Less is more: That is the principle of the Capsule Wardrobe. To be more precise: You don’t need more than 37 items of clothing in your wardrobe. But is it really suitable for everyday use?
Less clothing leads to less stress when getting dressed: at least that’s what the principle of the capsule wardrobe says. But is this minimalist fashion trend really easy to implement in everyday life? What’s the best way to go about trying it out? And what are the advantages and disadvantages? We have all the information.
Capsule Wardrobe: What is it?
The idea of the Capsule Wardrobe came up in the 1970s: Susie Faux, owner of a London fashion store called “Wardrobe”, developed the idea of a wardrobe full of timeless basics that will not go out of style. The American designer Donna Karan spread the basic idea further when she developed a collection of seven items of clothing that could be combined with one another in 1985. And these two ideas that you can get by with little clothing that works in any combination, describes the principle of the capsule wardrobe.
According to this principle, a maximum of 37 items (including shoes and bags) per season should be sufficient. You should only keep parts that can be combined in many ways, that you really like and that convey a personal sense of wellbeing. If you can get by with less than 37, that’s all the better. There is also no strict list of essential parts. The capsule wardrobe should be designed according to personal taste. It is best if the parts are timeless, of high quality so that you can wear them for a long time – and ideally also produced sustainably.
These parts belong in the Capsule Wardrobe
Tips for women
Of course, the content of the Capsule Wardrobe should match your own style. But it can help to own or keep the following items of clothing in order to have room for combination. One light and one dark Jeans it should definitely be. Because you can style them both casual and chic.
In addition, trousers and skirts, which can be styled in a variety of ways, are also recommended. A simple dress as well as tops and shirts in different designs can also be styled anew – and with a sweater and tights, a dress can also be worn in cold seasons. Blouses, sweaters, cardigans or blousons in simple colors make the capsule wardrobe complete in terms of clothing.
As for shoes, five pairs are enough for all seasons in a minimalist wardrobe. Are recommended for this Sneaker, Boots, warm winter shoes, sandals and chic shoes such as pumps. You don’t need more to combine.
Tip: If you don’t get along well with the clothes all year round, you can adjust the capsule wardrobe every three months and, if necessary, add missing items and stow or sell unnecessary items.
Tips for men
It definitely makes sense for men too Jeans Available in at least two versions: light and dark. You can combine them in many ways, whether with a shirt, sweater or jacket.
You should also have fancier models such as suit pants in the capsule wardrobe. The number and models must of course match the wearer and his life situation. Other items for the minimalist and easily combinable wardrobe: shirts, shirts, tops, pullovers, cardigans. They should match each other in terms of color and also understand each other stylistically. And men don’t need more than four or five pairs of shoes: Sneaker, Boots, sturdy winter shoes, sandals or other summer shoes and dress shoes are basically sufficient.
In just a few steps to the Capsule Wardrobe
If you want to try out for yourself whether the reduced but practical wardrobe suits you, you should follow these five steps.
1. Create an overview
First you should get an overview of what is actually in the closet. Then you should think about which wardrobe you need and when: What do I wear to work? What about meeting friends? And what for a fancier dinner or some other special occasion? In the beginning it can be useful to exclude socks and sportswear. In the end, you make the rules yourself, the first step is to reduce the contents of the wardrobe to the bare essentials.
2. Sorting out
Then it’s time to muck out. The best thing to do is to clear out everything you own. And then it’s time to sort. You should only keep what really pleases, fits and is worn frequently. Everything else can be safely sold, donated or given away. Parts that you are unsure about can first disappear in a box. If you miss them, you can bring them back, if not, they can be sold or donated. By the way, also a good tip: Instead of a wardrobe in which you can quickly lose track of things, an open one is worthwhile Telescope systemwith which you can always see at a glance what you have and how you can combine it.
3. Analysis
Now it’s time to see what actually defines your own wardrobe: Which colors and cuts do you like? What style am I actually wearing? And what do I like about it?
4. Concept
Now you have far fewer items of clothing in your closet and you know what you like to wear and what you wear a lot. But that’s not all. Now you have to organize your clothes in such a way that you can easily combine them with each other – without having to think twice. It is practical, for example, to develop a color concept. To do this, you first choose a basic color. That can be dark blue, for example. This color goes well if you enjoy wearing jeans and denim. Then you need two neutral colors that go well with the base color. This can be beige, white, gray or cream, for example.
So that you don’t end up with a run-of-the-mill wardrobe, you can choose an accent color. For example one Bag in red or with a wild print. Or a jacket with a statement print. Or chunky sneakers. However, these tips are only intended as a rough guide. If you are quite sure about combining, you can of course design it as you like. The only important thing is that many items of clothing are easy to combine with one another. This is the only way to limit the number of parts.
5. Shop more consciously
If you have created an individual, well-arranged and well-arranged Caspule wardrobe, you should of course not fall back into old patterns and slowly make them overflow again. In other words, you should never adjust your wardrobe to entertaining trends. This makes the wardrobe all the more sustainable. It is better to borrow parts when you should need something, to repair broken ones and only to buy something new and timeless when you have to replace a part. So really high-quality parts are best so that you can wear them for as long as possible. And if you really want to wear a trend, the best thing to do is to buy a used part and sell it again in order to really think sustainably.
The benefits of the Capsule Wardrobe
If you only have a few items in your wardrobe and you know that almost all of them can be combined with one another, you naturally save time and energy when you put them on in the morning. In addition, there is more money left for other things if you don’t follow every trend. The bedroom stays nice and tidy when there are fewer clothes floating around. And: Conscious consumption conserves resources and is good for the environment. A minimalist style of clothing is sustainable – and therefore minimalism definitely makes sense in other areas of life as well. In the end, life is usually easier with fewer clothes, cosmetics and possessions.
Disadvantages of the Capsule Wardrobe
The Capsule Wardrobe does not have any real disadvantages, as it saves time and money and conserves resources. However, for those who express themselves strongly through fashion, like to try out a lot and attach great importance to an outfit that is always on trend, the Capsule Wardrobe is a real challenge. But: These people can also orientate themselves and reduce the closet to basics that they spice up with trendy items. The main thing is that you shop more consciously and sustainably, that is already doing some good.
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