The minimalist's wardrobe

[june gloom]

melt977, karma for you. I'll definitely keep your words in mind. And no, I'm really not trying to make any kind of statement with my choice in clothing. By the looks of the things I had in my closet from years before, that definitely seemed to be my idea. Although you couldn't pay me to wear some of that anymore, I'm glad that I went through those kinds of things. I would go shopping and some things my friends would make faces at and I would end up buying them anyway. I have to admit, though, I do find it funny when my mom repeatedly says, "you have so many different kinds of shirts in your closet and you keep on wearing plain white shirts, I don't get it."

I've cleaned out my closet quite frequently but I'm not about to go and give everything away. I'm starting to figure myself out and I've done quite some changing over the years, so I can't be so sure if this is going to be something permanent. Even if it's not, I think these staples are almost universal. They are not trends or buys that will end up becoming regretable (is that even a word?, oh well) by the next season.

A minimalistic wardrobe doesn't have to be boring. One single touch, no matter the size, can keep it from that, I think. One piece of jewelry that you love, a brightly colored handbag (to repeat that cute line from a few pages back, "it goes with nothing, therefore it goes with everything"), or perhaps a belt or a vest. The last two can be kind of tricky, especially since that can border on trendy. I have not been able to find a belt that has the two essential qualities: being likeable and fitting my body. I always seem to have so much excess and I hate when it's hanging off of me. I'm also on the lookout for a full-sized vest, something plain. I have a shrunken navy blue one with gold buttons from H&M, but it only works with certain pieces.

I almost forgot, I have some questions. For those interested in minimalism, what do you do about makeup? I really do not wear any to begin with so I'm a bit clueless. My whole beauty routine mostly consists of moisturizer, foundation, eyelash curling and Burt's Bees lip balm. What kind of brands and colors should I look into? I've been thinking about experimenting with MAC. Nothing out of control, perhaps light golds or browns. It would be nice to have some on hand for special or dressier occasions.

 

[Little Star]

This thread is so interesting! I love reading everyone's posts!

I'm no expert, june, but I like to keep things simple with makeup too. I don't wear foundation as I'm afraid of cake face...and I don't think I really need it. I won't leave the house without a light coat of black mascara and some black eyeliner (I like it to be bold) and because I define my eyes... I just put on a clear or slightly tinted lip gloss, and some pink blush. I don't bother with eyeshadow unless its a special occasion.

MAC is a reliable brand, their products are long lasting and good quality - its also got a very large fan base. I love Lancome (http://www.lancome.com/), for classic but young products and colours. Stila (http://www.stilacosmetics.com/) is also popular, and has such cute packaging! I defintely recommend Lancome, and if you visit their counter they will help you choose the right products (as will many other brands).

I bought some great basics the other day! I was so pleased! I managed to find some plain round-neck long-sleeve tops for this winter, and they fit so well, not too fitted and not too loose. I also bought a mustard coloured fitted knit...I've been very attracted to this colour lately...

 

[gius]

I didn't have the patience to read all of this thread, as it's so late now, except the first and second page... anyway, I recommend making sure you have some lovely fabrics you like. It will add some interest to your minimalist wardrobe IMO
My favourite lately is anything with sheen, like satin or silk or even polyester... It's refreshing during hot days and also nice during the winter when you can pile more on; and it's very warm. You can wear it casually and it works formally too.

You could also keep a small chest of many odd trinkets, pendants, handmade things that you can use as accessories. Like put a raggedy, beaded necklace peeping under a silk shirt--how nice that would look!

(I have had to decide on doing this kind of wardrobe too because I'm starting a life all by myself this fall LoL. It's very exciting and I don't want a heavy suitcase to deal with. For one thing, I have weak arms)

 

[melt977]

Thanks for the karma june gloom and for being so sweet!

