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Minimalist fashion means having a minimal amount of clothes in your wardrobe that feel right and bring joy. Keep reading to discover how to start your minimalist wardrobe, as well as our favourite brands if you are looking for some initial minimalist staples.
Minimalism: rejecting the chaos of fast fashion
The perils of fast fashion are well known. Widespread water pollution through the use of cheap and toxic dyes, mountains of textile waste, the ubiquitous use of fossil fuel-based materials such as polyester, the pressure on cotton farmers… the list goes on. Out of this chaos, a trend is emerging that rejects all that—minimalism. It’s time to ask: is a minimalist wardrobe the key to a happier and more sustainable life?
It’s not just fashion that’s gotten out of hand. The ills of fast fashion really just mirror the global thirst for more stuff at cheaper and cheaper prices. This is fuelled by advertisers pushing consumerism at every opportunity, which research suggests can increase levels of anxiety—think FOMO and “keeping up with the Joneses”.
If you are sitting there feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of keeping up with technology, cars, or fashion, and don’t know what to do about it, stay tuned. There is a growing trend in opposition to consumerism and fast fashion, which touts benefits such as more time, decreased stress, as well as better financial health and sustainability. And the best part is, we can all do something right now that will impact our overall happiness and footprint on the planet.
What is minimalist fashion?
If you’ve heard of Marie Kondo, then you might already have an idea of what minimalism is. Minimalism is about stripping back the unnecessary, leaving only the things that provide you with real value and joy. Minimalist fashion means having a minimal amount of clothes in your wardrobe that feel right for you and bring joy.
Minimalist fashion means having a minimal amount of clothes in your wardrobe that feel right for you and bring joy.
Minimalism is the antithesis of the modern consumerist narrative—and for good reason. In a global marketplace that wants you to consume more and more, minimalism says, “Hey! Have you ever thought about intentionally having less?” Less debt, less clutter, less stress, less stuff. The upshot? Less debt and stress for you, and less valuable resources being extracted for stuff you don’t really need. How to get involved, you ask? Start with your clothes.
Slowing down fashion and keeping a minimalist wardrobe
Slow fashion is the fashion industry’s niche minimalist subculture. Instead of shopping vigorously to keep up with weekly trends and disposing of clothes after one wear on a Saturday night AKA financially exhausting and extraordinarily wasteful, the ethos is “buy less, choose well, make it last”.
My entry point to minimalism and slow fashion was through my wardrobe. Back when I first started my minimalist journey some four years ago, I went through each and every item of clothing I had and either donated, threw away, or kept them. I offloaded about 80% of what I owned and it felt liberating (and that was just the first time). This process literally re-wired the way I think about buying things and the stress associated with consumerism. I now seek quality, more sustainable, or thrifted items over sheer quantity. If I don’t see the shops for months on end, who cares?
If I am going to bring something new into my life I have to love it. To this day I have not missed one single item I have given up, because the lightness that comes with purging excess clutter is simply life-changing. I invite you to try it. Follow my process to get you started. Keep only the items that make you feel amazing when you wear them. But before you go and get started, here are some tips.
How to start your minimalist wardrobe
If you are looking for one of the best internet resources out there to help you on your minimalist fashion journey, look no further than The Minimalist Wardrobe. This group of fashion bloggers has all the tips and information you need to inspire you on your journey. Check out their articles for step-by-step guides to creating your minimalist wardrobe. But before you jump up in, keep these five tips in mind:
- There is no magic number of clothing items (or any items for that matter) to achieve a minimalist wardrobe
- Minimalism is about fine-tuning your own personal style, and the only rule is to rid yourself of excess
- Minimalism doesn’t have to be monotone. Keep it colourful and versatile as you prefer
- Don’t just send your unwanted stuff to landfill. Thoughtfully donate, sell, or gift it first
- Bask in the empty space and gratitude that flows into your mind and spirit
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Minimalist blogs we love
If the idea of owning less gets your juices flowing, you may find these three blogs of value (there are hundreds out there but these are the ones I read in the beginning): The Minimalists, Becoming Minimalist, Be More with Less. Alternatively, you can try the 30 day minimalism game and get minimal with a friend for some friendly competition, or for those still more interested in the fashion side of things, check out Project 333.
Some staple minimalist fashion brands
These brands implement fair practices for their environmental, worker, and animal impacts, and are great starting points if you are looking for some minimalist staples to round out your existing pieces and thrifted pieces.
