My kickstart to decluttering clothes, and the run-up to creating a capsule wardrobe, was the result of a changing body shape during and post-pregnancy. I cut a vast amount of items from my fashion armoury because they either didn’t fit or didn’t flatter my new body.
Items that don’t fit or flatter your body type drain self-confidence and drown out the pieces you are confident in. Always make way for things that make you feel good about yourself.
Many of my old clothes weren’t practical. Embellishments and zips are harsh on newborn skin and high-neck dresses don’t allow nursing. Many of us harbour garments that aren’t practical for our lifestyles and don’t serve us.
Sentimental Clothes & Obligation
Despite my initial wardrobe purge, I inadvertently hung onto a few redundant items. Clothes with feelings of obligation attached come in different forms: Clothes that a relative has gifted to you; clothes a friend passed onto you; sentimental pieces that are well past their useful term.
For me, one such item was a pair of trousers I owned for 16 years! Originally purchased for an optional college graduation outfit, they became my job-interview trousers, then morphed (depressingly) into funeral attire.
Every time I passed over these trousers, I didn’t consider if I liked them or if they were still my style. My subconscious issued an auto-judgement, deeming them “necessary”, without my conscious questioning it.
Consider if there are any pieces in your wardrobe that you have kept out of a sense of obligation. Maybe you feel guilty for spending money on an item you didn’t wear. The money is spent whether you keep the garment or not. Pass it on to someone who enjoys it or needs it, or claw back some wasted funds by selling it on a pre-loved clothing site like Vinted.
Objective Decluttering
Looking at my “obligation” items, I discovered they weren’t things I would purchase today. I also had nicer garments in my wardrobe that lent themselves to the occasions I mentally prepared for. I gave myself permission to let them go and donated them. Despite their age, they were in perfect condition, they just weren’t perfect for me anymore.
Are there pieces in your closet that you always choose over questionable items? If so, the “just-in-case” clothing is just taking space.
Start a Capsule Wardrobe Without Overwhelm
Rejecting old and unnecessary clothing is the tip of the iceberg in honing down to your fashion bedrock. Nevertheless, the gentle whittling of a clothing collection prevents you from feeling overwhelmed and abandoning the project. It can be tricky to let go. Even as a keen declutterer, it took me time to get down to the bones of it.
Popular opinion is to empty out the closet to begin a capsule wardrobe process. I recommend an initial sweep, hanging in place, to kick off the project without overwhelm. Clothes mountains climb fast and it’s easy to feel defeated when a task is too big.
Once you expel impractical, “obligation”, sentimental, and unflattering garments, you’ll already be deep into the purge. Steadily picking through the hangers, removing a bite-sized chunk at a time will leave you with a more desirable collection.
Now it’s time to categorise.
Categorise Your Clothes
The initial purge is done and it is now time to gather everything. The obvious place to compile your clothes is on your bed, so don’t start this task too late in the day. Once you have all the clothes on the bed, begin sorting them into categories.
Make 3 piles: Love, Maybe, Donate.
- LOVE: I’d put this on right now to go pretty much anywhere
- MAYBE: It serves me well but doesn’t light me up/I need to try it on
- DONATE: It doesn’t fit my body/style (many went in the pre-purge but there’s always room for improvement)
Typically, there’ll be a smaller bundle of things you wholeheartedly love and a larger pile of maybes. Compare your maybe items to your non-negotiables to see if there are items that serve you better.
The large middle-ground heap was my nemesis. My wardrobe appeared to hold appropriate items but I still had nothing to wear. So, I pushed beyond decluttering methods and entered the world of minimalism for answers. This is where I discovered the true capsule wardrobe.
Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe Plan
A capsule wardrobe is a mindful collection of versatile clothing pieces that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits, promoting simplicity and avoiding decision fatigue.
The goal is to have a smaller wardrobe that fashionably covers all your needs without excess. After your initial wardrobe purge, you will better understand your true style and what works for your lifestyle. Aim to have around 30-40 quality pieces in your wardrobe, and adjust seasonally.
Shop Your Wardrobe First
To create a capsule wardrobe, always shop your wardrobe before buying new items. With that said, you may have learned where there are gaps in your clothing needs and coordinating outfits.
If purchasing new pieces, select timeless, high-quality items, such as basic tops, bottoms, outerwear, and shoes. Limit trendy pieces that don’t have longevity and offer fewer outfit options.
Capsule Wardrobe Colour Palettes
Settle on a colour palette for your collection. My colour palette happened organically: after I decluttered, it was easy to see that my favourite pieces fell into a blue, grey, black & white palette, with a few muted green accents. This made it easy for me to coordinate outfits and to choose new pieces where necessary.
A seasonal colour palette might sound limiting but it brings liberation and self-confidence. Putting outfits together is a breeze when you can’t go wrong.
Capsule Wardrobe Rules Are There to Help
Creating a capsule wardrobe is not about making yourself miserable within confines but about enriching your life by living with less. Less mental noise and less decision fatigue. Capsule wardrobe rules are there to help, not hinder.
I mindfully tweaked the rules to serve my lifestyle, budget, and the climate I live in. English seasons can change three times in one day and I need layers to suit.
My Favourite Resources
Project 333 and the brilliant free wardrobe planner from Unfancy are truly inspirational resources. They helped me reach my capsule wardrobe goals and I’m certain you’ll find them invaluable too.
In my journey to creating a capsule wardrobe, I found the freeing world of minimalism. Intentionally living with less brought surprising inner peace and a mini epiphany, but that’s a different story: An Introduction To Minimalism.
