My Outfits

I'm going to regret this, but here is a sampling of outfits from my 28 piece wardrobe. They're more "combinations" than outfits, since all I mostly do is change my shoes. This isn't a capsule- it's everything I own. There's nothing in storage or rotated seasonally. People ask if it was difficult for me to stop shopping or minimize my closet to this point. Well, I grew up poor, and then I was in a relationship where one partner had complete financial control. So, I guess it was easier for me. I was used to not having much, and I had to consider another person when shopping before. 

Now I have the luxury of choice and can spend my own money again, but my wardrobe is a lot smaller than when I moved to Paris. I only kept things I bought or chose, that told a story about me alone- not the person I disappeared into. It's funny, I actually dread shopping now. I don't even enjoy browsing secondhand. I didn't get to this point until I found these clothes, so I guess it's a little like love- once you find the right stuff, you're happy, so you stop looking. Unless you’re poly.

As my wardrobe shrinks, I don't replace much (actually I can't think of anything) due to wear and tear (UPDATE: Immediately after posting this, I caught my tights on something sharp and they ripped. I weirdly mourned them, because I'd had them so long, I got attached to them without realizing. I got another pair of Swedish Stockings). I only replace items as my size and aesthetic change. I have enough that clothing rests between wears, and though some things are over a decade old, nothing looks like they'll wear out anytime soon. I also have color! Green and blue and peach and touches of red. Psychologically I prefer muted shades that don't make me stand out much though. This stems from a traumatic experience I had going to my chic Parisian neighbors' apartment in a gingham shirt with floral print jeans, which is the most Ohio outfit ever, and being the only Crayola colored one in a sea of neutrals. Catherine Baba can get away with that-  not me.

I don't have to do laundry as often as people might think, since most of my clothes are natural fibers like wool, which is moisture wicking and resistant to odors (I don't know where my tights were when I took these pictures- I NEVER wear ankle boots with bare legs, the very idea makes my skin crawl). I mostly just wash clothes after a trip (at the very least once a month, washing dresses, my wool skirt, and coats less frequently- once or twice a season). I like to freshen them with shower steam between washings, and spot clean as much as possible. If you don't have a steam iron, dampen a white, lint-free cloth and press a hot iron lightly over it to remove wrinkles and gently clean coats or dry clean only items. 

I try to be strategic about fabrics. That way I can layer and prepare for unexpected weather without bulk. Linen is seasonless, and my 40+ year old lightweight camel hair coat is the warmest thing. It's temperature regulating, so I use it from spring to the dead of winter without sweating on the metro. I only have a handful of synthetics- even though I eat vegan, I think secondhand wool and leather are less harmful overall, and more practical for harsh climates. I don't really know what's worse, microplastic pollution or the cruel ways we abuse animals (and people!) for clothing. To me, nothing uses less resources or does less harm than something that already exists, although the secondhand market mirrors the fast fashion model in many ways.

Now to my favorite part- the math. I have ten tops and five bottoms and they all (technically) match each other and most of my shoes. For example, one black t-shirt or ribbed top yields approximately 17 outfits. That's over 150 combinations excluding coats (I say 150 because I don't really like mixing knit fabrics with woven fabrics. One of my friends wore the button down with my knit circle skirt, and she looked cute, but I have all of these weird hangups about mixing textures). I've even worn the Oui shirt with my midi length skirt and heels before. I didn't like it, but it's an option.  

I need to wear dresses a few times a week. Mine are cut so I can wear them layered under skirts or tops, and two I wear with sneakers, netting over 25 combinations. To factor in both coats, I multiply 175 outfits by three for 525 combinations, or around 18 outfits per piece. These calculations are probably wrong, simply illustrative of the fact that you don't need many clothes to have options. However, just because I have 28 items doesn't mean everybody else should too. If you have a large closet, don't take this as a personal affront. I maintain that a minimal wardrobe is not necessarily a sustainable one, and the pursuit of a perfect capsule wardrobe is largely a waste of time. I'm usually too busy brushing out my pin curls to care what you wear anyway.