Capsule Wardrobe

[Tussiemussies]

Just came upon an article that said that well-paid employees are either deciding to wear the same clothing every day or to have a minimalist wardrobe. Growing up in a Catholic school there was not much expenditure on extra clothing and no wasting time over what to wear. The article made some points and this was one of them. How would you feel wearing the same clothing every day, if it was washed every evening?

This was posted by the Non Consumer Advocate on Facebook...

[iris lilies]

I like the idea of a uniform and I pretty much had that when I worked: black pants, tank top,jacket. In the summer I might change to tan colored linen pants.

One really doesn't need a lot of clothes for most jobs. Maybe if you work in fashion, but otherwise, nope.

[shadowmoss]

I'm getting my clothing down to simple pants in black or tan and simple pull on tops in jewel tone colors, from sleeveless to short sleeve to long sleeve. Pretty much every top goes with every bottom. East to pick an outfit. I also now have some light weight sweaters in a V-neck in jewel tone colors as well for when it is cooler. Not into fancy.

[mschrisgo2]

My wardrobe has evolved into a uniform of sorts. For work (teaching) and wear around, I have 5 pairs of capris, 3 beige, 1 black, 1 blue, that I wear with solid colored t-shirts and slip on canvas shoes from the time it gets warm in the spring until about the end of October (6-8 months out of the year). When it gets cold, I switch to loafers, black or beige slacks (4 pair), mostly the same t-shirts with 1 of 3 sweaters over them. I have a 3 dressier flowered tops that look great with black slacks, good for church, interviews or other needs to dress better.

I have 2 jackets, and several sweat shirts. Add 2 pairs of jeans- 1 grubbier for dirty work- and a pair of gray sweat pants, that's about all the clothes that I actually wear. I have 7 pairs of perfect footwear. I'm getting ready to do a massive purge of my closet, because there are probably 100 pieces of clothing that I haven't worn in 2 or more years.

[Miss Cellane]

Well, I wouldn't be washing clothes every evening. I suppose that would work if you have a family large enough to require running a load of laundry every day, but I live alone and have about 1.5 loads of laundry a week. The waste in water and electricity (because you'd have to use the dryer, not a clothesline, to get the clothes dry by next morning) and laundry detergent and, frankly, my time, would simply not be worth it. Besides, laundry is not my favorite chore and the thought of having to do laundry every single day is unpleasant.

This wouldn't simplify my life--it would complicate it--I'd have to be home every night in time to do the laundry, I'd have to spend time doing laundry, what would happen if I was just too tired to do the laundry one night? To say nothing of the questions noisy people at work would ask when they saw me wearing the same clothes daily. That'd be fun to deal with--not.

As for wearing the same clothing--if I lived in a climate that was the same day to day, maybe. But the weather changes here, and there's different levels of heat and/or air conditioning in the various places I go that require different clothing.

And frankly, not all clothes are suitable for all occasions.

The idea of a basic uniform for work, where you wear different pieces of clothing daily, but they are all very much the same--pants, tee shirt, cardigan--that works for me. Then you could have a different uniform for at home, say jeans, tank top and hoodie. And a couple of "good" outfits for church, weddings and funerals, which could incorporate some of the work clothing, depending on your job and social circle.

[Zoe Girl]

i am not sure i would like the same clothes daily even if they were washed. outside of a retreat environment i like to change clothes. i can wear the same jeans many times but then need to change up the tops. i think even working in a mid-casual environment i couldn't wear the same thing every day, probably could rotate the same wardrobe weekly with a few changes and that would be fine, as in no one noticing and thinking i am in financial ruin.

i have a very small closet in american standards, i do get rid of things on a regular basis.my work required wardrobe is dressy enough most days to meet with a principal, and casual enough to sit on the floor and work with kids or put on a work t-shirt with to sub for a staff person. i do have some dresses but i don't often get to wear them. and i just went to visit a friend who lost weight and i got all these great clothes, like columbia pants.. Still it is one laundry day a week and only 2 loads if i do towels and split the colors

[Ultralight]

I do the capsule wardrobe thing and wear the same stuff all the time! It is a great lifestyle experiment (Project 333, for instance). But when I did it I just really liked it. Everything is so simple. I saved my decision-making energy for important stuff!

