Post Capsule Life: Strategy #2

Last week I shared my new post-capsule outlook with you guys In a nutshell, it involves fewer rules. It’s time to loosen up, take what I’ve learned and apply it to my closet as a whole. Right now a big, big idea I’m trying to take hold of is…

Strategy #2 – Cease chasing “the perfect wardrobe.”

Oh, perfection. You can be such a dirty little word. I remember the first time someone called me a perfectionist. I was in junior high and some older 8th graders called me “little miss perfect.” I can’t even remember what it was in reference to now, but it was kind of a gut-blow because they were insulting something in me that I didn’t even realize was there. Perfectionists don’t realize we’re trying to be ‘perfect,’ we’re just executing things in the best way possible (at least the best possible way from our perspective). It’s so innate we don’t even realize we’re doing it. To a fault. We don’t give up on achieving what we are after. We obsess (just ask my husband).

My perfectionism ‘disease’ definitely creeps up when I’m in capsule wardrobe mode. When I was looking at my wardrobe as seasonal slices, it was a little too easy for me to become obsessed with the ‘perfect’ wardrobe. Did I have enough sweaters? Was my fall capsule ‘fall’ enough with flannel and warm tones? Is my summer closet rounded enough to include all the casual and dressy shoes I might need? Do I have enough cardigans in the right color for spring? And on, and on, and on it goes. As I was brainstorming and thinking over what my post-capsule life might look like, it dawned on me that I had to stop chasing that perfect wardrobe.

For one thing, it doesn’t exist. There will always be something more or better that could ‘improve’ what I already have. Besides, the goal is to own fewer clothes, not more. I all too easily forget how putting limits on my wardrobe drives up my creativity. This was certainly evident in my spring 10×10, and I am excited to do it again in the summer. The white unicorn of a perfect wardrobe doesn’t exist, and even if it did, I don’t want it. I want creativity instead.

It’s evolution, baby.

(Am I dating myself with that Pearl Jam reference there?)  When I look at my closet as a whole, it’s easy to get obsessed with it being perfect, but a closet is really an evolution. Your closet will never be ‘done.’ You’ll never have ‘arrived’ with your wardrobe. It will forever be a bit of a zen garden that you are pushing around, making small snips here and there. But your edits can hopefully be increasingly more purposeful. Accomplishing much and wasting little.

Make sure you have a solid base. Now, this is not to be confused with perfection. Instead, a solid base is the healthy building blocks upon which you build your wardrobe. Great jeans, a white t-shirt, a soft sweater, leather boots, your go-to skirt. This is the base that you add your layers to, creating your looks. I intend to use what I’ve learned from building seasonal capsules to ensure that I have a foundation. As I’ve looked back and analyzed outfits, I’ve learned a few core pieces are my workhorses: skinny jeans, white t-shirts, ankle boots, a cashmere sweater, etc. Those are the layers I start with to create my outfits.

Choose contentment.

For me, contentment is a choice, not a state of mind that comes naturally. I am a pretty driven person, and I always strive after doing, being, finding more. However, it is important for me to recognize that and take a pause and choose contentment instead. Contentment is looking at what I already own and appreciating it. Contentment is enjoying my Birkenstocks the 1000th time I wear them instead of wishing I had a new style. Contentment is wearing what I already own and being thankful for it. Contentment is remembering that some people on this planet are lucky just to have clothes to cover their body and remembering that wardrobe woes are a first world ‘problem.’ Perfectionism tries to prevent me from being content, but I’m choosing otherwise.

Less focus on shopping.

This is a big one for me. It was the secondary reason why I started using a capsule wardrobe in the first place, I was constantly shopping (and still never happy with my wardrobe). I was the classic sale-rack hunter who had a closet of mixed odds and ends. The rules of a capsule helped me curb my shopping problem very quickly, but lately I feel it’s begun to creep back up again in a new way. I don’t shop for fun or as a pastime like I used to, but I have become somewhat of an online hunter, looking for where I could get the best ‘ethically-made’ this or that. Further, I’ve spent far more time than I’m comfortable with ‘planning’ for the upcoming season’s capsules (which new sweater should I get? do I need more boots? etc.). Researching and comparing items to a fault. I’m taking a few steps to move away from that. And, overall, if I’m giving up the pursuit of the “perfect wardrobe” a natural result of that should be to shop less.

Improve online shopping habits. I need to make it a point to browse online less. It’s far too easy to find something new, and then obsess over having it. I try not to follow too many bloggers who fall into the “shopping blog” category. I’ve unsubscribed from nearly every major retailer email list. I rarely follow retailers on social media, unless they are small ethical boutiques or new designers.

Shop for replacement items or to fill holes as needed. No more waiting for next season’s shopping “window” to open, as we talked about last week. Instead of months of lead time before a season to research and obsess, I’ll do it as needed. Honestly I’ve already been doing this for the last half of the year and it seems to work well for me, but it can be a slippery slope. An honest gut check with my intentions is important to make sure I’m buying for the right reasons.

Mindful additions only. I will continue to avoid browsing sale racks or discount stores (that means you Nordstrom Rack!). I don’t shop as a hobby, I will only shop with purpose and agenda. I don’t go to the mall. I try to keep boutique visits to a minimum. That’s pretty much my best strategy for staying out of trouble. I am ‘due’ for a new pair of skinny jeans in the fall and I will plan and shop for that, but I will do my best to not mindlessly shop before then, nor overly research them. I try my best to buy with a purpose and not just buy to get something new. I have learned to recognize when I am seeking that ‘rush’ of something new. When in doubt, my best advice is to wait it out and make sure I really want it. There have been many times I’ve changed my  mind. Don’t settle! Only items I love deserve to be in my closet. And the items I love are what bring me the most satisfaction and contentment.

I’d love to hear your thoughts – do you chase a perfect wardrobe? My friend Paige and I are writing through this series together. Be sure to check out her thoughts on the perfect wardrobe chase, as a part of our post-capsule life series.