The minimalist's wardrobe

[fashionista-ta]

so would you agree that it's only possible in the design of the garment?^
you would have to buy 'minimalist' pieces

instead of working with tees, trousers, dresses you may already have
to create that style.
if you don't agree, i'd love to see some examples

Yes, I see your point & agree ... so you can have a piece that's inherently minimalist, or do a minimalist look.

I would say the red dress is not minimalist, but let's say it were worn on the red carpet with no jewelry--that would be a minimalist look.

 

[gius]

i kind of feel jewelry can be just as minimalist too... especially in the design

i was hoping you disagreed with the last point i'm curious if you could do it with ordinary clothes. in a sense 'minimalist wardrobe' can take on several different interpretations.. you can have a minimalist wardrobe with few simple pieces like the shirt and suit jacket, trouser. as a wardrobe it's minimalist. the choice of colours, the number of pieces in your collection. you may even take it further to the point your clothes can all go in the same washing machine, together at the same speed, with the same detergent. because for me i think minimalism can be associated with being carefree, ease of lifestyle. no fuss.
but you can also have a wardrobe full of minimalist designs..and you may have a few or a lot of those. in that case maybe it's more an enthusiast of minimalist design :-P but people can always spot you as a minimalist wearing these, than the ordinary trouser, suit jacket fellow... unless they see him in that style everyday and may even visit him at home, and it's the same colours/'mood' there in the kitchen, bathroom et al too.

 

[gius]

I would say the red dress is not minimalist, but let's say it were worn on the red carpet with no jewelry--that would be a minimalist look.

ooh how about
-red carpet
-red dress
-red lips
but nothing on the eyes
and no jewelry and hair simply, dryly combed back

that's a nice idea
you guys are very inspiring



this is from theSartorialist

inside clothes thin black... one fine black scarf, one turtleneck, one pair leggings
outside clothes WHITE...white coat, a dress, pair of trousers.
accessories brass / ocher / wood / all dotted with black

accent: one giant silver (wedding?) ring.

that's my analysis of an imaginary minimalist wardrobe owned by this woman

 

[papa_levante]

I can see how that's minimal. Thanks gius and fashionista-ta so much for your input.

I love the idea of looking good with a few good pieces that POP and choosing colors carefully so that the look is coherent.

I guess "minimal" covers everything: minimal amount of clothing [in the closet] while still managing lots of combinations, minimal amount of clothing on, minimal amount of color in an outfit while maintaining coherency as to not go totally goth or resemble the Michelin Man, minimal amounts of jewelry and accessories but just putting on that little extra something, etc. I could go on and on.

Bottom line: less is more.

 

[adorefaith]

i think tilda swinton does minimalism very well..

zimbio.com

 

[gius]

oh i found a product that does what i was talking about on the last page.. about the jil sander artist and his pearl gel

it's Clarins instant light complexion perfecter

a woman on TV said the term for this type of product is also known as "highlighter"

 

[olga.]

i just want to say i totally adore this thread. its absolutely inspiring. thank you guys so much. i always thought i cant dress cause' i am too minimalistic and i just wear dresses with ballet flats.

keep on going. my fav thread.

 

[The_Ida]

oh i found a product that does what i was talking about on the last page.. about the jil sander artist and his pearl gel

it's Clarins instant light complexion perfecter

a woman on TV said the term for this type of product is also known as "highlighter"

It's very shimmery, I must tell you

 

[papa_levante]

jakandjil.com posted by Fewormany

Of course you cannot see the whole outfit, but I love the details on the purse and the simplicity of what looks to be a decent-looking poncho.

 

[eternitygoddess]

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy

 

[eternitygoddess]

That being said, I feel that truly great minimalist style is the hardest style to achieve.

1) Firstly, the entire look boils down to the few pieces, so those pieces have to be designed and crafted beautifully and of the highest quality (aka you're not going to find many of these pieces at H&M, Urban or thrift stores). So it requires $$$$.

2) Secondly, minimalist style inverts all of the focus and attention onto the wearer (instead of concentrating on the load of accessories and layers of stuff going on), so it requires a person who has that supremely cool confidence and elegance to carry it off the scrutiny. This is the hardest requirement to fulfill, as extremely few persons possess this particular type of charisma, character, and attitude.

 

[liny]

I enjoy this thread and all the topics it raised, especially since I just went shopping for a wedding dress with a friend, and had to deal with lots of people telling me my suggestions are "too plain".

I agree minimalist style is hard to achieve, because it requires confidence but it's precisely why I'm drawn to it because I would like to be so comfortable with myself that I feel no need to embellish, and don't care what people say about it; it's okay that I'm never going to look like CBK...this is what I like, so be it.

The most interesting question for me is whether minimalism is about being reductive and paring things down to a functional level, or rather minimalism is about strong design that can stand on its own.

Clothing style aside, I also think a minimalist wardrobe is important because I hate excess, and I don't like the need to acquire and hoard . Some people do collect clothings seriously, but for most part, people just buy buy buy for the sake of the new.

