As mentioned in a previous blog, clothes are a real emotional crutch for many, including me, when shopping becomes a way to get a little boost. If you have had a bad day, a new dress will help. If you've had an argument with someone, a new pair of boots will give you a fresh skip in your step. Feeling tired, hungover, angry, unattractive or anything else which makes you feel low, shopping has, wrongly, become the number 1 feel good method.
There is nothing wrong with a little trip round the shops, but shopping to feel better is risky and the result is that we not only overspend, but we end up with a wardrobe full of emotions; clothes which connect us to something negative or unhealthy, rather than simply being something to enjoy wearing, and usually a wide variety of pieces which do not match one another or our lifestyle!
The capsule wardrobe has become a big hit with women across the world with its cool, calm and collected way of helping users to remove the What To Wear morning stress.
Capsule wardrobes range from 10 pieces to the classsic 30 to 40; and once you have lived with this restriction for a while, the emotions are usually removed from the clothes enough that most women can stop counting the items and simply enjoy their clothes for what they are.
Each morning I love to pick from my 30 piece collection rather than looking across my more extensive 150+ piece Winter/Summer collection which I see now as being slightly nightmarish!! So many pieces. So much choice. Nothing matching. Nothing right for my lifestyle or my personal style.
I noticed my desire to shop getting stronger and stronger and my finances were suffering because of this. And as an anxiety sufferer, this was making me feel worse - and the worse I felt the more I shopped and the bigger and scarier my wardrobe loomed in my life.
Enter...the Capsule Wardrobe! And if you feel anything like I did, then this is how you can trial it too and make it work for you.
The 10 Day Trial
Start with a total clothes detox by choosing just 10 items which you will mix and match for 10 days. Be brave. Here are the pieces to choose to get you started:
one pair of jeans
one comfortable day dress (season appropriate)
one shirt
one scarf or statement necklace for a hit of colour round the neck
a pair of flats
a comfy sweater
one pair of day to evening heels
a smart skirt
pair of smart/casual trousers
one general top for day and evening
Personally I don't count coats and handbags into my 10 as I find those are often weather or occasion dependant. If I'm out with the kids in the rain I need a larger bag and a rain mac; if I am out with my husband for an evening meal I may require a warmer coat and smaller bag - but this is up to you to decide when considering how strict you want to be with yourself for your 10 day detox.
So this is my collection of 10 pieces.
It's important to note that if like me you are a stay at home mama or work from home, then a pair of high heels may not be right for your collection and could be a waste of an item. As such, depending on the 10 days ahead of your challenge, consider if you have any events or nights out which will require heels. If not, then decide if perhaps a pair of low heeled boots may be more appropriate for your own personal day-to-day routine.
The 10 day challenge will not only help reset your mind about how much you need it will also help you to start buying for your actual reality, and not a fantasy.
I had a bad habit of buying dresses and shoes for nights out I never, or very rarely, had. I probably spend 15-20% of my life 'going out' and 80-85% working and running around after the kids, so I needed to stop buying items which caused an imbalance of day to night items in my wardrobe. 20 night out dresses packed away in my cupboards for a once-in-a-blue-moon evening drinks were highly unnecessary! So I unpacked them, sold them, made some money and created space in my cupboards! But more on that to come in a future blog!
Tag the Calm Mummy in your capsule wardrobe challenge photos on Instagram @the_calm_mummy_method - I'd love to see your choices!!
Comments