The capsule wardrobe movement continues to gain momentum.
Fast fashion deserves criticism. And our culture’s obsession with ever-changing fashion trends is an artificial pursuit manufactured by those who benefit from it.
The capsule wardrobe movement is far from mainstream. But, elevated in the social consciousness by some high-profile personalities, more and more people are applying minimalist principles to their fashion.
Many people outside the movement remain skeptical. They wonder why anybody would intentionally choose to wear the same outfit every day—especially when financial resources are not in question.
Evaluating my personal experience with a minimal wardrobe and studying recent profiles in various publications, I have created this list of reasons.
If you have ever wondered why some successful people choose to wear the same outfit everyday, or better yet, if you are considering adopting a more streamlined wardrobe yourself, here are 8 convincing reasons:
1. Fewer decisions. Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making. For people who make significant decisions every day, the removal of even one—choosing clothes in the morning—leaves them with more mental space and better productivity throughout the day.
This forms the basis for President Barack Obama’s limited fashion options, “You’ll see I wear only gray or blue suits. I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.” Mark Zuckerberg cites similar rationale. One less frivolous decision in the morning leads to better decisions on things that really matter.
2. Less time wasted. We have no idea how much of a burden our possessions have become until we begin to remove them. But when we do, we immediately discover a new life of freedom and opportunity. It was almost five years ago that I first experimented with Project 333—a personal challenge of wearing only 33 articles of clothing for a period of 3 months. The project is simple, life-changing, and wildly beneficial. I quickly discovered one of the greatest benefits of limiting my wardrobe: the gift of time. Getting ready in the morning became easier, quicker, and more efficient.
3. Less stress. Matilda Kahl, an art director in New York cites both decision fatigue and less time getting ready as her reason for wearing the same outfit everyday. But she adds another: less stress—specifically, less stress during the day over the decision she originally made in the morning. “Is this too formal? Is that too out there? Is this dress too short? Almost always, I’d choose something to wear I regretted as soon as I hit the subway platform.” But now, in her trademark silk white shirt and black trousers, she has one less source of anxiety during the day.
4. Less wasted energy. Christopher Nolan has created several of the most critically and commercially successful films of the early 21st century. But, according to New York Times Magazine, he decided long ago it was “a waste of energy to choose anew what to wear each day.” Now, he settles instead for a dark, narrow-lapeled jacket over a blue dress shirt with black trousers over sensible shoes to wear each day.
Christopher offers an important distinction when he refers to “wasted energy.” Not only do large wardrobes require more decision-making, they also require more maintenance, more organization, and more shuffling around. Additionally, while a capsule wardrobe may not result in less laundry, it does result in both easier laundry and storage.
5. Feeling put together. Denaye Barahona is a young mother in Dallas, TX. This spring, she exchanged her full, disorganized closet for a minimal wardrobe of versatile pieces she loves to wear. She summarizes the difference like this, “Pre-capsule, my wardrobe was like the Cheesecake Factory menu. It went on for days and was overwhelming. Most of my options didn’t fit right, didn’t look right, or I just plain didn’t like. On the other hand, my capsule wardrobe is like a fine-dining restaurant. I have fewer choices but I can be sure all of the choices will be amazing. Not only do I look better, I feel better.”
Easy, versatile, and always put together. This is the promise and opportunity of a capsule wardrobe—and just one more reason the movement continues to grow.
6. Iconic. Alice Gregory is a writer living in New York City. Last year, her piece for J. Crew magazine brought a new word into my reasoning for wearing a uniform. She called it “Iconic. A cheap and easy way to feel famous.” She continues, “A uniform can be a way of performing maturity or, less charitably, impersonating it. A uniform insinuates the sort of sober priorities that ossify with age, as well as a deliberate past of editing and improving.”
