Building a Capsule Wardrobe: Tips to Sustainable Fashion, Minimalist style and wardrobe decluttering

Ever stood in front of your packed wardrobe wondering and confused on what to wear saying "I can't seem to find anything to wear" or "I have nothing to wear" and then after thinking long and hard, you eventually settle for one of your old, regular outfits (Tees and short)? Are you tired of daily wardrobe struggles? Maybe what you need is a capsule wardrobe.

You don't need to have tons of clothes to make a fashion statement, your wardrobe does not have to be complicated. The perfect wardrobe is one free from clutter, loving every piece whenever you set eyes on it, no decision fatigue or wasted time.

For my fashion lovers who struggle with picking out outfits daily, let's take a dive into your new fashion solution and fix "capsule wardrobe". In this post we will explore the benefits of a minimalist wardrobe and a step-by-step guide to building a capsule wardrobe that embodies your personal style

What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of thoughtfully curated, interchangeable cloth pieces designed to maximize the number of outfits you can mix and match. The idea is to build a smaller wardrobe but with versatile, essential and timeless pieces that reflect your fashion style and make getting dressed easier.

An example of a capsule wardrobe

When some people hear a capsule wardrobe, they have the conception that it limited or am not a minimalist so I can never pull off a capsule wardrobe. But yes, you can!

I remember when I was to leave for college, a 4hours drive from home, I packed two big boxes because I hate not having all my clothes option ---- at least that's what I used to say. yet I still struggled with curating an outfit and always went back to old outfits. I had so many clothes in my wardrobe I didn't wear all through the completion of my program.

Few months ago, I moved to an uncle's, and I packed just one bag which contain clothes, shoes, bags and other accessories. This was the beginning of my capsule wardrobe. People were always right to say to me "you only lack what to wear because you have so many clothes" and I hear them now. Not to bore you too much but "sometimes less is more", less is efficient and workable

Benefits of a minimalist wardrobe

Minimalist wardrobe and capsule mean same thing in this post. Here are some positive encounters have experienced with my minimalist wardrobe.

1. Reduced decision fatigue: Fewer options mean less decision-making hassle. With a minimalist wardrobe that has clothes you love, wear and can mix and match in numerous ways make getting dressed easier.

2. Saves time: A minimalist wardrobe saves time. It helps reduce all the time that goes into shopping for clothes that you end up not wearing, tailoring, laundering, organizing and deciding what to wear.

   
   

3. Saves money: with a minimalist capsule wardrobe you become more intentional about your wardrobe, you buy only clothes that you actually need. Your days of buying and returning or having clothes sit pretty in your wardrobe collecting dust are all over. It significantly saves money, and you can invest in something else while impulse buying is minimized.

   
   

4. Focus on quality over quantity: the idea behind a minimalist capsule wardrobe is to cut down on quantity and replace it with quality_ essential and timeless outfits. It makes one invest on essential and durable outfits which in the end improve one's personal style. A minimalist wardrobe is all about quality

   
   

   

   A quality minimalist wardrobe

5. Sustainability: Buying only clothes that you need encourage mindful purchase which promote eco-friendly fashion practice. This curtails environmental damage, pollution, discarded clothes in landfill and carbon footprint. After all we have just one earth so it's best we keep it clean.

   
   

   Capsule wardrobe essentials tips 101 for beginners

   • Pick basic, essential, timeless and Versatile pieces that reflect your fashion sense

   • Have most of your essential pieces in neutral colors so you can easily mix and match them

   • Focus on the current season while you curate your minimalist capsule wardrobe. I mean you don't want to have hoodies and cardigans in your capsule wardrobe when it's summer.

   • Do not get hung up on a specific number. A minimalist Wardrobe is meant to be limited but there is no ideal or universal number and capsule wardrobes differ for people. So you can experiment with whatever number that feels comfortable with you but make sure it still feels limited otherwise you have veered off the point.

   
   

   Building a capsule wardrobe

   • Wardrobe Audit: the first step is to decide what stays, what goes and what gets added. What stays obviously would be pieces that you love, what goes would be pieces you no longer need or won't need for the duration of your capsule wardrobe.

   
   

   • For instance, you won't need a hood or sweatshirt in a summer capsule wardrobe. What gets added would be clothes that align with the already selected pieces in your capsule wardrobe or what you lack but need to make your capsule wardrobe work.

     
     

   • Creating outfits: after sorting, the next step is creating outfits. Create about 8- 10 daily outfits with your selected collection P.S you can check Pinterest, TikTok for outfits inspo. Since the idea of a capsule wardrobe is versatility with limited options you want to style a particular bottom or top as many looks as possible. For instance, shorts and a tee, shorts and a crop top, shorts long sleeve, shorts and singlets.

     

     
     

   • If you have a cloth in your capsule wardrobe that can only be styled just one way or two you might want to reconsider if it's worth keeping. While creating outfits you will realize what you need but lack and at your budget and time converter you can add them to your wardrobe.

     
     

   • Make sure to avoid the temptation of adding to your capsule wardrobe after you are done selecting and styling every piece. An easy overcomer will be to keep your other clothes in a basement if you have one or a separate room if you are not willing to give them out.

   
   

For my beginners you can make the life span of your capsule wardrobe 30 days then you add or remove some pieces or create a completely new one. Once you overcome the challenges of wanting to add, impulse buying and itch to go back to your old wardrobe I will suggest building a capsule wardrobe that serve each season. I will reserve talking about the benefits of a seasonal capsule wardrobe and have you experience it yourself.

you can leave your capsule wardrobe experience and other related discussion in the comments. share to anyone you believe need a capsule wardrobe. Alright, let's get started on our minimalist capsule wardrobe

Authored by Favour