Carl Barenbrug

Research + product design

lab

Capsule Wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe is simply a collection of essential items of clothing that don’t really go out of fashion, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces. Although a capsule wardrobe could certainly be defined as minimal in its own right, my wardrobe goes a little beyond that and limits the colour palette to just a few, making it even simpler and stress-free everyday. You could say my wardrobe is utilitarian where simplicity and practicality take precedence over style.

My wardrobe is basically broken down like this:

  • 5 x Black Sweatshirts

  • 2 x Dark Grey Sweatshirts

  • 3 x Light Grey Sweatshirts

  • 8 x Black T-shirts

  • 2 x Light Grey T-shirts

  • 2 x White T-shirts

  • 4 x Black Long Sleeve T-shirts

  • 2 x Black Jeans

  • 1 x Dark Grey Jeans

  • 3 x Black Sweatpants

  • 1 x White Shirt

  • 1 x Black Belt

  • 1 x Black Baseball Cap

  • 4 x Black Jackets (seasonal)

  • 3 x Sneakers

  • 1 x Black Boots

  • 1 x Black Formal Shoes

  • 2 x Wristwatches

  • PLUS underwear, gym wear, and a single navy blue suit

That is literally it. Barely anything to some, maybe excessive to others, but it’s what works for me and I’m always intentional with what I buy. When a piece of clothing no longer interests me or is too worn, I’ll either donate it or recycle it. Put it this way, if you haven’t worn a particular piece of clothing for a year, all it’s doing is taking up unnecessary space in your wardrobe. Is it really that important to you to keep a hold of it? If the answer is no, you can give it to someone who would appreciate it. Also, if you do feel inspired to streamline your wardrobe, I guarantee it’ll feel liberating—which is why I try to do this a couple of times a year.

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