Alice points out that wearing the same outfit everyday is a way of asserting your status as a protagonist. “This is the reason why characters in picture books never change their clothes: Children—like adults, if they’d only admit it—crave continuity. Adopting the habit of wearing a uniform is not unstylish—this is a classification that no longer applies.”
7. Less expense. Our closets are full of clothes and shoes purchased, but rarely worn. The average American family spends $1,700 on clothes annually. Which may not seem like a lot—until you consider that most clothing purchases are not based on need at all. In 1930, the average American woman owned nine outfits. Today, that figure is 30—one for every day of the month.
Living with a capsule wardrobe or adopting an iconic uniform removes most of the waste and expense from trial-and-error clothing purchases—not to mention all the time wasted shopping for items only to return later.
8. More peace. Last month, Drew Barrymore wrote an article for Refinery 29 highlighting her new stage of life and relationship with clothes. “For starters, I’m almost 40, and the 20s clothes don’t make sense anymore. And, after two babies, the 30s clothes don’t fit anymore. I am at a clothing crossroads, and it’s a painful one at times.” To counter these feelings, Drew put herself on a closet diet limiting her wardrobe and only buying items thoughtfully. Months later, her closet is “sane and happy.” Getting dressed is no longer a battle. And her fashion sense is “now calmer and more peaceful.”
We are a society drowning in our possessions. People are looking for freedom and rescue. They are searching for new solutions. No wonder the capsule wardrobe movement continues to grow.
Those who adopt minimalist principles in their wardrobe choices are discovering more productivity, less stress, less distraction, less expense, and more peace.
Tina says
I think this is a great idea for some, but for others it would squash their bent towards creativity in fashion. For me, I just don’t have time to wash clothes that often, so I have lots of them. Even if lots of articles of clothing are dirty, there is always something else to wear.
jen says
Thank you for this article.I may pare down even more now! For years, to help avoid the stress of figuring out ‘what to wear’, I have a color system. I wear the same colors, per day of the week; Monday – green, Tuesday – blue, Wednesday – brown, Thursday – red/orange/purple, Friday – black/white/gray. Has helped me keep my wardrobe to a reasonable size. Over the years, my wardrobe has evolved, replacing items as they wear out or no longer fit – I can fill in (like I just need a new green shirt, or brown slacks etc),
Tabitha says
For some reason everyone seems to think this is an awesome idea, but I think it’s not my style. I don’t think the psychological weirdness of it would work on me. I hate limiting myself unnecessarily because then either A) I force myself to behave in a manner opposed to that in which I want to behave (in a matter in which I am free to choose… I mean after all, it’s not morally wrong to wear blue today and orange tomorrow), thus making myself suffer for no reason, which is kind of cruel, or B) if I’m “supposed” to be exercising self-discipline and then don’t, I feel like a failure and things spiral downward very quickly from there. Instead of conserving my “choice energy,” it’s more important for me to conserve my “discipline energy.” Also it would be too stressful trying to find a “trademark” outfit, and if I was limited to only a few pieces of clothing I’d agonize over each one of them and everything would be horrible and most of the nice clothes that I love would have to leave me forever and maybe I’m just a pack rat.
Besides, I hardly spend any money on clothes. I think I’ve spent about $35 on clothes so far this year, which comes to about $105 per year if I’m consistent (and not counting my wedding dress, of course. That was almost $75). But I still have lots of nice clothes and want to keep them.
Also, what Pasha said is right; choosing your clothes the night before is a great way to circumvent the whole issue. It solves most of the “problems” and also (in my experience) is much more fun than choosing clothes in the morning in a hurry while rubbing the sleep out of one’s eyes.
