‘Less is More’ would have been the bio if 2020 had an Instagram account. Though this year has the potential to be awarded the “Most Happening Year” award, fashion turned their tables down on this year’s trend approach. This year, the fashion industry brought minimalism as it’s a showstopper.
There is a famous proverb in Hindi, which, when translated to English, goes, ‘Eat what you like and dress how others like.’ One doesn’t have to turn a blind eye of faith over such sayings. It has always been and always will be the person wearing the clothes who matters and not the label he/she decides to carry. This article will help you know more about your sense of style and how minimalism is the future.
What is Minimalism?
Joshua Becker once said, “Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.”
Minimalism is making the most out of what is provided to you in an organized and aesthetic manner. It is basically decluttering the stuff around you so that you have a different space to breed in. It merely means keeping all the things you need (or want at times) and abandoning the stuff you don’t. It might be most comfortable to say, write, or even read, but it is one of the most challenging things to do.
Minimalism is Letting go. Letting go is brave. Letting go is attachment to the simple living. Letting go is salvation. Letting go is different.
What do you mean by ‘A Minimalistic Wardrobe’?
Having a minimalistic wardrobe doesn’t mean that you will have to follow the Paris Fashion Week or chuck the bright, bold, and vibrant colors right out of the cabinet. It is not that complex. It is pretty simple to be raw, classy, chic, and yet trendy.
A wardrobe has all the necessary stuff, yet the stuff wouldn’t look basic at all. The aptest phrase that goes without saying with this trend is ‘Simple Living and High Thinking.’
How to make a regular wardrobe Minimalistic?
Remember how repeating an outfit in a friend circle or even in our social media feed seemed like a humiliation. This sense of style has a simple, inexpensive, and creative solution to this universal dilemma. Minimalism promotes mix and match, pairing up things you might not have bought together and a sense of comfort.
Here is a list of things that you will have to do
1 . Declutter the Wardrobe
It might be complicated for some of us to pick out clothes and abandon them (which they may not even wear). People who have been hoarders throughout their lives might find it difficult.
Fact: Difficult is only different and comfortable.
When you have finally gathered the courage to mark a change, then don’t overthink what you think doesn’t belong in there. Pick up apparel or footwear or accessory – go with the first instinct. Less is more is the fundamental mantra while going about it.
Tip: Don’t try convincing yourself- how and where it could be used.
2. Discover your Sense Of Style
Being your designer would help you discover who you are or what you want to be and provide you with good self-esteem. Copying is the murder of creation. Always remember to be unique and original. The day might not be far when you will be the one who is being copied by millions. All it takes is a strong belief in oneself.
You might be comfortable (therefore happy) in a black kurta and a white salwar or a navy T-shirt and pastel pants, or you might even be the most joyful being naked (Well, it wouldn’t go well with the societal norms yet). All minimalism asks from an individual is to limit the purchases and still be satisfied.
3. Shop the MUST-HAVES
Must Haves are nothing other than some essential items. The must-haves may vary from person to person and profession to profession. Here is a list of essentials in each category.
Activewear
- Three dry-fit material T-shirts
- One long short (commonly known as basketball shorts)
- One dry-fit material shorts
- Two pairs of towel socks
- One pair of tracksuit
- One pair of running shoes
- One pair of comfortable to wear shoes
Loungewear
(For Men)
- An oversized cotton kurta set
- Two Oversized cotton T-shirts
- A pair of trousers or shorts
(For Women)
- A loose kurta and palazzo
- One kaftan
- An oversized T-shirt with coordinating shorts
Footwear
- A pair of slippers- Generally, men prefer sliders, and women prefer flip flops.
- Formal footwear- It will largely depend on the profession
- One pair of Casual Footwear
- One pair of fancy footwear ( for parties )
Parties
- A Saree, A suit, and a set of Lehnga (for women)
- A black tuxedo and a bunch of sherwanis (for men)
Accessories
(For Men)
- A black/ brown belt
- A pocket square
- Three white handkerchiefs
- Basic wrist-watches ( maximum two)
(For Women)
- A set of aesthetic jewelry
- A pair of hoops
- Three white handkerchiefs
- Primary wristwatch ( maximum two)
- An anklet
How is Minimalism the future?
Minimalism is not just limited to your closet, but it is becoming an ideology. Humankind is moving a step closer to sustainable living patterns. We can not afford to provide a spacious and healthy planet to our future generations if we can’t curb our greed to want more. Wanting to need only the required amount is the mantra of minimalism.
It is going to be the lifestyle of the future. We should grab the blueprint now to develop the ability to produce similar standards rather than cloning them from others naturally.
ALSO READ- Masks A Necessity or A Conspiracy
There are some ways to practice minimalism–
- Stop Overpacking: Carry only what you need and not what you think might want
- Donate: Charity begins at home. Kindly start donating 10 percent of the total money earned to the people in need of orphanages or nursing homes.
- Carry essentials: If you are asked to carry a specific subject notebook and pen, but you are doubtful that you might have to bring other notebooks, then it is better to carry your laptop to take the notes.
- Take what you can eat and eat what you take: Flags of Fitness Revolution are fluttering worldwide; if you have decided to not hoist the flag around you, then at least respect it. Taking extra portions than required leads to tonnes of wastage and scarcity of food on a bigger scale.
Some Basic DIYs
Doing it yourself! Fashion bloggers propagate this ideology. Using chucked out clothes to make other stuff could be a sustainable, intelligible, and brilliant idea. Some basic DIYs-
1. Skirt from a shirt
2. Scrunchies
3. Foot mat from Old T-shirt
Points to remember during the transformation of the wardrobe
As a shopaholic and possessing fashion inquisition, minimalism was a tough call. It is said that a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. What could be better than actually sharing the tips or key-points!
1. Observe the Fibre
While decluttering the closet, notice the pattern. The pattern of the fabric of the clothes that you wear and the ones that you don’t. It will make your task less time consuming and more satisfying.
2. Be Firm with Yourself
If you are a person who likes wearing subtle colors like pastels, you might remove the color red from the closet without a doubt. I do not wear satin clothes much. Therefore, I have set a boundary for myself not to buy satin or similar materials. The variety of colors/stuff/styles/ambassadors /labels may distract you, but you don’t have to lower your bar of rules.
3. Beg, Borrow, or Steal! But DON’T BUY
Begging and stealing wouldn’t be ethical; therefore, it could be ignored, but borrowing is a wise choice. Reusing an item that belongs to a dear one would be good for the goal as well as the pocket.
4. Learn to appreciate without wanting to own it
What is the point of buying eye-pleasers when you are hardly going to wear it! Appreciate the beauty of an item and leave it then and there for the sake of the goal.
5. Avoid clothes that require other unique items.
If you are planning to buy a dress that would go well with the heels that you just noticed in the previous shop, then drop the idea of owning the dress along with the heels.
6. Plan the shopping beforehand
Making a list of clothes, accessories, or footwear that you will buy is a good option if you stick to the plan. A simple yet surprisingly convenient way of dealing with this is always to do your research first. Know what you need and don’t over-shop.
7. Normalize the point of going without!
We generally plan to shop when we think of buying items we cannot survive without. What if one makes oneself believe that the green dress could go well without the new green heels and reasonably go well with the nude heels that one has.
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
Seneca, 1 BCE.
I hope this article would have helped you understand minimalism’s basic concepts and how it is becoming a universal language of expression. Precisely, your wardrobes are waiting to turn into minimalistic cabinets. What are you waiting for when a simple yet satisfying wardrobe is waiting for you shortly?
Get, set, and slide to your space of style.
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