The Capsule Wardrobe - Topic of the day 7/9/24
It seems lately everyone has a capsule wardrobe how-to but: what even is a capsule wardrobe? What benefits or drawbacks exist with organizing your clothes in this way? Is there an "ideal" capsule wardrobe to you, and if so, what specific number of items or types of items are part of it? Or is this mostly hype?
283 Replies
ideal wardrobe: one romp-him and flip flops
board shorts, bucket hat, paddleboard
ideal for all circumstances
I started this way, thinking I need X of this and X of that, versatility, etc.. It's fine and helpful, but easy to get bored. Now I would define it as "this stuff fits and I can throw it on," versus other things I have that need a little care in pairing or fit. That said, when an outfit works regardless of pieces, it's now capsulized within the "oh shit I'm late" column
a capsule wardrobe definitely has to include a lion and a witch imo
I used to like a capsule wardrobe because I traveled a ton for work.
I now am pretty much home - I do not like a capsule wardrobe. I like clothes too much to limit what I have in the name of Versatility and an arbitrary limitation of quantity of things
in my mind a capsule wardrobe is like a 30-40ish or lower item wardrobe where everything is streamlined to go with as many things as possible so you can keep mixing and matching without feeling burnout. ive only really seen anyone talk about this in the YouTube fashion space where former people with spending issues have implemented them to drastically cut down spending.
for me, i do not like them. if everything is versatile then everything blends together and gets boring to look at. i need freedom to try bolder things that don't necessarily go with everything. that's just what's fun to me
If you think about it, a small brand like Basketcase or No Maintenance’s seasonal collections are just capsule wardrobes
fwiw i basically have a capsule wardrobe, but for practical reasons, as i struggle with colors. so i've pretty deliberately put it together so that everything is more or less interchangeable
Yea, those videos also seem to base everything on color, which is fine, but texture and silhouette are hard to play with in a capsule
my "capsule wardrobe" is essentially my regular wardrobe but i only pick one or two of the vibes; i.e. slouchy business casual, formal-ish ann d stuff, streetwear, biker rick, etc. and then distill them a lil
because as it is, my wardrobe is pretty disjointed because of all the things i tried while i was first getting into experimental fashion that ended up sticking for one reason or another
zeo and i had a little conversation about them yesterday and he said you gotta do hella more laundry which um no thanks
Yea like, smart casual is required for my work. Capsuling definitely has uses there. Just a snooze.
I think the youtubers who wear 5 wool tees and a pair of Outlier™ climbers for a year straight are probably literally smelly. They also all seem to conclude "after a year of this I really liked being able to wear more things"
and as much as i love to sacrifice comfort for looking cunt i simply cannot do it every day
so for that reason i think i will always have some basic streetwear things in my closet
like maybe i put a boot on instead of a sneaker but i'm still wearing what comes out to cargo pants and a t shirt
also when people talk capsule wardrobes are they like divided by season
like this is my summer one
this is my winter one
A friend of mine does "capsule wardrobe of the month" as a creative challenge to himself, where he selects a set amount of pieces from his wardrobe and restricts himself to only wearing those for the month. Not my cup of tea, but propably a fun exercise to force yourself to think of new ways to wear the same clothes
usually yes
but it's funny that this happens bc like
any place that has srs climate differences between seasons
not like ur wearing ur summer garb in winter unless it's under a coat
and ur just strictly not wearing ur winter garb in summer
sometimes I see ppl change palettes or even full aesthetics
but I don't think the Capsule Wardrobe label was necessary to say "this is what I wear in summer" etc
maybe maybe not, I basically do this and sorry to flex but I am not smelly
i might be a weird case but even living in the northeast i keep almost everything i own in the closet year round and tend to wear all off it except like a heavy coat in the summer
tag kyn and he'll show up to confirm this as true (angrily)
I'm living the meme of same raws yearround
like 100++ wears and just never wash
people cannot be the appropriate judge their own smells 😉
I think capsule is a good nickname for my tiny 1br apartment closet.
