I was excited to take on the 90 Days of Shein Challenge, where I’d wear about 10 items from the Chinese fast fashion giant for three months. The challenge seemed like a great opportunity to try living with a truly tiny capsule wardrobe.
As someone who’s always been interested in fashion and keeps up with fashion blogs and social media, I am quite familiar with the concept of capsule wardrobes. A capsule wardrobe consists of a carefully chosen selection of clothes that can be mixed and matched to create outfits for various occasions. The idea is to have versatile pieces in complementary colours so that you’re prepared for any situation without owning too many clothes. Capsule wardrobes have been featured on popular TV shows and often discussed in both British and American fashion media.
The concept dates back to the 1940s, when American magazines wrote about small collections of clothing unified by colour and style. In the 1970s, Susie Faux, the owner of the London boutique Wardrobe, brought the term back to life. She described it as a collection of essential items like skirts, trousers, and coats that remain fashionable over time, easily updated with seasonal pieces. The idea gained more traction when American designer Donna Karan introduced her famous “7 Easy Pieces” workwear collection in 1985.
Many people who try capsule wardrobes tout the benefits: a more defined personal style, a tidier closet, and less time spent chasing trends. You end up making more thoughtful purchases of high-quality items. Wearing only pieces you love boosts your confidence, and mixing and matching your wardrobe makes getting dressed quick and easy. Plus, investing in quality and maximising what you own reduces clothing waste.
However, my experience didn’t quite match these expectations.
Initially, it was easier to get dressed with just a few clothes since all my tops, bottoms, and outer layers matched, as did my single bag and pair of shoes. But that only worked when everything was clean and available. I thought a limited wardrobe would force me to be more organised, ensuring everything was clean and ready to wear. That didn’t happen.
31 days into the challenge, I’ve managed to lose three socks which leaves me down to only two pairs that I have to wash out a pair every night. I can’t find the colour block bra which means I have to cheat and wear an M&S white bra whenever I want to wear the white eyelet top and the pink flower bra shows through it. I also cheated for a week when the backpack broke and I didn’t get round to mending it. The dark red hoodie is fatally attractive to my guinea pigs, which have shed all over it. The trench coat has two ink stains on the hem that I haven’t been able to remove. And it’s lucky that everything can (more or less) be worn without ironing because all the clothes are more likely to be found in a pile on my bedroom floor than hung neatly in my closet.
Everything I wore on Day 31 of the 90 Days of Shein challenge:
DAZY Solid Drop Shoulder Tee, white,
Black and white stripe skirt (thrifted)
Dazy-Less Women’S V-Neck Drop Shoulder Long Sleeve Sweater, green
2024 New Style College Wind Black & White Outdoor Sports Shoes for Women
Allover Leaf Graphic Drawstring Backpack,
DAZY Women’s Floral Print Sleeveless Round Neck Sleep Dress
3pack Lace Trim No Show Brief, black
Fashion Slowdown 
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