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Toward wardrobe minimalism

Dee

Veteran

Hi ladies,

I'm new to the forum and I'm currently trying to change my style from rather quirky and bright, which I enjoyed in my early twenties, to something a little more classic but still fun as I approach thirty. I just finished graduate school and started my first actual job, which happens to be across the country from everywhere I've ever lived.

I am trying to trim down my wardrobe for my upcoming move. I've been trying to embrace a more minimalist lifestyle the last few years (handy on a grad student budget) but the one area I always fail is my wardrobe. My closet isn't overflowing, and isn't full of old or ill-fitting things, but I think I would generally like to have a smaller closet full of pieces I really love, and this move is the perfect time to do that.

The idea of a small, functional wardrobe always sounds great, until I go shopping... So I guess my question is: how do you manage to change your shopping/closet mentality? And for those of you with small wardrobes, how do you get over the fear of not having enough options, even if you rarely wear some of them?

Thanks and I'm looking forward to any thoughts and/or advice!

Shopping

19 replies

Latest reply was from Dee

jen

I have a really small wardrobe, and I wear everything in it. I like good quality pieces that fit well. I think having a small wardrobe is so mentally freeing. My kids call me the crazy cat lady that doesn't hoard but purges!

When I buy a piece I do not buy it unless it goes with a complete outfit. I never buy anything one off! Hope I helped.

sarah

Veteran

Congratulations on your new job, and good luck with the move - it sounds like a huge life change! You can start by focusing on what will really work with your new career and, like jen says, focusing on high-quality purchases that fit you really well. You might find this blog post relevant:

http://youlookfab.com/2012/01/.....principle/

Also, following Angie's "one in/one out" policy could help you.

http://youlookfab.com/2011/08/.....principle/

Good luck!

Joy

Veteran

Welcome, Dee! You might read through the archives, especially Angie's blog posts on building wardrobe capsules and also anything that helps you to start pinning down your style and where you want to go with it, remembering the realities of your lifestyle. This especially helps to stay focused when shopping.

Dee

Veteran

Jen - I like the idea of a small wardrobe, where I know that whatever I grab in the morning will go with something else. For a long time, I kept buying pieces that were individually exciting, but hard to work into actual outfits. I definitely need to pay more attention to how my purchases will work with my other pieces.

Sarah - Thanks! I'm exciting to move past the student part of my life. My dress code will still be smart casual with the occasional business casual element for meetings and such, but I'm hoping a few high-quality items (which I can now afford!) will up my whole look.

Joy - A few wardrobe capsules sound like exactly what I need. I've always liked the idea of lots of options, but from a practicality standpoint, it can be a little overwhelming.

Dee

Veteran

Oh, and thanks for the links. I'm looking forward to reading through these and the rest of the archive!

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I have thought that same thing in the past, but have found it much more practical and enjoyable to just be more disciplined about what I buy. I pre-plan outfits and create a shopping lists based on "holes" in these outfits. I also keep my colors carefully curated. But I don't strive for a small wardrobe, per se, because I enjoy clothes and I enjoy have just the thing to suit my mood...

fern

Veteran

I find this blogger's way of depicting capsules very helpful:
http://theviviennefiles.blogsp.....-navy.html

I thought about what I had & made a summer set, and put everything else in storage. I like having a clean minimal closet and the winter things are set aside (for winter, but I can pull anything out for diversity).
I am still working on the mentality part though - trying not to feel the pull of "more". I think knowing half my wardrobe is put away actually helps with that.

Welcome to YLF -

fashionista

Veteran

Hie Dee, welcome to You Look Fab.
We here have so many experts your problems will be solved in not time about building your wardrobe one piece at a time. Meanwhile as other fabbers suggested go through Angie's post in archives and this would help you a lot.

1. Before building a wardrobe think about your style, your likes, your dislikes, your work, your home and then try and buy pieces that fit your style and life. If your work places demands you wear more suits and shirts, then hoarding and buying a dozen short shorts is of no use. You don't even get the cost per wear for these shorts. Instead invest in some classice button downs and suit pants, blazers.

