Capsule Wardrobe—Ethical And Sustainable Fashion

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Capsule wardrobe and minimalist styles are becoming increasingly fashionable. Capsuling means keeping only our favorite clothes that fit our current lifestyle and body and remixing them regularly. But it also means shopping less often and more consciously. By doing so, we create a set of essentials for each season, encouraging us to mix and match instead of shopping for new items. That way, our money goes towards meaningful, high-quality clothing. In the meantime, we get into the habit of investing in something worth wearing that is valuable and that we have thought about well. After all, our style levels up and becomes even more appealing as our wardrobe is always full of things we adore and look great in.

In a nutshell, a capsule wardrobe is one of the most innovative ways to keep clothes well organized. And it’s one of the most contemporary ways to tackle have nothing to wear problem. The capsule wardrobe concept is simple and easy to implement, and once we’ve done it, we save valuable time instead of rummaging through non-functionally arranged clothes. This type of wardrobe organization is suitable for people with busy schedules who go to work every day and can’t go out in the same outfits.

How to start A capsule wardrobe

It’s actually quite simple. All we need is a small set of favorite and comfortable pieces that can interchange into multiple outfits. The basic rule for the capsule is to have clothes that easily match each other. And there is no limit to accessories, as according to the capsule wardrobe philosophy, they add personality and final touch. Everything else is a matter of individual taste and lifestyle. Some people work in offices with a strict dress code, while others may go to work in jeans and sneakers. Remember that when building such a wardrobe, we should pay attention to any detail, such as accessories, shoes, or even hats. After all, any trifle, combined out of place, completely spoils the look.

There are different opinions on how many clothes to select for a capsule wardrobe. The assumption is that the most basic one has only just 12 garments, excluding home apparel, underwear, and accessories such as scarves and hats, and shoes. Probably some clothes are already available in our wardrobe. So the next step is to decide what colors the chosen items will be. It is advisable to pick those that we wear every day and are easiest to match with each other, limiting to 3-4 colors. The amount of 12 items is not ultimate, but still recommended.

What we have and what we need

To begin with, we need a few pairs of pants, skirts, t-shirts, long-sleeve tops, shirts, sweaters, and outerwear that go well with all selected items. The important thing is that all clothes are interchangeable in as many variations as possible. Then we pick the colors—black, navy, brown, gray, and beige while avoiding bold prints, patterns, and cuts. When selecting tops, we can add some with patterns like stripes or checks and ones of our favorite colors. The rule is, again—all clothes should match each other. Ladies can also pick a couple of dresses, matching the outerwear and shoes.

Finally, we choose two or three pairs of shoes matching the selected clothes. After sorting through all the clothes in front of us, it seems easier to figure out what else we should add to our capsule. We can draft a list of the missing pieces and go shopping consciously.

Conscious MINDSET AND lifestyle

The capsule wardrobe is not an isolated phenomenon. It is part of the blooming strive toward a more responsible and conscious lifestyle. Celebrities on social media platforms—vloggers, influencers, spiritual gurus, and successful entrepreneurs support and promote circular fashion and minimalist living.

Responsible shopping is manifesting in different forms—thrift stores, print-on-demand, private groups on social media for re-selling apparel, and, of course, the capsule wardrobe. This drive doesn’t come from financial deficiency, however. It reflects a more uplifted consciousness and understanding of life. 

Sustainable consumption has grown from a fashionable and distant concept to a modern philosophy and goal for most manufacturers and retailers, referring to products whose life cycle does not harm the environment. They are biodegradable and produced with technologies that reduce the negative footprint in nature and minimize production waste. However, this is not just about nature. We must not forget about working conditions and the human factor. We all want to live better. That is why we prefer goods from decent producers with fair working conditions.

The consumer’s attitude is what really makes the difference. Satisfaction with buying one sustainable product for a specific need seems to have replaced the need to stock useless items. It is priceless to have a one-of-a-kind item—unique, made with care and attention, to humans, to nature. Glossy disposable packaging, bags, and cups have proved undesirable compared to their reusable replacements. Therefore, many brands and business owners have embraced this idea and put their efforts into creating beautiful products—with personality and meaning.