As the weather turns reluctantly cooler, our minds turn to new season fashions. We’re all excited for crisper, cooler air as it means layering, knitwear and getting cosy (for the first two weeks that is. Then we relish the opportunity to bitch about the cold weather and lament the absence of summer, but I digress).
There are a range of approaches out there that vary slightly, however the essential tenet of a capsule wardrobe is that it streamlines your selection of clothes. Instead of having a massive collection of garments that you like as individual pieces, you strategically plan your collection to include versatile pieces that all work together. Some say your capsule wardrobe should consist of just 37 pieces, while others are a helluva lot more relaxed. Whichever method you adopt; you’re sure to save money, declutter and (hopefully) wind up with a closet of items that you truly love.
Capsule wardrobes aren’t a new thing, but they’re pretty damn effective if done correctly. Here’s what you need to know about building a capsule wardrobe for the new season.
1. Mindless shopping will become a thing of the past
THAT’S THE POINT! The idea is that you plan what you need, set a budget, go to the shops, purchase and then have a season’s worth of clothes to wear for the next three months. Easy as pie. While it’s not a ‘shopping ban’ as such (‘cause who are we to tell you what to do?!), you’ll likely become a bucket load more mindful about what you spend your money on and what you actually need.
2. Your sense of personal style will flourish
When you’re forced to pinpoint what it is you like as opposed to allowing yourself “oh no maybe I DO like wide leg jeans, I’d better get a pair incase there’s a chance for me to wear them in the next two years before they go out of fashion again.” You’ll quickly develop cohesion within your ‘drobe.
3. Pinterest and Instagram are your (let’s face it, not-so) new besties
If you’ve ever tried to find your interior style like a real adult, you’ll know that Pinterest and the ‘Gram are your best friends when it comes to honing in on what it is you really like. By saving, screenshotting or pinning the living daylights out of whatever it is you’re into, you’ll quickly be able to identify trends, and start to work out the specifics of which pieces you’ll be making a beeline for come shopping day. For example, by the eighth mustard yellow blanket scarf shot you’ve pinned, you’ll start to realise you should probably just buy one for yourself.
5. You’ll start to focus on quality over quantity
Because you’re setting yourself a limit on how much you can buy, you’ll start to see the value in buying something based on a thorough assessment of its fabric content, how easy it is to wash and how well it will fit in with your wardrobe as a whole. You’ll probably start to realise why your mum rolled her eyes at the carrier bags full of fast fashion you brought home when you were younger, and begin investing in quality pieces that will stand the test of time.
Catch ya on the capsule side, girlfriends.
