Capsule Wardrobe – My Most Simple Outfit

Its officially been a year since I started my capsule wardrobe journey. Yay! And if you didn’t think that things could get simpler here, well, they just did! During my entire capsule wardrobe journey I purposely avoided simple outfits like these. I honestly don’t understand why but I kinda think it was because I wanted to prove a point. You ready for it? Here it is: living with a capsule wardrobe is NOT boring. This thought wasn’t impressed upon me by anyone other than myself. Here’s the story.

We had already simplified our home and lifestyle. In doing so, we found great joy. Plus, as the months went by we realized life was easier when you live with less. We had just moved to a new city, and in a matter of hours I had unpacked and set up my kitchen, living room and bedroom. As I stood in the bedroom, over 3 suitcases full of clothes and shoes, I realized a reality I had known but chose not to accept – I was allowing the fashion industry to dictate my happiness. I didn’t need 3 suitcases full of clothing. To be honest, I didn’t even remember having half the stuff that was in there and about 25% didn’t even fit me anymore. I realized it was time to make changes. I went online and Googled “how to simplify your wardrobe”. What I found scared me. No, I was petrified! I was going to give up 90% of my closet – my safety net – and my “let’s go shopping because I have nothing to wear” stress reliever.  Still, I knew the joy would be greater than my fears.

So, I divided my clothes into three piles – keep, donate, and trash. After going through everything in my closet (clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, etc.) I quickly got rid of the donate and trash pile. What was left in my keep pile I hung up in my closet and called it my Spring Capsule Wardrobe. Looking back, I realize I made some mistakes with that first capsule.

1. I love black! Black is a go-to color for me but I chose to go without it because at the time I was afraid that it would be boring. Mostly, I was afraid that others would think my capsule wardrobe was boring.
2. I incorporated several large prints in my capsule. I did this in the hope that it would spice up my closet. Sadly, I didn’t realize how important those four spaces would be when you only live with 32 pieces. Once again, I thought it would make others enjoy my capsule.
3. I didn’t know the importance of comfort. I loved all the pieces but some needed to be steamed after every use or dry cleaned. Some fit tight in certain areas, thus, making it uncomfortable to wear all day with out constant readjusting.
4. Quality. Some items couldn’t withstand the constant wear. In a month, I noticed that some of my tops were fraying, puckering, and stretching beyond repair.

Now, a year later, I’ve corrected these mistakes. I’ve learned so much about my aesthetic and how important it is to stay true to my style. I can’t wait to share more on this in a future post. They say that you can learn a lot about a person from what they wear, so for now, here’s a glimpse into the real me!