"I have nothing to wear". How many times have you said this sentence in front of your packed wardrobe? What if you kept only the essentials? This is the concept of the wardrobe capsule which consists of 37 pieces easy to associate to put an end to compulsive shopping.
What is a capsule wardrobe?
This is a wardrobe with few pieces, but which have the particularity of all matching. The idea: a minimum of pieces for a maximum of looks.
She's the American blogger Caroline joy, at the origin of the Unfancy blog, which brought this concept up to date. Faced with her wardrobe full of pieces that she never put on, the young woman decided to sort and keep only 37 carefully selected clothes and accessories.
The concept of capsule wardrobe has since been taken over by many women and the total number of pieces is specific to each, sometimes we speak of 33, 37, 50, sometimes more.
How to create your wardrobe capsule?
According to Caroline Joy, the ideal wardrobe consists of: nine pairs of shoes (sneakers, heels, etc.), nine stockings (trousers, skirts, pants, etc.), 15 tops (t-shirts, blouses, sweaters. ..), two dresses and two jackets. Good news, the selection of 37 pieces (more or less) does not include: work clothes, accessories, jewelry, swimwear, underwear, pajamas and sportswear.
The goal of the wardrobe capsule is to focus on quality over quantity. Every 3 months, take stock of your wardrobe and update it for each season. The idea is then not to buy anything during these 3 months. A week or two before the end of the period, you can go shopping for your next capsule.
Sort your wardrobe in 4 steps
- Sorting phase n ° 1: tackle the worst
For this first sorting phase, remove from your cabinet anything that is worn, damaged, faded or too out of place. Zero tolerance for stains, loose seams, pills, holes, worn clothing. Same thing with clothes that are too small or too big that you keep "just in case" and high school memorabilia.
- Sorting phase n ° 2: colors and materials
Transfer the materials you don't like: the itchy sweater, this super pretty top that makes you sweat, this skirt that goes up … Thanks to our colorimetry test, you now know which colors suit you and which ones do not flatter you. Get rid of the colors you don't like and those that make you look olive complexion.
The alternative : test the dye option. It allows you to give a second life to a stained item of clothing, which you have grown tired of or which does not correspond to your color palette.
- Sorting phase n ° 3: uncomfortable clothes
It's time to part with the clothes that sit in your closet but never wear to redeem others. Also kick out anything that doesn't suit your lifestyle, like those six-inch heels when you're more of a sneaker. Finally, no pity for the clothes that will hurt: guilt, discomfort, complex …
- Sorting phase n ° 4: the clothes you do not wear
Remove anything from your wardrobe that you haven't worn for more than two years. Finally, following Marie Kondo's method, remove anything that does not give you joy when you wear it.
The advantages of the capsule wardrobe
The concept of minimalist wardrobe seduces many fashion bloggers and YouTubers for several reasons. "More time, more energy, more money: switching to a capsule wardrobe has allowed me to focus on the things that really matter to me." blogger Caroline Joy tells her 115,000 subscribers.
The method inspires many young women who are tired of seeing their dressing room full to the brim but never knowing what to wear. Buy less but buy better, this is the principle of a wardrobe capsule. This not only saves money, but also significantly boycott fast-fashion brands that encourage overconsumption. By sorting and keeping only pieces that go well together, we no longer need to think for hours to get dressed and we avoid compulsive shopping.
Rest assured, the minimalist wardrobe doesn't mean you don't have to buy anything and stop following fashion trends. It's just about consuming better!
For further :
My capsule wardrobe, Carole de Surany, Larousse editions, € 14.95
For a responsible wardrobe, Léonie Daignault-Leclerc, ed. La Presse, € 26