Reasons to use a capsule wardrobe: 11 reasons and seasons to consider

I said we’d chat about seasons and reasons to use a capsule wardrobe so here we are! Here are some of the many reasons and seasons to consider a capsule wardrobe.

This post is like a menu – take what interests you, leave the rest. And remember: while the practical reasons abound, you can also build a capsule wardrobe because it’s fun, and you want to.

This post was originally sent (with a discount) to my email list to help welcome Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe into the world. If you’d like to get first looks at most blog posts, products, and services, sign up here.

Previously, we chatted about how pre-built capsule wardrobes probably won’t last a lifetime (and that’s ok!). And why I wrote Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe to bring you step-by-step through the process. So you know how to build your own capsule and iterate over time.

Reasons to use a capsule wardrobe

​Whether you want to commit entirely or choose to utilize a capsule for a season (more below) here are just some of the reasons to consider a capsule:

Eliminating decision fatigue: when everything in your closet works with everything else, deciding what to wear becomes very easy because literally everything works together. You still need to decide what outfit will work for your day. But you don’t need to decide which pieces of clothing work well together, because they all do.

Rotating your closet with the seasons: if you rotate your closet with the seasons, a more focused and contained wardrobe for each season makes rotating your closet with the seasons faster and simpler.

Focusing on quality over quantity: part of the reason upgrading the quality of the clothing we own is so daunting is because of the quantity of clothes in our closets. When you’re not spreading yourself thin you can devote more time, energy, and money into each individual piece. A capsule wardrobe naturally facilitates this focus.

Saving space and reducing clutter: whether or not you live somewhere with limited closet space. It’s nice to be able to hang up your clothes without shoving things aside to make room.

But turning your whole closet into a capsule wardrobe isn’t the only reason to build one!

​Personally, my favorite reason to use a capsule wardrobe 

Personally, I love capsule wardrobes for specific reasons and specific seasons – because they make getting dressed so much simpler. When everything else is complicated, I want my clothes and my style to be clear and reliable.

​Even more reasons and seasons to use a capsule wardrobe 

Here are some seasons and moments, you might want to consider utilizing a capsule wardrobe for:

(Again, this is a menu, not a must do list – consider what interests you, and leave the rest.)

Help curb impulse shopping: one of my favorite ways to help curb impulse clothing shopping is to have clients “shop their closets” and style looks with what they already have on hand. Since a well built capsule wardrobe can give you hundreds of outfits from dozens of pieces. With a seemingly endless variety of outfits in your closet already, no need to impulse buy something new.

Travel: travel is a natural time to build a capsule wardrobe. When everything you pack works together you need to pack fewer pieces. The foundational math of a capsule wardrobe is how you can pack for a week long trip in a purse and still have a variety of looks. Plus when you pack fewer pieces you have fewer things to accidentally leave behind.

Extremely busy seasons of life: spend a little time prepping a small capsule within your larger closet for those exceptionally busy times. Business owners I’m looking at you during launch windows. Overscheduled social butterflies I’m looking at you for the holidays. Parents I’m looking at you – kind of always. A capsule wardrobe reduces the time you have to spend putting together outfits every morning. This make them wonderful for busy seasons of life.

Sparking creativity and ditching style ruts: personal style is creative expression. When you’re stuck in a style rut, focus and constraints are an amazing way to rekindle your creativity.

Experimenting with new (or old!) styles or items: building a small capsule is a nice way to see if a style is for you without having to commit your entire closet. But still gives you enough outfits to give your experiment a good chance. (You can also build a capsule around a piece of clothing or style that you’re thinking about giving up on. It let’s you give it one more wholehearted try before you do.)

Low spoon days or low-energy dopamine dressing: if you have any sort of constraints on your energy or functioning (chronic stuff, brain stuff, health stuff, care-giving stuff, etc), you know the importance of saving energy anywhere you can. At the same time dressing well and delightfully, can actually give you energy. Capsule wardrobes are great for reducing the effort it takes to look put together. Reducing the energy investment, while increasing the energy return? Win-win.

To test the cohesion of your closet: finally, building a capsule from clothes you already have is a great way to find the holes and gaps in your wardrobe. The top that is beautiful but doesn’t go with any bottoms you own will not fly with a capsule wardrobe. That doesn’t mean the top is bad, it just means you may want to pay special attention to which items of clothing you decide to procure next. Ensure you prioritize completing outfits. Rather than filling your closet with amazing single pieces that don’t go with anything else.

​To wrap up

I hope this helps get your wheels turning.

And remember: while the practical reasons abound, you can also build a capsule wardrobe because it’s fun, and you want to.

​This post was originally sent (with a discount) to my email list to help welcome Holly’s Guide to Building Your Next Capsule Wardrobe into the world. If you’d like to get first looks at most blog posts, products, and services, sign up here.