Thoughts on Minimalism (even if just momentary) - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Thoughts on Minimalism (even if just momentary)

Thistle

Veteran

I know some fabber have embraced a more minimal closet. While I am not maximal, I really am too lazy to be minimal.

However, as I am 17 days away from my scheduled C-Section, I have had some time to reflect on my self imposed minimalism during pregnancy.

#1. No one seems to notice pants. I have literally worn black pants almost daily for months, and no one notices. Even though its the same few pairs. Maybe they are giving me a pass as I am pregnant. Then I realized, I don't notice anyone's pants either.

#2. When you have a small wardrobe, replacing worn items is a must and cannot be put off. Sales are nice, but you have to stay clothed.

#3. Make sure the few things you have are very comfy and wash well.

#4. Layering is key when it gets chilly out. Neutral toppers are ideal for this.

#5. Be ready to do laundry often and gently.

I am sure there is more I have learned, but over to you. Anyone else experimenting with a minimal wardrobe and what they have learned?

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from Thistle

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I'm not much of a minimalist (haha) but I'm following because I find these types of threads very useful for packing. And we're going on a two week trip in the spring, may as well pay attention!

Your observation about pants is interesting. Up until the last couple of years, I had one pair of black dress pants, which I wore constantly. It didn't bother me... so I'm sure it didn't bother anyone else. I also only had two pairs of jeans, low and high heels. But this "try to discover your style" journey has led me to purchase many many more. Yes, that don't see enough love. I'm learning!

Peri

Veteran

I have to agree on the pants! I've done the same thing this summer. There is the possibility everyone is too nice to call me on it, but I think they just don't notice or care. Because you are right...I don't notice people's pants either unless they are made to stand out. I notice tops and jewelry, that's it.

rabbit

Veteran

Those all sound good to me. I'm not doing a minimal wardrobe now, but have for some periods in the past, usually when I was away from home. That replacing worn items thing is key. I've had pants literally rip when I was wearing them because the fabric had gotten thin with constant use. If a pair of key shoes develops a leak or hole, it's a real problem.

I'm laughing at your pants observation. When out and about I notice shoes, jackets and bags, but only notice pants with a pattern or unusual cut. The only time I've gotten a compliment on pants from a stranger is wearing pants covered with a moth pattern. I'd imagine the same thing would be true of classic tops in neutral colors. People often just don't 'see' them so they don't notice repeats.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I'm not usually a minimalist either but I learned I needed a lot fewer clothes than I thought during my first pregnancy and spent the next two years doing a lot of purging. I'm interested to see what happens after this one. Your observation on pants is very interesting. Pants seem to be the one thing that is the most difficult. I think if I could find the perfect few pairs of pants I could live with a lot fewer. The problem is that I always seem to be making due with what I have so I'm always on the lookout for more. That and trying to have PPP with various heel heights. But I do think you're on to something. Unless the pants are patterned or something else to make them really noticeable, I don't pay much attention to people's pants, just how they play with the rest of the outfit. Glad you're in the home stretch and good luck!!

ironkurtin

Veteran

I remember wearing the same 3 pairs of black yoga pants over and over in my pregnancy. Everything you're saying is totally true, Thistle. Maybe I should think of my closet for everyday like I did when I was pregnant.

On the other hand, I burned those pants when I had my kid. So.

Sal

Veteran

Yes pregnancy is enforced minimalism!!

I agree with all your thoughts. In my first pregnancy I got so sick of my clothes- in my second I actually had a very small but great wardrobe that I quite enjoyed and could take me from work to a wedding to the beach.

Good luck over the next few days and all the best for the birth!

N-Marie

Veteran

Good luck with the C-section! I had an unplanned CS and then a planned one and the planned one was a much more pleasant experience!

Hah, yes, pregnancy has its own capsule wardrobe (maybe even each trimester). Luckily, one dose get a lot of passes when pregnant!

I'm an "in theory" semi-minimalist. It's hard to be a true minimalist with babies because I know I needed frequent costume changes or both me and baby (so much spit-up!). Year-round, I tend to buy pants for silhouette (boyfriend/skinny/trouser) and only buy a few in neutral colors. I then add variety with tops, which require more frequent washing and are often cheaper too. I've often heard the ratio of 1 bottom to 3 tops as a working rule.

One key that I have found is to only keep items that you know how to style, love and can actually wear on an everyday basis. I have found online shopping (only at store with very good return policies!) to actually be a great way to do this. When I receive an item, I try styling it with the items I currently own, then leave the tags on. If a month later I still haven't worn it, I send it back. I do my best to not keep items that won't get worn.

