The Beauty of a Simple Wardrobe
Beyond decision paralysis, beyond easy packing, there are benefits to keeping a pared down, easy wardrobe
A simple wardrobe is one that is aligned with our style while still being small in number. The capsule wardrobe that has swept through the fashion world for the last decade is a prototype of the simple wardrobe. However, a capsule wardrobe is not required for a simple wardrobe.
A simple wardrobe does not need to be all neutrals, multiple copies of the same outfit or only owning 7 outfits. It can be customized to your preferences.
However, the goal of the simple wardrobe is to stay small (to save both space and money needed to replace items), to avoid decision paralysis (depleting energy that we need to make decisions later in the day) and have mix and match potential.
The beauty of a simple wardrobe comes in many forms, including the abilities to:
- support brands we believe in
- decrease our carbon footprint by using less
- save resources by buying second hand
- cultivate a wardrobe of well made basics that can be used longer
However, I have found the true beauty to be in how it changes our mindset and outlook. It gives us time and energy to focus on things that we might realize are more important.
I’m not going to bash clothes shopping or wanting to look good, I understand how important and necessary these two things can be. We all want to make ourselves look good and there is a certain confidence in wearing our favorite pieces. We all need to buy clothes from time to time and buying a few new pieces can be a welcome change.
However, as a recovered shopaholic, who needed new clothes on a monthly, if not weekly basis, I realize that there is more beauty in keeping a small personalized wardrobe than in having a lot of options.
With choosing to experiment within the simple closet, I realized that I didn’t need as much as I thought I did in the fashion department.
Here’s what I really needed:
- nature walks in the park during the changes of seasons
- focus for working on goals like paying off my debt
- creativity expressed by writing and photography
- mornings with very few decisions and more time to practice self-care
A simple wardrobe has made me more curious to life outside of it. Instead of hunting down the best bargains and writing down what would make it complete, I’ve found my time to be spent in ways that enrich me.
The true beauty is that I’ve found a way to still be and look 100% like me in things that I feel comfortable in. However, it’s also in the fact that I’ve learned how to be happy with less clutter overall and more space to try new experiences
Keeping a simple wardrobe is a great teacher that experiences beat things and less is greater than more
