I’m excited to launch my “ISO the Perfect” Series, in which I look back on a few years of my wardrobe inventory data to explore my imperfect journey towards finding my closet heroes.
In my opinion, there are two types of perfect. The first is the type that seems so obvious and intuitive to you and everyone else that in a perfect world it would simply be considered standard; but, in reality, in our flawed world, what should be considered standard is actually so rare that it has to be elevated to the level of “perfect”. This is the type of perfect that makes you and most other people think, “Why isn’t everything like this? Why is it so hard to find . . . ” a black V-neck cotton sweater, or a casual non-chain restaurant with comfortable booths, etc.—”that is exactly the way everyone knows something like this should be?” “Perfect,” we all say with relief when we finally find something like this that is exactly as it should be. “Perfect. Why was this so hard to find?”
—One More Thing and Other Stories, B.J. Novak
I came across this passage many years ago, and reading it at the time, it made me think of my search for the elusive, perfect white tee. Only a few weeks ago did I finally find the one for me, after hours of research and years of searching.
Here is the line-up of categories I plan to explore:
- White Tee
- White Button-Down
- Black Sweater
- White Sneakers
- Camel Coat
- Black Leather Jacket
- Little Black Dress
- Silk Slip Dress
The pieces I’ve chosen to examine are quite basic and neutral. I’ve read many over-recycled lists claiming these items are “absolutely essential” in a capsule/minimal/whatever-you-want-to-call-it wardrobe that you “absolutely need” to own. When I first dove into the world of capsule wardrobes, I tried to check off these lists as quickly as possible, buying the first thing I could find that fit me and feeling great about myself if I bought it from a “sustainable fashion company”.
Looking back at the items in these categories I’ve purchased and since let go, I have to acknowledge how much money I’ve wasted by settling on a “well, it fits” mentality instead of patiently passing on items until I found exactly what I was looking for. I’m fully conscious of the fact that buying items from sustainable brands doesn’t make my closet sustainable. This idea is one I’ve thought about a lot recently given my own uptick in consumption, as well as watching brands I used to love become more focused on consumerism and green-washed marketing over quality and intentional design.
I believe that analyzing my past mistakes is one of the best ways to learn from them, and luckily I have years of data to learn from to create this series. I’ll end with a quote that is also a reminder to myself:
If we all strived for perfect perfection on matching prints and colors and textures… then if it were me, I would just be naked all the time because I would never be happy. I think striving for perfection in what we wear is a huge inhibitor to being happy with what we already have.
—If I had a 25 item summer wardrobe, Alyssa Beltempo
Three Six Five Closet 