A capsule wardrobe doesn't sound familiar to me until I came across this week's minimalist prompt, and it would be the second time I have come across a minimalist term that's not familiar.
Speaking about clothes, my fashion sense is quite terrible as many think but its quite cool and it doesn't bother me at all since I feel good, even though people always see my outfit as too ordinary. Countless times, I have become a topic for my siblings just because of this fashion thing, and likewise for my wife, who is also a fashionista.
Despite being surrounded by fashionistas, they haven't succeeded in influencing me because, when it comes to clothing myself, I just want to cover my nakedness and look smart and comfortable as well. I do not care about styles, trends, or what's in vogue; these things practically don't cross my mind anytime or any day.
After understanding what capsule wardrobe means, it became clear to me that I have been slightly practicing it, even though I didn't know there was a name for it.
One particular morning, I watched my wife tear her wardrobe apart and was gripped with fear because I didn't understand why she needed that many clothes for herself.
I jokingly told her that if we finally build a house, we might have to use a separate room because she has too much stuff and it doesn't sit well with me.
They are just clothes! I can fold them neatly, and you won't have to notice them! She tried to make me see the reason for having them in abundance, but there is actually no point in having my space cluttered with clothes. Although she practices minimalism but not with clothes, she loves to always look good, just like me, but with a simplified wardrobe. I have a giant wardrobe and barely use 1/4 of it, that's not a problem since I don't even have what would fit in.
It would be fair to say that having excessive clothes has never been my thing, except for the time when I was obsessed with blue tops. I had them in excess, and it became an issue for me since I always have to spend a lot of time contemplating which of the blue tops to wear, but after that time passed, selecting my clothes has been a lot easier whenever I have to go out there.
I browsed through my wardrobe and it's not a coincidence that 90% of my tops are neutral colours because I usually shop for these colors since they can be switched or matched with easily. I also don't buy tops with logos or heavy strips since they make it clear that I am repeating tops even when I switch trousers.
My jeans are also plain, but the colors might vary from light blue to deep blue; they are just perfect for me.
You are outdated! old school fashion! I hear these things whenever I admire dresses when shopping and they have become compliments to my brain.
With these neutral-color tops, I don't need to overstock my wardrobe since they can go practically with any trousers or shorts and even neutral-color footwear. They fit into any outing except a traditional gathering, for which I also have a few clothes.
I have about a dozen of these neutral-color tops, including packing shirts and sweaters, two jerseys, eight pairs of jeans, including shorts, and two pant trousers. That sounds like a lot. Honestly, I barely wear those pant trousers because they make me kind of uncomfortable, and they are strictly for official use.
As a Lagosian, one thing I have always done on the road is to be smart, and only jean trousers give me that satisfaction. I can run, jump, and do anything with the fear of my trousers ripping apart, just like my pants did twice on Lagos Road; those moments were really embarrassing for me.
I mentioned that my capsule wardrobe is incomplete, and that's because I don't have jackets, but it's simplified to some extent. I used to have just one made of jeans, but I had to give it to someone who needed them more.
Adjusting to the minimalist lifestyle can be challenging, just like many people used to say, but it wasn't for me because I was still learning about life. I wasn't used to a specific lifestyle back then because I was a lot younger, and switching was quite easy. One of the things that changed for me back then was having things in excess. Furniture, clothes, and even playing items were reduced to almost nothing, but it wasn't that bad because not having those things exposed me to being creative.
As a kid, I learned to build and repair things myself since we couldn't get the ready-made ones. It was really fun, and embracing the lifestyle was just inevitable for me.
Growing my food is another habit I embraced, and it all started with my mom. She planted vegetables, peppers, and corn on empty land, and when we harvest them, we always have enough to eat and even give out to our neighbors.
I cultivated the habit of planting vegetables and even competed with my mom. I added growing snails and chickens, which is still a practice for me today.
Decluttering physically and mentally became a practice, and my life has taken a new turn since that year. I am happier, and many times, people find it difficult to believe that I am struggling with anything in life because I appear happy all the time, which is the effect of embracing the minimalist lifestyle. I find so much comfort in little and can cope with what a lot of people would have tagged as nothing.
At the moment, I am still very far from my minimalist goal, and it's sad that there is always a setback with these goals. Living a completely sustainable life is the goal, and even though it might take a while, I will definitely achieve it someday.
I really want my children to learn about minimalism at a tender age, just like me, so it can help them make the right choices as they grow up.