Jacqueline says
if something looks good on you, thats all there is too it, doesn,t matter how many times you wear it, it will always look good and no matter how many other things you have, if they don,t serve a purpose or look good whats the point in keeping them, i have fooled myself into thinking the more i have the more secure i will be, it simply isn,t true, to get some self worth from what you wear is sad but i also like to look nice and its a matter of separating one from the other, i am loved for who i am not what i wear, i have a friend who always looks lovely and i am truly pleased for her and tell her she looks good and she is a lovely friend, nothing wrong with any of that,
over buying and losing control is where it all goes wrong, i like to take pride in my appearance but it doesn,t rule me,
i couldn,t be a nudist, not with Health & Safety tooooo scary
love Jacqueline
Chris says
Thank you very much Joshua. Your article has appeared in a right moment. I’m currently in the process of purging clothes which I don’t need at all. It is funny, but I’m a person who is very advanced in minimalism, so basically I should have had this step after me. Conversly, this step has been one of the most difficult for me. Interestingly, this burden has never been connected with the typical attachment to clothes. I have never been interested in fashion and I have never followed new trends. On the contrary, in my past I hated doing shopping so much that I suffered from too few clothes! I know it sounds weird. Over time I succeeded in collecting more clothes thanks to my bestfriend. When I started my journey with minimalism the sphere of my life was untouchable. I was convinced that due to my past with clothes there was no need to take of this subject. It had passed a long time before I realised my wardrobe needed also decluttering. Finally, I lost my false conviction that I had never problems with clothes. Unfortunately, most of us have. This change (like all others linked with minimalism) has made my life simplier. Not only has enabled me to make less decisions and have more space, but above all has converted my attitude to clothes generally. I’m less influenced by shallow views and I less notice people’s outfits. I have nothing against someone’s inclination to fashion, but personally I don’t regard many clothes as something useful or valuable in my life. The basic rule for me is – my outfit should be neat and fits me (colour, model).
Greetings!
Chris says
I’m sorry for my mistakes (I’m still learning English). *this sphere *take care of *I didn’t have any problems *to make fewer decisions
Jacqueline says
i need another clean out i really do, i have got a bit silly and greedy again, i always feel good after a good sort out,
i have to wear a uniform form for work, i know where i stand with that, we all wear the same and its straightforward. i know when its out of hand for me, when other areas are affected too, my weight and bank balance are suffering with the weight of toooooo much etc, i can only wear one pair of shoes at a time so i don,t need 10 pairs,
itching to have another clear out see you all in 3 weeks time and if i am not here, will some one come and get me i will be in my wardrobe, sounds like Narnia.
love Jacqueline
Gigi says
If people find the process of dressing themselves stressful, waste of time, or just another extra step before I rush out and do the more important things, then yeah, go ahead and adopt this concept. I find the process of reinventing myself through my appearances part of living a great life. Perhaps you associate my choice to a minimum wage worker. But I am actually a senior manager in a big company. I have a full wardrobe for different days of the week, different occasions. I can see the appeal to not have to worry about clothing. My husband follows Steve Jobs’ model. He is neither as successful as Steve Jobs nor as a loser. Steve Jobs would have been just as successful if he didn’t wear the same clothes. Point is: This has nothing to do with whether or not one is successful.
Lauren @ Honeydrift says
This is a great idea. Not the first time I’ve heard of it, but I’m always a fan. I am such a disorganized person, I’ll admit it, and my first stressor of the day is always, without fail… “Do I have anything to wear? Kinda… but those panta don’t go with that shirt, I can only wear that shirt, with this skirt…” Very RARELY do I feel put together when I run out of the house. I think I would benefit greatly from living this lifestyle… (And also, very rarely does anyone really care what you wear each day…)
Bronwyn says
I really like this and I agree with it. I think that simplicity is a great. However, I sometimes get the feeling with some of these famous people that paring down their wardrobe is a way to allow them to keep being over-busy. A bit like people embracing the idea of that soylent meal replacement product so they don’t have to spend as much time cooking and eating. I think a wardrobe evaluation is a great thing. But I would definitely suggest that it be done as part of a whole lifestyle evaluation.
Maria says
You forgot:Einstein use to do that! My electromagnetic camps teacher do that! They need their brain to useful things