FAQ about capsule wardrobe

Some questions I get asked about capsule wardrobe:

Don't you get bored dressing in the same clothes every day?

Well, I'm not going to tell you that you won't be bored because I think you'll have to find that out for yourself.

For myself, I don't get bored because wearing the same clothes or quite few cloths in different combinations frees up my mind to think about other things than my clothes.

In fact, there are so many advantages to having fewer clothes to choose from:

1. I don't have to worry about decision overwhelm. It's easy to decide what to wear when I'm choosing from a few pieces that all go together.

2. I pick outfits and dress in practically no time at all.

3. Every three months I rethink my wardrobe and have a lot of fun doing it, and the rest of the time I don't spend energy on it.

4. I feel well dressed. (For my particular lifestyle).

5. I nurture my uniform thinking. For a lot of style-conscious people, having a uniform or go-to formula for outfits is part of their iconic look. Not that I want to be a fashion icon. Just sayin'.

6. I save money. And who doesn't want to save money? As I said in point 3, I rethink my wardrobe every three months and plan my intentional spending (because as I teach in the Capsule Wardrobe course, budgeting is so yesterday), and then don't shop for clothes until the next three-month evaluation. Unless something becomes worn out or damaged or needs replacement in the meantime.

Don't you worry about people noticing that you wear the same clothes over and over again?

The short answer is no.

And here's why:

1. Actually, people don't notice. We think everybody notices, but they don't. I certainly don't go around memorizing outfits that the people around you wear. They will notice that you're at ease with yourself and comfortable in your own skin and clothes, but I don't think they'll connect that with what you're wearing. It's a subconscious thing.

2. And if they do, does it matter? Think of your uniform or capsule wardrobe limited options as a statement. You signal to the world that you're comfortable with your choices. And if they are observant enough to notice you're wearing the same clothes, they will also notice that you've chosen great clothes, since you're buying fewer clothes and can afford better quality items.

How many pieces should a capsule wardrobe have?

There is no set rule here. It depends. It depends how often you need to dress for the kind of situations that the capsule wardrobe is created for. If it's a work capsule wardrobe and you go to work 5 times a week, you'll need a larger number of items than if it's a special occasions wardrobe and you go to that kind of party once or twice a year. If you're a yoga instructor and teach classes every day, you'll need more work-out clothes than if you go jogging with your friend once a week. You get my drift?

So nobody can tell you that you own too many or too few clothes in a capsule wardrobe. Part of my wardrobe therapy coaching is to help people find the sweet spot when it comes to how many clothes they need for this or that capsule wardrobe.

Do you have a question about capsule wardrobes? Email me, and I'll get back to you.

About the author, Jorunn Hernes

Jorunn is a Certified Personal Colour Analyst, founder of Nordic Simplicity and Scandinavian Style Academy™, the fresh, simple, Scandinavian approach to getting dressed. Jorunn will avoid social settings with more than three people but can be lured out with snacks and the promise to talk about books.

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