The Argument for Capsule Wardrobes
Trousers, a blazer, and loafers are several of the garments that fashion bible Vogue recommends in an article titled “How Do I Build A Capsule Wardrobe That Stands The Test Of Time?”
Capsule wardrobes and the art or science behind them have been a big subject of conversation, online and off. Perhaps the best measure of any currently trending topic is Tiktok, which has been flooded with capsule wardrobe content made by fashion influencers explaining “How to start your travel capsule wardrobe” or revealing their secrets to “The ultimate summer capsule wardrobe.”
A while ago I published a short blog post that talked about the idea of uniforms, saying “a balanced (and responsible) wardrobe is 80% timeless basics, with the option of 20% trends.” Seeing the current discussion about capsule wardrobes reminded me to revisit what I wrote, and to consider what my own capsule wardrobe might contain.
Capsule Wardrobe: By the Numbers
Sources show that we make between 33,000 to 35,000 decisions each day. Thankfully, many of those decisions are subconscious, but decision-making fatigue is a direct cause of procrastination. Creating a capsule wardrobe means starting your day with intent, and having a plan, and that could help you focus on making the decisions that matter the most. Of course, if spontaneously picking which sneakers to wear is the greatest joy of your day, don’t take that away from yourself.
Fashion marketing is predicated on making you feel like you need the latest thing. It’s normal to get excited about new stuff, but the feeling of owning the latest item or brand does not last forever, and once you become aware of that, you’ll be happier with the stuff you already own.
One numerical approach to capsule wardrobes starts with setting parameters. The idea is to select only 20 or 30 clothing articles to wear for the next 3 months and to find a new home for everything that doesn’t get worn. Or even more simply, track everything you wear in a month, and consider Depop-ing the pieces that you don’t.
Enthusiast or Hoarder?
A huge pitfall of being a “jawnz enthusiast” — as the hosts of fashion podcast Throwing Fits would phrase it — is telling yourself “I’ll wear that one day,” but it’s an optimistic mistruth we need to stop telling ourselves. Wearing something once a year hardly justifies the closet space of an item you could wear once a week. In essence, that’s the whole idea of narrowing down your closet to 33 articles, and capsule wardrobes in general. This doesn’t mean that every brand you wear has to be B Corp or Bluesign approved, although brands that commit to obtaining those certifications do deserve commendation. Buying higher-quality, long-lasting items instead of fast fashion means you won’t contribute to the billions of garments that end up in landfills every year. Calculating cost per wear (the cost of something divided by how many times you wear it) is another way to select items for your capsule wardrobe. For example, a high-quality jacket is worth investing in if you’ll own it and wear it for years to come.
Just don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’re creating a capsule wardrobe, when in reality you’re going out and buying a bunch of new stuff.
Capsule Designers
Rick Owens, Jerry Lorenzo, Yohji Yamamoto, and Karl Lagerfeld are but a few names who have embraced capsule-wardrobe thinking in their designs, and also in the consistent way they dress themselves. What better way to promote your own brand than by wearing it everywhere all the time? Famously, Owens makes personal orders from each of his own collections, saying “I just have little stacks of [shorts] everywhere.”
Final 🧢-sule Thoughts
Some might prefer a meticulously organized spreadsheet to track their capsule wardrobe, but your intuition should tell you everything you need to know. What feels good to wear? What do you wear the most?
I haven’t specifically defined a capsule wardrobe for myself, and I probably won’t be spreadsheeting my closet, but here are a few pieces that I love to wear.
- Veilance Frame T-Shirt
Merino is awesome. Packable, breathable, great for hot weather, won’t get stinky even if you do. Veilance’s Frame T-shirt is not cheap, but it’s worth the investment. - Dickies 874
I used to think you had to be either Ice Cube or a Venice Beach skater to wear Dickies. The fit is perfect, not too wide not too slim, and Dickies are great because you can always find your ideal size if you need a less common size like 31 x 34 for example. - Camber 232 Sweatshirt
Camber is the GOAT. My sweatshirt pound-for-pound rankings are as follows. 1) Camber, 2) Reigning Champ, 3) Doesn’t matter.
The TikTok content I mentioned above may show a prescriptive approach to building a capsule wardrobe, but if you place the term capsule to one side for a moment, these videos simply point out a framework for responsible shopping and the benefits that come with it, for example, the ease of selecting an outfit each morning, and maybe even greater peace of mind
This isn’t a suggestion to tear apart your entire closet, but rather a reminder to consider every purchase.