Tell me about your minimalist wardrobe (or critique mine)

[MinnieMinimal]

I am trying this.

I've put away a huge number of clothes as I am trying to do a minimalist (in comparison to my usual wardrobe) wardrobe.

I have it down to:

3 x coats / jackets
3 x jumpers
1 x jumpsuit
3 x dresses
8 x bottoms
7 x tops
5 x shoes
1 x sunhat
1 x woolly hat, scarf and gloves set
4 x pieces of jewellery
5 x bags

Great idea! What kind of tops do you have in that 7?
Whenever I try to do a packing list for holidays etc I have as many or more bottoms than tops too and you’d think you would need more tops as jeans easier to mix and match / rewear etc.
Do the dresses and outfits you can get from this cover all occasions like work, party etc?

Thanks @BabarEnFamille !

I have 2 shirts, 2 tops and 3 tshirts.

I have some vest tops for underneath, but they're more underwear and I'd never wear them on their own, so now counting them as tops.

My dresses are two which work for casual and work, one which works for weddings and work. We are in that in between stage with weddings where everyone is still on their first marriage! So we don't get invited to many ATM

NOT counting them as tops

Interesting, I've often thought about this because I probably only wear a small percentage of my clothes but I think they'll get worn out faster if I only wear a few things, are you planning to replace more often with similar items?

I'm in two minds about that @MissSmiley and it's something I've been thinking about too.

One idea I had was to keep my "decluttered" clothes in storage and then when a dress or whatever wears through, I choose another dress from there to replace it with. But, I've been really careful choosing things which I can wear to a number of places and in a number of ways, so not sure that will work.

I don't often wear my clothes out completely though tbh, as I am a terrible person and just buy things because they're pretty or fashionable and only wear them for a year or so before they get forgotten about, which is awful, I know.

So I think that having a small and well thought out wardrobe with a strict one in one out (at worst) policy, will still lead to me buying a lot less than normal.

Also, there is something in the theory that the more you have, the more you buy (for me). For example, I will love a pair of jeans in my wardrobe, but will not know how to style them, so I'll look at how they're being styled by fashionable people. I don't have the same things they have so...yes, you guessed. I buy things to go with the things. And on it goes!

I'll also keep buying nearly new off vinted or ebay to replace things which wear out, so not too bad. It's easier to do that when you know exactly what you need and it is only one item.

The big thing I've got rid of is my shoe collection which was huge and my feet aren't up to wearing a lot of them. I will replace my new (orthopedic 😳) shoes with new when they wear through as I am damaging my body with uncomfortable ones. Also, from an environmentalist perspective, if I can't walk in my shoes, I'll choose driving, taxis or public transport which is less eco friendly. So I'll justify it that way!

I'm just wondering about summer clothes/holiday clothes. Have you got those in you separate storage piles? Thinking about the crop trousers/shorts I wear for probably 3 hot days a year!

Yes, the weather in the UK doesn't lend itself well to an ultra minimalist wardrobe!

I have skirts which I can wear on their own in summer or with tights or merino leggings and thermals in winter.

I wear quite a lot of linen, which can also be worn in winter and is (allegedly) good in cold weather as well as hot.

In my shoe capsule, I've got smartish work shoes which are fine all year round for work and events, and ankle boots, which are fine except in the height of summer. I also have one pair of sandals which are OK to walk in (Tevas). They're v casual, but I can't wear sandals to work anyway, so doesn't matter.

I have one light jacket, one medium weight waterproof Anorak and a wool coat which I am still sometimes wearing now. I've definitely worn it this week, because the weather was cold. The good thing about crap summers is that everything gets used all year.

We don't really go abroad ATM as we have small dcs and covid / travel disruption blah blah. But when we do, I have one pair of cycling shorts which I normally wear for yoga / zumba, two of my dresses are linen, the jumpsuit is linen and cotton mix, and my skirts and tshirts would cover holidays.

I would add some blazers and/or cardis, unless you're not a layer type of person.

I don't think 3 coats for the whole year is enough tbh, and I say that as someone who up to very recently owned just one coat!

I think your list looks fine, although I'd be tempted to add in a few seasonal items.

Thanks; I may need to tweak things as the seasons change, so I'm thinking I might leave my decluttered items where they are (in cloth storage bags in a compartment under my bed) for a full year, so I can bring the odd thing out. But my plan is not to touch it for the year!

I haye cardigans (on me - I like how they look, but hate wearing them). They don't keep me warm either for some reason. Think it's the gap in the middle? Ditto blazers. I don't suit them as I'm tall and broad shouldered with gigantic boobs! But never say never and all that.

My plan for winter layers is long sleeved thermal vest under a dress, under a jumper, under a wool coat / anorak in wet weather. Or thermal vest under a top, under a jumper with jeans / trousers and merino legging type long underwear with boots and coat.

Summer, as already mentioned.

Sounds like you've thought this through pretty well. I would have your Other Possible Stuff with your under bed stuff maybe, so that you can access it, and it brought into play as required. Please don't do as I have done, and packed a lot of stuff away, not very accessibly, then semi forgotten about it, and find the thought of actually dealing with it a complete pita

Thank you! I will try and heed your warning! That is exactly the sort of crap I would do too 😂

I have given this a lot of thought! I've bought enough clothes (and then some 😳) in my lifetime to know what I actually wear. I think I'm at an age now where I don't think my lifestyle will change that much for thew foreseeable, so I think I should be able to do this. I just need to avoid impulse buying and fashion haul videos 🙄 (eye roll at myself)

I enjoy having a small collection of carefully chosen items which work well for me. They are versatile, easy to wear and launder, suit my body shape, make me look and feel good and nothing is wasted.

my winter wardrobe
4 pairs of trousers
4 jumpers
7 tops
I stick to trousers in the winter, 4 pairs work out well for me, each pair can be worn for a couple of days before laundry, same with jumpers and enough tops for every day of the week.

Summer wardrobe has slightly more
6 skirts
6 lightweight cardi
1 shorts
10 tops
2 pairs of sunglasses

Special occasions
2 complete outfits

3 coats
3 shoes (and a couple of pairs of sliders)
1 hat, scarf, gloves
6 canvas tote bags

As items wear out quicker, replacing a couple of items per year keeps everything fresh and up to date.