The idea of a beautiful and organized sustainable capsule wardrobe is very appealing. After all, we are taking care of the planet and supposedly helping ourselves to an easier life. However, it can be very challenging and time consuming to get there. Let me tell you the story of how I transitioned from a closet full of clothes and having nothing to wear to owning only a few pieces that work well for me.
Let me say for the record, that my wardrobe is not perfect, there is still few pieces that I would love to add (working on it with Mossa Minimal :)) but I have enjoyed the many benefits of capsule wardrobe and I don't feel the urge any more to have everything right away, which I will talk about later on.
But why did I really begin such a revolution?
My need to make changes was a combination of various factors. Since I was already hooked into sustainable living, I did a lot of research on all related topics and that is how the concept of natural fabrics came up. When I learned that synthetic fabrics leach microplastics into the water when we wash them or into the air or our skin when we wear them, I immediately wanted to make changes.
Another concept that hugely affected my current zero waste lifestyle was minimalism. I probably started reading into it, when I have to move and pack everything in the house. I never felt so overwhelmed in my entire life! The amount of clothes we had (especially my firstborn) was astonishing. Decluttering was the only option that could save my mental health.
So as a book addict that I am, I read a couple of books and applied everything I learned. As it usually is with reading, you discover new concepts that you want to explore. For me, it was a capsule wardrobe concept, seasonal color analysis and Kibbe body types theory. Keep reading to find out what it means.
My steps to making my wardrobe sustainable
1. Declutter
The first thing I did, was to revise all my clothes and keep only the things I really liked and wore a lot. Then I would slowly substitute those that weren't natural for sustainable options. I would buy either from slow fashion brands or second hand natural pieces (I still do both)
2. Learn about my shapes and colors
Then I dived into learning what colors and what shapes look good on me (although that's what I should have done first). Here is where seasonal color analysis comes in handy as it shows you to analyze your type of beauty, based on your skin tone, hair color, contrast etc, and it teaches you what colors you should use. Some things were quite obvious to me, but there were also many things I wasn't sure of, like the shades and saturation of colors. I learned for example that I look better in optical white rather than off-white clothes.
Then I learned more about Kibbe body types. This concept analyzes your body structure and body features to show you what kind of clothes are most flattering and how to create a coherent and harmonious look for your body type.
From that point, I would only focus on finding my colors and my shapes, which made the transition to slow fashion that much easier.
3. Create a capsule wardrobe
Last but not least I researched a capsule wardrobe concept, which basically talks about having a few basic pieces that can be easily mixed and matched to create many different looks. Knowing my colors and my likes, It was much easier to create such a wardrobe. Despite what many creators share, it is not about only having beige, grey and black, it works best when you combine items in your colors, your shapes and that go well with your lifestyle. Not everyone likes (or needs) jeans or blazers :)
Here's what I have learned during this experience:
Apart from always having options to wear, my transition to slow and sustainable fashion came with a few extra bonuses that I did not expect at all! My intentions were to reduce the amount I clothes I owned, make my wardrobe sustainable and easy to care for. What i did not see coming is that apart from practical advantages, it has also affected my mental heath. Here's how:
- minimalism gave me a sense of relieve and calm as it removes the visual clutter (it puts unnecessary stress on your brain)
- color analysis and Kibbe body types theory gave me confidence to make better shopping choices. Realizing the majority of clothes in stores don't actually suit you, reduces significantly the need for compulsive shopping and following trends.
- capsule wardrobe gave me a stressless morning routine as it saves me a lot of time getting dressed. It also made packing for travel much more simple!
The process
Making these changes was not an easy job and certainly not a fast one. It's a process that requieres patience, as over time you discover yourself, your likes and dislikes. Our style evolves just as our mindset and lifestyle evolve. Just remember to take one step at the time, because done is better that perfect.
PS. let me know if you would like me to elaborate more on any concepts mentioned in this article.