The Beauty of Minimalism

Wide Eyed Legless

I’ve been so fascinated by the concept of having a minimalist closet and eventually a uniform lately. After reading about a Minneapolis designer, Madelynn Furlong, author of Wide Eyed Legless  and hearing an interview of Caroline Rector, author of Un-Fancy, I became more  intrigued by this clothing lifestyle. These creatives suggest having only a few items (Un-Fancy – 37 items) or having a uniform (white top and black bottoms – Wide Eyed Legless)

At first I was against getting rid of clothes and buying only basics/neutrals because I like variety or at least I should like variety, right? Variety = good, fewer options = bad. But the more I heard and read about the benefits of having fewer options of items and color, I began to explore ways on how that could actually be a really good thing for me. This is not a post on how-to but more of a  why I am considering to implement minimalism in my wardrobe and life.

Here are some reasons why:

1. Saving Time I haaate getting ready in the morning and having to make choices in the 58 minutes I gave myself to get ready. When I first arrived to New York, I strategically packed 5-7 outfits that I could mix and match and wear for one full week including casual weekend clothes. It was so simple and easy. Once my friend sent me the box of my other clothes, I immediately felt a difference in the time spent getting myself ready in the morning. I didn’t like it.
2. Shorter To-Buy List I do love shopping and finding a bargain but what stresses me out is buyers remorse or constantly wondering if I should wait to buy an item in case a better deal came along later. This would prolong the purchases of items that I actually needed and it was always in the back of my mind. If I schedule a couple shopping days and buy the items on the list (37 items as Un-Fancy suggests), I plan to decide that my wardrobe is complete and forget about it until the next season.
3. Time Better Spent Having fewer options mentally, may give me more freedom to spend time being creative, mentally prepared for the day and others-focused. I want to spend more mental energy on things that matter in life. Dressing myself and having a different outfit everyday is actually not one of those things for me.
4. Finding Variety in Other Ways The things I do enjoy having a variety of colors in are lip stick, nail polish, scarves and jewelry. If I have a neutral base for shirts and pants, I won’t have to worry about choosing a nail color for the week and having everything all coordinated. Oh, the pressure!
   
5. No One Cares Truly. No one cares as much about your wardrobe as you do. Therefore, no one is really going to care or probably even notice if I wear the same thing every Monday. If I were wearing the same sweater with bright designs, they would but one black shirt is pretty much the same as another black shirt.

I understand that this process is not for everyone. Putting together outfits is a creative outlet for some people and this might sound awful for them. Knowing myself, this actually excites me and I look forward to this challenge in the new year.

Have you ever considered minimalism as your style?