While we are all trying to live as sustainable a lifestyle as possible these days, one area that goes overlooked for our environmental impact is our wardrobes. Some of you may already be familiar with concepts like uniform dressing or capsule wardrobes but have no idea where to start.
Clothing is a very personal subject for most people – after all, it’s how we express ourselves to the rest of the world. At the same time, if we’re being honest with ourselves, we don’t wear even half of what we own. While there may be some feelings of financial guilt that prevent us from letting go of clothing we spent hard-earned money on but never wore – it’s still worth it to try and curate the capsule wardrobe of your dreams. Let’s take a look at how to do that simply and effectively.
Try It All On
The first thing you want to do when curating your capsule wardrobe is to take stock of what you already own. When you’re trying to simplify your life, ideally, you don’t want to go out and buy more clothing. So, take a look through every dresser drawer and what’s on every hanger. Go through, and if you know you don’t wear it or don’t fit on sight, set it aside. Of the items that remain, try them all on. What looks good? What makes you feel confident? These are the items you should keep. Everything else should be sorted into the following piles.
Donate, Sell, Recycle
When you take stock of the piles you’ve made that aren’t going to work for your capsule wardrobe, determine the worth of each piece. Is it something you can sell and earn extra cash off of? Consider listing it on one of the many online selling platforms available. If it’s in good enough condition and has life left in it, donate it. Anything that is too stained, torn, and unwearable should be taken to a textile donation center.
What Remains Are the Bones of Your Wardrobe
What is leftover in your dressers and drawers are items that you not only love but feel good in – these are the bones of your capsule wardrobe. Now the fun begins! Try on all the pieces together and see how they work or don’t work with one another. Get creative! If you do anything that doesn’t complement the items you feel best in and wear the most, consider repeating the above-mentioned steps.
Fill In the Gaps
You may have some fabulous outfits left over after all the hard work of decluttering, trying on, sorting, and beyond. Still, even though you’re working towards a smaller wardrobe size and sustainability, you may need to fill in some gaps here and there. Perhaps you’re missing the perfect hat to compliment the jacket you’re in love with. Maybe your dressier looks could use some jewelry to go with them. When shopping for new pieces to fill in the gaps, ensure they’re items you’ll use consistently. Instead of statement costume earrings, opt for dainty stud earrings. Instead of a chunky bauble necklace, go with a more minimalist chain – you get the idea.
Knowledge Is Power
After putting in the effort to get your perfect capsule wardrobe, you want to retain the knowledge you’ve gained on the journey – knowledge is power. Consider putting yourself on a spending freeze for a set period of time regarding clothing. Maybe you’ll adopt a more minimalist approach when it comes to your closet moving forward and stick with it. You can feel good about the fact that you’re making a positive impact on the world around you and the world you’ll leave for your children.
Reap the Benefits
The best part about curating a capsule wardrobe for many that swear by them is the many benefits they bring. You no longer spend wasted time trying to figure out what to wear each day, nor do you spend time on mountains of laundry because you have less clothing to care for. You have greater financial freedom because you’re not spending on impulse purchases too.
We all know that simple is usually better – you know the adage – less is more when it comes to life. By dressing from a capsule wardrobe, you’re one step closer to having the proverbial “more” we’re all searching for.