C A P S U L E
Editor’s Letter I’d like to start out by first thanking you for opening this zine. Perhaps you’re here because you think you shop too much, especially to make yourself feel better on
a bad day. Maybe you have a closet full of clothes, and yet on most days feel as though you have nothing to wear. Could be, that you know these common occurrences are not only dangerous for your well-being, but also for the planet. I created this zine because I felt that way too, and I wanted to address it. When I discovered the capsule wardrobe, it felt like the answer to all of my closet problems. Capsule is dedicated to the capsule wardrobe, and to helping you discover how it may fit into your life while embracing both creativity and personal style along the way. With love, Alyssa Williamson
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a small wardrobe made up of intentionally versatile pieces that are meant to fit in any occasion. It can save you time and energy figuring out what to wear every day, along with the money that it costs to shop for things you probably don’t need. Perhaps most importantly, however, it’s sustainable.
fast facts about
FAST FASHION why the capsule matters
what is fast fashion?
the approach by which clothing retailers make trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers there were originally two fashion seasons per year - fast fashion now operates on 52, known as ‘micro-seasons’1
nearly 60% of all clothing produced ends up in landfills or incinerators within one year of being made2
20% of the world’s industrial water pollution comes from treating and dyeing textiles3
clothing sales have increased by 60% in the last ten years3
fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world 4
an estimated 20% of clothing made is never worn5 synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon, acrylic, etc) are a type of plastic, and will take several hundreds of years to biodegrade6
My Capsule Wardrobe short sleeve shirts
long sleeve shirts
blouses
shoes
jumpers
trousers
dresses & overalls
outerwear
My Approach
The ‘3 of Each’ Rule
The ‘3 of each’ rule, coined by capsule blogger Caroline Rector, allows for 3 of each type of garment in my wardrobe. Typically included is one statement piece, one casual piece and one piece that stands in the middle. This allows me to get creative on different levels per type of garment, and mix and match those with others.
What’s Included Day-to-day pieces that can, for the most part, filter through to different seasons. The season that my capsule is designed to for would be Spring. When the weather changes, certain pieces may be swapped for others that are more seasonally appropriate.
What’s Not Included
Garments that are meant for special or specific events or occasions, and are not meant to synchronize within a capsule. Sleepwear Athletic wear Undergarments Accessories Winter coats
My Lifestyle Every capsule is unique to its wearer, and should be versatilely supportive and reflective of that person’s lifestyle. In order to understand the choices I made for my capsule, it’s essential that you understand my lifestyle. As I’m still a student, I wanted my wardrobe to work as a mix of mostly casual wear and some business casual wear, and can be either depending on how I style an outfit. I’m on the go a lot, walking to and from classes all day, so I needed my wardrobe to support general activity as well.
My Personal Style I would describe my personal style as a mix of quirky and polished. As you can probably tell, I’m a big fan of stripes and turtlenecks, and I will wear them both as often as I can get away with. My color palette is quite basic, and consists mainly of monochromatic with hints of color in designated statement pieces. This is so that my pieces remain interchangeable, and I can include color with fun accessories.
How to Create Your Capsule Wardrobe
Step 1: Assess your Current Wardrobe It is important to note that a capsule wardrobe doesn’t have to start from scratch. Go through everything you own, and take note of what you wear and what you don’t. Take what you don’t wear and donate or recycle it. If you’re not sure about some pieces, put them into storage and assess them later.
Step 2: Identify your Personal Style A successful capsule is one with a style that all goes together seamlessly, and identifying what that style is will make the process of narrowing down your wardrobe a lot easier. Try starting with a color palette, and make visual mood boards based on your inspiration.
Step 3: Reflect on your Lifestyle
Think about what you need from your clothing on a day-to-day basis. What’s your work dress code? What’s the weather like? How often are you on your feet vs sitting at a desk? These are all important considerations when narrowing your closet. Your capsule will need have a place in each part of your usual daily routine.
Step 4: Plan your Outfits Before finalizing your capsule, you’ll need
to make sure your pieces have a place
in a variety of different outfits. Try creating a chart and write down the many ways you can wear each garment (remember to be creative with it!). This will give you a clear idea of what you have to work with.
Step 5: Fill in the Gaps Once you know what you have, you’ll be able to figure out what you still need. This is the only time you might need to shop, and hopefully your list won’t be long! Remember to be intentional with your purchases.
