Geesh - reading all of this makes me want to go and clean my closet. Again. Seriously, I am considering moving the things I truly love to wear to the front of the racks to create a little "love capsule" and see how long it takes me to start rambling through the more distant items further back. I can't say I have much in there that doesn't fit or that is even out of style, but I do have things that I just don't reach for - and some of those are newer things so I'm kind of on a clothing shopping hiatus until I figure it out a bit more.

Thanks Suz! The tea candle is new (little birthday present from a friend), the plants are there year round. And the santa will be swapped out with my ceramic bird in the new year.

Lisap, thank you for being so honest and trusting us with this self-knowledge. I've also had major confidence issues in the past and getting a grip on dressing myself reasonably well helped a lot with that. I think there is something to the saying "fake it till you make it". Great clothes can be the kickstarter for your self esteem when you're not comfortable in your own skin. But it's a slippery slope. I think the only thing that kept me from a full blown shopping addiction back then was my small student budget and my parents' bringing me up to be sensible about money.

Gaylene, I agree that it's a difficult topic. And I know very well what you're talking about. I have practiced out of sight, out of mind myself. I really want to get a grip on that. And really, I'm the queen of rationalization. Don't even try to argue with me, I'm able to find a justification for everything if I want to.

Angie, I posted it in the link love thread after Laurinda mentioned it. Just went back and added the link to this thread, too. And thanks for the shout out for balance!

Texstyle, but hopefully in a good way? I don't want you to feel pressured to do anything just because of my musings...

I am fascinated by what everyone is saying. Astrid, thank you so much for this lively topic, and an extra thanks to Angie for providing this wonderful forum where people feel safe enough to express themselves openly.

What a wonderful thread you started, Astrid. Thank you for your own thoughtful and balanced approach and your sensitive and perceptive replies to us all.

Seconding Staysfit & Suz's thanks.

Astrid - yes, in a good way, definitely.

Wow, what a great thread this turned out to be! I love this, because my sympathies are so very much with buying less and keeping it for as long as possible, but I'm nobody's minimalist. Seems many others feel the same way.

Astrid, I just wanted to clarify a couple of things.

First off, with regards to "new minimalism" I was referring to the rise of normcore, another minimalist trend about which there's an awful lot to say, but not in this thread. I should have mentioned that, sorry.

Secondly, I didn't want to imply that a tiny closet can't be done, because it can by some people, and you're doing an amazing job of proving this to the rest of us

That said, what bothers me most about Into Mind, which is a fantastic blog in almost every other respect, is the philosophy of a universal signature style and the way she suggests you develop it. My immediate thought was that here was someone who'd never lived through several careers or life roles, let alone fashion cycles. I felt much the same way when I read (then 25 y.o) Mark Zuckerberg's claim that nobody needs more than one internet alias: there speaks a man who's only ever had one job.

And I have to say, I much prefer the YLF approach. The art of getting dressed is about so much more than putting clothes on your back.

Staysfit, Suz and Alasse - thanks.

Texstyle, that's good to hear!

Approprio, thanks for coming back and clarifying. And your comments about Into Mind make a lot of sense! Although I do think all these exercises of creating moodboards etc. to develop a signature style can be helpful to figure out a rough direction, if you're completely clueless about your preferences that is. I've created enough Pinterest boards myself in my time here on YLF. I never did anything with the pictures and deleted most of them after a while, but I found it helpful to pinpoint what kind of aesthetic appeals to me deep down. Not the actual pieces of clothing, but the vibe which slowly emerged recycling all those pictures. It's not something I knew about myself, it wasn't instinctual. That said, I'm now only spending time there sporadically. Because I've learned to trust my gut feeling way more. And I do think that these preferences about the feel of your clothes are rather constant. Even though fashion or the implementation due to life circumstances might change.

Astrid, thanks for starting and everyone else for contributing to this absolutely fascinating thread. I resonate with some of the uneasiness expressed about minimalism. I don't like churn, and some minimal wardrobes really seem to support that.
I am often reminded of a point made my C S Lewis, talking about gluttony. He describes someone who says they are happy with just tea and toast but they must be made just "exactly so". I think he was saying this fussiness was just as gluttonous as an overeater. (I may be misquoting, I don't know what book this was and it is probably 20 years since I read it)
A similar parallel can be drawn with clothing (I could have put this in Suz's thread!)

My insight is also coloured by having a close family member live a minimal kind of tiny house existence with her large family. I love her and think she is brave - and NOTHING like a chic minimalist! They are often shabby, not that clean, - the "one item" that Claire mentions can STILL go missing!

