If you’re not following me on Twitter (RIP?) or Instagram you may have missed out on this awesome piece by Megan Doyle featuring some words from yours truly all about the shortcomings of traditional capsule wardrobe advice.
It’s a fantastic read, and I encourage you to check it out.
Now, if you’ll recall, I’ve written previously about how most guides to capsule wardrobes are inadequate at best and, at worst, limit your personal style, and gave my own advice on how to build one that actually reflects you and your lifestyle.
As capsule creation is a service I offer, naturally, I have a lot of opinions about them and the perception of them. So many thoughts, in fact, that they couldn’t all fit in Megan’s article, or in my own. So, here’s what didn’t make it.
My thoughts on the benefits of building a traditional capsule wardrobe:
Capsule wardrobes can be very useful for some: people who are too busy to think too hard about what they wear everyday, and the people who simply don’t want to. I think the main benefit that no one really talks about is how useful capsules are for compartmentalizing our wardrobes, like keeping your work clothes separate from the rest of your clothes, for example. It’s also very easy for people who have just gone through some major life, style, or even body changes and need a new wardrobe immediately to focus on a set of items that they can get plenty of use from and expand upon later.
The limitations of a capsule wardrobe:
It can get a bit boring, right? I think there’s a sweet spot between a limited capsule and the huge wardrobes we’re used to or aspire to today, and going too much to either end has its downsides. With capsules, if you’re the kind of person that really loves to have fun and experiment, you can find yourself a bit unfulfilled. I also think the traditional advice in building capsules is a bit ripe for burnout which can be hard to deal with. It’s really no fun when you don’t love your outfit, and I believe traditional capsules don’t take the fun and self expression and deep connection we can feel to our clothing into account. Not to mention, so many people are sort of starting to take interest in capsules with no real guidance, and instead of pulling the capsule out of their wardrobe, they’re razing the ground and doing huge hauls of neutral basics which is not sustainable at all.
What my clients think about capsule wardrobes:
My most popular service is actually building capsules! But, it’s important for me that when my clients choose that service that they understand that I’m not just gonna parrot the lists and “timeless” advice they’ve heard before. I find that my clients who do specifically want capsules are just kind of fed up with having so much stuff! That said, with so many people taking interest in shopping more thoughtfully and responsibly—either for the planet or for ourselves—we’ve sort of been told that this minimalist approach is the only way to truly be sustainable, and that isn’t the case. I often spend sessions unpacking a lot of those preconceived notions!
The importance of understanding your personal style:
Understanding your personal style is key! We’re so bombarded with images that are supposed to be selling us clothes, but are actually selling us a lifestyle and an identity, and it’s very easy to fall prey to it if you haven’t spent too much time, not just figuring out your own style, but your own values, and your own goals. The traditional advice of building capsules doesn’t take personal style into account, either, and there’s a reason for that: fashion is overwhelming. Even for me! And we are human, so the idea of passing over what’s shiny and new in favor of sitting down and questioning yourself for who knows how long over whether you prefer blouses over crewnecks or slim trousers over wide ones is hard. But life is overwhelming, and people want simple solutions even to the most difficult questions, and we always will. It’s far easier to adopt something we’ve already seen than to create our own language from scratch.
The influence of social media and fast fashion on personal style:
Oof. Speaking of being bombarded with images. We live in a world now where we just don’t have to think if we don’t want to. To paraphrase Ariana Grande: We can see, we can want, we can click, we can own. And while that seems like a dream (it would’ve been incredible for teenage me), it’s actually creating a world where we are never satisfied. That’s not on us: we’re not able to sit and be satisfied because everything around us is encouraging us to move onto the next thing, even if the next thing isn’t actually better, it’s just newer. Social media created an entire industry of people meant to influence us with their shiny hair and all white bathrooms, and we eat it up because so many of us are just not as happy as we could or should be. We’re struggling out here! So, when we come across someone who looks like they have it all figured out in some beautiful location and some colorful outfit, we put ourselves in that image rather than figuring out what image we’d like to create. And with everything just a click and a few bucks away, we don’t have to think about it. We just want to look good, and we think looking good is the simplest path to feeling good but I don’t think that’s always the case. We’re not encouraged to honor ourselves, only the image.
- My 3 pieces of advice for people who want to build a capsule wardrobe but don't want to look like everyone else:
Honor YOUR Style: If you’re not a person who gravitates towards neutrals or classic silhouettes, don’t expect to become one just because you’ve limited your options. Really think about what you like to wear, and build around it.
Pull the Capsule OUT of Your Wardrobe: There’s no need to toss
everything to start over from scratch if you don’t have to. Evaluate your wardrobe and pull out the things you already wear, create new combinations from the old, and then if you absolutely need to add something, figure out what that is.
Don’t Forget the Details: Accessorizing is the easiest way to refresh your wardrobe. Maybe you don’t need a new dress, you just need a new belt or necklace to wear with it. And shoes are included in that! Even if you do decide to go with neutrals for your base outfits, tossing in a statement shoe or multiple colors of a style you already love may be what you need to make it stay exciting for you.
Bonus Tip: Any color can be your base neutral if you want it hard enough! Even a print!
Happy capsuling! And don’t forget, if it’s all a bit too overwhelming, you can always hire a professional (me!).