Lately I’ve had a bit of a wardrobe clear out.
I’ve still got some bits to sell, and even more that I should be getting rid of really, if only I could just bring myself to do it. I live in a pretty small city terrace, and dealing with the relentless onslaught of my own wardrobe feels a little draining.
Sometimes it feels like there are clothes EVERYWHERE. I wash them, they need putting away, there is no space in my wardrobe and drawers. They are sitting on the couch in the spare room, on top of the blanket box in my bedroom, over dryers, in a dresser, in boxes in a cupboard and hanging on the back of my bedroom door. There’s glamorous cocktail frocks, summer dresses, sports wear and pyjamas. It’s the most first world, fashion blogger problem I’ll ever face. Don’t you pity me?
Sometimes, when I’m battling against a seemingly endless pile of clothes with nowhere to go I find myself strangely drawn to the idea of a capsule wardrobe.
You know, one of those wardrobes where you have 4 pairs of trousers, 3 skirts and a selection of tops all in the same colour palette, a few fancy bits for special occasions and everything goes with everything else.
A slightly more advanced version of Mark Zuckerberg and his wardrobe full of grey t-shirts.
Then I remember why that story where Mark Zuckerberg was faintly dismissive of the frivolity of choosing what to wear made me so angry.
The fact is that sprawling mass of mismatched clothes is ME. My wardrobe is a material extension of me. I like a bit of organised chaos, and I don’t want getting dressed in the morning to be too easy because then I wouldn’t need to be creative. Sure, I have some core outfits that I reach for when it’s 5am and I have to go somewhere and look presentable, but most of the time I don’t think that choosing what to wear is an activity that saps my creativity and removes my energies from what’s important.
Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle, and picking something new to wear, or a new accessory to put with a favourite dress, is a tiny little exercise in creativity. It’s not wasted. That’s not creativity I can’t use on something more important, it’s practice.
My wardrobe features simple black dresses, wide leg trousers, hues of beige, brown, green, red and yellow, comic book prints and polka dots and how I put them together each morning when I get dressed represents my mood and who I am that day. If I’m going to a meeting and I’m feeling serious and go-getting I might feel like a bit of Power Bitch dressing and wear a tailored jacket and a pencil skirt. If I’m going out for a picnic I might want gingham and florals. I might want to mix stripes and checks because I saw someone do it on Pinterest, or wear blue and green together, even though apparently they should never be seen.
A capsule wardrobe might suit some people, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the idea in general. There are even occasions in life where one is essential. When packing to go on holiday the ability to make the most of limited space and create a small capsule wardrobe from what I already have is a must, but even for a week away it can start to feel dull.
I can see the benefits of getting up each morning and grabbing any skirt and top from your wardrobe and knowing they will match perfectly with any pair of shoes, and any handbag, and that you will look perfectly chic and put together. On days where I wish I was a chic and put together person that would be wonderful, but what about those days where I want to be rock ‘n’ roll, or twee and girly, or a bit sporty? For someone who treats their wardrobe like a big dressing up box a capsule wardrobe is just too stifling and restrictive.
So I’m learning to celebrate the organised chaos that is my wardrobe. I enjoy the creative process of choosing what to wear, and deciding which one of the many different versions of me I will be today. Because dressing yourself isn’t a frivolous waste of mental energy, it’s a creative exercise in self expression and if you don’t have the mental energy to make important decisions AND pick what colour tie to wear today then perhaps a little more practice is exactly what you need.
Still, I should probably keep up with that clear out…..
Comments
19 responses to “Why I Don't Want a Capsule Wardrobe”
I am with you – I love the whole “creative” process of choosing “who I want to be” one a daily basis – I could never stick to a capsule wardrobe as I love clothes to much!! But I may need to organise a little more!!
Nice 😉
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I couldn’t have said it better myself, dressing up is part of the fun, and you don’t feel the same every day.
With a fairly dry day job I love that clothes can be the creative part 🙂 it’s the fun bit!
Agree with all your saying here – it’s a nice idea for those days when you just don’t want the hassle of thinking something up, but really, most days that’s the joy of life! Or at least, it’s one of the joys of mine. And if it wasn’t, I’d hardly be blogging my outfits to the world… Although I could also do with a clear out. In fact I’ve been doing one, but I feel like I’ve thrown away about 100 things and it’s still all in a mess.
I couldn’t agree more.
The thought of having a capsule wardrobe means that no more creativity would be required. Where is the joy in that?
bisous
Suzanne
Gemma, I totally agree. I’ve been contemplating the whole capsule wardrobe for a long time, but couldn’t get myself to do it. I think your post really express what many of us fashion lovers feel. That styling our daily wardrobe is apart of our creativity. Thanks for sharing this.
I get a bit annoyed with the way people harp about capsule wardrobes like they are going to CHANGE YOUR LIFE. The only change having only 20 pieces of clothing would make is that I’d be bored stiff of everything in my wardrobes in two weeks flat. I’m sure it works for some people, but I love the freedom to express different aspects of my personality with what I wear. Maybe at some point in my life I’ll want to streamline things a little bit, but at the moment clothes are actually kind of a priority in my life, and I’m ok with that.
Clothes totally a priority in my life! Nothing wrong with that!
Hallelujah! I do envy those women who look amazing in that simple tee and jeans that they rotate accordingly, but I know I couldn’t do it. Honestly, some days picking which shoes to go with that dress is the most interesting part of the hum drum of life. If I know I’m going to have a crappy day at work, taking half an hour in the morning to pick an outfit that makes me feel kick ass and ready to go is creative time well spent in my opinion! Long live my cluttered, clashing, frivolous wardrobe! X
Ah I love this! Yes! The most frustrating days are the ones when you want to look a certain way but you DONT HAVE THE CLOTHES! More clothes are obviously the answer!
I do have a capsule wardrobe build around work clothes. More like a business wardrobe. And my creative one for my day out. It is all about space and money!
Ah yes, well, an “I’ve got to go to work” wardrobe is maybe a bit different!
It would be nice to be the sort of person who could live with a capsule wardrobe and I admit that my clothes could do with pruning, but I realise when I go on holiday and take a selected amount of items that all mix and match how boring that is. It works for a week or two but not for real life. I would probably die of boredom or depression if I had to live with navy, black, white and a touch of beige. Hooray for you.
Ha ha! Me too!
LOL, I think in my very early twenties I found a book with advice like that. Sometimes you need a grey shift dress for a meeting and on other days it has to be a cat dress or the “table cloth”. Dressing is too much fun. On hols I try to match a little. Hols can be pants for that matter 😉
Totally 😉
I don’t have many clothes compared to a lot of bloggers, but even so a capsule wardrobe would bore the arse off me. And they’re only practical if you only do one thing in one sort of weather. We have a changeable climate in the UK, with actual seasons: winter woollen skirts and jumpers don’t work in summer, lightweight cotton is no good in winter. And I’m guessing the people who have capsule wardrobes never have to knuckle down and do the garden or a spot of DIY.
Nope. Boring things for boring lives!
All the yes!!! I empathize strongly with everything you say here.