I am taking the plunge!
A capsule wardrobe is not a new concept. In fact, it has been around for years, originating in London in the 1970s.
Recently the capsule wardrobe has been gaining momentum largely due to our focus on sustainability.
If you fancy a more in-depth discussion on this, try my post on sustainability.
In addition, Whilst sustainability is something I am trying to become better at, it is not the main reason why I wanted to try this approach…………
Why?
Recently due to a number of factors, I decided I needed to take back some control over my life. It all seemed to be so cluttered and messy, which was having a direct impact on how I felt and my own mental health.
My wardrobe is the first aspect I want to tackle.
I watched so many videos, read endless amounts of articles. The more I read the more I realised that a capsule wardrobe will give me back that control. Whilst providing simplicity to my morning routine which I so desperately need.
We all have our own unique sense of style. There are items in our wardrobe that we feel comfortable in. There are certain pieces that make us feel good about ourselves. We always revert back to those particular items. However, we still buy the trend pieces, even if they are out of our comfort zone. Or we will see an item in the sale and think “oh well I have to buy this as its just such a bloody bargain!”
The next minute you have a wardrobe that’s practically bursting at the seams with a whole host of pieces that you will never wear. In addition, this contributes to the frustration of getting dressed every morning. Who has the time!?
The Concept.
The concept is simple. Fewer items, a more streamlined edit of all of your favorite pieces. Which can all be mixed and matched to provide a more organised sustainable approach to dressing.
A tidy wardrobe = a tidy mind.
I live in certain pieces of clothing. Jeans and a T-shirt in the summer. Jeans and a piece of knitwear in the winter. Always pulling my outfits together with a blazer and 80% of the time, wearing a pair of boots. This is my comfort zone and whilst I am aware of this I seem to often lose my sanity as I currently have the following issues:
- Even though I am well aware, where my style comfort zone lies, I still seem to purchase an unhealthy amount of dresses and skirts. Even though I will never wear them more than once!?
- As much as I do continuously wear a piece of knitwear half-tucked into a pair of jeans in the winter (AKA, the French tuck), why did I feel that I needed to own 43 jumpers?
- Again I live in Jeans but I absolutely do not need 18 pairs of the blo*dy things and yet guess what? That is exactly how many pairs I own.
- When will I realise that, just because it is fashionable, does not mean it will look good on me? This explains the other 30% of my wardrobe just sat there waiting to be eaten by moths.
Not only is this approach not sustainable AND extremely expensive, but it is also really unhealthy and I absolutely need to break the habit.
The Misconception.
There is a misconception that comes with ‘Capsule Wardrobing’, in the sense that we are lead to believe, we need to purchase a whole new wardrobe. This is absolutely not true. And indeed, if this was the case, clearly not at all sustainable!
Every Capsule Wardrobe is different. It comes down to personal style and what you feel comfortable in. I am guessing you will already own at least 50% of the items you need.
You can then take your time with it. Replace a few old items with one new quality piece, once a month for example. It really is achievable for all budgets.
See my post on How to build your own Capsule wardrobe this includes a useful list of pieces that stand the test of time, and where to get them.
My Advice.
If like me you too, are noticing your buying habits are rather excessive and getting dressed in a morning is just so overwhelming you feel exhausted thinking about it? Let’s take the plunge together.
Is a Capsule wardrobe something you have been thinking about? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Fancy keeping in touch? You can contact me here or come say hello on Pinterest.