What is a capsule wardrobe? Is it something for you?


We read a lot about capsule wardrobes, but what is a capsule wardrobe? Well, you have come to the right place: this blog post will take you through a little quiz to see if a capsule wardrobe is for you!

A capsule wardrobe is a well-curated closet of pieces that fit your lifestyle. It’s a selection of clothes where everything goes with everything and is optimized in quantity. Less is more.

You will always know what to wear and you will get more wear out of it.

It sounds good, doesn’t it? It may also sound a bit challenging to reduce the amount of clothes hanging in your closet, and that is why a capsule wardrobe might not be the best option for everyone.

Is a capsule wardrobe for me?

I will ask you 5 easy question to see if it really is for you.

1. Has your figure changed recently?

If your body has changed (many possible reasons: pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss, you started weight-lifting, etc.) and your clothes don't fit anymore, you might need to rethink your wardrobe and give it an update. It’s the perfect chance to consider trying out the capsule wardrobe method.

2. Do you own many clothes but never know what to wear?

This is a consequence of buying without a clear plan – you have lots of clothes in your wardrobe and none of them go together. If about half of your clothes don’t leave the hangers or have not been worn in over a year, then it’s probably time to think about switching to a capsule wardrobe and get to wear all of your clothes...

3. Do you want to define or change your personal style?

If you are finding your style or you are thinking of changing it, you are probably looking for methods or guidelines to do so. The principle of the capsule wardrobe is to give you a framework to take your style in the direction that you want.

4. Do you want to prevent / control impulsive shopping?

If you are an impulsive shopper, then you may want a methodology to prevent or control impulsive purchases. A capsule wardrobe is a great budget-control tool, since you have every single piece of your wardrobe planned and you know what you need or don’t need.

5. Do you want to switch to quality over quantity?

You are considering going for eco-friendly and sustainable clothing? Or you want to get better cuts and garments in general? You’re starting to work and your student clothes don’t do the job anymore? This is where a capsule wardrobe can help you without increasing your budget. A common objection to having a capsule is "I can't afford more expensive, higher quality clothes": a capsule wardrobe doesn't actually cost more, as you will get less pieces but better ones!

How many times did you answer ‘yes’?

A couple of years ago, I know I would have said ‘yes’ five times! Until you get a method, your wardrobe will be a random mix... Becoming aware of that is half of the work done!

There are two cases in which a capsule wardrobe might not be right for you:

 

  • If you are a collector of designer pieces and/or you need both a casual and a work wardrobe and/or you have lots of celebration wear and/or you like completely different styles.
  • If you have a job that requires you to make public appearances (TV, events…) and requires you to wear something different every time.

We have been talking about reducing the amount of clothing that we own, so you might be wondering ‘how many items should a capsule wardrobe have, then?’. First of all: don’t panic! It doesn’t really matter how many pieces you include. It’s your own personal wardrobe, maybe you feel comfortable with 20 or maybe 60. It’s your thing.

There are some methods, like the Project 333, that say 33 items would be ideal. I know it may seem a bit scary restricting your whole wardrobe to 33 items, but think that this is for one season! If you live somewhere where you have 4 seasons, we’re talking 132 clothing items. Plus, some items like t-shirts or jeans are wearable all year long, so as you can see, it’s more flexible than you might think!

Now that you know, do you think a capsule wardrobe is for you? Do you want to know how to plan it? I have prepared a 10-step guide to plan the perfect capsule wardrobe. You will also get a printable checklist so can have more control over the items that you include!

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