Yesterday if you asked me to retain only 1 out of the four blue shirts I hoarded, I would’ve openly laughed in your face. Who needs that kind of negativity anyways? But in 2020, as I see guilt-ridden people turn toward conscious choices, I can’t help but (cattily) contemplate jumping ship too. Minimalism is what everyone is craving today. 

Having a capsule wardrobe will help streamline your personal style and divert your outfit-picking energy/time into more important things during the day. Unless, of course, dressing up is the essential thing in your day in which case high-five. It also saves money and keeps you on the cleaner side of the (fashion) law. 

THE IDEA

A capsule wardrobe is a tight collection of versatile clothes that can be mixed and matched in different ways. It combines familiar elements with items that you absolutely cannot live without to contrive the perfect, self-sufficient wardrobe (i.e. it is now time to let go of the DIY-ripped jeans you tore open when you were 14.) 

You can rotate your wardrobe every three months and not shop until the end of it. A capsule wardrobe can have up to 30-35 pieces. 

The idea behind following this concept is to reduce the frequency of hoarding and in-turn, reduce the excessive consumption we indulge in every day. So, if you decide to go ahead and pursue it, here are a few tips and tricks to help you navigate the lifestyle change:

Tip 1: There are no rules

Many confuse creating a capsule wardrobe with a lengthy, rulebook- abiding process. In reality, it is all about laying out your belongings on the bed, separating them into the wearable and space-consuming things, then making some tough, tough decisions. It’s key to keep your lifestyle in mind before you narrow down. 

Make sure every piece works with at least three other elements in your wardrobe. “If you don’t love it, let it go”– all hail Marie Kondo! The first step of making a capsule-wardrobe is precisely that. 

#thesoltip: Think about what you would pack for a one week vacation and retain those clothes, this will help narrow down your options. Of course, life is not a holiday, so be practical in what you pick. 

Tip 2: The haves and the have-nots

Cleaning out your closet can be challenging. Either you end up taking too long and lose motivation, or you’ll go down memory lane, and we all know how that goes. 

To make things easier, start by picking a colour palette you enjoy and then follow one amongst the many capsule formulas available online. 

Here’s one: 8 shirts + 4 bottoms + 2 sweaters + 1 leather jacket + 2 dresses + 2 skirts/shorts + 4 shoes

And a few examples of the pieces that should *ideally* be a part of this combination:

For women: A white button-down, a well-fitting pair of jeans, a lightweight sweater, a printed top, a blazer, a basic teeshirt, a black dress, a denim skirt, a couple of sneakers and black heels. 

For men: Any 4 of the seven shirt types mentioned here, a comfortable jacket, a pair of denim, chinos, a tailored suit, a pair of shorts, formal shoes and sneakers.

#thesoltip: What works for others might not necessarily work for you, so choose carefully. 

Tip 3: The Hanger Trick

Deciding what to let go is incredibly hard when you believe your ability to wear them ”someday”. The hanger trick introduced by Anita Birges, aka the De-clutter Queen, is one of the best ways to go forward.

Here’s how it works: Place your clothes on hangers and put them in a reverse manner, so all your hangers are facing outwards. Every time you wear a piece of clothing, you put it back the other way, with the open end back to normal. Then, in six months, you come back and look at the clothes that haven’t been reversed. You’ll know what you didn’t wear and can eliminate them from your closet. Easy as that. 

Tip 4: (Don’t) let it go.

Another critical thing to understand here is that your capsule wardrobe is only a collection of clothes you rotate daily. It is not the summation of your wardrobe. Apart from the capsule pieces, it would help if you also had your workout-wear, sleepwear, and innerwear unless you want to freeze to death at night.

Needless to say, only throw away pieces that you genuinely don’t need or the ones that fail the ”hanger” test. The rest of them can be stored in a box and hidden away for a particularly rainy day, or an improved capsule after three months. As for the ones you do decide to let go, selling them at thrift stores, recycling or donating them is a great way to put the unused clothes to fair use. 

A little separation goes a long way, and a capsule wardrobe is a perfect example.