The Capsule Wardrobe

Hi, I’m Rebekah of Lines & Current, I want preface what is yet to come by saying I’m no expert on the topic of tidying or decluttering or as I call it ‘Wardrobe Dieting,’ but I’ve been trekking on the ‘minimalist’ road (to some degree) for a while. Here’s some suggestions for getting started and on how to curate and live from a wardrobe with LESS stuff in it.

My Wardrobe Diet Story

I‘ve been on this journey for a number of years now. The moment I finally realised enough was enough was about seven years ago when I looked inside my bulging beast of a wardrobe and I couldn’t find a simple t-shirt. Yes I could see plenty of lovely frilly/vintage-esque blouses, the ones I had loved about five years previous, but since having kids and accumulating the extra ‘things’ that come with them, I’ve been stripping things back gradually. For me the Autumn of 2014 was crunch time, and I meant business. I was pretty ruthless about it, if I hadn’t worn it in a year I set it into the discard pile, if it didn’t suit my post-preggo shape even though I still kind of liked it- discard. I vacuum shrunk a small bag of summer clothes and put them in an upper shelf but apart from that, there was nothing kept that I didn’t love or didn’t use. Things looked sparse in there. I admit, almost soulless. I can relate to what Drew Barrymore said when she did a similar wardrobe detox:

“My closet seemed to be clean. But, no longer eclectic or wild enough. It actually seemed like I had no clothes. It got too sparse! I was sad. Had I gone too far? I was missing my old funky self and felt like I had become some conservative, boring woman — but not even in a cool, J.Crew way. I was more like, I don’t know…just not me. ”

— Drew Barrymore

I remember when my mum looked in my wardrobe, she gasped at its sparseness. It’s a hard place to be, you have two options - One, you can plan an immediate shopping spree to fill the space OR two, you can resist the immediate desire to fill the space and stay in the tension of having LESS. Whether it’s because we’re culturally or emotionally uncomfortable with not having a wealth of options, I’m not sure, but it was an interesting personal experiment to push through. Seven years on, I can say it’s been well worth resisting my desire to fill the gaps. The wardrobe is not just as sparse, (it’s actually not all that tidy either) but I have enjoyed the experience of dressing every day from limited pieces and have developed the art of choosing clothing items that resonate with my personal taste and personality. Some outfit examples - If I’m going on a walk, it’s jeans, flannel shirt, Nike trainers or boots. If I’m brunching, it’s jeans, an oxford shirt and Hudson boots. If I’m having a day working from home/doing the school run, it’s yoga pants and a hoodie that might turn into jeans and an oversized t-shirt and cardigan. It’s not glamourous but the point of the entire process is to take the thinking out of dressing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy style and playing dress up, but I’ve enjoyed the liberation felt by doing ‘stylish’ minimalism more. Less stuff = less decisions = more space = more playtime and energy for things that matter to you. It’s an over-simplified view on dressing but there are nuggets of truth in there and personal benefits if you’re willing to push through the chaotic decluttering bit at the start.

“Less stuff = less decisions = more space = more playtime and energy for things that matter to you.”

— Rebekah Johanson

Tips on ‘Going Minimal’

First things first- the obvious clear out session. There is NO way out of it and if you’re like me you might not love this stage.

Marie Kondo’s book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, an international bestseller, has probably been the most useful resource I’ve read on my journey so far. Some of the following suggestions are based on what I’ve found the most useful from her Kon-Marie method of tidying from her book and from my own experience:

Go category by category, starting with the easiest to part with. The ‘Kon-Marie method’ encourages a category-by-category system, rather than the conventional little-by-little approach. I would say I’ve found this helpful although it’s best to just get started rather than getting paralysed with the correct ‘method’. The idea is to practice with the easier decisions (e.g. underwear) and move into the harder ones (like the party dresses you invested in but never wear).
Instead of deciding what to get rid of, focus on what to keep. “Do you need it and does the piece of clothing spark joy?” This phrase has become quite a useful ‘tool’ on the wardrobe diet journey. It might seem a bit strange but with the Kon-Marie method, you take each item in your hand and ask yourself “does this spark joy?” If yes, then it stays. If it does not spark joy, then throw it out. Note: You must touch every item so that your body can react. This is NOT an intellectual process.
Finally, it’s so much easier to read about this subject than actually DOING it! Take whatever momentum you have conjured up until now and run with it.
Resist the urge to immediately fill the space. Save some money. Live in the tension for a while. See if a newfound creative or mental space is unleashed.

Your Capsule Wardrobe

Now it’s play time- your minimalist curation. This looks like whatever you want it to. Theoretically, a Capsule wardrobe (a term coined by Susie Faux, the owner of a London boutique called ‘Wardrobe’ in the 1970s) is a collection of a few essential items of clothing that don't go out of fashion, such as skirts, trousers, and coats, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces.

Some modern minimalists advocate having 37 items in your wardrobe, basically your new clothing collection is made up of a combination of items you already own and love to wear, as well as new, quality items that you can shop for once a season. I’m not fussy about how many pieces are in there, so long as it is moving away from the fast-disposable clothes mentality.

Keep versatility in mind when slowly building your collection. Think about a more neutral colour palette. Can you wear that blazer casually and dress it up for a more formal setting? Will it wash well? It’s helpful to look at your life and consider what you need for 80% of the time. These are the timeless, good quality pieces you may want to re-vamp if you are low in supply. My everyday wardrobe is pretty basic. A few pairs of jeans that I feel comfy in are important items, many of mine are from River Island. For Autumn/Winter you may invest in a few oversized knitted cardigans or good quality cotton blend t-shirts or vests for underneath.

Next comes - the flourishes, that is the way you stay YOU. I like to express this in the statement accessories, like hats or a splash of lippy colour or jewellery. Family hand-me-downs are an important part of my collection, some are handmade jumpers or passed down jewellery pieces. I have a vintage shirt that seems to raise its head from season to season too.

Again, these are only suggestions to freeing up some creative energy in your life and limiting the anxiety that can arise with too much choice. The whole idea is to NOT jump back into old habits of spending and consuming. I’m still learning what it is to be a responsible consumer. I’m inspired to be part of a ‘slow’ fashion movement where we mindfully consider our clothing purchases and steer away from the fast-disposable fashion culture that is inevitably filling our landfills with non-biodegradable tat. Living with a collection of LESS is a great way to start.

Here’s some helpful resources:

- Marie Kondo’s publication- ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective way to Banish Clutter Forever’.

- The Minimalist Fashion Blog- http://www.un-fancy.com

- A TEDx Talk. ‘A Rich life with Less Stuff,’ by The Minimalists

http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/A-Rich-Life-with-Less-Stuff-The-

or http://www.theminimalists.com/start/

- Consider where your discarded clothes are going? Are they going to end up in landfills? Maybe someone could upcycle them or you could consider donating your leftover Pregnancy clothes to a local Pregnancy Care Charity. One local to Belfast is Life Ni Boutique Charity Shop located at 183 Lisburn Rd - https://www.facebook.com/LIFENIcharityshop/

- Drew Barrymore - Why I Put My Closet On A Diet (In 6 Simple Steps)

http://www.refinery29.com/drew-barrymore-closet-cleaning-tips

- Netflix Documentary - The True Cost.

http://www.peopletree.co.uk- a Sustainable and Fair Trade Fashion Company.

(This blog post was first published on the @wisdomandpennies blog)