are on sale or because you’ll wear them once. They shrink in the wash. They fall apart. And then they take up physical space in your closet and emotional space in your life.
Paring down my wardrobe has been a long and arduous process. I started simplifying eight years ago, which you can read about here. Over the years I have made a lot of progress in terms of simple living–both in terms of material possessions and in terms of lifestyle–however minimizing my wardrobe has been an ongoing challenge.
Over the last three years I have been focused on finally making some real and lasting changes to the clothing that I own. Implementing a capsule wardrobe is going to be the final step to reaching my goals in this process. I was hoping to have the project of implementing a capsule wardrobe completed this month, however a bunch of other projects pushed their way to the top of my to-do list. So it is still in process. Once I’ve gotten further a long and have some specific tips to share, I’ll make another update on this subject. For now, there is no shortage of resources on this subject. A quick Google search on “how to capsule wardrobe” will provide you with lots of inspiration to get started.
Finally, since creating a capsule wardrobe is on my list for my Sustainability Project, I want to talk for a moment about sustainability + your wardrobe.
When you create a conscious wardrobe you should be mindful of who you are purchasing from and what the brand’s standards are. I have been shifting my purchases,a s much as possible, to companies that are environmentally conscious and made in the USA. It takes a little bit of extra work to research a brand or company before you make a purchase, but feeling good about the companies that I support has made such a difference to me. Knowing that I am giving my money to a company that actually cares about the environment, its employees, and its ethics makes me feel so good about wearing that piece of clothing. Of course, this type of product may also cost more, but again, if it lasts longer and you get more wear out of it–then that trade off makes sense.
My Other Posts on this Topic:
// Simple Kids Wardrobes
// How I Consignment Shop My Kids Wardrobes
// A Minimalist Childrens Gift Guide
. It had been on my “to-read” list for years, when by a stroke of fate a dear friend offered to lend me her audio copy. I plan to do a full review of the book in the coming weeks but for now I want to focus on one important element—