7 tips for the ideal minimalist wardrobe

What is minimalism? The Eco Hub says that the concept “is often credited to an art movement beginning in the ’60s and simply refers to anything that is stripped to its essential parts.”

Applying this principle to what clothes you keep could result in what is called a ‘capsule wardrobe’, where you are limited to a few stylistically timeless items. So, how can you compile and maintain a minimalist wardrobe?

Decide on your weekly requirements

In other words, sort through your current wardrobe and, if you find any clothes you don’t tend to wear more often than once a week, ditch them.

Having said that, while it might be practically possible for you to wear certain pieces multiple times a week, it’s ultimately up to you what in your wardrobe would count as ‘essential’.

Don’t just consider what’s in your physical wardrobe

“There’s truth in the phrase ‘messy house, messy mind’,” counselor Dee Johnson, a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), tells Metro.co.uk. “Living in a tidy space plays a great part in maintaining your mental fitness.”

So, don’t neglect to also sort through any clothes of yours left strewn across your bedroom or elsewhere rather than literally in a wardrobe.

Avoid pieces that look too trendy

T-shirts are an especially bad culprit for this, as they often feature logos that date — like those of sports teams — or slogans that try too hard to be funny. Block colours and classic patterns, on the other hand, can’t go out of style.

Similarly, FashionBeans insists that, when it comes to Oxford shirts for men, “it’s a case of the simpler, the better — block colours, ideally neutral.”

Nonetheless, take your own fashion preferences into account, too

Yes, clothes should (ideally) be versatile in appearance if you are going for a minimalist wardrobe. However, you don’t have to force yourself to settle for pieces that look boring. After all, the more you genuinely like your clothes, the likelier you are to ultimately stick with them for the long haul.

Find ethical means of discarding unwanted clothes

You are bound to feel better about yourself if, rather than throw things out, you repurpose them. There are many different methods for doing this — including donating to charity shops, selling on online marketplaces like eBay and even just gifting clothes to friends.

Fill in the gaps left over

Naturally, at some point, you might need to get rid of some once-essential items; for example, if they have torn and it wouldn’t be economical enough for you to just stitch them back up.

Besides, when buying replacements, you would be able to make selections with minimalism already at the forefront of your mind.

Draw up a checklist of ‘essential’ clothes

This list can include certain items you already have as well as crucial ones you still need to buy. As you should have the final say on what inclusions would be genuinely important for your wardrobe, you ought to treat online advice as guidance rather than hard-and-fast rules.