5 Mistakes To Avoid When Setting Up A Capsule Wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe is a closet that is comprised of 40 or fewer items. This closet reducing trend helps save time in planning outfits, reduces impulsive shopping, keeps you super organized, and is even good for the environment.
However, limiting yourself to 40 items of clothing, while trying to remain stylish, is tricky. Your outfits can get boring and repetitive, making you want to quit. This can be prevented by avoiding a few simple mistakes and misconceptions about Capsule Wardrobes.
Here are some tips to help you create a stylish and sustainable capsule wardrobe :
1) Don't go monochrome!
A lot of people assume that a capsule wardrobe works best with single color pallets. This is very limiting and gets boring quickly.
Instead, select a few base colors like tan, black, or grey. Then, pair them with a diverse range of accent colors. All of these colors should work well together. A great way to ensure this is by going for colors that are of a similar tone or saturation. For example, if your clothing items are all earthy tones, you could easily wear earthy pink, green, yellow, or blue with your base, offering you more colors but fewer color clashes.
Therefore, when planning your capsule wardrobe, pay attention to color tones instead of just the color you like.
2) Don't throw everything out
If you're trying to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle, throwing everything out and generating a lot of textile waste, can never be a great start.
Instead, separate your clothes into different seasons and pick the clothes you wear most often. Build a seasonal capsule wardrobe around these elements, and neatly store everything else away, ready for another season.
Any items that are never used, and don't fit your capsules can definitely be donated. Just make sure that you are not going out of your way to purchase new items for your capsule wardrobe, and throwing away older clothes.
3) Don't rearrange your life
Your life is going to become more sustainable, not boring. Make sure you account for social events, parties and festivals when planning a capsule wardrobe, you should not have to go shopping whenever you are invited to go out.
A great way to execute this is by keeping some glamorous outfits ready to go, that can be dressed down for casual wear. For example, shiny dresses are great for parties, but can easily be dressed down with t-shirts or jackets for regular wear.
4) Don't be basic
People assume that a diverse capsule wardrobe depends solely on solid-colored basics or simple elements that can be reused. While these factors are important, they need not be limitations. By experimenting with patterns and different silhouettes, you can add a lot more color and depth to your closet.
Patterns are a great way to find your base and accent colors, a hack we discussed earlier. Similarly, you can use layering to switch up the structure and shape of your outfit.
Additionally, invest in unique and even quirky statement pieces for days when you just want to stand out and add some oomph to your wardrobe.
5) Don't settle for single look elements
If you only have 40 items, make sure each item can be used in multiple ways. For example, get dresses that you can wear like skirts, button-downs that can be worn as jackets and so on.
You can use your elements in different ways by layering them, tucking them in, or accessorizing them differently.
Less can be more if you are creative with it. Focus on what you wear and experiment with all the different ways it can be worn, instead of trying to buy a lot of clothes for different reasons.
Lastly, do not beat yourself up and give up, if you slip and decide to buy something different, that does not fit the capsule. You are still making a conscious decision to spend less and be more sustainable, and that is worth something!
So go ahead, work on planning out your wardrobe and making your life easier, cheaper and better for the world.
Opinions and Perspectives
Started this for environmental reasons but staying for the convenience
Finding it easier to pack for trips now that everything coordinates
I miss having more variety sometimes but the benefits definitely outweigh that
Finding it hard to resist sales though. Any tips for staying committed?
The part about not rearranging your life is so important. A capsule should work for you, not the other way around
Anyone else notice they're taking better care of their clothes now that they have fewer?
I struggle with keeping party clothes in my capsule. They take up space but rarely get worn
The tip about similar tones has really helped me build a cohesive wardrobe
My wardrobe feels so much more organized now. I can actually see everything I own
The article could have mentioned something about fabric quality. It's crucial when you're wearing items more frequently
Would love some specific examples of versatile pieces that others have found successful
Six months in and I actually feel more stylish with fewer clothes. Quality over quantity really works
The environmental impact really motivated me to try this. Fast fashion is such a huge problem
I started by just counting my most worn items and was shocked to find I only regularly wear about 30 pieces anyway
My partner thought I was crazy at first but now they're considering trying it too
Interesting point about choosing colors of similar saturation. Never thought about it that way
I found layering really helps multiply my outfit options without adding more pieces
This has helped me realize how many clothes I actually own but never wear
Really appreciate the practical approach here. Other articles make it seem impossible
The suggestion about statement pieces is crucial. They really help break the monotony
I tried this last month and already noticed I'm spending less on impulse purchases
Love the encouragement at the end about not beating yourself up if you slip up. Makes it feel more doable
This works great for office wear but I'm finding it harder to manage for casual weekends
Not sure about wearing button-downs as jackets. Seems a bit forced to me
I started with a seasonal capsule and it's much more manageable. Just swap things out every few months
The advice about not going monochrome is spot on! My first attempt was all black and grey and I got so bored
My biggest struggle is letting go of clothes I might need someday. This article helped me realize I can store them instead of donating everything
Been doing capsule wardrobes for years and the key is definitely versatility. Each piece needs to work with at least 3 others
The tip about pattern mixing is great but I'm still nervous about trying it. Any suggestions for a beginner?
I actually found 40 items to be plenty. It's all about choosing versatile pieces that work together
Thanks for sharing! I never thought about keeping party clothes that could be dressed down. Game changer for my social life
The article misses a crucial point about shoes though. How many pairs should we include in the 40 items?
I've been doing this for 6 months now and honestly it's changed my life. My favorite tip is using dresses as skirts - brilliant!
The point about not throwing everything away really resonates with me. We're trying to be sustainable after all
40 items seems way too restrictive. I can't imagine limiting myself that much
Finally got around to trying this and I'm amazed at how much time I save in the morning not having to figure out what to wear
I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe but always struggled with the color coordination part. The tip about focusing on similar tones rather than just picking random colors I like is super helpful!