Soft Autumn Capsule Wardrobe: Simple Real Life Style
A Capsule Wardrobe That Fits My Actual Life
Something I did a lot of thinking about while in Mexico was bringing back the capsule wardrobe.
Remember those? I feel like they were the “thing” in 2015, and counting every single article of clothing I owned. 70 pairs of underwear?? Why? Back in 2015, I had no real sense of personal style, or what I even liked. Even less of an idea of what looked good on me. Trust me, my style has changed quite a few times over the years.
Minimalism has been “The Word of the Year” for me before, but it’s never really stuck. I, at 37 years old, have realized that I am not a minimalist. Probably never will be. I’m not a hoarder… but it’s a slippery slope.
Why I Needed a Capsule Wardrobe (Without the Pressure)
I’m finally at the age that I know exactly who I am, and I don’t need to follow trends as I am confident in my own presence. Right now, I need a wardrobe that is effortless, requires zero mental bandwidth for decision-making in the mornings, because mornings are not my friend.
I was the girl who hit snooze until she had to roll out of bed, with barely enough time to brush her teeth. Hair? Skipped. My yearbook photos can attest to that. I’m still that girl. Now I get up earlier to prep the boys for school, but I’m not happy about it. The only mornings “I get ready” are riding mornings, and that’s zero bandwidth because it’s a uniform. I wear the same thing all week, wash and repeat.
How I Built My Capsule Without Starting From Scratch
In the lead-up to leaving for Mexico, I was also purging the closets. It makes sense, right? If I can’t bring it on vacation because it has holes, I might as well toss it now! So I was already in the mindset before, and it just came home with me. It’s mid-April and I’m still purging. I do follow the general rule of thumb, ‘If you haven’t touched it in a year, it goes’ (with the exceptions of seasonal things, because… Canada).
Purging feels so good for the soul. I’m not getting rid of everything, so I’m not buying things I don’t need, and I’m not even replacing things immediately. This will be a slow rebuild. It also ties in with my need to USE everything I already own. I’ll wear the t-shirts I already own before buying new ones to replace damaged ones. Clearing out space in the drawers by removing sentimental items I won’t wear but don’t want to give up. They don’t need to be in my daily wear drawer, taking up space. A spring reset doesn’t mean burning down the current system.
What “Soft Autumn” Actually Means in Real Life
Colour analysis seems to have exploded across my social feeds, and while I can’t tell any difference, people sure are raving about it. I’ve realized, though, that my eyes don’t see tonal differences well. I did ask ChatGPT what they thought my colour season would be, and they said I was a ‘soft autumn’. Soft, earthy, neutrals, which do track. Other than my love of all things blue, that’s basically my wardrobe.
Again, I didn’t do a major purge; I’m more using it as a go-to for when I add any new piece to my wardrobe. Will this build a cohesive picture for my capsule wardrobe? If it will, then it gets purchased (or just added to the cart). If not, passed immediately. And, it’s mostly for my sweater collection. I have heavy, cozy hoodies that are technically too dark a palette (blacks and navies), so my “going out sweaters” are more along the lines of browns and oatmeals.
Choosing Effortless Over Constant Change
One of the highlights of being in my late thirties now is the grounded sense of self I have. I am settled. I don’t have the constant urge to change my hair colour (I haven’t dyed it since I grew out being blonde in 2020!), I don’t even get the urge to cut my hair either. It goes along with that more neutral, natural, ‘soft-autumn’ vibe I’m going for.
Effortless.
J x