As a maximalist, this is how I built my capsule wardrobe

“I felt less obligated to do more.”

As a self-proclaimed maximalist, I love being visually stimulated at all times by different colours, shapes, patterns and textures. You’ll often hear my friends and family commenting on the chaos that is my bedroom walls, plastered with Frankie posters, photos, art from friends and different silly little trinkets I’ve collected with my hard-earned cash. 

But my maximalist tastes come with a set of problems I’m constantly struggling with: unnecessary spending and over-consumption. My paycheck depletes very quickly when I’m faced with my Depop homepage, and I can’t help but imagine how much money I’d be saving if I just had an ounce of self-control every now and again. 

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So, I decided to experiment with owning a capsule wardrobe for a week – a collection of hard-working, staple clothing pieces. Typically comprised of easy-wear basics, a capsule wardrobe is designed to teach out-of-the-box styling and conscious shopping skills. 

Capsule wardrobes will, of course, look different for everyone. A basic tee and denim won’t cut it for me and my personal style, but they will for someone else. I decided to give it a try and I actually discovered more about myself, my personal style and my shopping habits than I thought I would. Read on for my insights.

Monochromatic dressing doesn’t have to be boring

I’d ideally like to reject the notion of having a specific aesthetic. The different ‘cores’ the internet has coined over the last year have been very categorical. As a teen, I used to find myself agonising over the choice to conform to a certain aesthetic. Did I want to be a dark academic or coquette girlie? Should I decorate my room in a cottagecore fashion, or leave it Y2K?

The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve rejected notions of specific aesthetics and leaned into wearing whatever I like. But that mentality has also taught me I like a very wide range of clothing. Whether certain looks flatter me or not, I frequently find myself buying whatever appeals to my goblin brain, resulting in a lot of unworn clothing in my closet. 

Limiting my options meant picking out the pieces I wore constantly and actually enjoyed. By restricting my choices, I found myself enjoying patterned black-and-white clothing I could layer and incorporate different textures into. My most-worn pieces were my Gorman patterned culottes purchased from Mutual Muse and my Aura Lee checkered skirt from the Fitzroy Markets. 

My confidence increased

I felt as though I was closeted, in both personality and queerness, for the first 20 years of my life. I’ve always found solace in expressing myself through clothing and beauty. Fashion, makeup and hair spoke for me when I would choke on my words in any social situation, and that still rings true as I find my own voice in the world.

However, as I forged my own style within the capsule wardrobe, I found myself feeling less interested in doing whacky eyeliner looks or thinking about the next haircut for my parents to roll their eyes to. I was less inclined to compensate for my style through other avenues.

Exploring my gender expression became more central to my identity, and I felt less obligated to do more. Jewellery became my new makeup, and I always found myself reaching for my pearl cross necklace by Oht NYC and the ring I made with my partner in Hee Cho’s ring-making workshop.

My urges to shop have decreased

Mindful consumerism has always been a difficult goal for me to achieve due to my maximalist tendencies. While these habits haven’t completely disappeared, lately I’ve found myself thinking about clothes that come up on my feed before I purchase them. I ask, ‘Will I actually wear it? No like, will I actually wear it? Does it fit into my personal style, or does it just look cool and make me want to hoard it in my closet before deciding I hate how it looks on my body?’.

The habits I’ve been struggling with for years have decreased in only a week of having a capsule wardrobe. I’ve been mindful of my clothing, which has led me to discover what I actually like wearing. Baggy silhouettes, interesting textures, clashing patterns and statement jewellery have all been staples. I found what works for me while referencing (and not conforming to) aesthetics I find inspirational. I couldn’t be happier with the results of this experiment. 

For more on building a capsule wardrobe, head here.