2. Buy pieces that fit your style and your life. Don't buy anything that are too trendy or seasonal that would be a waste as these tend to change every season. Invest in some classic wardrobe staples that you can wear everynow and then and also mix and match.

3. While buying something assess whether its just this piece or will it go with the other pieces that you have in your wardrobe. Make sure the top you are buying goes with at least three bottoms already in your wardrobe etc.

4. When in confusion about the color variety of any clothing item, shoes, accesories or anything, if your are confused about the color to pick in so many available go for something more neutral that you can wear with anything later on. Confused between neon green and hot pink, go for nude and the like.

5. Always keep in mind that having a closet full of clothes or a big wardrobe has nothing to do with how you style or look. Surf net, pictures and magazines and bookmark anything that catches your eyes and try to recreate it with your own pieces.

6. Also make sure you invest in good quality accessories. You can be trendy in accessories as these will jazz up your look.

May be I could help you a bit.

Joy

Veteran

Oh, yes, buy for your dominent season

Dee

Veteran

Thanks ladies for all of your advice! The Vivienne Files is such a nice visual reference. I think I'll need to go through my closet and make a few new mix and match options, as well a list for when I go shopping so I don't just buy whatever.

For awhile, I bought too many statement pieces, and then realized I had nothing neutral to mix them with, so I'd been trying to remedy that. I think that's also why I'd like to clear out my closet a bit, so there are fewer random closet orphans and more things that tie together for a coherent style.

Honestly, I think my wardrobe holes are high quality classics pieces and basics to tie everything together.

Oh, and Joy, I'm moving to Calgary, so my new dominant season is going to be winter. At least I like layering!

cheryl

Veteran

Welcome to the forum. You have received a lot of great advice already. I agree that capsules are the way to go for you. Get a nice base of neutrals to go with the statement pieces you already own and love. Pull out your favorite statement pieces and see what neutrals would go best with them, then your mixing and matching opportunities will just blossom.

mrseccentric

(website)

Veteran

Welcome Dee!

i share your goal of working towards wardrobe minimalism. First thing - to do this well, and end up truly loving your closet, will take time and effort. I've been making this a high priority for two years now. I've made HUGE progress, but the process continues. However, the process itself is so rewarding - in more ways than just fashion, too! You really have to know yourself in order to know what will really meet your needs and satisfy your soul.

All of the previous comments are very insightful and useful. In my experience, i find that keeping track of what i'm doing - taking outfit photos, making shopping lists, making clothing lists of what i have and the combos, etc. - is the biggest help. Doing writing about my goals, ideas, analysis of how things are working and and so on is an absolute must.

There's some info on this type of dressing on the web - not all over the place, you have to dig but it's there and it's golden. fern's rec of The Vivienne Files is great! Here's some more places with good info:

http://fashionmeblog.blogspot.com/
angie's a greek lady with a teeny tiny wardrobe that is also incredibly varied. The minimal tomboy-boho wardobe in action!

http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/
Allie also has great info on curating a small, stunning business closet.

http://chicandminimalistwardrobe.blogspot.com/
http://rontlog.hubpages.com/
rontlog posts on hubpages and has a small blog as well. really fundamental concepts to help you get to your own personal minimum.

http://sewingplums.com/categor.....ng/page/2/
sewing blogs tend to have more info on planning - if you're putting all that time and effort into making your clothing, you darn well want to wear it! sewingplums has many many articles on wardrobe planning - both her own thoughts as well as her presentation and review of other systems. Well worth your time to sort thru the archives.

http://sewingplums.com/2011/04.....robe-plan/
this post by sewing plums has a very useful way to determine your wardrobe needs. It's very concrete, which i find helpful and unusual.

And of course there's tons of pure gold in the YLF archives and forum. Best of luck and hope this helps!! steph

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Welcome. I share your goal of a small, highly functional wardrobe of good pieces. I am not there yet. My wardrobe's small, but perhaps too small, with some of the wrong pieces and not enough right ones! But with YLF help I am getting closer to where I want to be. It is a lengthly process.

We have some members who live in Calgary, I believe. So you won't be alone!