see: https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1260264203332092018/1260268083918934099
honestly agree
but that's also just small apt/small closet
@kyn when you're around @discord solipsist z do you repeat the smelly smell lines from spongebob
like I think my actual full wardrobe is as small as some peoples' capsule wardrobes
this is critical to the thread
I think this is in part a matter, again, of the practiced behavior of the capsule wardrobe
if you were to ask me what I think a capsule wardrobe would be, size-wize, ideally in my head
I'd think of a vintage LV wardrobe trunk
if it fits in there, it's a capsule wardrobe
i should do a count at some point. i'm gonna guess like 80-100 things
you can put it on a fucking private train car and live out of it, but it's probably got 4 or 5 outfits at most
for a capsule wardrobe i'm thinking like a largeish suitcase yeah
mine is at ~70 and probably less than that if you exclude some stuff I doubt most people here would include, and it's shrinking
a capsule wardrobe is great when you are moving around a lot; before I graduated from university I moved to five different places during my bachelors and masters.
I could start counting my socks and boxers in there and probably barely crack 100 items
anyways this thread is another one for me to soapbox to all of you that you do not need so many things, you would do better with less, and you can have a far more diverse wardrobe than mine and still do that
Are you approaching your wardrobe with the Intention of it being a Capsule Wardobe?
ultimately mine strictly is in the sense that I wear a subset of items almost exclusively in the spring and summer and a subset almost exclusively in the fall and winter
the boxers stay the same but I switch tees and socks to longer ones
there are like 2 pairs of shorts I wear in the summer and 2 pairs of pants I wear in the winter, plus a pair of jeans year round
for sure, but I feel like Intent matters. I love your idea of defining a Capsule Wardrobe as one you can stuff in a 1950s airplane suitcase.
That as the arbitrary limiter versus "I have a small closet" greatly changes how someone approaches what they own, imo as it gives a very different intent to what you decide to own, even if ultimately you have the same Storage Space
what counts as clothes in a wardrobe
like do undies count
i probably wouldn’t count it unless your main concern is space
To me, the interesting thing about the idea of a capsule wardrobe is identifying a small number of pieces that capture the core of your style, while also being mix-and-match, so you can pretty much wear everything with everything else.
The reality of capsule wardrobes, for me, is "why bother?", except maybe in the case of travel.
that's what I mean, I might start counting them on my list
sox too
But travel is weird too, because for longer trips I try to avoid cotton and wear wool and synthetics that are easy to wash in a hotel sink and dry quickly. Which I haven't managed to make terribly stylish...yet.
once upon a time pre-mfa my wardrobe was this- https://www.reddit.com/r/capsulewardrobe/s/SOgX6DnVyx
Reddit
From the capsulewardrobe community on Reddit: Men's Winter Capsule ...
Explore this post and more from the capsulewardrobe community
and it was good for what it was - the things went together, it fit my lifestyle, i wasn't woefully out of place
This would be great in green, blue etc
the issue for me was primarily, as some said, laundry because i have come to not enjoy doing it multiple times per week
a secondary issue was variety in fits, which led to me joining mfa and well, the rest is history
50 t shirts 2 pants 1 undie 2 right socks 3 left socks
i do think there's value in it, either as a way to segment diametetrically opposed parts of your wardrobe or as a sort of "exploration" of a theme
i think it being commodified in the way it has been lately is INSANE given the justifications are usually about reducing clothing waste or supporting ethical consumption
(also worth noting the "traditional" definition of a capsule wardrobe- a small supplement to a wardrobe of basics - has largely been lost to time aside from, oddly enough, clothing retailers)
I was actually thinking recently about what my core-James capsule wardrobe would be. What I came up with for Spring/Fall is:
Pants: Blue 501s, OG-107s, PRL Andrew khaki chinos
Shirts: white tee, blue OCBD, and, um, something else
Jackets: gray herringbone blazer, navy blue chore coat
Shoes: white canvas sneakers, brown penny loafers
Bonus: a fair isle sweater and a tie
All you need to know
if i had that sfc suit best believe i would wear it daily
The problem, though, is that all of that is relatively boring. I'm wearing something very close to OG-107s, white tee, blue chore coat, and canvas sneakers today. But actually I'm wearing a patchwork overshirt that's much more interesting, and that makes all the difference.
i mean if it's true to you then who cares
the issue i find is people rejecting their tastes to look like a cos lookbook
But I guess knowing what your theoretical "capsule" is gives you a way to know if a more interesting "statement" piece would work for you or not.
that's kind of how my wardrobe is shaking up
I think it's reddit-brain that has attached these minimalism, min/max, boring vibes to ideas like a capsule wardrobe.