I have a set of clothes for work, a set for casual/after work times, and a small set for fishing.
For work:
- A few button up shirts
-Some white t-shirts
-A couple polo shirts
- A couple khaki pants
- Dress shoes and belt

For casual/after work:
- Couple pair of jeans
-A few black t-shirts
- A couple more casual looking polos
-Sneakers and flip flops

For fishing:
-Rubber boots
-old Jeans
-Safari shirt
-Straw hat
-Rain coat
-Long johns (for ice out fishing in late winter/early spring)

That is really about it, except for a handful of misc. things.

[Float On]

I tried to get away from my black/white based wardrobe but it's taken over again. It's 3/4 of my closet. It does make it easy to get dressed.

[TxZen]

About a year before I left the corporate world, I was down to basics- 1 Navy blue suit (jacket/pants), 1 Navy blue pinstripe suit (jacket/pants), 5 tops in Navy blue (2 different prints), purple, white, and hot pink, 1 pencil skirt in Navy, 1 lacy skirt in Navy, 2 lightweight sweaters in hot pink and purple, 3 button downs in blue, pink and white, 1 shift dress n Navy blue, 1 wrap dress ( barely wore 1x a month), 1 pair of neutral 2 inch heels, 2 pairs of ballet flats and 1 pair of tall brown boots. I would add one brown leather tote, 2 belts, 1 winter coat, 1 trench coat and a handful of jewelry. On occasion, we would be allowed to wear nice jeans and a company polo or fleece. Maybe 3-4x a year. It was enough to mix and match for weeks. I have a refresher button on my dryer, so I would throw something in if it needed it, to get out the wrinkles and freshen it up a bit. Other than that, I did laundry 1x a week for work clothes, all on a gentle cycle, cold and tried to hang dry as much as I could. I don't think anyone noticed and I always felt pulled together. No more odd pieces that don't work in my closet.

Now that I switched careers and a complete lifestyle, I still use Navy blue as my base and the same basic colors, just in more casual clothing. I did just purge 95% of my closet and am basically starting over. Right now I have 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 t shirts, 3 tank tops, 2 pairs of flip flops, 1 pair of sneakers, 2 pairs of casual cotton pants, 1 fleece, 1 bathing suit, jewelry is my wedding ring, diamond studs, 2 bracelets and I will be getting a little necklace for my birthday next month. I still have the lace skirt and 1 dressy top and the neutral pumps and bag. I have 2 sets of around the house clothes, for messy, sweaty jobs. 1 winter coat, 1 jean jacket, 1 leather coat and 1 puffy vest (this really helps in the fall.winter time with mixing things up). I still only do laundry 1x a week. I would like to add another fleece, 2 more pairs of jeans (I wear them constantly now) and some long sleeve tops. I also want a navy blue checkered button down and a new blue button down (my work one developed holes). I am also in need of some loafers/boat shoes- something for more casual days but to keep my feet warm. I do have a drawer of workout clothes as well.

I like using Navy blue as my base, as it looks softer on me than black but still pulled together. I do have the advantage of living in Texas, so my wardrobe can survive pretty much as is, with just layering in the winter time.

[freshstart]

in hospice, business casual was the norm, so as not to go into houses in scrubs (hate these) as a clearly identified health care worker. It was supposed to be more comforting to families if we dressed without a medical theme (no lab coats). This worked well, I had a few casual dresses for each season, neutral pants. And just changed tops with the season. These pieces were able to be obtained ridiculously inexpensively and I tended to keep these things for years. Easy care and easily matched with bottoms.

