“Didn’t you wear that yesterday?”
“Yes, yes I did!”
“Why?”
“Well, let me tell you!”
Think about your favorite cartoon character. What would Mickey Mouse be without his red overalls, Charlie Brown without his yellow and black shirt or SpongeBob without his, well, square pants? The idea is that clothes can actually become part of your identity!
By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the capsule wardrobe, maybe even tried it out for yourself and it works. I just couldn’t do it. The numbers just didn’t add up for me.
30 outfits, 5 shoes, 10 accessories, etc.
I have found that I stumbled onto something that I will call the “Pill Wardrobe.” It’s smaller than a capsule wardrobe and does not involve any numbers.
So what if you wear the same color every day? So what if you bought 5 of the same pants and shirts? I did just this, and you know what, it works in so many ways. I was once asked if I worked at a restaurant because of my outfit/uniform choice. Other than that, no one really notices that I wear the same thing every day!
I want to share what I have inadvertently learned by just being comfortable being comfortable. I will address your concerns as well, and hopefully show you why a Pill Wardrobe is the way to go!
Money
This one is so obvious but certainly worth the mention. Imagine not buying clothes for a month, a year, two years? Sound good? By using what you have, including your favorite outfits, you’re already done the shopping. Chances are you have a go-to outfit for every occasion, or perhaps one outfit for all occasions. Keep those, and really there’s no need to add more.
If you’re lucky enough to have found your signature outfit or look, buy several of the same styles and mix and match. The combinations are really endless. Or go with no combination at all and pick one look or color.
Travel
When it comes to packing a Pill Wardrobe, it really can’t be easier. No longer will you be searching everywhere for clothes or stuffing a giant luggage to accommodate them all. You can pack lighter knowing you’ve got it all covered.
I just had to pack for a spur of the moment trip and was able to do it within minutes. I just grabbed my “uniforms” and left the house. It really took the stress out of last minute packing. Even if I had hours to pack, my luggage would have looked exactly the same.
Want tips for stress-free traveling with children? check out:
Peer/Societal Pressure
With a look that you own, there’s no pressure to keep up with fashion trends. You are your own trend and there’s so much power in that. Ironically, I’ve gotten more compliments by “not trying” to look a certain way.
People notice my smile, my eyes and pay more attention to what I’m saying than what I’m wearing. It’s such a freeing feeling to know that people are interacting with me without distractions.
What a wonderful example we could set for young men and women, especially with those that don’t have expendable income. The Pill Wardrobe puts more of the focus on who you are than on what you wear.
Waste
Maybe you’ve been hearing about fast fashion lately, and how bad it is for the environment and workers? A Pill Wardrobe eliminates the need for more clothing to be made during production and less trash to be disposed of after you are finished with it.
Yes, you will certainly wear out your Pill Wardrobe because you are wearing it. But that’s also the best part. You are getting your money’s worth and using your clothes as they were intended. Much better than having hundreds of items of clothing sit in your closet untouched.
Laundry
You guessed it! The Pill Wardrobe creates less laundry, which in turn means less time washing, drying, folding and putting away. Don’t forget about the money that saves. And if you’re like me and you have to lug your clothes to a laundromat, you’ll be thanking me later!
Looking for some great green laundry products?
Time
Want to gain extra (insert how many minutes it takes you to find something to wear) minutes/hours a day? The Pill Wardrobe takes the guesswork out of your dressing routine. You can even get dressed in the dark!
How great would it be to press the snooze button knowing you don’t have to give any thought to what you wear? Trust me, this in itself has been life-changing.
So far I haven’t found any cons to this lifestyle. I don’t get bored, I don’t run out of things to wear and I love the simplicity of it.
Do you think you could do it? Let me know!
What an awesome and thoughtful post. I had not heard the term "capsule wardrobe" but it sounds like my current practice. I almost always grab the same garments from my closet at the last minute for every occasion (it's usually something black). I can pack for two weeks in about thirty minutes because of the limited colors in my closet.
Thank you for this post. I've nevergiven a hoot what anyone thought of my wardrobe. :-)