old + thrifted denim jacket, similar | old Homage graphic tee, same | Steve Madden peep toe booties
A couple weeks ago I was digging around some style blogs and I came across this post.
And it just hit home.
At this point the list of reasons I utilize a capsule wardrobe has grown long and far reaching:
-To inspire me to shop less, own less and spend less overall
-To be more creative with clothes I already have
-To contribute to the mantra of making thoughtful and deliberate natured purchases
-To develop, refine and own my personal style
But more than anything? The reason I practice a capsule wardrobe isn’t because it contributes to less waste + less want in society. (To be clear, I want to do those things too…) It’s because it adds value to my everyday — and because it makes my life easier.
There, I said it. My self serving motive spelled out in bold and italics for all the world to see.
We’re all inundated with thousands of decisions everyday — big (career choices, etc.) or small (i.e., how many squares of toilet paper to use…). But — and I hope I’m not being terribly cliché here when I say this — after you become a parent? The number of decisions one has to make seems as if though it gets multiplied by 100 million+.
It’s no longer enough to simply get oneself dressed and out the door in the morning. Now it’s, what do I wear? What should the kids wear? What activities are they participating in today and what is the weather going to be like? What kind of meat should I feed them? Do they need vegetables this meal? And what vegetables do I give them? Do I have time to make coffee? Who do I feed first, the baby? Or the toddler? Which sippy cup should I use? The expensive glass one? Or the potentially toxic plastic one? What should I pack for snacks? (What did they have for snacks yesterday ?)What kind of diapers should I order this month? Should we switch diaper wipes? Do we need a new kind of lotion? Do they need to start a multi vitamin? And what vitamins are the best anyway?
And that’s just the beginning. (Amiright?!)
So, when one eventually circles back to that first question: what do I wear? I don’t know about you, but I begin to think do I even have time to consider this? Does it even matter?
For me a capsule wardrobe helps balance my desire to enjoy my sense of style amidst the much more pressing matters of raising babies. I can be left with only 10 minutes to dress and get out the door and come away feeling put together and happy instead of barely thrown together and unbelievably frustrated.
For me, the time I invest up front in curating my closet and piecing it together thoughtfully pays off when I go to get dressed every morning and I don’t have to “decide” what to wear. I grab a top, I grab a bottom and then maybe a layering piece. Put on appropriate footwear and then, bam.
I’ve never dressed more true to my style or with greater ease than I have since trying out this little capsule experiment. And to me that kind of feels a little bit like magic.
Now, I’m most certainly glamorizing this whole capsule thing a little bit. And I most definitely don’t believe that you have to practice a capsule wardrobe to have your wardrobe work for you in the way I’ve described. I believe that some people have certain preferences and/or skill sets that naturally lead them to build a highly versatile and personalized wardrobe. I imagine that these people have always been intentional about well, nearly everything in their life — so a well built wardrobe is either one of those highly calculated decisions or happens by mere extension.
I wasn’t one of the people.
(Darn it!)
And now? Well, I’d like to think that I either am or am on my way to becoming just that. :)
Do you practice a capsule wardrobe? Why do you or don’t you? Do you find yourself facing decision fatigue when it comes to your closet and/or other areas in your life?