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Welcome to YLF, a bounty of fab fashion advice and support.

One thought comes to my mind. I used to tell my daughters that we'd wait a few weeks after the beginning of school to shop (they could wear their summer clothes to carry over due to warm fall anway.)

The reason for this was so they could get a feel for what was in style - no sense in Mom buying you 4 prs. of new fade-wash jeans and then finding out everyone else is wearing dark or black that year.

So I suggest that you pare down your wardrobe to the nicest, most classic items that you feel will get you started in your new job and city, and then observe.

Fashion does follow local trends. I live in the midwest and we don't see the leading edge of fashion innovation here. But there are definite style standards - for instance - capri or cropped pants of just about any sort are just dorko in my part of the country, otherwise known for pretty conservative, if not frumpy style.

The large city two hours north is home to just about as many black puffer coats and tan trench coats as women, but in my town, that would look out of place for whatever reason.

So you might find that there is a fashion culture that you want to pick up on once you get there. Good luck in your new city, job, and style adventures!

Dee

Veteran

mrseccentrc - It sounds like you are where I hope to be someday! Thank you for all of the links. I'm excited to have some new blogs to look through. Outfit photos sound like a good idea - it would help me really nail down what I actually wear and what I don't. Maybe I'll even work up the nerve to post one here!

Suz - I'm afraid if I get rid of too much I will end up with the wrong stuff left, which is why paring down is hard.

Also, if anyone on the board has suggestions of good shopping in Calgary, it certainly wouldn't go amiss! (And that's why a small closet is a good idea, but difficult, right?)

cjh - I don't know much about Calgary style, but I'm hoping it will be a little more exciting than the university town where I've been living, where everyone wears jeans or leggings all the time. Waiting to pick some stuff up when I get there is probably good advice.

And again, thanks everyone for being so welcoming. I'm actually excited to start cutting my closet down now and then looking out for good neutrals to tie everything together.

nancylee

Veteran

Welcome, Dee! Your goal of a pared-down functional wardrobe is what many of us here on YLF strive for. Here's an idea you might want to try: Go through your closet and separate everything into three categories: 1) Elements of love (things you just adore), 2) Useful items (basic white blouses, black pants, etc.), and 3) Meh! (things you neither adore nor find very useful/practical). Put only items from the first two categories back into your closet and set the items from the third (Meh!) category aside (maybe in a closet in another room. See how you do dressing only with items from the pared-down closet and then slowly introduce items from the Meh! category as you find a need for them. Eventually, you'll be able to see which items you can safely let go of for good and which ones might be more useful than you thought. (And there's no danger in letting go of anything too soon since they're just hiding out in another closet for now!)

I did this exercise a few months ago and found it very useful. Interestingly, most of my Meh! items eventually found their way back into my closet. But at least now I know I have a use for them. And I made some discoveries about what I love in my closet (pattern!)

Here's a link to my post:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....style-long

Dee

Veteran

NancyLee, your closet is amazing, both in terms of clothes AND organization. Cue jealousy on my part!

I think Meh is a perfect descriptor of some of my items. They're not terrible or anything, but I don't love them either, so they tend to languish as "just in case" items.

Now I'm motivated to start letting them go in favor of the pieces I really love.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Dee, you say you are moving across the country. Is your current university town in Ontario (we may live in the same town, if so...)

I believe Jem lives in Calgary. She has terrific style, so watch for her posts. Also, she seems to find a lot of great stuff at the Winners there.

I can't remember if we have other members there at the moment.

I think Calgary will always have a casual side, and that cowboy vibe (done ironically at times and at other times seriously) is indeed still part of the style. But there's lots of great shopping there and quite a range in people's dress.

Dee

Veteran

Suz, I'm actually moving from Pennsylvania in the US. So I'm heading a lot further west AND north. It also means aside from your basic moving pains, I get to deal with the whole immigration experience as well.

I'll have to keep an eye out for Winners - I don't think we have that in the US. I'm just excited to have shopping options. I've done most of my clothes shopping during trips to conferences for the past few years, because we have very little shopping in town.