Capsule Wardrobes
33 well-planned articles of clothing. There are spreadsheets, books, and courses devoted to the concept. Wearers meticulously design them based on mix-and-match potential and classic looks.
I did something crazier.
I wore the same 5 dresses for 100 days.
This was not well planned.
Back in April, I decided to try out that Lularoe Nicole dress. Or 5 of them. Because when I like something I go all in.
Laughing about my purchase, I told a friend “I should wear one each day of the week!”
She said “When will you do laundry? And wouldn’t you need 7?” [See, this is why you have friends smarter than you]
Ignoring these practicalities, I decided to go even deeper.
Here’s what I gained by wearing the same 5 dresses for 100 days.
1. Save money
$98.59. I didn’t buy any other clothing. Normally, I spend an average of $70 a month. That’s a savings of 63%.
2. Save time
Shopping for, storing, and deciding between volumes of clothing is not fun. It’s so freeing to not have to! To breeze past the racks at Target. To go months without a trip to the mall. To roll out of bed and be fully-dressed 30 seconds later.
We all get the same 168 hours each week. Don’t waste any on clothing.
3. Save space
Do you know how much room 5 dresses take up? Nada! A few inches in the family closet. A sliver. Even when my son and I went to visit family for a whole week, we shared a medium suitcase.
4. Save resources
The average person in America tosses out 82 pounds of textiles annually. We’re all making an 11 year-old girl out of discarded fabric every year. Then, she sits in a landfill for upto 40 years before breaking down.*
Stop the shop. Wear out your wardrobe instead.
5. Save on decision making
You know who else has praised the micro capsule wardrobe? Thought leaders including President Obama, Steve Jobs, and even Albert Einstein.**
President Obama wore 2 styles of suit for 8 years. Steve Jobs was instantly recognizable in his uniform of black turtlenecks. Einstein bought copies of the same grey suit
Why did these captains of industry evade fashion? Because decision fatigue is real, y’all. You only have space for so many decisions each day. Don’t exhaust your supply before 9 AM.
I’m not making trade deals or unified field theories. I’m just trying not to cry when one more person asks me what’s for dinner.
6. Stewardship
If I have a loose string, I trim it carefully instead of she-Hulking it out. I take the time to hang dry the dresses. Heaven help me, I even started wearing an apron to bake!
Without a closetful of replacements, I had to take better care of my clothing.
7. Love your body
The dress I chose is flattering for my shape. Plus, it covers all the areas I like covered without a cami or cardigan.
No tugging on layers.
No “this skirt is only flattering with that shirt.”
No jeans that can’t be wiggled into 5 days a month.
Instead, I just exist.
Is this what Obama feels like?
PS
Occasionally, I wore other dresses for an hour at Mass. I also wore jean capris on June 16th at the Hattiesburg Zoo. #fulldisclosure
Linking up with Kelly for Seven Quick Takes. Check out the other SQTs at This Ain’t The Lyceum!
4 comments
I wish you could hear the cheering from this corner of the internet! So much wisdom in this wardrobe simplicity. I’m all in for choosing a handful of favorites that actually fit my shape and personality and re-wearing them until they fall apart. 🙂
Plus– those dresses are adorable. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I do have to say, after 100 days some of these are no longer my favorites. But the exerience has taught me more about what I appreciate in my clothing. Now I feel much better equipped to discern my purchases.
I had a similar freeing experience with a capsule wardrobe concept! It’s so genius! Way to go!
What a great idea! Those dresses are so cute! (But maybe Mrs. Obama needs to learn a thing or two about simplicity from her husband?)