Now that I cannot work, I am wearing the pants that were actually knit but appeared like normal pants when paired with a nice top. Few enough dresses, worth keeping. But way too many dressier tops. I think it's too soon to purge, maybe I will get better and need these things and I have room in my closet. I shouldn't have fallen for nice quality tops on deep discount, I did not need that many, I did wear them but now what? I had anticipated years of wearing them, making the cost per wear very low. Lesson learned- no matter how big the discount and how high the quality of the item, don't even look at the rack, if you have plenty at home.

Eventually, I need to pick up a few very casual t shirts to fit a life of being home. Getting out of ancient sweats and shapeless, old t shirts would feel good.

[Simplemind]

Went to Catholic school and my mother LOVED it. Always appreciated people with well put together outfits and a flair for accessories but wasn't drawn to it myself. Worked for 26 years wearing a uniform and loved the freedom it gave my wallet and closet.

[nswef]

Fresh Start, Would it perk you up to wear the dressier tops even hanging around the house or are they uncomfortable? They might make you smile.

[freshstart]

that's true, I wouldn't feel so schlub-y but they are mostly that polyester fabric that just are not as comfortable as a cotton tee. But I have not been wearing them to my doc appointments or when my DD is around, I've fallen into a comfort trap when no one who cares sees me. I would feel better at appointments and my DD would probably feel like things are more "normal" if I make that effort. Thanks!

[pony mom]

My spa wardrobe is all black (pants/shirt/shoes), which was great in the beginning but: black doesn't look good on me, it's boring, and not all blacks are alike. Since losing weight, I'm down to one pair of pants and 2-3 shirts, which is enough.

My Muffy-inspired everyday wardrobe is khaki/stone colored pants/shorts with a polo/blouse in summer and turtleneck and sweater in the winter. Only own three pairs of jeans now, which I don't wear too often because I think the other pants look a bit nicer and are just as comfy. Shoes are usually Sperry topsiders in summer (sandals too, but never flip flops), brown loafers in fall/winter. My new Dansko clogs will be used then too, as well as my black boots.

Not too many prints in my wardrobe now. As much as I love my clothes at the moment, I wouldn't enjoy wearing the same thing daily. Pairing up the turtlenecks and sweaters in the winter is fun, as well as choosing a colored polo for the day. It's definitely become somewhat of a uniform for me, but a colorful one.

[chrissieq]

One of the greatest parts of retirement/working part time/volunteering is that I wear clothes til I think they are ready to be washed - no worries if the neighbors see me walking the dog for the same outfit for 2 days! Although sometimes I look at my black v-neck tee with khaki shorts or pale blue v-neck with navy shorts and think, this looks like a uniform!

With 9 years of Catholic schools under my belt, I totally get the beauty of a uniform!

[rosarugosa]

Lesson learned- no matter how big the discount and how high the quality of the item, don't even look at the rack, if you have plenty at home.



This is so true and a point I would do very well to keep in mind!

[Tenngal]

I could do this........but the question comes up, if I am only using one set of clothes, am I only doing partial loads of laundry and how frugal is this?

[Miss Cellane]

I tracked down the original article, and the people who wear the same thing every day buy multiples of the same article of clothing. One woman owns 15 identical shirts and 5 identical pairs of pants. This eliminates the need to decide what to wear each day and the need to wash the clothing every day, but that's about all it does.

And it doesn't seem to allow for seasonal changes. The shirt the woman in question bought has very short sleeves. In my real life, my office is freezing all summer and too hot all winter. I need cardigans and other easily put on-and-off layers to stay comfortable on a daily basis. And I have heavy and light-weight cardigans, depending on the season.

I guess if your life is so busy and hectic that choosing clothing to wear is a stressor, then this approach makes some sense. I'd rather eliminate the major sources of stress, and have a little fun putting outfits together from a limited, but not identical, group of clothing.

[Chicken lady]

I teach pottery/ceramics.

I have 6 school t-shirts in different colors and three bib aprons. I will need to replace my two pairs of "good" jeans this fall because they have become " work" jeans. I buy two new school t-shirts ($10 each) every year because after 3 years they get pretty worn. I always wear a school t-shirt and jeans to work. I keep an apron in my locker and bring it home to wash and take in a new one when it gets too dirty. This system makes getting ready for work really easy.

