Have you ever wondered what it’s like to own a capsule wardrobe and be able to mix and match the majority of the pieces in your closet? It’s something I find we’re hearing more about lately. But with everyone’s wardrobe needs varying so much, how can you know what you truly should hold on to and what to buy for your wardrobe to work for YOU?

For the month of May I participated in the #May30x30 challenge (hosted by Petra Alexandra & Jazzy Wang), where you choose 30 items from your existing closet (shoes, tops, bottoms etc) to wear 30 ways for the entire month.

I normally would not have been able to participate in such an extensive challenge, since I wear scrubs to work. But with work closures lasting until June, I was able to participate in full. I’m really glad I did because the challenge really allows you to explore which items in your closet you are able to wear multiple ways, and gives you a glimpse of what it’s like to have a minimalist, capsule wardrobe.

Throughout this experience, it’s made me realize the basis of how to know whether an item deserves to be bought or not, and whether I need so many items in my wardrobe. I’ve gathered all these tips here for you to refer to the next time you’re deciding to buy or not to buy. :)

Considerations before buying an item:

1. How well does it integrate into your current wardrobe?

   Make a mental list of at least three other garments already in your closet that can mix and match with the new item to create different outfits. If your item only matches one pair of pants or that one tank top, it might not be something you’ll reach for often, and therefore might not be worth purchasing unless you absolutely love it and know you’ll wear it again and again (ie. with that one pair of pants it matches). If you’re in the process of completely revamping your wardrobe and changing your personal style, this might be tricky at first. Depending on whether your desired item is a basic piece or a statement piece will really vary how many pieces it can be mixed and matched with. But if you know the item is the style you’re going for, then that might be a good indication that it’s meant to be. Which brings me to my next bullet. ;)

2. Does this piece reflect your personal style?

   I’ve been guilty so many times of buying an item because I liked its pattern/cut etc, then bringing it home and never reaching for it because the item didn’t make me feel like me. I liked the idea of it and thought it looked good on others, but really it just didn’t align with what I actually wanted to wear or look like. This could be buying a trendy item because everyone else owns an item of that sort, even though you don’t actually like the item on yourself. Or maybe you’re shopping with friends and they peer pressure you to try on an item they think would look amazing on you and you end up buying it simply because of their approval? Even though you don’t love it... Been there! But it’s good to learn from these experiences and through this process your personal style will become clearer.

3. How much use will you get out of this item?

   As a rule of thumb, try to only buy an item if you know you’ll wear it at least once per month on average, even seasonal items. Let’s take for example a thick sweater that you’d only wear for the four coldest months of the year. That would mean wearing it at least 3 days of the month for those four cooler months. When you think about it, this average means wearing every item a minimum of 12 days in a year. Considering there are 365 days in a year, that’s really not that often (it would sit in your closet for 353 days). If you won’t even wear it that often, you might want to reconsider purchasing it.

4. Is it comfortable?!

   This one is far too often overlooked. Whether it’s comfort from the material itself, the right size, the right length, the cut of the shirt or rise of the pant, any sheerness, etc. I can’t tell you how many times I used to buy garments that weren’t quite my size but that I somehow expected to magically fit me some day (face palm). Usually it’d be items that I really really loved the look of but would never reach for because I knew I’d be uncomfortable. Think about it, are you really going to reach for a pair of pants that you know are too tight at the crotch, or ones that you can barely breathe in after eating? Are you going to wear that trendy knit sweater if you’ll be itchy all day wearing it? Or that sheer top that creates SO much static (pet peeve of mine)? Or that dress that you’re really self-conscious in and will be pulling down all evening? Comfort should be priority in my opinion, because when you feel comfortable, you’ll also feel more confident in your clothes and in your body. Mental health is important folks! Don’t be missing out on fully enjoying your day from wearing uncomfortable clothes!

5. Can you wear it for more than one type of occasion?

   I tend to invest in pieces that aren’t too formal and aren’t too casual either, which allows me to dress it up or down as needed. Can you dress it up with a pair of boots and jewelry? Can you dress it down with sneakers? Think of this the next time you’re choosing a dress for a wedding, or a coat for Fall. Ideally your pieces are somewhere in the middle so that you’ll have appropriate basics in your closet no matter the occasion. It’s good to have at least one multi-use dress that is plain and versatile enough to look like a completely different dress depending how you style it for various events, like weddings, funerals, family gatherings, work, etc. I also love a good pair of pants that can be worn with anything from a crop top to a chic blouse, and sneakers to heels. Having items like these in your closet are game changers for those times last-minute events pop up that would usually give you anxiety over thinking you have nothing appropriate to wear.