Sara L.

Veteran

I agree with your observations about pants. When I was pregnant I had only a few pairs of pants but lots of tops and that seemed to work well. It was a small wardrobe and I was only slightly bored by the end. Interesting shoes are also key to making interesting outfits with minimal clothes.

Thistle

Veteran

I failed in the shoe department. In the summer, I had 4 pair of sandals that worked. Three of which were specially purchased for being pregnant, and the fourth my silver Birks.

This fall, it is far too cold for sandals. (It was 36F on my way into work this morning!). I have 2 pair of shoes that will see me through to the end - Danskos and a pair of double wide width animal print loafers. They are comfortable, even on swollen feet, and I alternate days I wear them.

I miss my shoe collection, and I really, really hope they still fit in January!

Susie

Veteran

I agree with all of your points, Thistle. And I hadn't realized that you are so close to D-day....your pregnancy has gone very fast for me

I am by no means a minimalist but I have reduced the overall number of items in my closet. One thing that I have learned is that I would rather wear things that I love more frequently than to have some just ok things in order to add more variety. I've gotten much better at not adding random pieces just because.

Alassë

Veteran

I hadn't realized you were so close, either. That's great! I'm sure you're looking forward to ending this chapter. Your points are spot on, and best wishes for getting through to the end!

rachylou

Veteran

I found the same to be true. And that I'm not prepared to do laundry more and that it can be quite expensive and frustrating trying to replace things all the time...

Elly

Veteran

Amen sister--- I agree with you on #2-#5.

Number one is true to some extent: I went years wearing 3 pairs of blue jeans and people definitely noticed, on several occasions. Still you can get by with fewer bottoms -- fewer silhouettes and colors than in other areas for sure -- tops are the hardest to repeat often I think, unless you have lots of toppers to shake it up.

That said, having fewer bottom silhouettes really restricts what tops and shoes you can wear, so you really have to love your formulas or uniforms. I didn't wear booties or tall boots much for years because most pairs didn't have enough "interest" for me sticking out of my bootcut jeans and trousers. Plus, you get into ppl and heel height issues and issues where skirts and pants often don't go with the SAME shoes.

So, If you are TRYING to limit yourself selecting fewer bottom silhouettes is almost as effective as limiting colors.

That said-- minimalism can be about the same "wastefulness" level and "spending" level as other wardrobes. I find myself returning fewer pieces because I need SOMETHING and wearing it, but replacing it as soon as I am able because if something drives you a little nuts wear it every day for a week and it will drive you REALLY nuts. Plus, unless you can afford super high quality and never accidentally destroy things (like falling down our slippery awful stairs at work and taking out the knee on new pants) you are going to wear through many many more pairs of the same pants.

Minimalism works---

when you have to (pregnancy)
when you love what you have and want to wear it all the time
when it works for your lifestyle
when you like very trendy things or very classic things

It can be rough when ---

you are doing laundry again!
you wore the same outfit to the last 3 family functions
your out spending your budget replacing the same basics every year

The season is very young for me, but so far I've enjoyed having a few more items to chose from with seasonal wardrobe counts more in the 30s than the teens this year. That said, my organizational capacities work better when I can still visualize it all, and I'm right around that limit. Plus, I HATE tossing dated but unworn clothes.

gryffin

Veteran

Thistle - good luck, as Susie say!!, on D-day. I wish you a speedy recovery!! I totally agree with you. I am trying to create a very edited wardrobe. It's hard to see detail on black pieces. I don't think anyone would ever notice the pants. But changing up the silhouette of those few pants will give you the look of more variety. Toppers are key and that's where I would allow myself personal volume. Also key is pieces that can morph. A simple sleeves shift dress can dress up or down, it can layer with caridgans or blazer or even become the skirt for tunics. It's more important to choose wisely. A simple 3/4 sleeve dress that you can change out accessories and toppers. A long vee neck cardigan that looks great buttoned as a dress. Leggings for under tunics, dresses, long caridgans. You've got to find whatever your key pieces are. I've been loving http://www.into-mind.com for her awesome suggestions, even thinking of ponying up for the workbook. Great shoes and great toppers are where I make my statement. Good luck and take it slow, my worst wardrobe choices came after my son was born and nothing felt right any more. I wasted a lot of money on things that felt wrong a year later. Just be well and wishing you spectacular joy with your new little one and whole family!! Hugs!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, these are interesting observations. By and large, I think you're right about pants, although I also think rabbit raises a good point. People probably don't notice neutral, classic tops very much, either. And even if others don't notice bottoms all that often, I do -- or at least I notice them if they are interesting in any way. Still, when I am travelling, I think in terms of neutral light, neutral dark, and one more "interesting" item (whether that be a skirt to vary the silhouette, a patterned pant or a differently cut pant -- whatever.) And I depend on the fact that nobody is going to pay much attention to any of it.

