Although the term ‘capsule wardrobe’ has been filling the air of sustainability discourse as of late, the term first started appearing as early as the 1940s in American women’s magazines. Rooted in the idea of pairing down your wardrobe to a set of high-quality staple pieces, supplemented modestly with seasonal items and accessories, the capsule wardrobe is intended to help the everyday dresser save money and reduce waste.

“The general essence of ‘less is more’ is how we should try to approach personal wardrobe-building”

It may seem from the title of this article that I’ll tolerate absolutely no further peeps about the capsule wardrobe. While I do think that it’s a tired concept killing the beauty of organic personal style, I’ll admit that the essential philosophy of the capsule wardrobe makes sense. It promotes several sustainable concepts, such as the importance of buying clothing with intention and being conscious of what we want and what we truly need. The general essence of ‘less is more’ is how we should try to approach personal wardrobe-building.

That being said, the institute of the ‘capsule wardrobe’ has now morphed into a Chelsea boot-wearing, Levi 501-clad beast which curtails the fun side of fashion and, if anything, encourages a harmful consumerist mindset of seasonal wardrobe ‘refreshes’.

An obsession with ‘timelessness’ gives the capsule wardrobe a short shelf-life

The first glaring issue with the capsule wardrobe is that it’s utterly restrictive. It turns personal style into a game of strategy whose goal is efficacy and economy. Capsule wardrobes are kind of like the IKEA of fashion – everything matches seamlessly, and probably looks pretty okay, but you’re not going to be winning any awards for your interior design prowess.

“Building a wardrobe you love full of items you can’t wait to wear is a life-long process filled with failed experiments”

The cult of the capsule wardrobe’s obsession with minimising fashion ‘mistakes’ instils in its followers an irrational fear of a little faux pas, something that’s going to be inevitable as you experiment with clothing. Creating a capsule wardrobe also demands the wearer to define their entire personal style, allowing little room for fluidity. Its sharp focus on cohesiveness and outfit perfection permits no risk, which inevitably encourages us to play it safe, and, regrettably, follow trends. It’s likely to lead to people to replace capsule after capsule as their preferences inevitably change over time.

Low-risk, low-reward styling strategy: how to accept your new identity as the fashion equivalent of a sensory deprivation tank

This brings me to my main point of loathing: capsule wardrobes are painfully boring. Flick through any blog post on the matter and you’ll receive the same advice – pick a muted colour scheme and buy classic, timeless pieces. Usually you’ll be directed towards a trench coat, blue jeans, black, straight-legged trousers, and maybe an ecru linen shirt if you’re lucky.

One minute, you’re thinking about how you can change your fashion philosophy for the good of the environment; the next, you’re rocking back-and-forth in the corner of GAP, sweating and sobbing, trying to decide which shade of shapeless cotton t-shirt will best complement the nine other items of clothing you’re allowed to own.

Obviously, capsule wardrobes don’t have to be monochrome and yawn-worthy, but I just don’t think they’re the answer to all our sustainability questions. Unless you’re someone who is 100% certain of their style and you’ve been dressing yourself successfully for years, you’ll be looking about as exciting as a concrete slab. (Better grab your pencil skirt and black cashmere sweater, or you’ll be late for your shift as the Gherkin’s receptionist.) Sure, no-one can accuse your outfits of looking tacky, unflattering or outdated – but you’ll also end up looking like a walking Zara mannequin. And no, I don’t mean that in a good way.

So, is there an alternative?

Breaking away from the cult of the capsule wardrobe is not as scary as it sounds. As you exit, leave behind the wardrobe anxiety and the hard-and-fast rules. Building a wardrobe you love full of items you can’t wait to wear is a life-long process filled with failed experiments – don’t let the cult of the capsule wardrobe convince you otherwise.

However, take with you its fundamental principles: make your purchases mindful and premeditated, take time to understand your personal style, and always strive to differentiate between your fashion wants and your fashion needs.