Minimalist Wardrobes & How to Make One
For many, picking out a daily outfit can be a chore. How often do you stand in front of your closet each day trying to figure out what to wear? Here’s where a minimalist wardrobe comes into play. Keep reading below to find out the different minimalist methods and how to master one.
First 2 Steps:
1. Regardless of which method you go with, it’s important to figure out your color palette. Do you prefer neutrals, monochromatic, or a few fun festive tops with basic bottoms? Once you figure out your palette, identify a few of those key pieces to give you a starting point to build off of.
2. Know your daily whereabouts. If you’re working from home everyday, the theme of your wardrobe should most likely not be business formal.
Capsule Wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe consists of a small, curated collection of clothing that focuses on essential, timeless, quality, wear-again pieces. The point of a capsule wardrobe is to have all of your pieces complement each other so you can create endless amounts of combinations without having to have a lot of clothing.
The key to a capsule wardrobe is to absolutely love each article. One of our favorite organizing quotes is “opening up your closet should be like arriving at a really great party where everyone you see is someone you like.”
Just because you’re going for a more minimalist wardrobe doesn’t mean that you’re getting rid of whole categories of clothing, but rather having a few high-quality pieces per category that are interchangeable. For some, that means 5-10 blouses, pants/bottoms, sweaters and dresses. Because we live in New England, where seasons are plentiful, it’s also harder to have one strict capsule wardrobe without filtering seasonal items in and out. Different jacket weights- raincoat, denim jacket, leather jacket, trench and heavy winter coat are all items that can have equal importance at varying times of the year.
Hanger Flip
If a capsule wardrobe seems extreme, there are other ways to slim down your wardrobe. One of my favorite methods is to start with all your hangers flipped backwards on the pole and then turn the hanger the opposite way once you’ve worn it and are placing it back in your closet. Once the season is over, see which items you didn’t wear and reassess whether you want to hold onto them or donate them.
Project 333
Project 333 is another minimalist wardrobe technique. This challenge invites you to pick out 33 items that you wear for the next 3 months (not including undergarments or sleepwear). Working with only 33 items forces you to get creative in the outfits you put together. Keep your shoe collection simple and classic depending on your day-to-day life. If you work in an office environment it might make more sense to have more flats than sneakers.
Regardless of what technique you decide to use, creating a simplified, curated wardrobe will save so much time and money. Instead of looking for trendy pieces that go out of style or fall apart after a year of owning them, you’ve constructed a wardrobe that requires minimal time and maintenance. Need help creating your perfect wardrobe? Book a wardrobe consultation with our resident stylist, Marisa!