Rewind the capsule wardrobe

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh all :) how's your week going?

I'm on my regular optimal setting: both my men sleeping, other in the bedroom and other in the cosy corner, me sitting in the light of tv and an ocean documentary,  have a cup of tea cooling down, and the laptop and you guys. And even some mints! To help me to concentrate. Nice :) So let's go.

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I had collected some material to make a fashion post, about next Spring and Summer.. I have enjoyed fashion forecasting, just in my own little bubble, and I do love clothing. But it seems like such a vanity now. The glam has sparkled off the subject. Even the high fashion brands like Chanel are supporting the genocide in Gaza (with Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors). These are not brands that I would usually follow anyways but it just gives a final nail to the fashion's coffin, in my opinion. Fashion encourages consumerism and capitalism, and is now out. We don't need it, we never did in the first place. Also as muslims, mostly the fashion scene doesn't serve our ways to dress properly.

Not to shame anyone who likes to dress trendy, I do understand that. I will probably also follow a little, just to see what's going on. But I want to focus on my own style more. I have been able to collect a very nice, working capsule wardrobe for all 4 seasons, so I try now to explore my own closet rather than change it once again.

I have been tracking the whole year every single piece of clothing or shoes I have bought. The results have made me question my choices: I have bought 37 pieces, 11 of it new, and + to those, I have made 12 miss purchases (second hand). It's a lot! Too much. Even though everything was needed, I guess, to create the capsule I have now. This has been going on for a long time. First my size changes, then I buy some new clothes, then the minimalist in me wants to downsize everything and donate most of it away (my friends like this though hehe), and then I need some new pieces again to replace the old.

But not anymore! This cycle must change now. It's not the time to make new year resolutions yet, if I would, but I want to take my experiment more extreme and really have a "five item year" in 2026. In sha Allah. That's my goal. At least not more than 5 new, store bought items, I might be more easy on the second hand shopping. But I want to do better than this year. 

And I can't wait to get to use my linen pants again in the summer time, or my satin skirt. Or in the wintertime, find the joy of wearing an abaya. I used to wear them all the time, but past few years I've found pants and now I have forgotten how to wear hems again. Point is, I rather shop at my own closet than my own wallet. I wanna wear what I have already and that's it.

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So what makes my capsule wardrobe?

Here it is:

Dresses:

- 3 abayas

- Knit dress

- Tunic dress

- Patterned tunic dress

- Patterned tunic

(3 Eid dresses)

Knitwear

- Knitted vest

- Long oversized sweater

- A basic knit

Shirts

- Long college sweater

- 2 oxford shirts

Skirts

- Satin skirt

Pants

- Wide leg jersey pants

- Mom jeans

- 2 linen blend pants

Jackets and coats

- Wool coat

- Puffer jacket

- Trench coat

- Outdoorsy jacket

- Jean jacket

Shoes

- Ankle boots

- Lug sole boots

- Heeled boots

- 2 sneakers

- 4 pairs of ballerina shoes

(and I do want sandals for summer)

Layering pieces

- 2 thin jersey polos

- 2 pair of leggings

Then headscarves, bags and jewelry, exercise cloths, and underwear. I've minimized everything without giving away too much. So now all this works for every season. Of course all of these are not on use the same season.

The colors I wear vary, but mostly I have neutrals and red, pink and plum shades. I wear a lot of black, which isn't my color really, but it works with a more fitting shaded headscarf. 

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So probably the content I'm writing will have some changes anyways. Maybe this was one of the points of my ongoing process, eventually. Luckily I can draw inspiration from my youth years and hippie times, alhamdulillah, something good from that too, hehe. Becoming more sustainable in my actions, purchases and lifestyle. In sha Allah. 

We continue next time again, now I must start to do my evening chores.. Thank you for your time,

Aisha