It's just a collection of clothes that all work together.
decent amount of Basic Clothes (albeit some a little less basic) and then a separate set of Fun Clothes that get mixed in
I find that the most limiting factor to a capsule wardrobe for me is that I'm not that interested in compromising how I want to dress for an occasion with the size of my wardrobe.
I do have major trips coming down the pipeline and I've thought about what to bring: probably pink OCBD, chinos, fatigues... And then louder stuff like a Madras shirt, sukajan, DB blazer if I have one by then.
that said I'm not going to not wear things that i enjoy just for the sake of owning an arbitrary number of clothes
once you start compromising on aspects of your lifestyle just for the sake of fitting your clothes into a nice round box i think it loses its value
I'm WFH but any time I get the chance to go to a wedding, out to dinner, a get together with friends, etc. I'm just really excited to wear fun clothes.
If my life was different maybe then I would be more inclined to limit my wardrobe or optimize in that way but it's just not interesting to me. I have a "capsule" wardrobe of what I just throw on to wear at home when I'm working but I don't really consider those "fits" tbh
I in some ways admire folks that have been able to refine their tastes and get off fits with a small wardrobe that works really well for their lives. That's just not me
I really dislike all of the boring listicle "Men's Essential Capsule Wardrobe" stuff. Most men do not need a navy blazer or whatever.
100%. There is no single capsule for all people. It's inherently a personal thing.
MFAD house style is it's own capsule wardrobe but I find the framing of Springboard wardrobe to be far more interesting and empowering.
Put This On
The Springboard Wardrobe
When I started getting into fountain pens about eight years ago, I was overwhelmed by the number of options. The...
Not to discount capsule wardrobes, that particular optimization just doens't interest me and I'd rather fuss with fitting all of my clothes in my closet than making sure they all can be worn with all of my wardrobe
But I do kinda think that most men need a navy blazer. (Joking...sort of 😃 )
I find the opposite super interesting. Maybe that's a different totd tho
Oh I couldn't remember what this post was called but stuff from it was living in my head rent free, "Most men are either a Chino Guy or Denim Guy, rarely both to equal degrees" etc
I think identifying your core pieces is a very useful thought exercise. @The Teenage Gentleman lol had a blog post about this that I really appreciated, even though I personally don't need multiple double-breasted suits. 😄
I'm Loud Shirt Guy.
Even the name of springboard wardrobe is pretty cool. Derek when he was cool.
I think there can be something aspirational in knowing your personal style well enough that you are able to condense it into a relatively small amount of items.
I think capsule wardrobes might have become a fantasy of contentment
"only these three items and then my capsule wardrobe is complete and i can live a happy life"
(im cynical about this)
god beans is just so right
cannot believe he linked derek but hes so right
alright the derek article is bad but the idea is good
It's v Derek-coded yeah but the mindset change from "12 ESSENTIALS EVERy REAL MAN SHOULD HAVE OR you WON"T GET LAID" is refreshing
I like Derek long form
the idea is amazing
his recs are terrible lmao
But when he becomes zinger twitter Derek he’s kinda insufferable
the problem is the article is extremely derek coded
his springboard is "jeans/chinos, ocbd, navy sports coat, sweater"
hey don't forget about the pearl snap western! /s
that's a wild choice
like thats a terrible springboard but the idea of a springboard is amazing
It was made in 2021
But he also uses the word stylish which is slim chino coded
thats cause derek is slim chino coded
but im a capsule wardrobe hater cause i feel like the term has mostly evolved to mean the most boring wardrobe possible
which obviously has already been covered in this thread
I'll take a lot of derek slander, but idt he's a slim chino guy
An insanely wide trouser cut for 2012
https://putthison.com/how-pants-should-fit-its-much-easier-to-get/
Put This On
How Pants Should Fit
It’s much easier to get trousers to fit well than jackets. There’s also less wiggle room for interpretation. While there...