6. Does this item align with your values in a way that you’ll feel good and proud to wear it?

   For instance, is it ethically-made, maybe made of primarily natural fibres to reduce microplastics, only contains vegan fibres, from a small local business, or is secondhand? Whatever your values are, you’ll feel a lot better about your purchase if it aligns with them. Plus every time you wear it, you’ll feel so good and proud that you are putting your money towards your values rather than towards what society deems the status quo.

7. Does the item’s price point reflect its value?

   To elaborate on the bullet above, I’m going to give you an example of a real-life realization some of my friends had when I introduced them to slow fashion.

   When I started being more interested in slow fashion myself, so many of my friends made comments along the lines that they “would love to support slow fashion but can’t afford it.” While I acknowledge and understand that slow fashion can be inaccessible or out of budget for many people, in this specific situation, I had to show them otherwise. The fact was, these same friends happened to have no problem spending the same amount of money (or more) than I was spending on my clothes, but on non-ethical, non-sustainable versions of the same items, simply because of the brand name. For example, they were completely fine spending $120 on (big yoga brand) leggings, but found the $100 natural fibre or recycled fibre, ethically-made in Canada leggings that I purchased “out of budget”. The fact is, if you’re already spending money on clothes, it’s worth looking up sustainable brands.

   Note that I don’t think you should ever purchase an item you don’t need just because it’s from a slow fashion brand (actually that would go against slow fashion values), or that all your fast fashion items need to be replaced by slow fashion versions (I have plenty of old fast fashion items that I still love wearing). I just think that when you are looking at adding something to your closet, and willing/able to spend a larger amount of money on a quality item, that it’s worth looking into slow fashion brands that might have exactly what you’re looking for, versus automatically looking at the big brands out of habit. To me, these non-ethical non-sustainable items from big brands are not worth their price point, and you are really only paying such a high price point for your item to display the brand logo. Whereas with slow fashion, the higher cost reflects the fact that they are paying every worker along the chain of production fairly. From the farmers of the fabric’s raw materials, to the sewer (because yes, all clothes are handmade, even that $3 fast fashion top), the designer, and so forth. So you have to wonder, where do the fast fashion brands make cuts for them to be able to sell clothing at such a low price point??? That’s a rabbit hole that will truly open your eyes and change you forever. If you haven’t yet, I urge you to follow Fashion Revolution on Instagram for a wide range of info on fashion’s impact on the world.

   For those of you who slow fashion might be more inaccessible to, I’d recommend looking for secondhand slow fashion pieces online, or shopping at thrift or consignment shops to reduce your impact while still staying within budget. You’ll notice that investing in quality pieces, even if buying fewer for your buck, is still worth it long term since these pieces last a lot longer than fast fashion and also retain their value and can usually be easily resold on slow fashion buy & sell platforms. I touch on this on an Instagram post here.

With all that said, asking yourself these questions before buying a new piece of clothing is extra insurance that you are buying it for the right reasons. Ideally you’d be buying it with the intent of owning and wearing it for a long time. No one-time use items, but rather investing in better materials making it a longer-lasting item. Buying secondhand also extends the life of the garment.

If you feel an item doesn’t check off all the boxes and don’t absolutely need it, it’s probably best not to buy it. No one likes having buyer’s remorse. However, no one is perfect, especially at first (believe me you’ll make at least one purchase you’ll regret), so try to give yourself grace. Remember, this is years of buying habits & societal consumerism norms that you’re trying to shake off. Don’t give up! It gets easier. :)

The end goal of all of this is creating less waste from unworn unwanted clothing, reducing clutter in your closet (to only own pieces you truly love!), and helping you become a more conscious consumer in all areas of your life. In fact, many of the the tips above can be applied to buying more than just clothes. Just a couple examples are home decor and furniture (does it match your current home? Is that couch comfortable or just trendy-looking?), so I hope you are able to find use for these tips in your everyday life beyond purchasing clothes.

If you’re interested in seeing how I styled my capsule wardrobe for May’s challenge (pictured above), head to my Instagram for my daily outfits from the challenge! All in all it helped me create new outfit combinations with my existing items and made me appreciate the garments I already own.

Was this post helpful? Let me know in the comments along with any suggestions you might have for future posts on subjects you’d love to learn more about!🤗

Happy conscious shopping!

-Chanelle oxo