Tips and Tricks
Curating the perfect capsule wardrobe is far from easy, but here are a few simple tips to keep in mind before starting the process
1. Treat this as a trial run If you’re worried about this transition, take all the items that don’t fit into your capsule and put them into storage. If you decide the capsule isn’t for you, you can always revisit them later.
2. Confidence is key You’ll want to start this new transition in the most positive way you can, and that starts with feeling good about what you’re wearing.
3. Quality beats quantity Quality clothing may seem expensive, but compared to buying new fast fashion pieces over and over again, investing in high quality clothing made from sustainable materials will save you money in the end.
4. Versatility is key The beauty of a capsule wardrobe is that it should function in just about every common occasion, so make sure your pieces are flexible enough to do that.
5. Think classic pieces, not trendy pieces Trendy pieces will go out of style, but classics will be in forever. Don’t put an expiration date on your capsule when the point is to stop buying so many new things.
6. Feel good, look better If something isn’t fitting quite right, there’s less of a chance that you’re going to wear it, and your small wardrobe will feel even smaller.
7. Love what you wear This rule may sound simple, but it’s important. Make sure you absolutely love everything in your capsule, because you won’t want to wear it overwise!
8. Follow your own rules Just because certain approaches work for someone else, doesn’t mean they have to work for you. Every capsule is unique, and yours should be unique to you.
the key to versatility:
Layering
eralls v o se e th t u o b a rt a p st e the b or p u d e ss re d e b n a c y e th is that down
n open, w o d n o tt u b a g n ri a e w try as a cardigan
two shirts are better than one
Selflessly Styled Ellie Hughes started her blog, Selflessly Styled, with the purpose of hosting a conversation about ethical fashion, and guiding readers on how to live their lives as more conscious consumers. From sustainable habits to ethical shopping spots, and even her own capsule wardrobe, readers will learn all they need to know about ethical fashion.
Ethical fashion in action, an interview with Ellie Hughes
I recently spoke with Ellie about her own experiences with ethical fashion, and what it really means to be a conscious consumer. On Consciously Consuming... To consciously consume means something different to everyone, but to Ellie, the term does not mean being perfect, but simply being aware.
“Being aware and making sure your actions [and purchase decisions] are the least harmful as possible�
On Challenges of Shopping Ethically... Ellie explains that while being conscious is important, it can become overwhelming at times, as every purchase decision can make an impact.
Being a minimalist and a woman who blogs about it - and is asked to promote clothing brands while doing so - is tricky, but she sticks to her minimalistic lifestyle by giving away the clothing to others.
On First Steps of Conscious Consuming... Once learning about how harmful many brands and products are, a lot of people are inclined to get rid of those products in exchange for more ethical choices. However, Ellie explains that this approach can be even less sustainable.
“If you already bought [the clothing], the most ethical thing to do would be to just keep wearing what you have. The idea is to shop ethically next time you need something.” On Her Personal Style... Preferring to stick with mostly neutrals and simple pieces, Ellie describes her personal style as
We should also try to shop intentionally as opposed to impulsively.
“Parisian-chic meets modern minimalist.” She puts a personal spin on her wardrobe by adding fun accessories, such as neck scarves and hats, and through simple styling tricks, like cuffing her pants.
all photos courtesy of Ellie Hughes
the best way to express personal style
Accessorize
monoc hromat ic cloth for mor es allow e color ful acce ssories
our
dy n u o r a arf
r a sc a e w n you ca in your hair r neck o
bauhauss The Bauhaus functionality of art
Movement
The capsule wardrobe movement has been shaped by a vast variety of different cultural and societal influences, including that of art. One artistic influence in particular is that of the Bauhaus art movement of the early 20th century.
The Bauhaus was founded as an art school in Weimar, Germany in 1919 by architect Walter Gropius. The school’s primary goal was to link creativity to manufacturing in the hope to support the modern industrial society, and to change the way that art should be taught in schools from then on. Similarly to capsule wardrobes, the Bauhaus movement held a purpose that went beyond that of visually stimulating, to pursue that of modern function as well.
Bauhaus values can be found among the capsule wardrobe community, which holds a loyalty not only to functionality, but to living sustainable lifestyles.
