A Minimalist take on the Capsule Wardrobe

Did you know that we go through 80 billion pieces of clothing - every year? That's 400% more than what we consumed just a few decades ago (The True Cost). 

I find the Capsule Wardrobe a great take on minimalism and conscious shopping. Clothes and accessories must be built to last and work in many different settings. Susie Faux, the woman who invented the concept, owned a boutique in London in the '70s. She noticed that women spent unnecessary resources on items that weren’t well-made, with a good fit, and would not likely feel right by the following year. Faux suggested her customers keep fewer than 20 high-quality items for the ideal capsule wardrobe. Then you update it with a few seasonal items 1-2 times every year. Always go back to:

• What do my life look like? 
• What are the most important pieces for my lifestyle?

In the last few years, the Capsule Wardrobe has suddenly been all about shopping. I would say it's a trap to use the capsule wardrobe as an excuse to buy more clothes. You don't “need” new clothes to make your wardrobe “perfect", it'll never be. Our main issue is that we shop too much.

Shopping habits are something we as individuals have the power to control and change. And this is important! I tell myself, and my 7-year-old at home who has started worrying about our environment, that we only control and own our own actions. I tell her that's why I don't want to consume things we don't need, plastic and disposable products. I find it important and comforting for both me and her to remind ourselves that we do what we can. Practicing a Capsule Wardrobe is part of that for me. 

My own history is that I used to buy too many things so I have a lot of clothes. Now I almost never shop but when I do I make sure it's something I really like and will carry for a long time. I store the clothes that are not in the capsule and change my seasonal add-ons about every third month. 

1. Jeans 
2. A maxi Dress 
3. A simple beige t-shirt 
4. A simple white t-shirt 
5. A white linen shirt
6. A black shirt (preferably asymmetric)
7. A black blazer
8. "The party top" 
9. Sweatshirt
10. A beige trench
11. A short jacket
12. Mid high heels
13. Flats
14. Sneakers
15. A big everyday work bag
16. A smaller handbag 
17. An everyday Maxi bag
18. Necklaces 
19. Rings 
20. Earrings 

The secret to "having it all" is recognizing what you already have. Go through your wardrobe; see, sort, and choose. I really like black and white but you choose what you like - you do you. 

One perfect Capsule Wardrobe will not work for everyone and remember, the concept is not about shopping. It's about using and taking care of what you love and already have. And when in need of something new - choose high quality and make sure to use it a lot. 

Except for being style- and consumption-conscious the Capsule Wardrobe has many other benefits:

• Even though one quality item might cost more, you end up saving money when quitting spontaneous or emotional shopping.
• Saving time and energy
• Saving closeth space
• Reducing outfit decision fatigue
• Significantly reduces the amount of clothing that ends up in a landfill
• Supporting designers and farmers who create high-quality goods 

Give your closeth, wallet, the world, and your spirit a little love by making your everyday life more simple