Paguro Upcycle: Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Yen is the founder and director of Paguro Upcycle, which is based in Nottingham. The female-owned and run vegan fashion company uses innovative upcycling methods to transform materials destined for landfill into something beautiful.

Sustainability is an increasingly important topic, particularly within the fashion industry. With this in mind, Yen has put together some great tips for creating your very own Summer Capsule Wardrobe.

How to put together a sustainable summer capsule wardrobe:

It’s that time of year when the sun is shining and we want to make the most of it, whether that means family BBQs, going to local events and festivals, or planning summer holidays. But all these extra activities can be expensive, especially when we look at our wardrobes and think we have nothing to wear.

Buying new outfits for every event or occasion is not only expensive, it’s also bad for the environment if you buy fast or throwaway fashion. Putting together a capsule wardrobe (and we’ll explain how!) is just one way you can enjoy a sustainable summer.

So, what is a capsule wardrobe? In short, a capsule wardrobe is a versatile collection of clothing that can easily be mixed and matched. This helps you create multiple outfits with only a small range of items.

For instance, you might look through what you’ve already got and pull out the following for your summer capsule wardrobe:

Tops:

· Between 4-6 t-shirts (some neutral, some patterned or striped, floral, or print)

· 3-4 vest tops (depending on your preference, some neutral)

· 1-2 different tops (think bodies, a going out top, or something a little bit special)

Bottoms:

· 1-2 pairs of jeans

· 1-2 pairs of lightweight trousers that aren’t denim (think cotton or linen, chinos or culottes)

· 3-4 pairs of shorts (denim, cotton, long, short – whatever you prefer, but remember to have at least one plain pair)

· 3-4 skirts (again, long, short, patterned, plain – whatever you prefer)

Dresses/jumpsuits/playsuits:

· 2-3 dresses (casual day or going out dresses, you choose)

· 2-3 jumpsuits/playsuits

Jackets:

· 2-3 of any of the following will complete any look for the items listed above lightweight cardigan, kimono, denim jacket, blazer

Accessories:

· 3-4 pairs of shoes including flat/heeled sandals, trainers, or mules

· 1-2 handbags

· Sunglasses

· Jewellery

Once you’ve been through what you’ve already got, you can start sorting and mixing and matching.

This isn’t necessarily an exercise in reducing your wardrobe. Of course, you can do this, either by sorting and then swapping, selling, donating, or putting away, or you can simply enjoy the exercise of refining your wardrobe.

Having a smaller wardrobe can make it less stressful when you come to get ready because there are fewer decisions to make. It also breaks the cycle of buying new clothes for every event or gathering. Plus, the great thing about mixing and matching is that you can easily transform any outfit.

For instance, you may want to wear shorts and a vest top during the day, but in the evening, you can dress it up by adding heeled sandals and a blazer, swapping the beach bag for a handbag, and adding extra jewellery.

If you try this out, we’d love to see your capsule wardrobe outfits! Tag @boom_magazine_belper and @paguroupcycle on Instagram and don’t forget to use the #SustainableSummer hashtag