On becomingminimalist.com, Joshua Becker draws our attention to the "capsule wardrobe movement" which has been touted by some high-profile celebrities. The power and influence of the fashion industry is staggering and has shaped how we think about clothing. Advertising makes wearing the latest brand into a competition and those who cannot avoid to pay the high prices are forced to drop out.

The capsule wardrobe movement involves wearing the same outfit every day. Simplifying this dimension of your life can be an interesting spiritual experiment where the philosophy of less-is-more definitely applies.


Becker has come up with eight reasons to wear the same thing every day. Among them are:

  • Less time wasted. The author experimented by trying to wear only 33 articles of clothing for a period of 3 months and found that the greatest benefit of limiting his wardrobe was the gift of time.
  • Less wasted energy. Becker notes that "not only do large wardrobes require more decision-making, they also require more maintenance, more organization, and more shuffling around."
  • Less expense. Our closets are overflowing with clothes we do not wear, and the average American family spends $1700 on clothes annually. There are many more spiritual ways to use this money.

We were both impressed with this capsule wardrobe movement and realized we are part of it. We have just a few outfits since we live and work in the same place.

One of the reasons to embrace this movement that the article didn't mention is that you can actually develop a close relationship to clothes you wear often over a period of months and even years. When it is time for them to leave, a fitting ritual of thanks can be created.

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