A Capsule Wardrobe Is Just What You Already Wear

Since the recent launch of Marie Kondo’s “Tidying Up” Show on Netflix, there has been a plethora of new closet-clearing videos on Youtube.  These have always been some of my favorite videos to watch (I don’t know why watching someone get rid of things is so immensely satisfying, but apparently I’m not the only one who enjoys it).  Now some videos are more satisfying than others, depending on how much stuff the person gets rid of, and how aesthetically pleasing the results are.  One thing that has occurred to me during my hours of viewing is something glaring about small (or capsule) wardrobes: Often, they just consist of the items we already own and actually wear.  When you remove everything you don’t wear, boom: capsule wardrobe.  And so it makes me wonder what the big fear of living with a capsule wardrobe is all about.  If you’re already limited to wearing a small number of clothes, why is it so scary to get rid of the excess?  I think a lot of it has to do with the idea of the “fantasy self” and the difficulty of letting go of that alter-ego.  If you’re not familiar, a “fantasy self” is a version of ourselves that exists only in our fantasy- and frequently, in our closets as well.  If you find it hard to get rid of unworn vintage gowns, strappy holiday dresses, that Hawaiian mumu, or those impossible-to-walk-in heels, it may be that you’re actually struggling with getting rid of that idea of a self that wears these things.  Another whole category of “fantasy self” clothes would be those that you plan on wearing when you lose weight.  Now I am definitely guilty of this one, so no judgement here, but I think this is an important concept to address.  Keeping a closet full of fantasy clothes and subsisting on a limited range of cheap basics keeps us in denial of what we actually wear.  And if we don’t face what it is we actually wear, we can’t improve on it, or even enjoy it.  If you’re just rotating between two pairs of black pants and a smattering of flimsy polyester blouses for work, it can be easy to ignore this fact when every time you open your closet you see swaths of color and sequins.  And so I’m all for letting go of those fantasy pieces to make way for beautiful, realistic, everyday clothes that fit your real life and make you feel good.  So maybe the ultimate answer for you is not to have as few items as possible, or to wear only neutrals, or to dismiss all those qualities of the fantasy clothes that you love.  Perhaps a better answer is to translate those pieces into aspects of clothes you’ll actually wear.  If you’re enchanted by a diaphanous pink chiffon gown with a ribbon sash, maybe you could keep your eye out for a silky pink top or pair of pants that you wear with a grosgrain ribbon in your hair.  If you love the cut and style of a brightly printed vintage dress, maybe there’s a similar version in black or navy that would be more office-appropriate.  Or maybe you could hold on to those hard-to-walk-in shoes, but rather than saving them for a day-long wedding, take them out to dinner where the walking is strictly from cab to table and back again.  Because I think there is value in fantasy- it comes from some part of ourselves that is longing to be expressed.  But sometimes the extreme of the fantasy needs to be reined in, channeled into something smaller that still maintains its essence.  I’ve been re-reading the book The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees- an elaborate discourse on creating your “dream wardrobe.”  It has inspired me to expand my horizons a bit with my wardrobe.  While I truly love a minimalist aesthetic in fashion as well as a minimalist lifestyle, perhaps my basics are a little too basic.  In photographing my current wardrobe, I definitely came face to face with a depressingly dark and somber color palette, something I would surely like to remedy.  My recent dieting efforts have led to my pants getting a little loose, though, so I’m going to hold out a while longer before investing in clothes in my current size.  But thinking on the future of my wardrobe, I find myself reminiscing about things I’ve outgrown and given away- colors, patterns, textures.  I’m longing for some changes that will bring me closer to my ideal wardrobe, not just a minimalist one.