[Zoe Girl]

And it doesn't seem to allow for seasonal changes. The shirt the woman in question bought has very short sleeves. In my real life, my office is freezing all summer and too hot all winter. I need cardigans and other easily put on-and-off layers to stay comfortable on a daily basis. And I have heavy and light-weight cardigans, depending on the season.

I guess if your life is so busy and hectic that choosing clothing to wear is a stressor, then this approach makes some sense. I'd rather eliminate the major sources of stress, and have a little fun putting outfits together from a limited, but not identical, group of clothing.

i live in colorado and we have extreme weather changes. So i have a heavy sweatshirt at my summer camp site, and extra clothes in case i need to change from meeting with the principal to coaching soccer one day.
i agree on having fun with getting dressed. i would have been the catholic school girl who pushed every limit on the uniform and changed in the bathroom before going home. Not saying it would have been great outfits but i have to show off a little.

[freshstart]

you could maybe get away with wearing the same pants to work everyday, but the same exact shirt? you'd have to explain what you are doing, I would think, or you would be watercooler fodder. She is too extreme for me, I thought capsule meant having fewer pieces but they all work together so you can come up with different combinations.

[Chicken lady]

Yeah, my school shirts are all different colors. I only have the kids one day a week and apparently I once wore the green shirt every Wednesday for a month. One of my kids asked me if I had any other clothes.

[Gardenarian]

I like the idea of having a uniform. I wear different versions of the same clothes pretty much everyday to work. (Brown, gray, or blue pants + casual shirt + cardigan.)
I think it makes sense to have more than one of each, otherwise I'd be wasting a lot of water doing laundry. I usually do laundry only once a week.

I'm not working a lot right now, and still figuring out how to dress in my new climate. For everyday wear in summer, it's usually a sundress or capris+sleeveless blouse. I'll start whittling my wardrobe down once I've lived here for a full year and seen what works and what doesn't.

I would really like to have fewer clothes.

[goldensmom]

I would have loved to wear a uniform when I worked out of the home. My husband wears a uniform and he can choose his clothes in the morning from the closet in a few seconds, even in the dark...grab a shirt, grab a pair of pants. I hated thinking of something different to wear everyday. I don't have a capsule wardrobe or a uniform today but I find that I wear the same few things all of the time. I could probably get rid of 90% of the clothing in my closet. I think I will make that a project.
.

[freshstart]

Yeah, my school shirts are all different colors. I only have the kids one day a week and apparently I once wore the green shirt every Wednesday for a month. One of my kids asked me if I had any other clothes.

ONCE I did laundry and was tired, wore same outfit to work because I saw different patients each day, so they would never know. But both days it turned out I had to get supplies at the office and this one person saw me both days and said she couldn't believe I did that. None of her business, but explained everything was laundered, tyvm.

[catherine]

Like the OP, I wore a uniform to school every day, but then I went to a public high school and quickly learned the "NEVER repeat the same outfit Monday-Friday" rule. So, I've always considered having more than 5 outfits for work to be kind of a waste, a philosophy that was not lost on my coworkers (one snide coworker commented that the cost of one sweater from Nordstrom probably equals the cost of my whole wardrobe).

Regarding the laundry issue: the idea of a minimalist uniform does not necessarily mean you are washing more. When I went to acting school, I worked with a guy who wore the SAME THING every day: denim overalls and a white t-shirt. I also had questions about his laundry habits, until I visited his dorm room and he opened up his armoire, where there were two EXTREMELY neatly stacked piles of 7 sets of overalls and 7 white T-shirts. That was all he had in his armoire. Talk about simplicity! It was beautiful!

I don't have to have many "work clothes" now because I work from home 80% of the time and the occasions I travel I just rotate one of my few "client-ready" outfits--usually black pants/black skirt/blazer or black sweater and either a cream top or a more colorful one--mostly blue or red.