Not great for quite a lot of people, definitely
valid
It's crazy reading blog posts and stuff from just 2021 and how people say like, I know it's a big leap but why not give wide pants a try
It's hilarious how gently you have to speak to men to try new things huh
i agree with zach/beans
Because new = gay
unfortunately the term has become so associated with slim fit boring tech guy bullshit
but it doesn't have to be!
right!
when i travelled for christmas i didn't want to a check a bag so i brough 3 pants and 4 tops that all went with each other and honestly i really enjoyed it, i just brought the pieces i liked the most and i think i looked good every day
Yeah, I usually do this when travelling
oh wait you meant tech as in employment not tech as in techwear
honestly traveling poses a fun challenge of distilling your wardrobe essence into a single bag
or whatever size your luggage is
i don't think i have a huuuuge wardrobe to start with too
i can see the benefit of this as a creative exercise but longterm not really
i don't buy a lot of clothes, i don't usually make impulse buys and i usually offload stuff i dislike pretty efficiently
anyway the end goal should be looking and feeling good and there's people out there who both look and feel good with like 2 pairs of pants total
and i don't think there's anything wrong with that and i don't think you have to be constantly pushing your wardrobe and trying new stuff to still engage with fashion and enjoy it as a hobby
say it louder for the folks in the back
(not that there's anything wrong with pushing your wardrobe or trying new stuff, as long as it's not negatively affecting your life have at it)
I think the concept of a capsule wardrobe would be the same as the versatility subject except this time it demands a minimalistic approach and having much fewer pieces.
I thought his recs were good, or at least close to my personal core style. I mean, it's not far off what I posted above as my capsule.
basically it's giving off empty warehouse core where you have a wooden pallet as your bed frame
Lol two pillows. Self-indulgent plutocrat
Kanye's former bedroom
dereks suggestions are great if u wanna dress like derek
Jeans and chinos are derek-coded?
What would you recommend for a springboard wardrobe?
I wouldnt.
I mean I think he is pretty spot on about either being a jeans or a chino guy lol
So you object to the concept rather than the actual recommendations?
I mean I was neither for a very long time and now I’m coming back to jeans
And I don’t think my definition of jeans fits his idea of a jeans guy
No its stupidly formal for a springboard
thats the problem with derek
fucking wanna talk about garments 90% of men don't need - OCBDs and Sports coats
It suits me. But I see that it's more subjective than I initially thought.
also shetland sweaters
doesn't mention tee shirts either
which is extra funny since those are absolutely the base garment for 90% of people
So if someone said "I want to dress better", would you avoid all general guidelines?
no
That's exactly my point. I don't object to the concept of a springboard wardrobe and I also think Derek's recommendations suck.
I'm curious what you would recommend instead
Idk where you're getting these mutually exclusive concepts to tbh it's not derek or nothing
I think my guidelines would be tee shirts, jeans (literally wtf does he mean by "jean guy"), slacks, a sweater, and a few casual light jacket options (harringtons, field, denim, etc - this is personal preference)
Thanks, and sorry. I'm trying to understand your position, not be argumentative
maybe a single OCBD and tie if you find yourself craving that once you have the basics from there
sports coats are so overrated, just wear a normal light jacket over a shirt and tie
without being limited by the formality of the garment
see: like 90% of arts casual dressing in the fall
if you do that a ton then get a sports coat
you'll kinda know when you feel limited from like that super super barebones wardrobe
it will come naturally
Sport coats can be really fun. But I tend to agree that they are not a basic by any metric.
Though I don't get the american ivy obsession with having it as unstructured as possible tbh
Interesting. I find that Harringtons and similar jackets don't really vibe with me.
I think Derek gives good tailoring advice in terms of formality, wearing what you like, and some popular tailoring trends but yeah he’s not really in tune to fashion
Like all his inspos are from decades earlier which is fine if you want to dress that way
But usually when people want to dress better they want to at least kind of be trendy
sports coats and OCBD are not versatile in general, not used in any workwear styles, not used in streetwear
im super over them as recs
they are great for ivy and ivy adjecent
But I see your point that maybe a blazer is something to maybe get later if you want/need. Not because Internet Menswear Man says it's something Every Man Needs
or like, 70s throwback
And sport coats aren’t on the fashion forefront for a lot of people and honestly have no place in a capsule wardrobe. Either full formality or ditch the sport coat. No one I know wears sport coats
A blazer for someone who dresses prep or ivy or trad is good for their capsule wardrobe just as baggy cargos and a cropped hoodie are good for someone into streetwear’s capsule wardrobe
Neither are must haves
In fact I don’t think there’s a single item that is a must have
Except four dudes on the Internet? 😃
for a springboard i think theres an extremely basic wardrobe that has some real range, but the idea of a springboard that imo derek is missing is it should be limited
you should constantly be feeling like "I need this"
Any time I would need to wear a sport coat or navy blazer I can just go one formality up and wear full tailoring or go one formality down and wear something without a blazer
because that "I need this" is the whole springboard
that is the personal bit
True
Like you’re building around something
But yea in terms of formality I don’t think that there is ever an event that requires a sport coat but cannot be attended with a suit
I really think mine could be classified the same way but I'm not sure how much of that is on purpose. I don't actually have a crazy variety of clothes I wear in my day to day life. However, I also almost never get rid of clothes, so sometimes I'll pull a really old piece from the closet to see how I'm feeling about it before putting it away again. In terms of what I practically wear though instead of what I experiment with sometimes, it's a pretty small variety.