 

[Tushka_BeLLa]

june gloom I recommend MAC products too. If you want to keep things natural I'd recommend applying their Beauty Powder with a big brush... or you could even use their Blushcreme for a natural "flush". Mix Strobe Cream with your foundation to avoid the "cakey" look. You can also buff on Fix+ spray with a foundation brush after applying foundation so you look dewy.
MAC does great natural lipglasses too, try Prrr, ELLE and Oystergirl. For lipsticks try Fleshpot and Hue.

Bobbi Brown Shimmerbricks are great too and they last a long time on your face.

Hope I was of some help.

 

[june gloom]

Thanks for all the help, everyone! I think I'm going to make a stop at Sephora when I go into the city on Monday. I looked at Stila's eyeshadows and I think I want to try Launey or Jezebel. I know Nordstrom sells MAC products and now I'm interested in this Fix+ Spray because I've been admiring the dewy look I've seen on some models on the runway. Thanks so much.

 

[J'aime_la_mode]

I´ve just written a long and (I thought) inspired reply but this bloody PC erased it before I could post it.

To sum it up, I think new additions to wardrobe should feel like you already owned them.

If you feel in your guts that something is dubious, less than perfect... It´s better to refrain from buying.

The better clothes I bought were like a love affair...I knew right away that I was gonna love them. And when I bought stuff having second thoughts....I regreted it.

The world is full of clothes, and somehere lays the perfect item you search. It´s better not to be tempted by "not so perfect" things...because eventually you´ll find the one you love and that will be with you for a long time.

The perfect clothes ane the one that always work, that never let you down and the ones that when you see yourself in a mirror during the day you think...Yay! This looks good on me! instead of... What was I thinking?
The same thing with uncomfortable stuff that can look good but makes you feel contrived or simply NOT yourself.

It´s awful to buy stuff and regret the money you´ve payed for them, even if it´s only a few dollars.

Something you pay 20 bucks is expensive if you look bad in it or you never wear it.

^ Very well said!

 

[b1ahness]

I completely agree with you newprincesita. I definetly try to think about the cost per wear of an item. If I spend alittle bit more on a item that I love,I know that I will wear it all the time and eventually the cost will shrivel down. I try to be a bit smarter about my purchases now. Its hard not to get enabled by sales but I try to create outfits in my head and see if I can incorporate the new piece in my wardbrobe.
I also like to purchase neutral colored tops (white, black..my fav colors) that have unstructured style and intricate siloheuttes becuase it just adds a touch of style without trying. I love APC, preen, CDG...just beautiful.
Nicely fitted jeans and slacks are also a must (length and in the buttocks).
A great blazer or jacket also pulls a look completely together.

 

[silvi]

^^ thanks for all the tips!

 

[MissTrine85]

one thing i like when dressing minimalistic, is when you mix fabrics, that are very different from one another, ex. silk with suede, cashmere with leather ect.

about makeup, i only use mascara, a little touch eclat and some lipblam with a rosy color.

 

[mingminglei]

Wow, so much amazing advice in this thread

I'm one of those people that buys a ton of everything. Part of it is because I see other people wih things, and I think that I like that style so I feel inclined to buy more clothing that I don't really actually like. And I keep buying stuff, that while nice, isn't really me and I don't love. Which ends up with me having a huge closet of clothing with nothing to wear. It's pretty bad because part of the sole reason I buy stuff is to acquire more of it

But lately, I've been needing to do an overhaul. I enjoy having a variety of clothing, but perhaps instead of having so much of things I don't love, buy only a few pieces in each style that I feel are quintessentially me, and despite not neccesarily being in a constant style, reflect a part of who I am and what my tastes are. I mean, it doesn't mean forgoing flashy things, but when you own so many flashy things but don't ever remember to wear any of it, what's the point? It's so hard for me to know when I fall in love with clothing though; a lot of times, I buy things because they're really pretty, and I adore them but I never wear them anyways. Some of it I always pack them with me though, and that I think is a sign I really like the clothing. Actually, because of school, most of the time I just wear jeans and a tshirt, and I don't even really like most of my tshirts So I need to fix that; find things that I adore, and don't buy things because other people are buying things (not the same things but the concept of someone buying clothing and acquiring more makes me want to acquire more).