Good luck in the next few weeks! It's not long now. And I must say it has gone quickly for an observer on the sidelines.

shedev

Veteran

I can't notice the shoes without noticing the pants, or notice the topper without noticing the top. Wearing similar pants too often makes me feel like I'm always wearing the same pants. I'd never comment on people who do though.

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

You have summed up the minimal experience quite nicely! I subbed for the first six weeks of the semester with a minimal rotation of 14 items and you are so right about bottoms. I will confess something aspergers-esque about myself: I like limited choices on bottom because I find any remotely itchy, saggy, scratchy, etc pieces get to me. So I'm very controlling about my bottoms. I have hudson collin jeans in two colors. I love that I know exactly how they will feel all day when I put them on. Is that weird? I just I have the same pencil skirt I've worn for five years. I need to find a new one that feels 'right.' I can handle the most variety in jackets and shoes. Yes, I am weird. I'll own it! Do you think other minimalists choose it for similar reasons?

rabbit

Veteran

thimblelina, that's an interesting point. I think I have a pretty high tolerance for different fits on clothes, mostly because I'm not wearing them for 8 plus hours a day, I'm switching up a lot depending on what I'm doing. I definitely prefer comfortable shoes and try to take care of my feet for the long term, but also have a few heels good for short jaunts, but not walking far.

Then again, I'm the kind of person who notices I picked up an intense bruise on a knee or something and has no recollection of it happening (what is the opposite of the princess with the pea? Lol, that's me, a tough hide). I know other folks can be much more sensitive to fit or abrasion or tightness and that might also really make a minimal wardrobe more appealing.

Like you though, I can't abide unintentional sagging pants that change fit during the day. Those get purged.

Elly

Veteran

Speaking of wear and tear--- as a general rule expensive polartech type fleece wears like iron, right? I'm sitting at work today in a Columbia fleece (hey, I was cleaning the basement!) purchased in March of 2013 that is almost worn through in the elbows and missing some stitching elsewhere. All three of my pairs of jeans from 2013 are showing wear-- 1 is still ok for work but a bit more distressed, 1 is part of my camping capsule, and the other is worn through in the behind. I blew seams on a high end pair of boots and a high end pair of sneakers in 9 months.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

17 days? It is getting close - good luck on the big day for you!
For me minimalist wardrobe is hard to live with - both practically and emotionally. I need variety and I don't want to depend on a single item which can be i the laundry / torn / worn out.
I am a weird one here because I LOVE variety in my bottoms - both in color and style. I personally believe that wearing different style and/or cut in pants has bigger impact on the outfit than a different top has.
As for others not noticing pants...tell it to Aida! All those comments we got on a "twin" day that night in Seattle when we both wore Kut plaid jeans! They DO notice...however if the pants are black they blend in more I believe. We were joking that if we wore the same outfits with identical BLACK pants nobody would say anything at all....on the other hand Angie's famous harem pants are black and you cannot say they do not get noticed!

Aida

Veteran

Hah Sveta, yes people certainly did notice the pants. With the similar styling of cream top, topper, and booties we may have gotten some comments even if we were wearing black pants. So I agree, people do notice, but perhaps don't say as much about plain black pants. But I'm with you, in the minority in liking having a large variety in bottoms. Maybe even more than in tops! I also wonder if this might be because pants are easier for me to fit.

Thistle, it is also possible that since your work environment is more conservative, that they are somewhat expecting to have a more uniform dress. So if you wear, say, slim black pants every day, it's not seen as unusual.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

High-five in loving the variety in bottoms, Aida! I do believe that bottoms have a bigger impact on the outfit than tops. And it is funny that you said:
"this might be because pants are easier for me to fit." because I became "obsessed" with adding pants to my wardrobe because they were HARD for me to fit (kind of rebelling nature of mine and extra big joy from finding another pair).

Staysfit

Veteran

Your observations remind me about my first pregnancy. I had three pairs of pants and two dresses for the pregnancy. Very minimal for me, if you have read any of my posts! I had just enough tops to make it through the week. Sadly one of the pairs of pants was red. Several of the tops were white or light colored. My DH was being helpful and did the laundry. I ended up wearing streaky pink clothes for the remainder of the pregnany!

unfrumped

Veteran

Good points, Thistle and I can't believe it's almost baby time!

