Tagged: minimalism

A Wardrobe Manifesto

I have now spent a month living in my limited wardrobe. Whether these present constraints remain a short-term experiment or become a permanent lifestyle choice, I’ve discovered that I do prefer having fewer things in my closet. I like knowing what I have and having what I like (as opposed to what I think I should like). In order to maintain some of this newly carved out space in my closet and my life, I have laid out some goals for building and maintaining my wardrobe:

I want to enjoy wearing my clothes as much as I enjoy buying them.

  • This is the primary thing I want to consider when shopping.
  • Most of my favorite clothes were not impulse purchases. Either I pondered the item for days or weeks before finally buying, or I looked for a specific type of item (i.e., a striped dress) for months before finally finding a deal and purchasing one.

I want to curate, not accumulate.

  • My wardrobe is an ongoing design project that requires regular editing. I want my additions to be thoughtfully and intentionally made with regard to my style, shape, lifestyle, and budget, and I will keep the total number of items limited with a “one in, one out” policy.
  • If a new item isn’t worthy of replacing something already in my closet, it probably doesn’t belong in my wardrobe.

I want my purchases to be long-term commitments rather than flings.

  • I want to buy the best quality I can afford and wear things for many years.
  • I will try things on, try them out at home with things I already own, return things that don’t work, and have things altered in a timely manner if necessary.
  • I would like to build a savings reserve so I’ll be able to replace or repair something when it wears out.
  • If I want to experiment with a trend, I can “rent it” (i.e., buy it secondhand for not much money and donate it back after a season).

I can’t buy off unpleasant emotions.

  • I recognize that feelings of sadness, grief, insecurity, powerlessness, or anger do not disappear when I throw money around. I am only buying myself a temporary distraction.
  • I want to choose other ways of dealing with my feelings, preferably ones that don’t leave me with souvenirs. Do I really want a closet full of clothing that commemorates my bad days?

Fear has no place in my wardrobe.

I don’t have to buy something because I’m afraid . . .

  • that I’ll miss a great deal
  • that I need it to look stylish
  • that I’m missing out on a trend or that my look is dated

I don’t have to keep something because I’m afraid . . .

  • that I wasted money
  • that I’ll need or want it after it’s gone
  • that I’ll hurt someone’s feelings (this one is especially difficult for me)

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What about you? Do you have rules for what comes into your closet or your home? Or do you find the idea of “rules” restrictive (as I do)? In that case, what sort of guidelines direct your shopping?

And if you are rules-averse but still interested in trying a minimalist wardrobe experiment, here’s a great article from Courtney Carver of Project 333.

 

Reality is Reality, and Clothes are Not the Problem

I can comfortably admit that I’m not a minimalist, but I am enjoying living with fewer things in my closet. As I’ve been exploring my relationship with my clothes and belongings, with shopping and consumption, I’ve had some realizations.

Closet Close Up

Reality is reality, and my wardrobe needs to reflect that.

Here’s a bit of my reality:

– My lifestyle: I spend most of my time parenting a toddler, and the high number of “dry clean only” pieces in my wardrobe does not reflect that. I need pieces that don’t wrinkle like crazy when I get on the floor to play with my daughter, pieces that wash easily if they get peanut butter or marker on them. When I do make clothing purchases, I need to pay extra attention to the care instructions.

– My body: I am average height, I have extraordinarily flat feet, I am a fair-skinned redhead, etc., etc., etc. I want to dress and appreciate the body I have, and I am beginning to accept that some styles and colors (like capri pants, ankle strap shoes, or lemon yellow) aren’t particularly flattering on me. No matter; there are plenty of things that suit me just fine! I can stop eyeing trends that don’t work for me and focus on what does (like bateau necklines, jewel tones, sleeveless tops).

– My budget: If I want to focus on acquiring fewer, higher quality clothes (which I do), I will have to start saving. My years old Target boots are finally falling apart, and I would like to invest in a new pair for Fall/Winter. But I’m not going to be able to do that with a $25 impulse purchase. I want to develop the discipline of saving money so I’ll have a reserve when I want to upgrade or need to replace something.

Clothes won’t fix a fashion crisis.

Before I began this experiment, I regularly found myself going through a pile of clothes in attempt to put together an outfit that I liked and felt good wearing. I refer to this “nothing to wear” moment as a fashion crisis. I used to feel that I didn’t have enough clothes (or good enough clothes) to put together great outfits. Then I started to feel like perhaps I had too many clothes (but still not the right type or fit). Oddly, or perhaps obviously, neither buying more clothes nor limiting my options has solved the problem of the fashion crisis. Even with thirty-three carefully selected, generally well-fitting and favorite items, I have still had instances of running through options and feeling I had nothing good to wear.

I’ve finally realized that the fashion crisis is not an issue of clothing but of self-image. When I find myself surrounded by the pile of rejected clothing, I need to look deeper. Am I lacking confidence, feeling insecure, fearing judgement? I know who I am is not determined by what I wear, and I want to make confident fashion decisions. Even if I have some misses, I am likely the only one who notices.

Having less in my closet gives me space to think.