“Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly.” – Epictetus
Consider for a moment how your life would look different if you owned fewer clothes:
- You would have more disposable income.
- You would have more time to live your life.
- Mornings would feature less stress.
- Your closets would be well-organized and uncluttered.
- Packing for trips/vacations would take less time.
- Laundry days would be easier (not necessarily less, but definitely easier).
Unfortunately, instead of enjoying the benefits of owning fewer clothes, most of us buy into the lie that more is better. And because we do, we accumulate more and more clothing each season. We are convinced that new clothes will make us more joyful, more fashionable, and more popular. Unfortunately, they just end up getting in the way.
Consider going a different route with your life. Try owning fewer clothes. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy the freedom that it brings.
These are some wise words by Joshua Becker. His blog, Becoming Minimalist, has inspired me to embrace minimalism in every area of my life- including fashion. Embracing minimalism doesn’t happen over night. I started down this minimalist journey over a year ago, and I’m still constructing my life to be minimalistic.
This winter, instead of buying new, bright, bold blouses and sweaters that were trendy this season, I chose to go for a more low-key look. I bought a lot of white, black, and grey. However, simply because I have chosen to wear a lot of neutral and basic colors this season- doesn’t mean my outfits had to be tasteless! I love to play up my outfits with a variety of accessories- like hats, scarves, and jackets. I am always much more willing to invest in a new accessory such as hat or scarf, because they last much longer that a shirt that is worn and washed multiple times throughout the month.
As I embrace this new “minimalist” fashion, I have also started shopping at places that are more affordable. I used to leisurely browse around the mall looking for stuff to buy, but now I realize how that is such a needless waste of money! I either go when there is a sale (like how I got this black top I’m wearing in the photos from Banana Republic for less than $20!) or I shop online. My favorite place to shop right now is ThredUP! I’ve talked about them before (here and here), and even though I live in China, I still shop there. Now that summer is coming up, I just got some new dresses that I can’t wait to wear on my upcoming trip to Thailand!
Right now, you can shop the closet of ThredUP’s 30 best-dressed sellers! These are the top ladies who sell their clothes to ThreUP. These fashion moguls have cleaned out their closets and are selling their name brand clothes for so cheap. You can find the list of all 30 closets here. And you can also read 11 style hacks straight from the women here. I was browsing through and saw more than a few items that would make classic, lasting additions to my closet!
I wrote an entire chapter about minimalism in my book, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Surviving Her Twenties. I talk about WHY you should consider minimalism, how it can change your life for the better, and how you can take steps to embracing it. Minimalism has helped me tremendously, and in just under 3 years Trenton and I have saved more money that I ever thought would be possible considering the job field we are in!
Have you ever thought about embracing a minimalist wardrobe? What are your wardrobe staples?
Thanks to ThredUP for sponsoring this post!*
U look great in the images..ur clothes r cool..
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Aw thank you!
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I’ve really thought about it! Honestly I don’t buy that many clothes so I feel as though I fall somewhat into the minimalistic lifestyle lol. Half my wardrobe is hand me downs and stuff I bought at places like Goodwill. I still have to give ThredUp a try, I’m always about getting cute clothes for a good price!
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Hand me downs are the best!! Free clothes are the best clothes haha! It sounds like you are already embracing the minimalist fashion very well 🙂
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They definitely can be! And yes agreed haha 😂 and I’m trying to 🙂
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Such a cute outfit! I definitely agree with your points on how being minimalist makes things less stressful!
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Aw thanks Melissa! It really does make it so much easier to get ready!
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I love the hat, it really makes the whole look complete. Also such a fun pup of color. xx
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Aw thanks! I have a hat obsession haha. They make every outfit look so much better!! xx
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Faaaab look❤
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My husband and I are slowly decluttering after we watched some minimalism documentary on Netflix, it really makes us rethink everytime we go shopping. Your outfit looks cute!
