Clarify, simplify and reduce: the recipe for a capsule wardrobe

Minimizing our wardrobe brings simplicity to dressing well . . . and sustainably.

The Swallowtail Top in Grey Fog paired with the Stovepipe Pants in Mulberry make versatile coordinates.

Those of you who follow my posts know I’m an advocate of the capsule wardrobe approach to dressing. It took a while for me to get to the place where I could be pretty ruthless in casting a critical eye on my closet with view to downsizing. Maybe it’s an aging thing. Some of us have experienced going through mountains of clothes left by folks who’ve passed on. Perhaps we don’t want to burden others. That seems practical rather than morbid.

The Trapeze Tunic in Mulberry over Grey Fog Cropped Pants - simple shapes that work.

But putting our mortality aside, a capsule wardrobe can be part of the recipe for simplifying our lives and reducing what we own. Putting together a core collection of carefully chosen pieces that have fad-proof, classic style and abundant comfort is a praiseworthy goal. I look for clothing made with sustainable materials and methods that offer longevity and simple care. As with capsule wardrobes, in creating the color palette for Sympatico, a key consideration is compatibility. Nearly every shade will work with nearly every other shade in the Sympatico collection. Of course, complexion, hair color, and personal preferences may be the the main considerations. But keeping things to the greatest degree compatible color-wise makes great sense when shaping up a capsule wardrobe.