Ep 43: The Top Secrets About Capsule Wardrobes You Need to Know with Erin Flynn

You’ve heard about capsule wardrobes, but have you ever tried one yourself? Maybe you love clothes and think a capsule wardrobe is too restrictive. Or maybe your life is filled with so many different activities you’d make a super hero’s head spin with all the outfit changes and you have no idea where to start.

But, the good news is that capsule wardrobes are the opposite of restrictive and in fact give you the freedom to really enjoy everything in your closet. They also help corral the clothing you need for various activities and help you see there are holes in your wardrobe you need to fill.

Buying more clothes was probably not the advice you expected from a wannabe minimalist. Am I right?

The truth is that there is no magic number of clothing items we need in our closets, but most of us can and should be living with a lot less.

My guest on the latest episode of the Wannabe Minimalist Show can help you love your closet and love getting dressed everyday. Erin Flynn, co-founder and CEO of cladwell.com give us the personal styling app of our dreams and even coordinates our clothes based on the weather - wherever we are!

Erin's led Cladwell's growth over the last 4 years and most recently acquired Cladwell with her husband to turn it into an independently owned company. She has gone through top accelerators like 500 Startups and is currently part of Indie.vc's latest investment. She previously founded an influencer marketing startup called Canopi and has also led the launch of E.W Scripps’ first national digital subscription service.

Erin and her husband Colin are living bigger lives with smaller wardrobes in Cincinnati with 1 super Irish sounding kid (Rooney) and a very formal puggle named Mr. Pug.

Let’s explore what creating a capsule wardrobe could mean for you and let’s find the joy in your closet.

This episode of the Wannabe Minimalist Show will help you discover:

What a capsule wardrobe really is
How to think about creating a capsule wardrobe if you live somewhere with distinct seasons or lots of different lifestyle activities.
Why we feel compelled to shop all the time
How to overcome consumer habits of clothes shopping and what to do instead
The advice about minimalism that changed Erin’s life

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:00] – This episode is brought to you The QUICK Way to Declutter and Organize Your Home. This 5 part mini-course will help you declutter, tidy, and organize any room in your home. Get started today!

[00:55] – Deanna welcomes listeners back to the show and introduces listeners to Erin Flynn of cladwell.com.

[03:18] – Erin introduces herself and tell us about her journey toward minimalism - we go way back to just after she graduated college. What does a financial crisis and not being able to get a job have to do with minimalism? Hear what Erin has to say.

[04:40] – Erin transitioned from writing a successful fashion blog to joining Cladwell and discovered how creating a capsule wardrobe brought so much more peace and joy to her mornings, which led to better days.

[06:35] – Deanna talks about how even 1 little thing can make a huge difference for your mindset shift and be that domino that causes more lasting life changes.

[07:07] – Erin discusses how fashion is often described as frivolous, but she sees it as an essential.

[07:48] – Deanna asks about Erin’s company, Cladwell.

[07:55] – Erin chats about using the gems inside your closet with the Cladwell app to help you get dressed each day within the structure of a capsule wardrobe.

[08:29] – How does Cladwell define a capsule wardrobe?

[08:50] – How does a personal styling app like Cladwell work?

[09:49] – Deanna geeks out about getting your outfits based on the weather.

[10:01] – Erin talks about how Cladwell can see the weather where you are shows you what outfit would work for that day. Hot and sunny verses cold and rainy will need different clothes.

[10:32] – Want to know the difference between using an app like Cladwell and the capsule wardrobe ideas you see on Pinterest? It’s all about personalization!!

[11:27] – Erin discusses how the capsule wardrobes on Pinterest tend to be so neutral, but that doesn’t fit everyone, nor does it need to. You can still have a capsule wardrobe if you love color or patterns.

[12:45] – Deanna shifts the conversation to fast fashion and asks Erin about how many outfits women used to wear just 40 years ago versus today.The numbers will shock you!

[13:19] – Erin goes into some specifics about how many more clothing items we purchase each year versus the 1980’s and why the shifts have occurred.

[13:36] – We discuss how fast fashion is not just bad for us personally because it gets us into the mindset of comparison and constantly wanting something new, but it’s also devastating for the environment.

[16:12] – Deanna talks about how the things we throw away are still there. Just because we throw something away and no longer see it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.

[16:41] – What about buying ethical and sustainable clothes? Erin dives into that and if it would really make a difference. Get ready for some hard truths!

[17:41] – Who’s onboard with loving our closets and being nicer to the planet? What can we do to combat fast fashion? It might be easier than you realize to help out.

[17:58] – Erin breaks down the steps for us. Step one is to sort through the clutter.

[18:55] – Step two is finding a cohesive color palette. When everything goes together it’s so much easier to get dressed in the morning.

[19:30] – Deanna asks what we’re all wondering…is there a magical number we should strive for when creating our capsule wardrobes?

[21:05] – Truth bomb time…building your capsule is dependent on weather, seasons, a nd your lifestyle. But if you’re going above this number you’re probably not really being honest with yourself or asking the right questions.

[21:45] – Deanna talks about how many items she has in her closet, but acknowledges it was not always this way. That’s why looking at your lifestyle is so important.

[22:26] – Erin recommends mini capsules for each activity you do throughout the week like office vs. casual to help curate your closet.

[23:46] – Deanna brings it back to how to find your own personal style if you’ve never created a capsule wardrobe before.

[25:27] – There are 4 pieces of advice Erin recommends. First pare down your closet to you favorite items you love and flatter you. Next, get your color palette down. Third, gather inspiration from pics online (like Pinterest). Finally, try to label your style. Erin sees this as fun and not limiting.

[29:06] – Deanna recaps Erin’s tips of how to build a capsule wardrobe that we love.

[30:58] – Where can you find Erin and get a free trial for Cladwell? She also has a free closet clean out email series that will help you created a capsule wardrobe.

[32:30] – Even if you do not consider yourself a fashionista or enjoy shopping, your clothes can give you confidence when you feel good wearing them.

[33:29] – What has been Erin’s favorite simple pleasure this week?

[33:53] – What is the best advice about minimalism or intentional living that Erin has ever received? This one is SO GOOD!!!

[35:15] – And finally, what is making Erin happy right now?

[36:18] – Deanna circles back to how minimalism can start in our closets. It’s not about limiting yourself to one style or depriving yourself of shopping. Instead it’s about being mindful and creating a closet with the clothes we love and feel great wearing. It’s great for you and giving yourself peace of mind, but cutting back on our consumer habits is better for the planet too.

[37:47] – Pick up the show notes for today’s episode at LittleGreenBow.com/43.

[38:18] – Join Deanna in her private Wannabe Minimalist Group on Facebook and get in on the discussions going on there with others just like you. And remember we love hearing from listeners, so please get in touch by email at hello@littlegreenbow.com or by sending her a message on Instagram (@WannabeClutterFree) or on Facebook (@WannabeClutterFree)!