My biggest capsule wardrobe mistakes
My capsule wardrobe autumn season audit is imminent.
Although I won’t know for sure until I go through and asses everything I own, I’m not anticipating many changes this time around. This feels really good, a relief actually. Feeling so secure in my current wardrobe has got me thinking about how far I’ve come when it comes to capsule wardrobes and how 4 years later I’m still utterly obsessed with them.
Proudly displayed on a wooden rail in the corner of my bedroom, my wardrobe can easily trick you into thinking it’s effortless, easy and trouble-free. To a certain extent it is and that’s the whole point of owning a capsule wardrobe but it hasn’t been an easy journey. The thing with keeping things simple is what you do own has to be hardworking, versatile and beautiful because there’s no hiding place. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. This is one of the reasons I created my how to build a year round capsule wardrobe ebook. I wish someone had outlined the process in the right order for me.
I think it’s important to pull back the curtain and show the real side of an elusive capsule wardrobe. Sure they look beautiful, organised and lust-worthy but like with anything worth having, they take work. I’m so proud of mine and grateful for how much easier it makes my life but I want to share the downs as well as the ups in the hope it might save you from making the same mistakes.
These are the five biggest mistakes I made when I was curating my capsule wardrobe.
Following a one size fits all formula – this is where I started. I’d been reading endless blogs, books and magazines about minimalism, decluttering and slow living and I was hooked on throwing out anything that didn’t ‘spark joy’. I got addicted to decluttering very quickly which resulted in 80% of my belongings piling up in the conservatory ready for new homes.
I was left with very little and in a panic I set out to create a universal capsule wardrobe, filling it with all those must have / suits everyone items. A a tick box wardrobe that lacked personal style, personality and just didn’t feel like me emerged. I wish I’d taken more time over my decisions in the beginning and thought more about what I needed as opposed to what others were telling me I needed.
Spending £100 on a white t-shirt – buy less, choose well, make it last is the saying we hear again and again when it comes to capsule wardrobes or sustainable style. I took this to the extreme a time or two and replaced my fast fashion shopping addiction with fewer more expensive items.
It somehow felt wrong to spend less overall so I spent the same amount I was used to on fewer items. I soon realised that while buying better to begin with is always a better approach than buying all the things and you absolutely get what you pay for, I only need to pay so much and some items are worth investing in more than others. The said £100 white t-shirt was beautiful until I put it in the wash two weeks later and it came out the perfect size for a Barbie. What a waste.
Buying for my fantasy life instead of my real life – I blame Pinterest for this. The idea of swanning down city streets in chic outfits was all too alluring to resist. After hours of scrolling other people’s lives or styled photo shoots it was easy to forget myself, the most important person in all this. I forgot I live a country life, barely say yes to social events, value comfort above anything else and enjoy wearing loungewear a lot. It took a long time for me to realise that dressing for an audience of one – myself, is what will ultimately make me feel like me and most confident in my clothes. As much as I still love to scroll outfit ideas on Pinterest for fun, when I hunt for new items now, I’ve got my own life at the forefront of my mind.
Decluttering everything before I knew what my personal style was – I find decluttering addictive. I’m sure it’s my inner control freak who’s forever chasing her next fix. I think I feel as though I’m regaining control when I’m decluttering because I’m choosing what gets to stay in my life and what’s no longer welcome. I thrive on the calm, order and space it leaves behind. It’s liberating. There’s an art to decluttering clothes I never realised existed when I was beginning. The trick is to figure out your personal style first.
An understanding of your personal style means you can make informed decisions instead of going in all guns blazing and ending up with a mish mash that’s just not doing it for you or worse – nothing left at all. Personal style is the holy grail when it comes to curating a capsule wardrobe because it’s the framework every decision you make is built on.
Putting too much pressure on myself for it to be perfect – overhauling my wardrobe to a standard I was happy with took 18 months. It’s been a series of tweaks, trial and errors, honing and growth ever since. Realising it’ll never be perfect and it doesn’t have to be was a gift to myself.
Instead of obsessing over the perfect wardrobe or trying to get it down to as few items as possible as I did in the beginning, I’ve come to see my wardrobe as a living breathing thing who’s job is to act as a strong foundation for my life. Just like me it’s ever changing, growing with intention, shedding what no longer adds value here and there – and that’s ok.
I’m hoping these mistakes of mine illustrate that simplifying isn’t always easy and it’s a journey to be enjoyed. If you’re feeling inspired to create a capsule wardrobe you can find out more about my step by step how to build a year round capsule wardrobe ebook here.