some tech interviews
the only thing i would say genuinely defies the capsule wardrobe idea for me is the amount of shoes i have and will put in and out of rotation
also i hate tailoring recs because the fit is too finicky as a starting point
Not sure I agree OCBDs aren't versatile / possible in workwear. Are you defining workwear as "stuff that's okay to get dirty?"
Genuinely curious
if you aren't an "off the rack" person and everything you see is like "get a sports coat" and its like "ya a sports coat that fits you is like $800+" thats a great way to shut down someones interest in fashion
if you can't play football in it it ain't a sports coat
i have never found a sports coat that fits, ive been told i cannot wear off the rack tailoring and need a MTM sportscoat
luckily, a sportscoat isn't actually a basic
plus i have a pseudo-blazer now that fits well enough
i literally think i will never need a sports coat in my life
heard, shopping for tailoring is an absolute fucking nightmare for me
i think wearing a OCBD with workwear 99% of the time, comes across as ivy adjacent more than "workwear"
because of the OCBD
a denim shirt or mechanic shirt will hit the workwear side way better
It probably will
hence why i don't think its a basic for a springboard, again i think a springboard should be limiting
some people will immediately be wishing for a OCBD
and its a natural next step
others will wish for a chambray workshirt
and thats also a natural next step
just like some will wish for double knees or fatigues or cargos or whatever
But I also think the "work" landscape of 2024 vs past eras makes me see OCBDs in a different light now than they were seen then.
it’s a tech interview do you really need a blazer if the next guy is showing up with a figma hoodie and on clouds
valid
figma balls
Sorry, obscure reference to a recent comment about Paraboots. 😀
like this is how i conceptualize a springboard, theres a really small limiting core, and then obvious next steps towards very different styles
It's also v easy to mistake the genpop's perception of an OCBD tbh. A lot of people I know would consider one to be extremely formal, others I know see em as an everyday whatever piece
i kinda want to write a substack about this but i can't write
true leave it to the qualified writers like blackbirdspyplane
And how often do we get dudes that come in here and say "I've only ever worn basketball shorts and t-shirts but I want to wear other things" who also balk at the idea of an ocbd yk?
to smiles earlier point it's just not an essential for so many ppl
honestly i think the only essential top is a tee right now
yeah its funny how i cheap out on t shirts when they're by far what i wear the most
was just thinking about this
few plain tees and a (good) graphic tee will work in pretty much any style down the line
You probably don’t need a graphic tee too
This is really interesting, but I also feel like we've pared down the springboard wardrobe so much it's basically stuff that guys already have. Basically "jeans, tshirt, sneakers"
well, for me this is about getting into fashion
which requires effort
yes thats a great starting point
because you'll quickly start to realize that "I want this"
And that now the springboard wardrobe gets corrupted by the "elevated basics" nonsense, which is way more toxic IMO.
this is why its all about what do you want to look like
you cant sell an OCBD on its own
If you're a 25-year-old tech bro who wants to dress better and whose wardrobe is 2 pairs of jeans, 5 tees, and a pair of sneakers, I think you might be better served by trying chinos than replacing your $50 jeans with $500 jeans.
and this is exactly the point of contention both in this convo & a greater convo abt the server imo: what are we doing?
Is the goal to provide "buy this" guides that will be outdated by the time future readers find it, are we teaching people how to think about dressing (like Ben's last article), both? Neither?
