Hi, Minimalist community peeps!
The countdown's over but I still want to write one for Week 2. Here's my entry:
For this challenge, I pick option 3:
How do you pick a minimalist style and maintain your minimalist wardrobe to stay stylish and fresh without the need to purchase new items?
Before answering this question, let me share with you my fashion background.
Stylish isn’t exactly something I can use to describe myself. I’m not really known as a fashionable dresser. In our schoolpaper (waaaaay way back in high school), I remember being described by the writer as “ever simple”. That for me some sums up my “style” when it comes to clothing. I like keeping things plain and simple.
In my teenage years, “plain and simple” means anything my aunts give me: their Christmas gifts and hand-me-downs, so I don’t have to think about what to wear. One of my aunts is a flight attendant with great taste on clothing, yet she has a different figure from me. So, I’d mostly be sporting stylish clothes that are awkwardly-fitting during my younger years.
But when I started working and buying my own clothes, that’s when I began finding my own style. Of course, the first pieces I bought were those that resemble the style of the aunt I admire–fancy, dark- and neutral-colored, and flattering to the body. The amateur shopper in me, though, purchased dresses that are difficult to match with my shoes, see-through blouses that gives a peek into my underwear, woolen pieces that are way too hot for the Philippine weather, and other clothing that makes me feel uncomfortable.
Over the years, though, I realized that comfort is something I wanted to prioritize in clothing. When I’m comfortable with what I’m wearing, I feel more confident. I don’t have to worry about my cleavage showing or I won’t be sweating like crazy.
Motherhood and the pandemic have also strongly-affected the way I choose my clothes. I no longer have to go to the office and wear stuffy business-casual attires. I’m mostly at home. This means, I’m free to wear my plain gray tees, comfy shorts, and jammies. When we go out, I wear the same tees with my favorite jeans. From the many clothes I bought and received, I’ve just been using those pieces–around 20 to 30 apparels–for the past two years.
(Here’s how my look now. Even the hair looks more comfy and minimalist)
After that comprehensive background on my fashion history, here's my answers for the challenge:
How do you pick a minimalist style without feeling the need to purchase new items?
Well, I consider my comfy plain gray tees and overused ripped jeans as minimalist. I love my gray shirts since they fit me well, I can move freely while wearing them, they’re easy to pair with my limited bag and footwear collection, and they accent the minimal curves I have. I feel beautiful and confident while wearing them. Right now, I have five pieces and they pretty much serve as my everyday uniform.
If I’m happy with them, I don’t see the need to buy new pieces. I have already tried a lot of clothes. None of them make me as happy and comfortable as my gray tees and ripped jeans. Why get more?
How do you maintain your minimalist wardrobe to stay stylish and fresh without feeling the need to purchase new items?
For me, a stylish and fresh minimalist wardrobe consists of only a few pieces I really use. These include my gray tees, a few whites, and stripes; jeans, shorts, and jammies; and comfy flattering dresses for special events.
To be honest, I can’t consider my wardrobe as minimalist right now. Although I have already given away 3 boxes of my work attires during the pandemic, my closet is still cluttered with pieces I hardly use. When I see these clothes, I can think of a myriad reasons why I can’t wear them. It makes me like a highschooler, I don’t have a matching shoes for it, and many more.
My goal is to trim my wardrobe down to the few pieces that truly “spark joy”.
Here are my criteria for the clothes I’m letting go:
- Ill-fitting
- Those that don’t match my style
- Those that are complicated to wear (see-through or knitted since I have to wear bands underneath)
- Those that make me sweat
- Some of my clothing that need special care in washing (I hardly wear them ‘coz washing them scare me)
Here’s my plan for letting go of them:
- Give my remaining business casual attires to job-seeking relatives and neighbors.
- Hand down my remaining university clothes to young ones.
- Sell the good ones that I can’t find a fitting owner that I know.
- Donate the remaining ones.
The goal is to find them an owner who would use them. Or else, they’d be stuck again in the closet.
Here’s to hoping that I find the time to do this. Keeping a minimalist wardrobe that matches my style, I know, will provide me a lot of benefits. I would have a cleaner-looking closet and I can easily find the clothes I want to wear.
Thank you @millycf1976 and the minimalist community. I enjoyed this challenge! I'd try my best to submit one for week 3 :)
I also want to thank @discoveringarni for inviting me to join this challenge. For some time, I’ve been meaning to join one of the contests from this community since a minimalist lifestyle is something I want to follow. Thank you for giving me the nudge to finally participate.
Hi @millycf1976, to be honest, when I finished writing the blog, I didn't know that the challenge was over. Saw it when I was publishing the post. For week 3, I'd try to post earlier.