 

[aqueque]

I'm 19 and I basically adhere to minimalism in almost every aspect in my life (except writing/talking, ha!). I constantly edit my belongings and my wardrobe to get the most out of the least amount as possible. Stuff stresses me out. I do like having it but I like not having it more, if that makes any sense. I have more than I want now but it's hard to let go of my things so I separate my wardrobe into things that I use and things that I am letting go of (eventually).

I use 2 white t-shirts, 2 tank tops (black and nude), 1 pair of skinny black jeans, black tights and leggings, 2 cardigans (grey and black), 1 navy sweater, 2 black skirts, black winter coat, scarves and a few dresses (in different colours). Black combat boots, motorcycle boots, a few pairs of heels and Converse.

It sounds pretty austere but I make sure my clothes are all high quality and look really good on me.

I wear make-up so it looks like I'm dressing like this for a reason. Bare Minerals foundation, eyeliner and mascara, sometimes red lipstick too!

I'd like to eventually reintroduce some trends into my wardrobe, though. Some architectural items and maybe some Ashley Olsen-esque oxford shirts and leather pants eventually, when I get enough money to buy high quality items.

This is kind of austere and it makes me sound a little creepy

 

[timber]

I think minimalist dressing is the way to go -- having hundreds of items to choose from isn't a luxury, I think it's almost a waste of time to have to sort through. Unless you've got a lot of money and excellent organization skills, buying less will give you more freedom to save up money and buy quality wardrobe staples, and more unique pieces.

When I started really getting into fashion, I had a incredible mess of things that I'd previous spent money on - mostly things that didn't quite fit me properly, one way or another, and were heavily discounted on sale. A year later, I have a wardrobe that isn't only reduced by about 80% (I sold, gave away and donated the other part of clothing) -- it's also filled with things that I really enjoy wearing again and again.

Ideally I'd like to have less than thirty five pieces in total - I think being able to display all of my clothing on a single clothing rack would be amazing. I'm almost exclusively buying clothing on the internet, finding better deals there -- with the exception of thrift stores (which I've been very lucky finding shoes in) and the occasional store staple.

 

[haute femme]

Love this thread.. I'd love to see any photos of minimalist in street/personal style.. I've always been a fan of modern minimalism.

My boyfriend, (who has a care-less attitude about fashion on the outside but secretly cares on the inside), is a master of minimalism. He wears the same style of t-shirt almost all the time, in white or earth tones, but it looks so fresh on him. Then he has about 3 pairs of pants he wears the most. He also splurges on important things like sneakers, so he can wear them more without sacrificing quality. Sadly, not so easy as a girl

 

[emma peel]

i would recommend william gibson's book pattern recognition, about a trend forecaster who goes to great lengths to develop an extraordinarily minimalist wardrobe and won't wear anything with a logo or obvious markings (I absolutely agree with the last part!)

 

[fashionista-ta]

I'm still cleaning out my old magazines, and today came across an article about the Simmons' house/lifestyle/etc. from when Russell & Kimora were still together. I found it quite obscene ... minimalism makes all kinds of sense.

 

[elegantly_wasted]

I think minimalism makes sense when you need versatility and elegant simplicity.. I love it to be honest and like fellow posters, i too dress it up with awesome shoes or/and jewelry. I'm not a solid minimalist but I do use it as an influence.

 

[pantaloend]

I always wonder whether minimalism is :

-having few but wonderful clothes (and by wonderful, I don't mean expansive : I mean, wonderful for you, for your eyes.)

-having few clothes that are basic and go with everything ... It's wise but sometimes boring.

Anyway, I'm 20 and though minimalism is my dream - and not only for clothes - I am very far from it.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Surely it's never wise to be boring

 

[The_Ida]

Whenever I post outfits in WAYWT I always get compliments for being minimalistic...it's hard to be anything else when you don't have any money I might dress minimalistic, but I'm not too sure that my wardrobe actually is minimalistic.