Goodbye, wild patterns. Hello, capsule wardrobe.
I’ve never been much of a wild pattern or bright color girl when it comes to clothes. When in a clothing store, I’ve always gravitated towards basics: clothing with little-to-no patterns and more neutral, versatile colors. When people would step out in the funky, colorful clothing trends that were all the rage last year during the summer, I would be the odd one out in my beige or white top and a pair of plain blue Levi’s. Don’t get me wrong, I love and admire clothing that doesn’t fall under the category of “neutral,” but it’s just never been my thing.
As I follow the fashion trends I see on social media, I’ve noticed a large shift in what’s “in” recently. Many influencers—and their fan bases-–have looked to the “capsule wardrobe” blueprint as a new strategy for picking out clothing for their closet. A “capsule wardrobe” typically entails minimalist and versatile pieces in more neutral colors. The point of this type of wardrobe is to be able to rewear pieces of clothing many times and with many variations of other pieces so that there is a wide range of flexibility when picking out outfits. For example, with a busy, multi-colored vibrant shirt, there are most likely a limited number of pairs of pants you can wear with that shirt. But with a beige or more neutral shirt, there are most likely many pairs of pants in your closet that match with it (and can create many different-looking outfits). These wardrobes are designed to be more cost-efficient and better for the environment; they reject trendy, impractical garments that are thrown out within a month or so while promoting ones that can be worn for a lifetime.
Matilda Djerf, a Swedish fashion and lifestyle influencer I’ve been following for years, has unwaveringly been my primary source of inspiration for my fashion choices. Her looks never fail to feel effortlessly and beautifully curated, no matter the occasion. Djerf’s outfits often feature timeless, neutral pieces throwing in a tasteful pop of color here and there. She has shown me the guidelines of maintaining a capsule wardrobe and the beauty in basics.
No matter what you choose to do with your wardrobe, there are so many styles out there–colorful and bright, or not–that are beautiful. If you are someone that loves color and can’t live without it, keep wearing it! But if you would like to change it up, creating a capsule wardrobe for yourself is a great and stylish option.