Early last year, I started sharing my second hand outfits on my Instagram Stories and you seemed to be loving it. So much so that I’ve created some videos too. But now that pregnancy changed everything, I decided to share something a little more specific: a Second Hand Capsule Wardrobe: Pregnancy Edit.
I’ve been on the second-hand bandwagon for a long time and specially in Australia, it becomes so easy to find good quality garments for a fraction of the price. During pregnancy though, things tend to be a little bit tighter (if you know what I mean) and it’s a little more complicated to find that good fit.
I’m a little sceptical of buying clothes specifically for a short period of time, so even though I did get some hand-me-downs of pregnancy clothes, I’ll keep them out of my Capsule for now.
But before digging in, let me explain what a Capsule Wardrobe actually is. The concept was to create a minimalist wardrobe with high quality staples to use for years to come. The concept really got traction in recent years specially with the rise in minimalism and the understanding that Fast Fashion is really ‘not-all-that’ that we were being sold. Generally, a Capsule Wardrobe is organised by seasons as this is the main factor to create limitations in your collection.
The focus of a Capsule Wardrobe is to use timeless, good quality pieces you can mix and match to create several outfits with a restricted (or should I say minimal) number of pieces. Good On You shared some resources and where to learn more about creating your Capsule Wardrobe.
Second Hand Capsule Wardrobe: Pregnancy Edit
Being pregnant and with an ever expanding waistline really made me analyse my wardrobe with different eyes. Being limited to use only the clothes that actually fit me has made me more conscious of the pieces I own and the style I developed. So I wanted to share my current Capsule Wardrobe: Pregnancy Edit to show that you can still dress nicely with second hand clothes and a limited number of them.
- Ideally, a Capsule Wardrobe contains no more than 30 pieces, not including lounge wear, active wear and accessories. You can even go lower, but higher than 30 items just blows the whole idea of ‘minimal’ out of the water, so let’s keep it down.
- The first thing you need to decide for your wardrobe is what climate are you creating it for: Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer? This will be crucial to decide on all the pieces you put together.
- Secondly, what are you dressing for? Do you need to go to the office? Or you wear a uniform? Do you stay home or you are out and about most of the day? These are questions you need to take in consideration when picking the pieces for your wardrobe. I’ve created a quick IGTV with some ideas to get you going, if you need some inspo.
- Third, you need to pick a palette. This is useful because it will help you keep things looking good when you don’t have many pieces to put together. Think about colours that will go well together and you can layer them up too. This means that most pieces might be neutral, but it’s possible to create a vibrant and colourful capsule wardrobe too.
My palette for a Winter Capsule Wardrobe
- Then make sure to pick fabrics which are better for the environment but also for you. Choose (if possible) linen, wool, hemp, cotton, etc as they don’t shed microfibres and are more easily recycled at the end of its life cycle.
- And lastly, choose clothes you love and fit you well. Beautiful pieces are just that, beautiful. Make sure you pick clothes that have enough room for your belly and are comfortable too.
Here’s a peak of my current Capsule Wardrobe:
Shown above with 22 weeks
Shopping second hand
Ideally, you wouldn’t have to go around shopping for everything. But, depending on your current wardrobe, you will need to expand your choices (pun intended). I always loved loose fitting garments, so I actually have plenty of tops to fit me for during pregnancy. I’m also a lover of dresses and some of them have plenty of room to give.
You don’t necessarily have to buy pregnancy clothing, sometimes a number or two up will be enough to fit you well and with that, you have a lot more room to look for options that you’ll be able to keep long after bub is born.
Pick classic designs that are also comfortable and that you might be able to use after pregnancy too. Think elastic fitting pants (those can look super dressy too) and loose fit tops.
PS: Yoga pants are also your friend. But unless you actually work in them, you can keep them off the wardrobe count.
Putting together a Capsule Wardrobe should be a fun exercise and specially handy when you have restricted options to choose from. It will help reduce your decision-making everyday and keeping things simple when you start your day.
Plus it helps in reducing your need to buy new clothes specifically for short period of time, like pregnancy. However, if you do end up buying them, consider donating to a pregnant friend or to organisations that help women in need around your area, rather than sending them to your op-shop/second hand store.
Would you consider creating a Capsule Wardrobe?
Larissa x
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