But, that's just, like, my opinion, man.
my goal is to get mfin fits off idk about u
My goal is to have fun and enjoy myself and what I'm wearing. Getting an occasional compliment on my outfit (internet or IRL) is icing on the fashion cake.
i got an irl compliment today feelsgoodman
disagree
depends what they wanna do
but I will die on the cross for sick jawns
I guess my feeling is that they may not know what they want to do, much less be able to articulate it.
ok that is fair
And I speak from personal experience. I had to do some experimentation.
but dont shoot strays out at the fades
i really like what you've contributed in this thread btw Zach and i do want to start moving towards not having that much stuff
And "maybe try some chinos" is not terrible advice, even if it ends up being wrong for them.
I don't mean it as religiously as I say it like not everyone Must cut wardrobe for satisfaction
that's how you get into minmax territory
but I have found that I have survived being in this hobby (and others) a long time and maintained interest despite progressively buying less
I think in this situation, as a tech bro who can wear whatever he wants and has unlimited money, he has the luxury privilege of not going into tailoring immediately as a stepping stone into fashion
ive noticed a shift lately where im not looking for a suitable thing, im looking for the perfect thing
which i think is a good step to buying less and having less
maybe I'm being contrarian but I don't think making mistakes is a necessary part of growth in a hobby
Me too and the perfect thing is nicer than having a bunch of could bes
I think you should feel comfortable acknowledging the mistakes you make to yourself
i sell clothes so i don't feel as bad about buying more
and acting on them
e.g. you get something, you don't like it, you sell/give it away
no interest in smaller wardrobe but i do try to prune
so that i dont' get too big and have a closet full of stuff i don't wear
but the mentality of trying a bunch of stuff in scattershot knowing you're going to nix some of it
is not ideal to me and feels kinda wasteful both of material/money and of brain space
I guess what I'm talking about has been called "rugged ivy" lately which by its name I can't argue against you, but I still think it adds to the flexibility. Would it generally still be perceived as "dressing up?" Probably
and again u don't need to find the Most Perfect Stuff before buying
i think the shift from wanting "good enough" to wanting "perfect" will happen naturally if you get really into fashion and is a trap at first
im drawing so many parallels to therapy right now lol
and how just having a generally good and healthy mindset will benefit everything else
even stuff that once was perfect doesn't remain so
I might get rid of my 992s and 995s even though I love them dearly
true!
because I'm apparently truly old man and they're starting to hurt my feet
literally and figuratively
tastes change and shit breaks (esp shoes)
Yeah, I'm slowly starting to get pickier, and it's tricky. You're ultimately limited by the available sizes and styles out there in the market, unless you design your own fabric and sew your own clothes.
well, i'd say you're limited by money
maybe u are 😎 (oh god im broke)
Even if you're not (very) limited by money, the really expensive exotic stuff is small production and available in a limited number of sizes. If I'm contemplating spending ludicrous amounts of money on a Yohji jacket (for example), I want it to fit! But https://theshopyohjiyamamoto.com/shop/g/gMJ-J10-132-1-02/ only comes in TWO SIZES! That, to me, is a bigger constraint than the cost.
NEPPED HERRINGBONE JACKET WITH STRIPED POCKET DETAILS(S GREY): Vint...
NEPPED HERRINGBONE JACKET WITH STRIPED POCKET DETAILS(S GREY)
This is a really nice take ty. I'll have to think on it some
I think this discussion is also showing a lot of the bias of this server re OCBDs and chinos and stuff. The "rugged neo-ivy" tilt of MFAD's house style isn't the only direction for exploring style and I agree v much with smiles and char about springboard being a good concept but also incredibly personal and there's no one list for it.
Those aren't thoughts on capsule wardrobes tho so I'll stop or take it to #fashion
it's fine you can color outside the lines here, it's just that it's harder to preserve/find the convo in here than in there
I recognize that but I feel like having the dialogue among more regulars in here has enabled a faster-flowing and still more focused convo, and y'all will remember it
agreed. i have been in the internet fashion space for almost ten years and never once have i needed or wanted an ocbd for any job, occasion, etc
yeah this is the best totd in a while i have lots to think about
this blows my mind, and is good for me to hear.
