How to: Building a Minimalist Wardrobe
Fast fashion has always been a prominent issue in society. However, fast fashion became a necessity for many during the 2000s due to the high turnover in trends. We often feel pressure to keep up with every new trend without thinking of how we are contributing to the world of fast fashion.
Did you know 9 out of 10 garment workers in Bangladesh cannot afford food with their current paying wage? Or garment manufacturing contributes to 20% of water pollution?
This is why I am breaking up with fast fashion, and this is why you should do it too! Minimalism is all about living with less. A minimalist invests in what they need rather than buying unnecessary clothing to better fit a season or a trend. Consequently, Minimalism drastically reduces one's impact on the environment.
Here are 4 easy steps on how to transform your current closet into a minimalist one!
1. Purge your Closet
This is a very difficult but very necessary first step in building a minimalist closet. When was the last time you ruthlessly purged your closet? No, this doesn’t mean getting rid of a few pieces of clothing that are no longer considered on-trend or clothing that is slightly damaged. Rather, this means starting completely and utterly fresh. Marie Kondo style- get rid of everything you do not completely love or items that no longer bring you joy.
5 Tips for Purging your Closet
Empty your entire closet
Get rid of everything that you are saving for those “just in case” scenarios- you are simply just wasting closet space.
Go through your clothes in groups- all your tops, then your pants, and so on.
Sort each item into three piles- love it, maybe and hate it. Keep the items you love, donate the items you cannot stand, and keep the maybe pile around, just in case you change your mind!
Go through the maybe pile after each season. If the item still does not give you joy, it is time to donate it.
If you are anything like me, I know how hard giving away clothing in perfectly good condition is. Sometimes you feel as though giving away this clothing is completely wasteful. I get it! Something that helps me through this process is a quote I read that states it is not a waste if it blesses someone who needs it.
2. Assess Your Wardrobe
During this step, you want to assess everything you have in your closet. It may be helpful to make a list in your notebook or on your phone that states how many pairs of jeans you have, how many pairs of shoes you have, and so on. This allows you to evaluate your current closet and figure out exactly what you need. Therefore, when you go shopping for your new wardrobe you are not shopping aimlessly but instead are shopping strategically with a purpose.
3. Invest in Staple Items
As trends come and go, staple wardrobe pieces are basic pieces that go with everything and will last you a lifetime. My favorite benefit of having a simplified wardrobe is always having something to wear. Before simplifying my wardrobe, I had a closet full of clothes and still felt like I had no options. Basic staple items are easy to mix and match or dress up or down therefore, you always have something to wear.
2020 Wardrobe Essentials for Women
Good Pair of Relaxed, Straight-Leg Jeans
Basic Bodysuit
Staple White Tee
Relaxed Black T-Shirt
White Button-Down
Simple, Oversized Blazer
Leather Jacket
Combat Boots
Gold Jewellery
Black Slip Dress
White Sneakers
Trench Coat
Leather Pants
Denim Oversized Shirt
Knit Sweater
4. Care for Your Clothes
This last step is something we can all improve on. I am very guilty of not caring for my clothes properly. Learning to care for your clothes not only extends the lifespan of a piece of clothing but also significantly reduces your environmental impact.
Here are 10 tips on how to take care of your clothes.
Wash less
Wash at low temperatures
Pay attention to care labels
Cut down on dry cleaning
Use eco-laundry powders and detergent
Wash inside out
Air dry
Store properly
Repair damage
Alter to fit or refresh the style