A Practical Guide to Designing a Capsule Wardrobe
Capsule wardrobes are an excellent concept; they reduce the promotion of fast fashion, save people time and money, and reduce carbon emission - so what's not to love? Th trouble is a capsule wardrobe can be tricky to set up in the beginning, so read on and start a capsule bible.
Style and Lifestyle
Creating a successful capsule wardrobe is all about understanding your personality and your personal style; chances are you already have a pretty clear idea of what these are, but still, there is always something to learn and ways to go deeper with your ideas and your choices.
Ask yourself three simple questions, what activities do you engage in most often? What do I like to do in my free time? And what clothing do I consider staple clothing? It's helpful to start a capsule wardrobe bible to keep the answers to these questions in and build up a better picture.
Track a Month
It takes time to create a successful capsule wardrobe, so don't make the mistake of reorganizing your wardrobe based on what you currently think because what you think doesn't count as practical data. What you need is the hard data that tells you what you need to make decisions.
Over the course of a month, wear what you normally wear but track everything in an app or a notebook. Take note of everything you are wearing, including your underwear - because even that forms an effective capsule wardrobe. After a month, you have a picture of your style habits.
Clean Out Closet
Now that you have some hard data, it's time to put it to use, compare your data with your current wardrobe, and decide what you can let go of and what needs to stay. Before you buy anything or recycle old clothes, pare down your wardrobe and turn it into the first version of a capsule.
This is an excellent start; by this stage, you already have a capsule wardrobe that you can use every day, but the task is not complete. In fact, a capsule wardrobe is an ongoing process; you need to stay on the ball and continue making decisions about it, so keep an app up and running.
Color Palette
Some people know what colors suit them best, so creating a color palette for a capsule wardrobe is an easy process, but even if you do know your best colors, it still pays to experiment from time to time to find out if you can include different hues and tones. Again an app tracker is a friend.
Although a color palette is optional when designing a capsule wardrobe, it is also very useful. A color palette is a reference point for buying future clothing, and if you know what colors suit you best, it makes it easier to make smart decisions in the shops or when you see something online.
Recycle Clothing
If you're interested in creating a capsule wardrobe, then you probably have certain values. Of course, some people might enjoy capsule wardrobes because they are straightforward and save time and money, but most people are also aware of the environmental stakes behind the project.
Once you have established your initial capsule wardrobe and pared things down, you will have extra clothing that doesn't fit the system; these can be recycled at your local thrift store or on online marketplaces like e-bay. Also, some friends and family might like to use the clothing.
Create a Wishlist
In many ways creating a capsule wardrobe is an exercise in 'economy' with the goal of spending less and using less. Of course, the only limitation on a capsule wardrobe are the ones you place on yourself; still, these limitations are necessary to maintain the integrity of your capsule zone.
After you have pared down your existing wardrobe and recycled anything, you don't want it's time to create a wishlist. In your capsule bible, create categories for clothing types. Categories can include comfort wear, activewear, etc., then research the best bra to wear under a shirt.
Buy Quality
In the interest of making your capsule wardrobe as ethical and budget-friendly as possible, you should buy high-quality clothing when you buy new things. The whole idea of a capsule wardrobe is to reduce the amount of clothing used overall and to help the environment recover.
Although high-quality fashion is more expensive, it is also more durable and longer-lasting. Additionally, some modern brands allow you to return your items to them and get a discount on replacement items. The old items are then shredded and manufactured into new versions.