basically ditto, I've worn some collared shirts (cough cough iron heart ultra heavy flannel cough cough) occasionally for meetings with c-suite people at other orgs or media interviews
but I pushed back against wearing ocbds
EDIT: I lied I had one single occasion a few weeks ago, I went to a wedding of an internet fashion oldhead and he requested we dress up in cocktail attire and so I did wear an OCBD and my blue floral corduroy suit
(I hope I've back read thoroughly enough to not be repeating others' points) I feel like capsules can be a useful concept for figuring out how to dress at first. Like, if you think you need to buy 15 sweaters before you can explore your "ideal" style then you're gonna be spending way too much money and you might not like it in the end. You'll be better served by trying to figure out how to make a lot of combinations with a little bit of clothing, and then you can see if you actually like that experiment and what you want to keep doing and what you want to drop. It's also good to think about versatility that way to avoid buying things that are legit cool but don't work well with your wardrobe. I feel like I see capsules a lot in womenswear especially, which makes sense because the idea that you need 500 gajillion different outfits is really powerful in that space, and reinforcing that you don't need that to be stylish (nobody said Audrey Hepburn was an outfit repeater for wearing ballet flats and high waisted capris a lot) is important. You don't need to spend absurd amounts of money or dedicate a lot of space to clothing to dress well, and being deliberate pays off. For me, I think of it as similar to doing a color theory exercise with my painting. I enjoy packing for a trip and figuring out how to be absolutely perfect in every possible combination, but I wouldn't want to make it my whole closet.
almost 15 yrs for me and also same. collared shirts? hell yeah dude I had a whole ann d phase. OCBDs? no lmao
I think it's a bit like the visualization step of the konmari cleanup process? Like, there's nobody who can determine what'll spark joy in your wardrobe for you
People can guide you or give you inspiration but yeah, no list will ever be perfect or correct for everyone or universal
I just went back and looked at fits from @carrion , @discord solipsist z , and @filthy_casul . It looks like you are all closer to the vicinity of streetwear than the WorkIvyMilsurpWear "MFA default style". Is that at least the right ballpark? (I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about and not trying to offend anyone)
closer to that than typical mfad attire yeah
I feel like I fit in with the MFA house style reasonably well, but I've also been feeling like I've been more influenced by it than I realized, or intended. Not sure how I feel about that.
No shame of falling into house style if thats what you like
It’s not bad to enjoy the mfa style. Heck that’s why a lot of people are here
Yeah, but I don't want to just wear it by default, and I have some definite bones to pick with the MFA house style.
ya ive only posted fits like 5 times now but I'm def more streetwear adjacent than mfad-adjacent in my day-to-day
post more! the variety helps us. or at least helps me.
trust i will, a recent move and dramatic body recomp phase of gaining 75lbs has put purchasing on the slow burner tho lmao
There's definitely a part of me that believes "every man needs a navy blazer". I recognize that's silly, but its sort of ingrained, so it's good to hear a contrary viewpoint.
I think it's good to be prepared for a formal event where not being dressed up would be seen as disrespectful, but there's a lot of formal stuff that's not a real part of my wardrobe & I don't wear outside those contexts
But in that situation a suit would suffice in place of a blazer
I just dont' go to formal events lmao
I think a lot of people whether they're less interested in fashion or just indifferent to business fashion, know they need a collared shirt, but they don't really emphasize the distinction between different collar types, might be looking at other aspects of the shirt more. So you could arguably be best served by a button down, maybe you do pick one up, but could be a spread collar or whatever just as well.
I think if you're approaching things with the intentionality involved in a capsule/springboard approach it might be good to think more about what aesthetic you want to do, what shapes you want, and what details get you in those directions (and at that stage maybe some of us land on stuff like OCBDs 🙂)
they are extremely few and far between
culturally dependant obviously
yeah, I was wondering how streetwear dudes handle that. And it seems like the answer is "keep a suit in the back of your closet"
but at least as an American, the only events i really need formal clothes are weddings and I'm not at the weddings blitz age yet
Yeah I don't either, there's been weddings in the family but they're too far away...
ive legitimately never been to a wedding in my life lol
I wouldn't say I'm a streetwear person but I don't wear blazers or my formal shoes often and I feel bad for "neglecting" them by letting them sit in my closet. i just don't feel like it's really "me" when i try to style them into my normal wardrobe unfortunately
tbf, college grad was fucked up for me with covid so maybe you might need something there but
Last times I was at a wedding I was smaller and could squeeze into dad's suit or wore a kurta
i would just drop bands on a suit for a wedding i cared a lot about xd but my style is adjacent enough i coulld find uses for a non-business coded suit ngl
but i also need a MTM suit so
i don't have a cheap option
but overall i just don't think many people need formal clothing
i haven't needed any for like 5 years now
pro tip: pay for your own wedding if at all possible. That way you and your partner have complete control. So if you're a streetwear dude, you can say "dress code: Supreme"
So you STILL won't need a suit.
