Simple by Emmy Experiment: Fall Capsule Wardrobe

I could understand why my mother-in-law was underwhelmed by my birthday wish list. Since embarking on my minimalism journey, I typically request experience gifts rather than things. I am always grateful for a gift certificate for a massage or a nice dinner out. A few months ago, I put together a list that included a massage, a donation to a charity, and some items to help me get a zero-waste kit together (silicone straws, anyone?) My mother-in-law asked whether there wasn’t anything else that I could possibly want? Apparently, beeswax food wrap isn’t exciting. I suggested the Fall Capsule Guide by Everyday Style, and her mood brightened.

I had been intrigued by the idea of a capsule wardrobe for a few years after learning about Project 333. This wardrobe experiment has you wear only 33 items (including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes) for 3 months. It seemed a bit extreme for me, but I longed to build a wardrobe that didn’t consist of nursing tanks and yoga pants that I had been wearing like a uniform since my youngest was born in January 2018. So my mother-in-law purchased the VIP package for me, which included additional support by Jennifer, the owner of Everyday Style, to help me build my capsule and to get feedback along the way.

After receiving the guide, which included a variety of shopping links for each piece, as well as detailed information on how to style each outfit, I immediately felt overwhelmed. While I owned some of the items already, I wasn’t sure how to approach purchasing the rest. Ever since I watched documentaries about minimalism and fast fashion that opened my eyes to the hands and hearts behind the clothing I wear, I wanted to make a concerted effort to purchase items that were either secondhand or from companies who had strong social responsibility programs and were transparent in how their clothing was made. I could have probably gone to Target and bought everything I needed in one trip, but it was important to me to do my best to build my wardrobe with intentionality based upon my values.

Not surprisingly, clothing from fair trade/ethical/sustainable companies tend to be more expensive than fast fashion brands, so I made sure to include my husband in the conversation so he wasn’t shocked by our credit card statement.

While I had some success purchasing items at a local consignment shop as well as through the online consignment site ThredUp, I ended up purchasing a majority of my capsule items through the following companies: Madewell, Alternative Apparel, Everlane, and TOMS. I still have some items from the capsule guide remaining on my list, and plan to purchase them from these companies or from companies recommended on websites such as The Good Trade.

The results of the capsule have been quite dramatic. Now that my baby is a bit older and the fog of sleep deprivation has lifted, getting dressed is not just something I slog through every morning because I’m too tired to put on “real clothes.” I enjoy every item that I’ve purchased, and I love the fact that they go together effortlessly. I still get dressed quickly, but feel put together and confident. I also feel good about how my clothes were made, and feel like although I’ve spent more money than I have in the past on clothing, I’ve invested in myself. I also got the motivation to remove clothing from my closet that I felt just “meh” about, including recycling some old pairs of jeans through Madewell’s denim recycling program.

One of the unexpected benefits of the capsule wardrobe is that the confidence that I have from feeling stylish and put together has translated into a desire to share my gifts, talents, and expertise with others in a more public way. I recently gave a presentation on minimalism and simplicity to my MOPS group, and am interested in presenting to other groups in the future. My new look has given me more confidence to speak in front of crowds. I have a renewed interest in blogging and writing poetry, and can attribute this “jump start” in my attitude to the reduction of stress and confidence boost I’ve experienced from the capsule.

One of the things I like best about the minimalism and simplicity movement is that it’s all about experimentation. Many times we feel uncomfortable about paring down our wardrobe because we think we will be deprived, however, if we are able to remove small decisions about what to wear, it will help us have the energy to make decisions about bigger things.

Decision fatigue is real, and we can learn lessons from leaders such as President Obama and others who chose to wear the same thing every day. I would absolutely recommend a capsule wardrobe such as Everyday Style to women who want to reduce stress, increase confidence, and have more energy for the decisions that matter. If you’re on the fence about it, remember that it’s a temporary experiment and you can always go back to your old way of getting dressed.

If you’re interested in learning more about experimenting with a capsule wardrobe, as well as reducing decision fatigue around meals, kids’ toys, distractions, and mental clutter, check out my free 5 Simple Living Experiments Guide!