The past few years, I’ve always made a conscious effort to build a sustainable wardrobe. Shopping takes a bit more time as I research the sustainability practices of the clothing brands I love, such as Sézane. It is my top priority to shop from ethical fashion brands that contribute to a cleaner planet.
One of the ways I support sustainable fashion practices is by building a capsule wardrobe for the season. A capsule wardrobe is a collection of the essential or influential pieces for a season—including pieces that you already love to wear. The capsule wardrobe reflects your personal style but is a more sustainable and mindful way to think about fashion.
The Benefits
Today’s “fast fashion” culture has made us believe that we have to buy clothing constantly to keep up with the runway trends. Often, this results in overpacking our closet with clothes that we may never wear.
A capsule wardrobe allows us to be more intentional by thinking about what we need in our closets. The idea is to edit your wardrobe to include your favorite pieces and remix them as new items for the season. Shopping less and considering what we need and how much we need.
In return, a capsule wardrobe provides benefits such as more time, more money, and more energy for things in life that matter more. You’ll be able to define and understand your style more. It also helps to eliminate “decision fatigue” when deciding what to shop for each season.
How to build a capsule wardrobe
Building a capsule wardrobe starts each season in which you clear your entire closet except for the pieces you’ll wear for the season. Your capsule wardrobe should consist of items you already own and love to wear and new quality items for the season.
The recommended number is 22-50 pieces, a combination of dresses, tops, bottoms, outerwear, and shoes. However, you should select the amount that works best for you.
The idea is to wear only these items for the next three months. Don’t go shopping until the last few weeks to plan for next season’s capsule.
Finally, it’s important to remember that personal style allows us to find confidence in ourselves. There is also no right way to build a capsule wardrobe. Your clothing is for you, and there are no rules for what you can and can’t wear.
What are your thoughts about building a capsule wardrobe each season? Is this something that excites you as it does for me?
