Having options is equivalent to having a lot more than you need. At times, it isn’t a beneficial prospect.
Let us suppose you are late for a morning meeting, and you need to look professional. At that moment, having a messy and cluttered wardrobe to pick and choose from is going to be time-consuming. It will make you late if not anything else.
Most women, like you, have a fetish for clothes that they aren’t going to wear. Soon, one extra silk blouse for parties increases to three silk blouses of the same color as a countermeasure in the form of back-ups to fashion disasters.
Some day, on a late Sunday afternoon, you will lie on your bed and ask the question, “how many clothes do you really need?”. You will do this because while organizing your wardrobe and doing the laundry, you will realize that you have too many clothes fitted in too little space. Ultimately, you will be overwhelmed and pick up your phone to search – “how to declutter my overflowing wardrobe?”.
It is human nature to blend in with the new fashion trends. You might splurge on a denim jacket that is similar to the one worn by Kylie Jenner. However, deep down, you know it wouldn’t look good on you.
When you are going through shelves in a mall and picking up clothes randomly without thinking if you will ever wear them, you neglect something as impactful as a capsule wardrobe.
We are here to teach you about capsule wardrobe or minimalist clothing and so much more. Read on to gather some useful insight into minimal living.
Why should one ask, “how many clothes do you really need?”
Let us give you a few reasons which will portray why this question is the need of the hour.
- By bringing about changes in the textile industry, you will work for the well-being of the environment.
- If you realize the rampant climate changes, you won’t buy three plaid shirts within three-four weeks.
- The growing quantity of textile waste is a real concern. If you care about ushering in positive changes to landfills that are not capable of biodegradation, then you won’t buy thirty outfits in six months.
Should fashion be disposable?
Fashion varies from one era to another. A Victorian outfit won’t be a casual outfit in 2021.
What’s relevant in this 21st century won’t be equally relevant in the future. Do you agree? Fashion sense changes with time. Consequently, a lot goes on behind the creation of new outfits. From innovative ideas to the investment of people’s skill and time, plenty happens to make one piece of clothing stand out.
The relationship between our clothes and us can’t be easily disposed of. What you wear brings out your inner personality. It is high time that we pay heed to how sustainability, the durability of clothes will affect the lifestyle.
We can’t discard the elements and time that goes into the entire procedure of cloth making. People who earn their livelihood through this shouldn’t be disposed of. Hence, we have proved that fashion will never be disposable.
However, if the need arises where you have to get rid of certain clothes, then don’t throw them away. Either donate them or sell them at resale value.
What are the questions to be asked while decluttering your ocean-like wardrobe?
If you don’t have a concrete idea of what you are as a person, then your closet will be as confusing as your idea of yourself.
So, when you are ruminating over “how many clothes do I really need?” ask yourself the following questions to make up a minimalist mindset.
Can you remember the last time I wore this on a day out?
If you haven’t used the blue tank top with pale yellow jeans in the last five years, then there are chances that the scenario won’t change. However, you will keep fighting the urge to delay its riddance until you go ahead and donate or sell it.
What to do: upgrade it or replace it?
Old, ragged clothes or clothes with rips and tears need to be replaced. You aren’t going to wear these clothes considering the condition they are in. So, why choose to keep them until your closet begins to overflow? Also, this can be used as a trick to do more shopping.
Does this item of clothing even fit me anymore?
Those cashmere sweaters from ten years ago might not fit your grown-up torso anymore. Why should you decide to keep an outfit that will make you feel uncomfortable every time you wear it? No point, right? So, pick it up, step out of the house, go to an NGO and donate it to somebody who will use it.
One additional question for fans of Marie Kondo
There is just one more question that you can ask yourself while you reduce down the number of clothes.
Does this outfit bring me joy?
There might be a white sequin dress in your closet that your father gifted you on your graduation day. Neither you have worn it yet, nor you plan to wear it anytime soon. However, the outfit brings out one of the happiest days of your life. In that case, keep it and cherish it. Memories are too valuable to be bereft of.
How would your life look if you convert your overflowing wardrobe into a minimalist wardrobe?
- You’ll save money.
- You won’t ever be late for events because your wardrobe will be organized.
- Packing for a vacation or work trip will be simpler.
- Laundry will be manageable.
So, these are some of the benefits of asking and acting upon, “how many clothes do you really need?”
A step-by-step guide to creating a decluttered wardrobe
- The first step might be a baby step, but it sets the foundation for owning a minimalist closet. It is called acceptance. You have to accept and admit that you have more clothes than you need daily.
- Too much experimenting with colors and styles might indicate that you have found an excuse to shop more than required. So, we suggest you find out which colors suit you. Then, buy clothes of those colors only. Limit yourself as much as you can.
- Frankly speaking, there is no point in owning ten swimsuits and five overcoats of the same color. Having one of each type is sufficient. Think about people who don’t have the luxury of choosing one outfit from a pool of ten same clothes. You need to put a constraint on your extravagant demands.
- The next step is mandatory. Without this, you can’t proceed. All you have to do is make piles of what can be recycled, what can be donated, what can be sold, and then keep repeating the cycle until you have minimized your wardrobe.
- Some people shop just for fun. It soon turns into a habit that they can never undo. So, make yourself aware of the consequences of cluttered wardrobes and the benefits of minimalism. Here, self-discipline comes into action.
- You can’t be flexible with your monthly shopping budget. Bind your wallet in chains. Keep a set amount separately for buying clothes, and don’t expand it by any means.
- Now, we have to remind you of this time and again. You can’t choose the number of clothes over the quality of clothes.
- One important tip – don’t fall prey to the uncountable number of sales which happen over the years. You might find sales tempting as you can buy a lot without making a big hole in your wallet. However, sales are the living proof of what digital copywriters do to entice the target pool of customers. You have to understand the difference between things you need and the things you want.
- Lastly, we would like to remind you that your character matters in the end, not your clothes. A humane character has no price tag. Wear confidence and smile instead of expensive outfits.
To try a capsule wardrobe or not?
Having a minimalist wardrobe is an after-effect of swapping a spring closet capsule with a summer closet capsule. The same swapping technique goes for every season.
Then again, one might be too lazy to create a capsule closet. Why?
It takes a lot of time, effort, strategy, and patience to organize the wardrobe meticulously.
This process of decluttering is taxing for many and exciting for a few. If you are falling short of ideas, then try out Pinterest for some information on doing what you want to do.
Now, we have come to the end of this healthy discussion. If you have read it completely, then you must have built up an idea about answering, “how many clothes do you really need?”
The idea might be a contortion, but it is a beginning that is much needed in the 21st century to better the environment and human lifestyle.
Two pointers you need to remind yourself constantly are – first, you need to have clothes of all the basic colors. Secondly, have clothes that can be mixed and matched on any special or casual occasion.