There are many reasons to be more minimalistic in our lives, and in the way we dress in particular.
The horrific impacts of “fast fashion” on people and the environment are very clear, impacts that are a direct result of us buying large amounts of cheap clothes.
Additionally, many people agree that taking a more minimalist approach is deeply freeing, allowing us to appreciate what we have and focus on the things that are important in life.
So are you ready to make your wardrobe more minimalist? Here’s how to do just that.
1. Take Inventory & Purge
The first step toward having a more minimalist wardrobe is to take inventory. Pull everything out of your closet and see what you have. Then get sorting: separate all items into keep, sell, and donate. If you find yourself struggling to throw things away, start with those you haven’t worn in months.
If you want to be more sustainable with your fashion the first part of this is being conscious about how you through away your old items. Clearing out your closet by sending everything to landfill may make you feel better, but it’s not very good for the planet. Rather than simply throwing things away, sell what you can online, donate to charity stores, or give to friends. Any items that are beyond being able to be worn can be repurposed as rags or cleaning cloths.
2. Put Some of It Back
Now you’ve cut down your wardrobe, put these precious items back in your closet. At the same time, throw out all the old, bent and mismatched hangers you have. Only keep the minimal amount of nice hangers you need for the clothes you’ve just put back in.
It may sound silly, but having only a certain amount of hangers helps to keep your wardrobe small. If you know you can only fill a certain number of hangers in your closet, this will stop you from buying things you don’t need.
3. Uncover Your Style
One way to keep your wardrobe minimalist is to know your own inherent sense of style. That way you only need those key pieces that reflect your own true style, rather than a piece for every new fashion and trend. An authentic and timeless look also means a minimalist wardrobe that does not need to be updated too often.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to uncover your own unique personal style:
- What do I want to portray through my sense of style?
- What kinds of clothes do I feel most confident in?
- What kinds of fashion most resonate with me?
- Which style icons do I admire the most?
4. Base Your Wardrobe Around a Few Key Pieces
Another key to a minimalist wardrobe is basing it around a few, high-quality pieces. These are those key items that you save up for and splurge on. These pieces will fit you perfectly, look fantastic, and should last you for a lifetime. These should be things like an amazing pair of designer jeans, an impeccably cut little black dress, and a small number of standout jewelry pieces.
This can be something you build up over time, gradually collecting these standout pieces until your wardrobe is built around them. High-quality pieces of clothing and accessories require an investment, but this isn’t an investment you need to make all at once.
5. Look After Your Clothes
If you want your clothes to last a long time, of course this means you need to look after them! Additionally, as you collect more expensive, high-quality pieces, you’ll definitely want to make sure you’re taking care of them. Looking after you garments largely comes down to how you wash and store them.
For example, delicate items should always be hand-washed, and others can only be dry cleaned. Store your clothes on quality, wooden hangers and throw away those harsh wire hangers! This may also be about avoiding certain items if they don’t fit with your lifestyle. If you can’t afford to dry-clean, for example, don’t buy these types of clothes.
6. Think about Long-term and Short-term Pieces
If you want to be able to maintain a minimalistic wardrobe for the long term, it is important to see this as a process. It is all too easy to get rid of everything in your closet, and then find yourself going back on your ethics because you simply need things to wear!
Keep a long-term, sustainable approach to a minimalist wardrobe by thinking about your clothes as long-term and short-term pieces. Certain types of clothing should be long-term, such as cocktail dresses, jeans, suits, and coats. On the other hand, seasonal pieces like swim wear and the occasional trendy piece are short-term items. It is ok to have a few short-term items in the mix!