Anyway, really enjoyed the past week's challenge as my closet is something I have been been working on since January. Giving them away is easy but the difficult part was setting up an online shop for the others. My sister and I had attempted twice to set up a shop for second-hand clothes to no success. But someday, hopefully we'll get to do it.
By the way, have a nice easter weekend too!
I hope you get that shop sorted. Selling used clothes on eBay is easy in the UK, but I'm not sure what would be easier in your country. Maybe you could try Marketplace on Facebook till you get to set up another one.
You might not get much for them, but at least you won't feel like you just wasted all your money.
Good luck :)
Yuh, I guess, it would be easier on FB marketplace. We tried on IG and on another shopping platform, but it's too much work. Thanks for the advice! 😊
You're welcome. I think FB is a better option than IG were selling stuff is concerned.
Good luck 🤞
Hello @laviesm,
You have some great tops there and I like your list and criteria of what you will use to determine what you will give away.
I can see why you were eager to write about this topic even though that week had ended.
Yes, I still consider your style to be minimalist even if you have excess at the moment.
The initiative you are taking to sort them is amazing.
Thank you for taking part, and I do hope that you'll get to engage with this week's and other future topics.
Have a nice Easter Weekend:)
Hi Lavie, I'm so happy you joined the challenge and learned more about yourself and your fashion preference. I found myself nodding to comfort as a top priority.
The stay-at-home Mom lifestyle affects our choices. Your post reminded me that when my daughter was a toddler, I wore clothes that would be comfortable enough for me to run after her, that wouldn't stain if they get spilled on (I often spill my coffee on them too lol) and bigger bags were also more practical so I could carry some of her stuff like wipes, nibbles, etc to avoid carrying another bag.
Looking forward to reading about the progress of your wardrobe project. Happy Easter!
Hi Arni, thanks for inviting me in this challenge! I'm glad you feel the same way about comfort in clothing. And truly, a toddler's mom should have a wardrobe ready for the energetic little ones.
Really looking forward to decluttering my closet and hopefully I don't forget to document it, so I can share it with the community ☺️
Annyway, Happy Easter!
It's a pleasure, can't believe the long holy week just breezed by like that. Hope you had a nice one. Cheers
Minimalism is getting recognized as a fashion choice and that is good. !PIZZA
Yes, truly is a good thing 😊 Happy Easter and thanks for the pizza! 😋 🐰
Welcome and Happy Easter! 😊
PIZZA Holders sent $PIZZA tips in this post's comments:
@juanvegetarian(3/5) tipped @laviesm (x1)
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Hi Lavie,
Galing ng action plans on how to dispose those old clothes na di na gagamitin. Easy and actionable. Sa part ko, when I left our home sobrang kaunti lang ang dinala ko na clothes like isang Jansport bag lang ganun since di naman ako nabili ng sarili kong clothes. Parang ang nagpabigat lang ay yung jeans at jacket bnut the rest kasya naman sya.
I'll talk to wife kung ano pa ang pwede namin ma let go na items. SOBRANG TAMBAK din kami dito now especially may mga hand downs from other relatives kay baby.
Thanks for sharing and I also shared this one sa twitter para naman may iba pa makabasa.
Hi tp!
Galing, na-trim down mo yung damit mo in one bag. Parang hirap nun.
And trulaloo yung damit ni baby ang bilis mag-multiply.. Buti dito sa amin, may dalawang bata na na sumunod sa kanya so karamihan ng newborn and infant clothes nya napamigay na namin.
Thanks for sharing pala 💕❤️💕
Ang nangyari kasi sa end ko since malapit lang kami noon sa bahay walang need na kumuha ng madami. Tsaka di naman ganun ka pansin ang suot sa office at lagi naka jacket sa prod.
Yung kay baby na clothes nako di pa namin alam kung kanino ibibigay. May mga buntis dito pero not sure kung girl din at kakareveal palang na buntis.
#valentinesdaygift
#maritessing
Less clothes na ngayon since wfh haha
I am so DREADFUL at this... about 2 years ago we did a full clear out. put every single item of clothing in the lounge room. every. single one. We went through it all and threw out just so so so much... (gave away/donated...) but still... it is massive. mostly i live in like 5 outfits. I don't know where the clothes come from.
perhaps i need another clear out. I hate fast fashion and the effects on the environment. but i do like the pretty clothes too....
thanks for sharing
Sarah
Hi Sarah, I agree with you, clothes truly have an uncanny way of multiplying..If you find the time to clear up your stack, hope you can share it here in the minimalist community.
Thank you for stopping by and have a great week ahead 😊
-Lavie
I shall certainly follow along in the stream for sure to get some ideas :-) thanks for your comment. you have a lovely day
sarah