#Haulternative | How To Create A Slow Fashion Capsule Wardrobe

The idea of a capsule wardrobe always scared me a bit, I thought choosing to have less would somehow be constricting, but it turns out it’s exactly the opposite. 

In my teens and early 20s, I happily hoarded closets full of clothes, always felt I had nothing to wear, and every weekend I’d boogie out to the mall to buy more. When I moved to London I was forced to cut down as I was limited to 2 bags on the flight over, and there just wasn’t space in my tiny rented bedroom. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I did my first conscious slim down, just before I moved to Paris to live with my husfriend (in a classically tiny Parisian apartment), then another when we hopped the pond for a stint in America. But it wasn’t until this last year that I began to realise that I could live with even less, and I started to weed out bits of my belongings and focus on curating my tri-seasonal capsule wardrobe.  

Financially, mentally, ecologically, ethically and time management wise, it makes all the difference. I no longer feel like I have ‘nothing to wear’ and waste mere minutes of my life contemplating outfits. I no longer shop emotionally, nor out of insecurity or boredom, and when I do shop, I do so consciously, making sure I love and need what I’m hunting for, that it is well made and sustainable. Packing is a breeze and I finally feel confident in everything I own. And while it takes some practice to get the hang of it, overall it makes me feel more relaxed, as I give zero f*:)ks about ‘trends’ and decide for myself what’s ‘in style’.

HERE’S HOW I DONE DID IT
1) Empty your closet. From my experience, the best way to do it is to try on every damn thing and figure out if it can make multiple outfits, even better if those items can also transcend each or at least two seasons. Ideally, you want all your tops to go with all your bottoms and items you can dress up or down. 

2) Sort your clothing into yes, no, maybe so piles. There are a few items I have which just hold sentimental value, or I can only wear it in summer, or it doesn’t go with anything else but I just love it. Decide for yourself what your ‘rules’ will be. For me, it has to look good, make me feel good and be diverse. With excuses for vintage finds and sentimentality. 

3) Donate, sell, or swap whatever hits the no pile. The ‘maybes’ I put in a bag in the closet to see if I’ll wear them – if a few months roll on and I don’t, I find them new homes.

OUTFIT 1
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Tencel Trousers [#1]
– SECOND-HAND Claw Necklace [#16]
– A.BCH Black Tee [#6]
– OFKT Mule [#9]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]

OUTFIT 2
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Tencel Trousers [#1]
– SECOND-HAND Claw Necklace [#16]
– JYOTI Cream Tarun Top [#4]
– OFKT Mule [#9]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]

OUTFIT 3
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Coat [#12]
– SECOND-HAND Jeans [#2]
– VINTAGE SECOND-HAND Grey Turtleneck [#8]
– OFKT Mule [#9]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]

OUTFIT 4
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Tencel Trousers [#1]
– VINTAGE SECOND-HAND Grey Turtleneck [#8]
– OFKT Mule [#9]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]

OUTFIT 5
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Coat [#12]
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Tencel Trousers [#1]
– JUNGMAVEN Hemp Yarn Dyed Tee  [#5]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]
– OFKT Mule [#9] 

OUTFIT 6
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Cape [#3]
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Tencel Trousers [#1]
– JYOTI Cream Tarun Top [#4]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]
– OFKT Mule [#19]

OUTFIT 7
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Cape [#3]
– SECOND-HAND Jeans [#2]
– VINTAGE Onesie [#7]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]
– DHARMA WOODS Mala Necklace [#17]
– OFKT Mule [#9]

OUTFIT 8
– SECOND-HAND Jeans [#2]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]
– JUNGMAVEN Hemp Yarn Dyed Tee  [#5]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– OFKT Mule [#9]

OUTFIT 9
– THOUGHT CLOTHING Cape [#3]
– SECOND-HAND Jeans [#2]
– SONYA KASHMIRI Alicia Bag [#13]
– SECOND-HAND Claw Necklace [#16]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– JYOTI Cream Tarun Top [#4]
– OFKT Mule [#9]

OUTFIT 10
– SECOND-HAND Jeans [#2]
– TRUNK COLLECTIVE Boho Hindi Tote [#14]
– SECOND-HAND Claw Necklace [#16]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– A.BCH Black Tee [#6]
– OFKT Mule [#9]

OUTFIT 11
– SECOND-HAND Jeans [#2]
– JYOTI Cream Tarun Top [#4]
– SECOND-HAND Toms Sunglasses [#19]
– OLLI FLIP FLOPS (story coming soon)

Here are some more Fashion Revolution / Slow Fashion stories to inspire you:
Terumah – Love Story 
The Peahen — I’m Starting a Revolution
EcoCult — 14 Sustainable and Ethical Fashion Myths that Need to Die
Konscious Whispers — Fash Rev 2017: Where Do I Begin?
Walking with Cake — Fash Week 2017: A Love Story
These Native Goods — Local Movement
Style Wise – Fashion Revolution