36 clothing items I got rid of

One of my long-term goals is to have a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is minimalist wardrobe. Every person has a different meaning for it, some want a certain number of items, some want to wear everything which is in there. Since I work towards a minimal wardrobe, I am critical every day and get rid of items. Today I want to show you the 36 clothing items I got rid of in the past months.

Capsule Wardrobe

For me a capsule wardrobe is a wardrobe with items I love, like love love. I don’t want to settle for less. Honestly, I want to look into my wardrobe and never have stress on what to wear. I want to be able to wear every item every day, since I love them all. Clothes should make me feel confident, sexy and hella good. That’s the goal. To look in the mirror and think: I look hella good today. Of course, this is also a process of self-love, but I notice clothes are a big part for me. I used to settle for less. I used to wear clothes I thought were okay. Right now, okay is not good enough anymore.

‘Life is too short to wear boring clothes’

And so, I go through my wardrobe every once in a while, to check if I still wear everything. I am also very critical on a daily basis. There are days when I wear an item and just don’t feel good in it. It then goes straight to the pile of things that should go. Today I want to show you that pile. 36 items I got rid of the past months. I bring these clothes to a secondhand store, if they don’t take it I’ll bring it to another secondhand store. If it doesn’t sell at that second store it will go to the textile recycling.

The 36 Items

Item number 1: I am not into stars. I used to wear this shirt underneath a sweater. Well, if you start to hide your clothes you know they need to go. I got this secondhand from a friend when it first entered my wardrobe.

Item number 2: A sweater I bought secondhand. I just felt like a 6-years old in it. I did recently find out that when I wear sweaters I like them with a turtle-neck. Yet, this sweater was not the right model and color for me.

Item number 3: This was a typical shirt I kept for too long since I do like it. Yet, I am getting rid of it for practical reasons. The shirt has a turtle neck, but short sleeves. So, it’s either too warm or too cold in most situations. I bought this secondhand when I got it.

Item number 4: I got this item from my mom secondhand. I do like the color and so I have worn it. However, the shirt is a little long and so it’s too big for me. My figure isn’t really complimented in this shirt.

Item number 5: One of the few items I bought new from this pile. I bought it at Primark about 8 years ago I think (I don’t buy at Primark anymore, it’s highly unethical). When I saw it, I liked it. However, when I wore it, it made me feel so plain.

Item number 6: Another item I’ve had for a very long time. I still like it. I never wore it because of the studs in the neck. When I put it on it gave me chills because it was so cold. Then I used to put it back into the closet and think ‘Next time’. Obviously, that next time never came. I bought this secondhand.

Item number 7: Another plain item. This is an okay item and when it wore it I felt okay. But I don’t settle for okay anymore as I said. It has to go. I got this secondhand from my grandma (yes, she’s very stylish still).

Item number 8: This item is one I got secondhand from a friend. The danger with clothes you get for free is that you settle for less. I think the shirt is okay, not amazing. I have worn it, but now I realized it isn’t making me feel amazing.

Item number 9: I don’t think this vest is pretty anymore. I wore it at home as a sort of home-sweater. I felt like it was too ugly to wear outside of the house and so I wore it when I was home. Well, I think that says enough already. I got it from my mom secondhand.

Item number 10: This item is similar to item 4. I like it, but it doesn’t compliment my figure. My butt disappears in this shirt since it’s very long. I once got it secondhand from a friend.

Item number 11: This is an item I have double. I have another pants which is also grey and so I don’t need this one. One is enough. I liked this one less because of the holes in it. Sometimes, I do like holes in pants, just not in skinny jeans. I believe my mom bought this for me secondhand when it entered my wardrobe.

Item number 12: This is an what-if item. I thought I needed a white blouse per se. Just in case. I haven’t worn in the past 4 years I think, I got it secondhand from a friend. Since I don’t do what-if items anymore, I went out the door.

Item number 13: This dress is similar to item 3, I got rid of it for practical reasons. It is too warm for summer because the fabric is very thick. Yet, in winter it is too cold because it has short sleeves. This is also an item I once got secondhand from a friend.

Item number 14: This was the toughest item to get rid of. This item, I have bought not so long ago, secondhand. I am getting rid of it because the inside is polyester. I really, really hate the feeling of polyester on my bare skin. It makes me feel like I am dressed in a plastic bag. So, with a little pain in my heart I am getting rid of it, every time I wore it I felt disgusting.

Item number 15: This clothing piece is just not my style, I don’t really wear long sweaters. I think my shoulders look massive in them. It doesn’t do that much for my figure either. I once got it because my mom bought it secondhand for me

Item number 16: I once bought this item under pressure. I found it secondhand, but at the same time there was another woman who really liked it on me. She was pressuring me: if you don’t like it, I want to have it. I think that’s why I made a bad decision, because I don’t like it after all. It also itches because of the fabric.

