Sonia Kessler's Glam Capsule
Sonia Kessler's Glam Capsule
Capsule wardrobes have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. A capsule wardrobe is a way of curating your closet to contain a set amount of items which can be mixed and matched multiple ways. While the word ‘capsule’ in the fashion world previously referred to ‘capsule collections,’ the slow fashion movement has taken it to the streets! While designer capsule collections are often created to try and convince consumers that they need to buy everything in their line, capsule wardrobes celebrate the reuse and re-styling of items we already have. Sustainable fashion Blogger Lee Vosburgh, of StyleBee, made the “10x10 challenge” popular in 2015. This challenge consists of narrowing down your wardrobe to 10 items and rocking them together for 10 days. The difference between the 10x10 challenge and the “Glam Capsule” challenge is that the latter is all jazzed up. Author and ethical fashion advocate Elizabeth Cline created this social media challenge this year with the aim of proving that conscious fashion can be for everyone. It’s easy to focus on basics when embarking on the 10x10 challenge, which is a wonderful way to learn about layering! However, the #glamcapsulechallenge pushes people to go out of their comfort zone and into the spotlight. Both of these challenges are tests of creativity and can help hone person style. Sustainable fashion doesn’t have to look one way. It can mold to your personal style and become your own. While capsule challenges, and ethical fashion at large, are depicted on mostly one type of person (thin, white, well-off, minimalist) they are for everyone.
Last month, Sonia Kessler of Native Styling, Nicole Robertson of Swap Society, and writer Audrey Stanton (that’s me), created glam capsule wardrobes with pieces from Swap Society. For ten days, we each experimented with patterns, fabrics, and styles to make these pre-loved items our own. The results varied greatly and help to show what a range of styles are offered on our site, and how individualized this challenge can be!
“ I think capsules are an amazing way to spark your creativity by shopping your own closet. It kind of forces you to break those boundaries and get out of your comfort zone. Through these outfits, I hope I showed people how they don’t need a million pieces in their wardrobe, just a few versatile ones. Also, sustainable fashion is not ‘boring and minimalistic’ like a lot of people seem to think, it can look super stylish too! ”
— Sonia Kessler
Sonia Kessler has been a blogger and fashionista for some time, but in recent years has started a personal styling business focused on sustainable fashion. Her Glam Capsule wardrobe reflects her love of creative styling and statement pieces. Sonia doesn’t shy away from color, pattern, or unique-cut pieces. Her 10 outfits prove that you don’t have to have a minimalist aesthetic to be a part of the slow fashion movement! Sonia’s style brings glam to every-day wear and her capsule challenge highlighted how fun dressing up for your normal activities can be. You don’t have to have a fancy occasion on the books to look absolutely fabulous.
Nicole Robertson's Glam Capsule
“We were really inspired by the glam capsule challenge because we believe that capsule wardrobes don’t have to be minimalistic. You can glam up any wardrobe or outfit with pops of color, bold prints and fun textures. We also wanted to demonstrate how stylish you can be with secondhand clothes, so everything we wore was from Swap Society. I loved combing through our site to find gems that were fun and versatile.”
— Nicole Robertson
Nicole Robertson is co-founder and CEO of Swap Society and a loving mother of two young boys! As a #workingmom her Glam Capsule highlighted how to stay stylish and practical with just a few good pieces. Each item she picked for her capsule challenge had a sophisticated flair which could dress up any outfit. However, she paired them strategically to make them weather, activity, and lifestyle appropriate. I can only imagine how impossible it can feel to dress well and be a productive working mom, yet Nicole’s take on the 10-day challenge proves that it can be done. Nicole also gravitates toward statement pieces and doesn’t shy away from color. Sometimes color is all you need to take an outfit from drab to glam!
Audrey Stanton's Glam Capsule
“Taking this challenge on has helped me to become even more clear of what my personal style is. I’m confident in how I choose to dress on a daily basis, and know that there is always room for experimentation!”
— Audrey Stanton
I used to love dressing up all the time for school but between working from home, errands, and side gigs that keep me on my feet, I’ve stopped thinking about it as much. The Glam Capsule Challenge helped me to elevate my everyday style. Since I’m not socializing most days of the week I don’t think to take time to put together an outfit. I’ve forgotten how fun it is to curate your look for the day and feel confident in your sartorial choices. This challenge helped me to find that again. While none of my outfits are showstoppers, they’re true to me and have a glam twist.
While fashion challenges can seem like they are reserved for those already in the industry, it is so much fun to do them regardless of your profession! Each capsule challenge should be about finding and loving the style that is unique to you. Luckily, it’s easy to experiment whether you decide to post on social media or not. Check out the huge variety of styles on Swap Society and get ready for a DIY fashion show!
Audrey Stanton was born and raised in the Bay Area and is currently based in Los Angeles. She has attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, London College of Fashion, and received a BFA in costume design from the California Institute of the Arts. Audrey is deeply passionate about conscious fashion and hopes to continue to spread awareness and love for ethical consumption. Visit her blog audstant.com and follow her on Instagram for lots of #slowfashion inspiration!