For myself I find myself identifying a bit with Angie. For me what limits my wardrobe is budget and size. I like my wardrobe to look uncrowded, and my drawers not to be stuffed. And my budget is small by YLF standards and dominated by needing to buy a pair of expensive orthotic shoes every year which doesn't leave space for heaps of extras. Unlike Angie, I don't particularly enjoy shopping and this helps keep the wardrobe down too!

I think the subject of "signature style" deserves a thread of its own. And I might start one in a few days. I don't really have any clear thoughts on the subject except that someone like aproprio, who seems to have an eclectic personal style, will find the whole idea of a single 'signature" look very constraining. Whereas a uniform dresser will not. Lately there is lots of talk to the effect that the "truly" stylish people have a signature look. But I think we could probably find as many counterexamples to that idea as examples, with a little consideration. I say that even though my own tendencies are probably towards a modified uniform, i.e. some kind of uniform but with more variety than it typically suggested for a signature look.

More thanks from me, Astrid. It was very stylish that you responded to everyone's comments so fully and with hyper engagement. I hope to cover some of these important points next year in a blog post or two.

Anne, I'm high fiving you.

Suz, start that thread. I have lots to say about the topic.

Yes, please start that thread Suz!

Suz, Yes! Let's have that discussion! I'd love to find a few signatures to anchor my style. It's pretty much why I'm here.

Lately there is lots of talk to the effect that the "truly" stylish people have a signature look. But I think we could probably find as many counterexamples to that idea as examples, with a little consideration.

There's a comment in Scott Schumann's first book politely disagreeing with this assertion. Here are a few counterexamples of eclectic style icons from the top of my fashion-obsessed head...

David Bowie
Kate Moss
Chloe Sevigny
Debbie Harry
Rihanna
Solange Knowles
...

on preview looking forward to that thread when it appears...

Anne, thanks for chiming in. That's an interesting quote! Also fascinating to hear about people who are truly living minimal for real. As for not enjoying shopping much and keeping the wardrobe down that way - I think that only works if you are fairly discerning about clothes at the same time and don't buy anything just to get it over with. I know some people who don't enjoy shopping and they often don't even try things on before buying just to be finished. This leads to huge wardrobes where they can't even wear a lot of things.

Angie, thanks. I'm looking forward to the blog post(s).

Suz and approprio - yes please! We need that thread. I think this would become a very interesting one for sure.

Count me as another who'd love to read Suz's musings.

Astrid you are right. In addition to not enjoying shopping that much * am also very picky (over picky really, YLF has helped me a little in getting over my perfectionistic tendencies - my example above spoke to *me* because I am very like that picky person ) and also not naturally inclined to spending at all!
But having made the plunge to buy something I very rarely purge quickly. It would take a really mistake for me to purge it any time soon. Handed down items might move quicker but if not immediately passed on I'll give them a good try to fit in my wardrobe first.
Since joining YLF 6 years ago my estimate is that only about 10 items of clothing bought since then have left my wardrobe for reasons other than wearing out.

* with qualifications. When I worked in the city I didn't mind browsing in the shops in my lunch hour every week or two. Now I don't, it means using precious weekend time to do it.

OK!!! So I read these posts earlier this week and adsorbed the wisdom in the room.

THEN this very morning, I saw a woman wearing a pair of shoes that I just HAD TO HAVE. I found them at Nordstroms and was beyond excited about my newest acquisition. Yay!!

THEN I remembered the collective wisdom of this thread and I remembered that I realized I didn't need those new shoes, I just desired them because they were new and sparkly. I opted against them.

Hi Astrid, just wanted to thank-you for this thread!
I Faved. it and have been reading it over the last few days with much pleasure. I enjoyed the links too

Me too, High Five Astrid!!

Anne, I definitely purged more than 10 pieces that I hadn't worn out. Especially stuff I bought at the start of my YLF journey. I've gotten better at recognizing the things that will truly be workhorses though, so hopefully that will keep the count low from now on.

Sterling, great story! How do you feel about your decision now?

Lyn D, thanks. I'm glad you found this an interesting read.

Kiwigal, High Five back!

Those posts were really great--in particular, on 'perfection'. I don't shop very often, but when I do decide I need something in particular, I OBSESS over finding exactly the right thing. I'm trying to wed 'comfortable' (wide) with 'dressy' for work shoes, and have completely bogged down. Somewhere in my head, I think I will know the perfect shoe, and therefore I must FIND IT.

Anne, the comment about the 'tea and toast' is also very thought provoking.