It's been 63 days since I started my Capsule Wardrobe, and boy the things I have learned!
1. When you wear the same clothes over and over again, they wear out REALLY fast.
I'm not ashamed to say that sometimes I just do the sniff test. If it stinks, I wash it. If it doesn't, I hang it back up. I wash my clothes in cold or "eco warm" water and the dryer is never above medium. If it can hang dry, it hangs dry.
2. Replacing clothes you love is hard!
In the past few weeks, I've lost 3 of my favorite shirts from my capsule. All of a sudden I don't have any really nice tops to wear to work, so I started shopping for some. After 10+ stores, 2 malls, and tons of online shopping I finally bought 2 more this weekend. It's just so hard for me to spend the money when I know I can't just go buy another shirt if I decide I'm not in love with it when I get home.
I spent $38 on one shirt and $16 on another. This is more than I ever spent on clothes growing up, however, I knew that I'd regret it if I didn't buy them, so I did. Many of my clearance purchases never make it out of the closet. Occasionally I'll find a really good steal, but some of my most worn pieces are shirts I paid full price for, and that's worth it to me.
3. My attachment to clothes is real.
I wrote last time about how I wanted this capsule wardrobe to help me live more like my Savior, and to spend less time getting ready in the morning. I didn't want to be so worried about what I was wearing. In some ways, this really has helped. Until I lost a couple of pieces due to holes, I basically stopped clothes shopping. I didn't need to. I loved everything I had.
When people ask about my capsule wardrobe I get embarrassed. I feel like I don't have a good explanation for it. I feel like they'll judge me, or think I'm judging them. And once I lost those favorite pieces of mine I panicked. I couldn't wear the same top to work every day! What would people think of me?? And when I was shopping I'd try things on and then think it was too flashy and people would notice that I only own about 5 tops I wear to work.
Swiping my credit card releases endorphins and makes me feel HAPPY. I don't want my happy to come from purchases, I want it to come from serving. Aka, I still have a long way to go.
"Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice, but a continuous commitment, and a way of life." // Dallin H. Oaks
I'm happy to be living in a capsule wardrobe. I'm grateful for what it's teaching me. I'm grateful for my Savior, who lived so simply. And I pray that one day, I can live just as He did.
3 comments:
I tried to do a capsule-type wardrobe this summer! I started small. I put clothes that didn't fit great/look perfect/fit my lifestyle upstairs in the extra closet.
Unfortunately, I kept buying clothes throughout the summer, if I saw a good sale online, etc. I was losing weight, so I needed smaller clothes, so the 60% off clearance online at The Loft was nice and gave me the pick me up that shopping always does, but now my closet is getting full again and I'm mad at myself!
However, I still think that your few shirts is more admirable and doesn't need explanation! In the Fall, do you plan on wearing like jackets/sweaters to mix up the outfits? Then no one could probably tell. That was my plan! I wasn't going to count a few sweaters or cardigans! :)
I'm fairly new to reading your blog, and I just have to tell you that I think you're amazing! Your testimony and light really shine through. I think you are probably more like the Savior than you think you are
I have been thinking about trying a capsule wardrobe. You do make some very good points though... Something to consider. Thanks for sharing your journey. :)
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