Mischelle
http://www.nowthatschic.com
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OMG I love your outfit, also you have really cool photos!
Gabriela
http://www.gabrielavzq.wordpress.com
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You are the cutest!💛 + love your outfit!
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I’m working hard at this by building a wardrobe I want first, then getting rid of older/more worn out/hand-me-down items! It’s slow going, but I’m loving the changes I see (:
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We often think the same when it comes to choosing accessories.
http://www.parajumpere.com
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I love your outfit 😊 a minimalist wardrobe could be a great idea because like you said it saves money and picking out an outfit in the morning is easier xx
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We often think the same when it comes to choosing accessories. Even a watch.
http://www.cnaru.com
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Surprisingly, there’s so much to do here in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar with kids!
http://www.westcombu.com
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I’ve reduced the size of my wardrobe a lot in recent months but I still love playing with clothes and changing things up, so I’ve been doing Le Tote and I love it! I wrote a blog post all about my experience https://realgraceshines.com/2018/01/18/review-le-tote/ – I don’t know if China’s got any clothing sharing services but they’re so fun. I’m definitely a convert now!
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There is a word…I forget what it’s called, but it’s all about finding ways to use a select number of clothes, but then styling them in multiple ways. 🙂 I thought that was pretty cool!
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This charcoal floral dress for Spring by Tobi is an item that I can’t wait to wear.
http://www.lvbagsnews.com
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My sister-in-law takes three changes of clothes, max, with her on trips. She also brings a tube of hypoallergenic laundry soap. These make for vastly less stress, when traveling.
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This charcoal floral dress for Spring by Tobi is an item that I can’t wait to wear.
http://www.parajumperspjstore.com
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Nice outfit. I love your tips. You’re fashionably smart.
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We often think the same when it comes to choosing accessories.
http://www.cnoru.com
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This charcoal floral dress for Spring by Tobi is an item that I can’t wait to wear.
http://www.bcbgmaxazriae.com
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We lover this outfit!! 🙂
Happy weekend, kisses
Agnese & Elisa
http://desiresinstyle.com/
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We often think the same when it comes to choosing accessories.
http://www.parajumper.store
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Over the last few months, I’ve definitely embraced minimalism as my favoured approach to clothes, focusing on quality over quantity, which has benefited everything from my bank account (it’s incredibly simple to throw away needless money on items you will wear once just because they are on trend!) to how much time it takes me to get ready. I’m glad to hear you’ve managed to reap the benefits of minimalism too 🙂 (&your outfit looks fantastic!)
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Focusing on quality over quantity makes such a huge difference in your wardrobe in the longterm! And yes, it’s saves so much money and time. So glad Im not the only one who’s benefitted from a minimalistic lifestyle!
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YES. I am all about a minimalist wardrobe and thrift shopping. I feel like it’s so difficult to keep up with spending money to buy new, full-priced clothing that is just going to go out of fashion in a few months. I’d rather buy a few things that I really love that I can wear for years, or thrifted clothing that I can get discounted. Great article!
Sarah
http://www.thefrenchpress.me
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I am with you on this, Sarah! It’s so hard to keep up with all the latest fashions. And hard on the wallet! I’m so glad we live in a time with thrift shops and sale shops. Thanks for reading!
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A wonderful outfit! I like the hat! This hat gives your outfit an individuality. Perfectly!
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Aw thank you so much Rebecca!
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Moins de bla bla et plus de photos sur cet article avec celles de notre photoshoot improvisé.
http://www.mosechino.com
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❤
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I work on my desktop and love enjoying quiet moments alone in my room.
http://www.heduy.com
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It’s so nice!
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Yes to all of this! All about a wardrobe full of classic staples that I really love ❤
xo Kat
http://www.withlovefromkat.com
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Great outfits. I love it. Fashion is not just about clothing or wrapping you inside extravagant meters of cloth it is more than what people think. I really like your outfits. Thanks for sharing.
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