Karine Laudort After almost a year of wearing loungewear and pyjamas, you may be struggling with how to dress when things finally get back to normal. Rather than trying to dive right back into the latest bold trends and colourful clothing, it might be a good idea to find your style through minimalism. Minimalist fashion uses straightforward, simple and often monochromatic items of clothing, which can quickly and easily create beautifully combined looks. Minimalists are fashion-forward whilst keeping their wardrobes clean and simple. It is all about making a subtle statement, you can be on-trend without feeling the need to purchase every trend. Minimalist fashion is perfect if you are struggling to discover your style or if you are on a budget, as you do not need to go crazy and buy a new item of clothing every week.
Launched on Netflix in December, “The Minimalists: Less Is Now” taught us all about the movement of minimalism. The film’s title was inspired by the phrase “less is more”, which the Minimalists reworked to create a sense of urgency for today’s consumer culture, now is the time for less.
If you want to easily achieve a minimal approach to dressing Victoria Prew, Founder and CEO of HURR – the UK’s leading rental platform, is offering help and advice, sharing her top tips on how you can make a statement without cluttering your wardrobe.
Start with a wardrobe detox
Try to sort through your clothes, find the pieces in your wardrobe that are staples and basics, and pieces you love to wear. Any unwanted items you could sell online, donate to charity, or give to friends and family.
Start slow, you do not have to clear out all of your clothes at once. You do not need to start completely from scratch, it is very likely that you will have at least a couple of basic pieces in your wardrobe. Another thing to remember is that you are not just dressing for the season we are in now, do not go throwing away all your summer dresses just because they do not fit in with your minimalist winter wardrobe. A good way to do it is by spending the next year slowly swapping out a handful of garments in exchange for one or two quality pieces at a time.
Scroll Instagram to find your Minimalist Style
It is so easy to find inspiration on Instagram, you can look through the hashtag #minimalistfashion to find outfit ideas. You can try to recreate some of your saved outfits with pieces in your wardrobe. You could also find influencers that have the style you want to achieve, often these influencers link their clothing so it is easy for you to find the items they are wearing.
Questions to ask yourself: What do I want my clothes to say about me? What fabrics and fits do I feel most comfortable wearing? Your outfit is the first thing that speaks for you when you meet someone new. Whether we like to admit it or not, subconsciously we like to judge a book by its cover, so we will judge someone based on the outfit they are wearing. This does not mean you have to go out and buy all designer items for people to take you seriously, the beauty of minimalism is that you can style basic pieces that may not cost much, and still look professional and put together. Most importantly, comfort is key. When you feel comfortable in what you are wearing, you are more likely to feel confident.
Focus on quality over quantity
Since you will have fewer pieces in your wardrobe, think about multiple ways you can wear one item. Investing in higher quality fabrics means they will withstand frequent wear and washing.
If you are on a budget try shopping second-hand, you do not have to spend a fortune on items of clothing. This is also a more sustainable approach, giving items a second life. Quality pieces from ethical brands can be more expensive, so do not be afraid to shop second-hand. The good thing about minimalist fashion is that it does not follow all the latest trends, so it will not pass. Items you buy now, you may still wear in years to come.
The essentials for your minimalist wardrobe:
Here are some staple pieces to have in your wardrobe that are easy to style.
- Trench coat
- Chunky knit
- Everyday shirtdress
- Knit dress
- Pleated midi skirt
A minimalist wardrobe is probably one of the easiest to build, just a few basic pieces that you can re-wear. It also does not require you to buy new items of clothing often, and encourages ethical purchases, meaning not only are you finding your style but you are also being kinder to the planet by reducing your clothing consumption.
