Source: Noa Noir
For some, the words Minimalists Wardrobe may sound like an oxymoron, but it will change the way that you see your style. The idea of a minimal wardrobe is to have a selection that is as functional as possible. This means having as little as you can while having maximum possibilities. After reading this post, you’ll be seeing the minimalist wardrobe in a different light and I challenge you to try it out for yourself!
So, why should you transition to a minimal wardrobe?
You can save more, and spend more
This seems like an obvious consequence but it really is something to think about. If you’re a student, the chances are you’re not exactly rolling in cash and so saving money is usually a good thing. You might think that the more expensive clothes eat all your money but it’s probably an accumulation of all the cheaper clothes you buy. Because you’re saving money by buying only the things that you need and want to last a long time, you’ll have more money to spend on more expensive and better quality clothes.
You’ll get more wear out of your clothes
How many times have you bought something because it was branded, on trend, on sale or you just ‘yolo’ decided to? How many times have you actually worn said item? Exactly. Everyone has those clothes that they buy because they think it’s a good idea at the time and then never wear it (guilty). When you know you only have a finite amount of room in your wardrobe for clothes, this helps you to think before you buy, avoiding unnecessary purchases. Because of this, all the clothes that you wear will also be worn more often as they’ll be bought with that intention. Then, if you do spend a little bit more on an item, you’ll be able to get more use out of it.
You’ll be creating a wardrobe that is more ‘you’
As I mentioned before, having a small wardrobe makes you think more about what you’re buying. You’ll be making more calculated decisions about what you’re buying and not because it’s trendy. Buying things that are more true to your ongoing style as opposed to passing phases in fashion will mean everything you own will look good on you. Because you know that you have limited space, you will want your clothes to look great, be multi-functional and well worth the precious wardrobe space. Naturally, this will lead to a carefully-chosen wardrobe that is more suited to you.
You’ll save so much time!
If you have a more limited amount of clothes to choose from, you will undoubtedly spend less time in the mirror in the morning and have a shorter ‘getting ready’ time. You’ll feel assured that what you’re wearing looks good because you’ve only bought clothes that you feel confident in. Choosing what to wear becomes so much easier and so does having a flawless outfit.
You can simply live
This might not mean anything to you, if you’re trying to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle, keeping waste to a minimum is key. In a fast-paced society it’s easy to get caught up in having all the latest, forgetting to focus on how little we actually need to be happy. Distancing yourself from materialism and trying to cut down on things you don’t actually use (see point two) will help you gain perspective and get over that ‘hungry’ feeling of always wanting more. It’s okay to buy things that are new and that are expensive but having a minimal mindset just helps you to choose what new and expensive things are worth it in the long run.
How to get started
Despite everything that I’ve just said, you don’t have to go and burn everything in your closet and start from scratch to start your minimal wardrobe. Here are a few things you can do/think about to start creating a more minimal wardrobe.
- Go through your clothes and recycle anything that doesn’t fit, you don’t like or that you haven’t worn recently. If you’ve only worn something once this whole year, you probably don’t need it.
- Define your style and when shopping, try and choose pieces that are going to work with this. I’m all for experimenting but you don’t want to buy something you’ll never wear.
- Do your research and look at clothes online and have a good idea of things that you need and what the best options are. When you have a clear idea of items you need, you’ll be less likely to binge-buy.
- Don’t buy things just because they are cheap– even at op shops.
- Buy clothes that you can create multiple outfits from and go with your existing wardrobe.
- Think about your lifestyle and what kind of clothes are going to suit this (ie. don’t buy a dress suit if you’re 17 and don’t work in an office)
- Pick colours and fabrics that you feel 100% confident in.
- Try and choose things that can be worn through multiple seasons and will potentially outlast changing trends.
- Borrow clothes from your friends if you have an event- you can save $100’s this way!
Source: Harper’s BAZAAR
These are just simple things that you can start applying right away. It’s really all about thinking about what you’re buying and making sure that you choose carefully. The traditional ‘capsule wardrobe’ is probably the most extreme approach as your wardrobe is limited to about 20-30 items. It’s more of an idea than a rule so I would encourage you to find a way to make it suit you!
I’m putting forward a challenge for all of you to try out a minimalist wardrobe and see how you like it. Go through your closet and pick out about 20-30 items of clothing, shoes, and accessories and try and stick to only these for the next month! It’s a fun, yet intimidating experience. At the end of it, I’m sure you’ll at least have a better idea of how you can make smarter fashion purchases.
I think that an essential in every wardrobe is the perfect jacket. You can create a customised jacket with Exodus Wear through our shop. The black satin bomber is a great option as it’s neutral and can carry from day to night as well as across seasons. If you try out the minimal wardrobe, let me know how it goes in the comments below!