 

[eternitygoddess]

The most interesting question for me is whether minimalism is about being reductive and paring things down to a functional level, or rather minimalism is about strong design that can stand on its own.

Those two aren't mutually exclusive.

Having a strong design that can stand on its own makes it unnecessary to have excess. So then by default, minimalism would fulfill the criteria of curtailing.

 

[papa_levante]

The most interesting question for me is whether minimalism is about being reductive and paring things down to a functional level, or rather minimalism is about strong design that can stand on its own.

Definitely the latter. I think a truly "beautiful" minimalistic look has a strong focus with little or possible zero complimentary items. A gold watch, a silver necklace and such can be paired, but selection is key in order not to be... say, busy? I think minimalistic wardrobes are best (and easily) described with photos than with words. (I know I have a hard time with it.)

I feel like a lot of minimalist looks are solid colors. I have yet to see patterns like plaid and animal prints appear.

 

[eternitygoddess]

Pictures of CBK (whom I think epitomizes minimalistic style)

I feel like a lot of minimalist looks are solid colors. I have yet to see patterns like plaid and animal prints appear.

ultimatecarolyn

 

[dior_couture1245]

I just discovered this thread and I have to say that I'm in love with it.

As I've gotten older (I'm only 20, but considering I've been interested in fashion since I was 14, maybe "matured" is a better word), I've realized that my taste has become more and more minimal. At 14, when asked who my favorite designers were, I would tell you without any reservation, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. Now, while I still love both those designers, I can say with full confidence that my favorite designer is Raf Simons for Jil Sander. And that transition is fascinating to me.

And that aesthetic shift has started to effect my desire to dress in a more minimal way. To refine my wardrobe, whittle it down to the essentials and become a much smarter, much more informed shopper. I've never been a great "shopper" for myself. What I buy one day, I'll end up hating months later.

I've gotten to the point were I tend to only wear black and white. And with it currently being summer, I find myself wearing almost daily a pair of black shorts (previously pants that have been cut off at a mid-thigh length), a white t-shirt and my grey jellies. I've gone through phases of wearing more trendier clothes I can say that I honestly looked, and in hindsight, felt, ridiculous.

I'm quite tall (6'2") and I am very skinny (by no choice of my own, I eat like a maniac), and I've come to the conclusion that I simply cannot wear anything that is the least bit fussy. I feel stupid and self conscious if I do.

So, I'm moving back to New York in two days, and I feel like it is the perfect time to sort of reinvent my wardrobe. For my birthday last month I bought myself a beautiful black trench coat from Banana Republic. It's a size L, when I normally wear a size S, however, the slightly over-sized quality it has on me works really well. I'm very pleased with it. I'm considering it my first purchase towards a new, better, more minimal wardrobe.

I don't look good in color, either, so I want to stick to blacks, whites, greys, navies and khakis.

All in all, I'm very excited to develop a minimal wardrobe for myself. I want to look for pieces that are of good quality. Pieces that are well designed, but like I mentioned before, are free of any fussy, unnecessary elements...which is what I consider to be real minimalism. The absolute essential.

In my opinion, minimalism doesn't have to be plain (although often times it works out that way...beautifully, I might add). Essential is really the key word. Minimalism, I would say, is about deleting and removing everything until what you have left is absolutely essential.

 

[Marjon]

diorcouture,
I totally agree with you. Especially the last part about minimalism and removing items.

Last years I wanted to buy as much as I could, different pieces, different colours and different labels.

Now I'm turning 18, I think I should remove so much from my wardrobe.
(Which I didn't before because it was all so expensive)

Just buy some great (longterm) basic pieces with nice accesoires and a few colours and there is your minimalist wardrobe.

 

[liny]

I've always tried to stick to this principle of paring down to essentials, though this hasn't stopped my closet from burgeoning - I would like to own fewer things, but the heart always finds more things to want! Even if it's my 11th perfect white t-shirt.

 

[papa_levante]

I have a hard time making an outfit minimalist without looking "boring" or plain.

I have a lovely white tee that I pair with black skinnies, and I throw on a green necklace for a pop of color (an Angelina Jolie inspiration!), but I don't know if that comes off as minimal.

 

[liny]

I have a hard time making an outfit minimalist without looking "boring" or plain.

I have a lovely white tee that I pair with black skinnies, and I throw on a green necklace for a pop of color (an Angelina Jolie inspiration!), but I don't know if that comes off as minimal.

I think there's no need to be so hard on ourselves for putting on a necklace Getting dressed shouldn't be so agonising!

If you're not going for the monastic, austere look, by all means, wear the necklace. Personally, I think a white tee and black skinnes shound lovely on their own, especially since you say the white tee is lovely. There's a lot to be said for plain-ness - it's a confident, carefree look.

If it's a cool day, a plain scarf is a great accessory that doesn't take away from the minimal look.