Planning an ethical capsule closet under $250
Shopping small, and shopping fair trade are important now more than ever with COVID-19 affecting the way we shop and support local businesses. Creating an ethical capsule closet is a way to support fair trade businesses, maximize your budget, and do it all from home!
A capsule closet is a mini wardrobe comprised entirely of versatile pieces you love to wear, mix, and match. It’s a pretty simple idea, but in the world of ethical fashion, it’s also a really important one. By choosing our clothes very intentionally, purposefully, and in a minimal quantity, we limit the demand for fast fashion. It might not sound easy at first to limit your closet like this, but if you look hard at what you really need in a week, it’s not so hard to imagine whittling your closet down a little bit. Of course, the best fashion is the fashion that you already own: whether they’re ethically made or not, the clothes you currently own have the most sustainable impact. Nevertheless, if you’re interested in selling or recycling some or all of your clothes and taking a leap into the world of minimalist wardrobes, I’ve put together an ethical capsule closet perfect for this winter season.
I’ll be walking you through my process to create a $250, 10 piece, 7 outfit capsule closet. This was a really interesting experience for me, but a very fun challenge!
I started with a super basic top from The Lemonade Boutique. The Lemonade Boutique is super cool because the boutique’s whole line is made by artisans who have faced extreme hardships, ranging from domestic abuse to sex trafficking. The company’s goal is to help these artisans to “take life’s lemons and make lemonade,” by creating beautiful and affordable ethical pieces. The Lemonade Boutique’s website also allows you to search by cause or by country, allowing customers to feel a more direct connection with the artisans whom their purchases assist. The Black Long Sleeve V-Neck is versatile and comfortable. The top is $29.75 with the insider code customers can receive by providing The Lemonade Boutique with their e-mail on their first visit to the boutique’s website.
I know that for me, solid color long-sleeved tees are the staple of the winter season, and I knew I was going to want one in my capsule closet. This first decision was a no-brainer.
My next decision was a little bit more tricky. There is a myth that capsule closets need to be kind of monochromatic, and I didn’t want mine to look like that. I also knew that I needed to have pieces that could match well with one another, otherwise my closet would end up being too loud. I found this dress from Mata Traders, a fairtrade dress company with beautiful, one of a kind pieces made by artisans in India and Nepal. With the Dressember discount code, conveniently posted in the Ethical Fashion Directory, this dress was $50.99. My total was at $80.74 already.
I knew from there that I wanted a cute skirt to go with my basic shirt or my dress. This Malala Midi Skirt in Pumpkin Spice from The Lemonade Boutique was perfect. The skirt, which costs $49.30 with the insider code, brought my total to $130.04.
Then it seemed logical to add a cute sweater into the mix because fall and winter are all about layering in my opinion. I found one from The Lemonade Boutique that can be converted between a poncho and a sweater, which seemed absolutely perfect for a minimalist capsule wardrobe. The Cambodian Cover Wrap Poncho comes in a variety of colors, but my favorite was this olive, which seemed like a great fall blend. This wrap/poncho, which is priced at $32.30 with the insider code, brought my total to $162.34.
I knew that my next choice had to be some good accessories. Luckily, Ten Thousand Villages has a lot of beautiful, artisan-made pieces that are very reasonably priced. My favorite is the Impressionism Scarf, which is just $7.13 with the 25% code in the Dressember Ethical Fashion Directory.
I also found some simple stud earrings and thought they would be perfect for any activity. The Star Bright Earrings were $9.74 with the Ethical Fashion Directory code. These two pieces brought my total to $179.21.
I realized my budget was getting a little tight, so I knew it was time to add some shoes. Can’t run around barefoot all winter! These Etiko Slip on Grey & White shoes are perfect for casual everyday looks. They also came to $51.12 with the discount I received for my first visit to the site. Everyone receives a different discount because every new visitor gets to “spin the wheel” - so your discount could be bigger than mine, which was 10%! Regardless though, these shoes brought me to $230.33.
I was starting to stress a little bit, because where could I possibly find the cute booties this capsule closet so obviously needs with only $19.77 remaining? Then I remembered that secondhand clothes are another great ethical solution. I found a friend’s Instagram closet cleanout, and sure enough, she had these black booties listed at $18.00. The booties brought my total to $248.33 - just under budget and with an ethical capsule closet that could make 7 outfits.
You’re probably thinking, “There is no way this makes 7 cute outfits.” So I planned out a week of outfits to show off my new closet.
Sunday:
For me, Sunday means church, and church means dressing up. For the first day of my capsule closet, I’m thinking a skirt and top with the booties.
Monday:
Now, I go to class Monday through Friday, because I’m a college student. My capsule closet, which I designed with Dressember in mind, allows me to have a little bit of a uniform but also allows me to add some flair and fashion to my regular week. For Monday, I’m keeping it simple: a dress and, because it’s just class, the slip-on shoes. I’ll accessorize with the star studs.
Tuesday:
For Tuesday, I thought I’d layer up a little bit with my dress. The poncho style for the Cambodian Cover Wrap is warm and cozy but also cute and can be dressed up or down. For Tuesday, I think I’ll dress it up with the booties.
Wednesday:
To get over the hump for Wednesday, I’m going to need a fun outfit! I’ll pair the orange skirt and the black shirt again, this time adding the beautiful impressionism scarf. I’m sticking with the booties for a second day in a row, too.
Thursday:
For Thursday, I’m going to try something a little bit different and wear the dress with my skirt. This is such a fun hack to have in your closet because there are just some dresses designed perfectly to work with some skirts - I think that my skirt and dress are one of these matches made in heaven.
Friday:
For Friday, I’m coming back to my dress, this time with the scarf and slip-on shoes, as well as the gold studs.
Saturday:
For Saturday, day 7 and errands day, I’ll be wearing the wrap with my skirt and top as well as the slip-on shoes! I also think the gold studs add something fun to the look, so I’ll add those too.
Planning this capsule closet was a lot of fun. It certainly takes time and effort to shop ethical, but the clothes are super cute and the impact is more than worth it. If you make good use of promo codes and do your research, it also doesn’t need to be crazy expensive when you’re shopping ethically. And, if anyone notices that you’ve been wearing the same pieces on a rotating basis, it opens a perfect chance to talk about ethical fashion and the importance thereof! Then, you can go ahead and explain the concept of laundry in the magic of wearing clothes more than once (we’ve all been there, right?)
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About the Author
Miranda Cecil is a spring gal who loves traveling to new places as well as her local frozen yogurt pump. When she's not finishing homework or watering her succulents, she loves to ski, read, and play her rollout piano. Miranda is hoping to turn her passion for human rights and safety into a career as she studies political science and urban planning at the University of North Carolina (Go Heels!)