Item number 17: Another item I don’t normally buy. I think I got it from my mom since she didn’t like it anymore, but I’m not sure. I don’t really wear this item because it had gotten very ugly. It was not tight anymore and so my knees and ankles look huge in it.

Item number 18: During my education at the University of Applied Sciences I had to wear a suit quite often. At first, they told me I needed to wear heels under them and so I bought those. After a while I found out that it wasn’t mandatory because nobody did it. Since I did want a pair of neat shoes I bought these at Primark (another mistake I wished I had never made). They’re of bad quality and I don’t really like them.

Item number 19: I used to own 4 watches. Then I realized I can only wear one and so I slowly got rid of the ones I liked the least. This one is therefore going out. I now have one left. I bought this new back in the day.

Item number 20: A hair accessory I once bought secondhand. I still really like it, but I never wear it and so I hope somebody else will be happy with it.

Item number 21: I once got this bracelet from my grandma secondhand. I don’t really like the colors anymore.

Item(s) number 22: A few bracelets I’ve had for at least 10 years I think. I don’t remember how I got them. It’s not really my style anymore, I like more subtle bracelets.

Item number 23: Another item I always wear at home. It’s a huge sweater I got secondhand from my dad to wear at home. Recently I got another sweater from my grandma which is a warmer fabric and so this one is not necessary any longer.

Item number 24: Ah, this item! I always wear this on holidays over my bikini. It still smells like holiday. Yet, it is totally worn out and so it is time I wear something else. I once got it secondhand from a friend of my mom.

Item number 25: I have about 3 caps right now. I think that’s a little much. I decided to get rid of one. This is the only I currently don’t really wear anymore since the model does not suit me very well. I bought it secondhand on UnitedWardrobe a few years ago.

Item number 26: This is a bag from Aldi. I once got it from my mom since she got it at the store. Honestly, I don’t really want to advertise for Aldi and it is also pretty worn out. I have another bag just like this and so this one is something I don’t need.

Item number 27: My Sziget shirt! I went to the Sziget festival a few years ago (and I am going this year too) and so we all got a goodie bag there. This shirt is rather small and I don’t really like the model. I used to sleep in it.

Item number 28: My previous swimsuit. I once bought this secondhand at UnitedWardrobe. However, I started looking for another one since this is a little small at the top. Once I found another one at UnitedWardrobe, this once could go to the thrift shop.

Item number 29: As you can see this is quite an ugly hat. This is something I once bought for charity. The profit went to the Red Cross and I got this hat. Thinking about it now I should’ve just donated 10 euros but at the time I could not say no to free stuff. Since a while I have another (secondhand this time) hat and so this one could go.

Item number 30: A simple blouse I like, but never wear. Each time I looked at it I thought: I can still keep this, I’ll wear it. I didn’t. I don’t think I ever wore this. This time I thought it’s time to go. A long time ago I got it secondhand from a friend.

Item number 31: This is my handball short I used to train in it but it got too big. Recently I bought a secondhand handball short at Marktplaats and so this one could go. I bought it years ago at Primark (another mistake as you can imagine).

Item number 32: I have never worn this item. I bought it on a flea market but once I put it on it looked horrendous. A huge mistake, but luckily only 50 cents and secondhand.

Item number 33: This is the legging I’ve had for 15 years I think. It is still a children size, but it still fits me since I am small. It started to rupture and I’ve mended it a few times. Once the sixth hole appeared I realized it was time to let go. I think my mom bought it for me about 15 years ago.

Number 34: Another item I didn’t think through. I bought it at the thrift shop but it is off shoulder. Consequently, I have to wear this with a strapless bra, but I don’t own one. I could either buy a new bra or get rid of this dress, I chose the latter. I own enough dresses already and the Netherlands isn’t really warm anyway.

Number 35 & 36: These boots are identical and I once got them from my dad. Since I try to have a minimalistic wardrobe I want to own one pair of boots. I have one black pair which are ideal, they match every outfit. These boots could then go, even though it is hard because it has sentimental value. Yet, the sentiment is in the gesture, not in the shoes. This way someone can actually wear them.

As you might have noticed a lot of the clothes I got rid of are already secondhand. That’s what I thrive, for my wardrobe to be secondhand since that’s the most sustainable. I’ve been buying secondhand clothes for a lot of years so I think I am almost at the point of 100%. This way I reuse other people’s clothes and once I am done with them I can give them to someone else. I’ve written an article about what the clothing system should look like in my opinion.

Do you have a capsule wardrobe already?

Yours sincerely,
Romee