i feel like you have some weird conception of style here ngl, i can hate wearing a suit day to day and still want it for one of the biggest events of my life
like being into streetwear doesn't make you hate formal clothing
don't project
Same I'd need MTM, and don't need anything formal
But I would (will) totally wear a :derek: approved wardrobe if I could because I just like it lol
ok, ok, I was just trying to be silly
tho my suggestion about paying for your own wedding so you can keep control was serious.
Yeah it's actually much much odder to like wearing tailoring daily eh
Which is a little odd because there's a lot to get used with suits and sport coats but ah well lol
(fun fact there was an ocbd in my capsule wardrobe for functional reasons, namely that because i was a hygenic person that wore t-shirts underneath i didn't have to wash it so often)
after thrifting more point collars i honestl dont wear my ocbds as much lol
also, I would hate having to wear a suit every day too. But apparently I like playing dress-up, which is a little silly and privileged.
i still like ocbds because of their ruggedness also because i am a nerd who can parse the difference in cotton weaves but that is my privilege as someone who likes that sort of thing
thats me lol
also me!
sorta kinda adjacent relevant point that i think came up in vintage mfa, the "expansion pack" of the basic bastard, where with a few key pieces you can slowly firm the basis of a different aesthetic (at the time the choices were slp, workwear, milsurp and gorp i think)
but that in and of itself is a capsule! and i think that can extend to experimenting with other aesthetics without the high cost of entry or the burden of authenticity
30-40 feels like so much to me
I like the expansion pack idea, I like to organise my capsule wardrobe with a list of core items, and a rotating list of things I'm trying out
like as an abstraction but also bc my wardrobe sits at like 45 and i think i could trim it so much more
like do ppl just casually have like 40+
and im speaking from the perception of like having brought clothes every month for the last 10 months or so
I keep track of mine with notepad, don't judge me
>looks too american
bars
i count like individual t shirts in that, i count shoes in that, p much everything except socks n undies
20-30 might be better idk lol
He’s mostly not smelly it’s really fucked up
He can actually not shower for like 2-3 days before starting to smell while keeping his house at like 83° and being active in 90°+ weather
Me right after learning @discord solipsist z doesn't smell bad even though he has few shirts: :xdcrying:
If you track your clothes in a spreadsheet it's techbro coded
What code is tracking your clothes in vscode
I don't have a strong enough insult for this
god forbid a person have hobbies
I use markdown to make a table tho
That's worse
I live like a lizard in a terrarium
It's based and keeps my electric bill insanely low
(I put the temp down to 79 for dates :xdcrying:)
how do you sleep at night (that seems too warm to sleep)
it's not for me
you're sick
83 is where I start sweating, so I keep it at 82
EIGHTY TWO?
He has really good fans
It’s not like. Perfect. But it’s true
i'm one of his fans
he's got good fits
I do have really good ceiling fans, it is pretty sick
anyways this helps with capsule wardrobing
Took me a while to catch up with this
But I will say that I do not like or really wear T shirts at all
I don’t think there’s anything that’s truly an essential
T shirts are boring
I just don’t really like how most of them fit on me i think
Also valid
I luv tees
essential is in the eye of the beholder
that said i'm about to pack for five days in rural Maryland so essentials might be basic bastard coded
Yeah I do lol but it makes complete sense to not like them
coward
bring the pyjamas
:nooooo:
didn't know u were a new yorker lol
not a new yorker
u visiting?
a train enthusiast
I have made a capsule wardrobe by accident because I'm transgender and poor
😭
so real lol
pajamas made it to bumblefuck md
I only do capsule wardrobe when I travel lol I don’t like limiting myself
I talked about how I see outfits kinda like photographs or a record of my feelings at the moment of inspiration, aka what goes through my head when I make an outfit
a capsule limits that idea and spontinaity
But still useful for beginners or traveling where freedom and creativity isn’t the priority
It would be like saying I could only write a melody using certain notes . It’s a good challenge or prompt but I know I’d get frustrated or held back