I have been trying to do more honing becaue I know I'm just not wearing some things.
One think I've learned is that I need to NOT think about spring and fall as separate wardrobes. I hadn't really done that supe- intentionally, but I love "seasonal" colors and was about to hold myself to too much of a seasonal color palette. The downside of that would be that if I have things I think are ""waiting" for fall, or spring, as seasons, instead of just temperature-rating, then they sit for a year, and meanwhile I, or styles, or my tastes may change, and stuff is just taking up space.

I already accept that since I'm cold-natured, I do collect warm sweaters that are mostly for Nov-Feb. Even, there I'm trying to do more with layering to extend the months of wear of some items, but the fun factor of warm thick sweaters is high, so I accept that I have a "winter wardrobe" and will try to keep it partly "timeless" (or moderate longevity) plus budget for trend/replacements.
This is an issue for work clothes, which would tend to be more of an investment, but also casual clothes. Due to my work schedule, a couple of months could go by without my being able to do much non-work events, or very many so I can potentially miss the window to wear items that are too tightly seasonal in feel or use.

The only difference it makes in my approach is to really ask how I "feel" about when I would wear something, and if I feel it screams a limited season, I really ought to re-think (exceptions, balance, moderation, of course!) . Second, I'm finding a few colors (real colors, not gray!) that swing both ways and might not be what I thought. Third, I'm really reviewing my accessories to earn their keep as the items that help skew seasonal--put the orchid and white in the scarf, or the lovely fall tones in the belt and necklace--things like that. Then, I will not "wait" until Feb to wear the orchid cashmere. I might not wear it as often, in Dec, but again it's the concern that only by wearing things can I re-assess whether they are still working, whether I should stay in that direction. Otherwise I find I'm surprised if the item I "saved" looks off, somehow.

The trick is to find the balance between the wearing/ assessing approach, and the Keep-something-back for a refresher approach.

Niki Lea

Veteran

Great points. Pregnancy definitely enforces minimalism - I wore the same two pairs of maternity jeans over and over again, and they were hand-me-downs from friends who'd done the same thing.

These conversations about minimalism always make me think really hard about why I make an effort to learn about style and fashion, because I would happily wear the same thing every day if I could.

Thistle, #2 is so true and a good reminder. On the weekends I am extremely minimal about my outfits and I have a couple of Gap shirts that I have worn religiously on the weekends for far too long. They're looking awful, truthfully, and do need to replace them.

That said, this forum has helped me come out off my minimalist shell during the week. This summer I bought a pair of soft, patterned pants. Never, ever thought I'd wear patterned bottoms and I love them to bits and pieces.

retailgirl

Veteran

I recently took a two week plus business trip that only required casual clothes and I really missed my stuff! So I am not a minimalist at all. I wore khakis and a shirt or tee every day, with sneaks or topsiders. The same earrings, watch and my wedding rings. One handbag, a tote. Even though I wear sort of a "uniform", pants, blazer or cardi, shirt and usually a scarf, I like having the choice of my big wardrobe. And I can't remember the last time I wore anything out, except for shoes!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

So excited for you Thistle - so few days to go!

Regarding pants, I think I actually do notice people's clothing more than the average person so I can't say that I don't notice pants. I even notice when they were the same versus different jeans! (maybe I'm just weird that way) But I totally get the point that the pants aren't going to necessarily make or break your outfit if they are a neutral, fit well and you have a nice top on. And I will wear the same pants more than once in a week or even to see the same person on two different occasions and not think twice about it whereas I might think more about rather I'm wearing the entire same outfit two times in a row to see the same person, especially if it hasn't been long.

My closet is moderate. I have more clothes than I "need" but not so many that I don't crave change still. Especially with new seasons.

I really agree that being gentle on your clothes in the laundry is really important. Also, for me, I don't like feeling the need to shop too often, I prefer it to be a want not a need.

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

I can't speak to the visual impact of pants, but I found your observations interesting. Mostly because that while the right pair of pants is easy to take for granted, I find that nothing ruins my person fab/confidence factor more effetively than pants that are even slightly off. The wrong length, volume in the wrong place, too much or too little movement...any of these factors can throw me right off-kilter. I wonder if this is just a personal tick or if this manifests itself visually too?
I didn't realize you were expecting. Congratulations and best of luck, Thistle!

Elly

Veteran

Michelle! So good to hear from you!

Thistle, I apologize for the thread jack and can't wait until you have another munchkin at home safe and sound ; )

12