Lately I've been really reading a lot about minimalism and the capsule wardrobe concept, and I've been really intrigued to try it myself. Because, let's be honest, I've only been using a very small percentage of my clothes on a daily basis. I have the few favorites that I use over and over again, and the rest is just taking space. There are some clothes I wear quite hesitantly just because I have to wear them because I've spent so much money on them and others I virtually never touch. So why keep it all?
I will soon have to buy maternity clothes and I'm not planning to buy more than few essential pieces - I'm only going to use them for a few months so why buy a whole new garderobe? - so the capsule wardrobe mindset seems like a perfect concept to explore more closely.
Too I often buy clothes thinking about how I would like to look instead of what I really wear. Or things that are really fashionable at the moment but aren't necessarily essentially me or don't fit my body shape. Sadly the clothes I imagine myself wearing often remain just that, imagination, and in reality I wear the same old same old day in day out. Throwing away these dream clothes is really hard: first of all: what a waste! and secondly: it's like admitting to yourself that you really are not the stylish, fashionable person you aspire to be. Into the same category go the jeans that are too small but that you vow to fit into again as soon as possible. And if you knit (or sew) your own clothes like me, you know they are hard to throw away as well. But as with other clothes there are missteps in my knitted garments: colors that don't really look good on me even though the shade was the most beautiful when still rolled into a skein or a fit that doesn't quite complement my figure. Or they might just be too worn out, or out of date or the yarn has started to pill...
I've been going through my wardrobe during the past few days trying to get rid of all the excess clothes I have but never wear. Now that I'm pregnant and won't probably fit into my normal clothes for the next year or so I thought it would be a good time to sort everything out without feeling too sentimental about it. It's easier to give up on stuff when you think "do I REALLY want to wear this one year from now" instead of doubting your decisions "but I might feel differently tomorrow/in a week/next month/when summer comes..."
Ideas for capsule wardrobes. Photo sources: left and right Unfancy, middle top Polyvore and middle bottom Polyvore
I ended up throwing away 3 big garbage bags full of clothes, shoes and even some bags. Two of them I gave away to charity and the last one I tossed in the bin. I think I threw out about half of my clothes, yikes... I tried to think clothes as mere material without any sentimental value attached to them, so I threw away jumpers I've knitted myself but don't use anymore, the Levi's jeans I wore almost 9 years ago on the night I met Magnus (they would still fit me but I've spilled paint over them at some point...) and even a dress I bought from India that I really loved, but just haven't used for years now.
The rest of the clothes went into 3 piles: ones that I can use now, ones that are out of season (i. e. summer clothes and such) and clothes that don't fit me at the moment but I know I will want to wear again in a year. I put the only first pile back into my closet and packed away the two others.
I didn't quite make it down to the 20 or 30 or 37 pieces (item count depends on source for the capsule wardrobe instructions) but I'm not too far off. In addition to the so-called lounge wear that should not be counted as part of your capsule, I didn't count my fitness clothes (I have a huge pile, but they are in a constant use) or party/evening wear (even though I might use the dresses only once a year), although I did go through them as well and saved only the ones that are in good condition and that I really use.
It actually felt really good and liberating to get rid off all the clutter and junk in my closets! Now I only have clothes that I really like and I'm happy to wear. I decided to do another raid in my closet in a month or so to see if I'm ready to give up on any more clothes. And from now on I will think really hard before buying anything new!
Example of a capsule wardrobe. Photo from Polyvore.
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