Basic curriculum offered within the school included the studies of materials as well as other contrasting properties, including color and forms. More specified curriculum covered societal problems, and how those related to form. Every set of curriculum emphasized functionalism, as well as individual creativity with a focus on community and shared purpose.
How Many Ways Can You Layer a Black Turtleneck?
rmth a w r o f r e y la add an extra lity a u id iv d in r o f and
the ultimate staple piece
What’s Your ‘Hero Piece’? A ‘Hero Piece’ can be defined however you’d like it to be, but it’s different for everyone. The piece can simply be your favorite because of the way it looks, or maybe it’s a great staple piece. Maybe it pulls your whole outfit together, or it just makes you feel good. Whatever it may be, the ‘hero piece’ is an important factor in any capsule wardrobe.
Lorena, Hero Piece: Oversized button-down men’s shirt Why: It can be styled many different ways - tucked or untucked, buttoned or unbuttoned, feminine or masculine Personal Style: More ‘tomboy,’ with a lot of sneakers and big coats Hometown: Paris, France
Hope, Hero Piece: Oversized knit jumper Why: It’s 100% cotton, so it can be worn during any season, and it’s versatile in style Personal Style: 60s and 70s vintage mixed with new and contemporary fashions Hometown: Kinnelon, New Jersey
Hannah, Hero Piece: Black velvet jumpsuit Why: It can fit any style or occasion depending on what’s paired with it - from professional, to casual, to dressy Personal Style: Really fun and creative - a lot of simple pieces worn in unique ways or paired with fun accessories Hometown: Acton, Massachusetts
Crystal, Hero Piece: Army green bomber jacket Why: It’s comfortable, can be worn during any season, and goes with the rest of her wardrobe Personal Style: Mostly street wear, with a lot of bright color blocking Hometown: Nanchang, China
Louise, Hero Piece: Colored chunky sweater Why: It’s comfortable, and pops against the rest of her usual monochromatic wardrobe Personal Style: Fun, into mixing colors and wearing things that stand out, but along side pieces that are simple and classy Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark
My Hero Piece My Patched Denim Jacket I personally picked out and sewed each patch on myself, so not only is it unique to me, but I believe it tells a story about who I am. I absolutely love adding new patches from places I’ve been, or of new interests. I feel like I can wear it with anything, and the outfit will instantly feel more fun. An extra plus - it makes for a great conversation starter.
How to Shop Sustainably The capsule wardrobe isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. There are so many other ways to incorporate sustainability into your wardrobe, and here are just a few
1. Only buy what you need 2. Shop secondhand 3. Check the labels for sustainable materials (organic cotton, organic wool, recycled polyester, etc) 4. Think quality over quantity
5. Share or borrow clothes for single occasions 6. Shop intentionally, not compulsively 7. Support your local businesses 8. Research the sustainable efforts of a brand before shopping them 9. Don’t buy into every new trend - stick to your personal style or classic pieces instead 10. Consider your garment’s life cycle: When you’re done with a piece, donate or recycle it instead of throwing it away
References 1. Whitehead, Shannon. “5 Truths the Fast Fashion Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know.”The Huffington Post, TheHuff ingtonPost.com, 19 Aug. 2014. 2. Remy, Nathalie, et al. “Style That’s Sustainable: A New Fast-Fashion Formula.” McKinsey & Company. 3. The True Cost. Directed by Andrew Morgan, Life is My Movie Entertainment, 2015. 4. Wagner, Melissa, et al. “Fashion Product Solutions and Chal lenges for Environmental and Trend Conscious Consumers.” Journal of Fashion Technology & Textile Engineering, vol. s3, 2017 5. “Greenpeace.” Greenpeace, www.greenpeace.de/. 6. Andrady, Anthony L. Plastics and the Environment. Wiley, 2003. 7. “Bauhaus Movement, Artists and Major Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement-bauhaus.htm. 8. Tate. “Bauhaus – Art Term.” Tate, www.tate.org.uk/art/art terms/b/bauhaus.
Brands and Artists Listed below are all of the brands that made up the curated capsule wardrobe in this zine, as well as the artists of all featured artwork Adidas Brandy Melville Dr. Martens Everlane Fjall Raven Gap Goldsign Haim Isabel Marant J Crew Le Specs Madewell M.i.H Jeans People Tree The Elder Statement The Great The Hat Depot Topshop Vetements House of Hackney Designs Laszlo Maholy-Nagly Staatliches-Bauhaus