How a Minimalist Wardrobe Can Improve Your Mindset

The more simple you can make your decision making process in the morning, the more focused you’ll be for the day.

The experience of staying at home for the past year has put a lot of things into perspective, and a major part of that for me was my wardrobe.

What some might’ve seen as a sad time for fashion and self expression, I saw as an opportunity to reflect on my shopping habits, and rebuild my wardrobe in a way that was purposeful for my lifestyle.

Pre-pandemic, I had a toxic relationship with my clothes. Among my friends I was known to take the longest to pick out an outfit.

I was also the most anti-social. What should have been a fun night would be overcome by the stress of picking out what to wear, added on to my social-anxiety, and carried on through the evening.

For me, my outfit was the determining factor of how my night would go. Over time, I collected a mass of clothing I wore once and never again.

In between the clothes that were too tight, too big, stained, and still had their tags were those few pieces that I always gravitated to.

So I picked out the pieces worth investing in, had them tailored, and sold or donated the rest.

Then, I slowly rebuilt my wardrobe around my staple pieces. As it turns out, getting dressed is no longer as big of a task it once was. 

Symptoms Of An Over-Complicated Wardrobe

Take a moment and look into the space where you keep your clothes. Think about what you might want to wear later. Feel overwhelmed, or unsure?

What’s the current state of the space? Is it minimal and organized? Can you easily access what you need? Do you frequently find yourself stuck when it comes time to determine what to wear? Or even dread the idea of it?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you’re most likely caught in a complicated relationship with your clothes.

This can have real effects on your day to day routine, some symptoms of a complicated wardrobe include:

• The “I Have a Closet Full of Clothes but Have Nothing to Wear” Nightmare:
  
  You’re there, fresh out of the shower, looking into a closet full of clothing that’s just not inspiring.
  
  Next thing you know you check the time and realize you’ve been standing there in your towel for the past 15 minutes and it’s time to get out the door.
  
  This is just one symptom of an over-complicated wardrobe.
• The Never-Ending Spiral into A Time Warp of Outfit Try-Ons:
  
  You try on your first outfit, and something about it isn’t right. Then you try on another, and another, and before you know it you’ve gone through 20 outfits and your room looks like a tornado went through it.
  
  You finally settle with the first outfit you tried on and run out of the house with no time to spare, leaving the mess for your future self to deal with.
  

Finding Your Go-To #Repeat Styles

The point of go-to clothes is to simplify your routine. As little as it may seem, the more time you spend making trivial decisions like what to wear in the morning, you’re complicating your day before it even begins.

These five steps are helpful in evaluating you clothes and finding the few go-to clothes that are easy to wear, remarkably versatile, and always comfortable.

• How you need to dress: identify the different aspects of your life that require a certain dress code, for example: work, class, gym, social outings, and work or more formal events.
• What you love wearing: look at each aspect you identified and pick out your favorite clothes for the occasion, while taking note of what you like about each item.
  
  Reasons could be the fit of the item, the color, material, or simply how you feel wearing it.
• Parting with bad clothes: now, if you couldn’t find an outfit from what you already own for every occasion, don’t stress! This is a great learning opportunity. What options do you have, and what isn’t right about them?
  
  Are they uncomfortable, do they fit too tight or too large, or are they not your style anymore? Great! All the reasons to donate them and start fresh.
• Thinking about layers: now that you've thought more about the clothes you own, factor in the seasons and weather where you live and like to spend time.
  
  As seasons change, having go-to base/mid/outter-layers will help you feel your best no matter the weather.
  
  A light wool sweater is a good option if the temperature where you live fluctuates. Oliver Charles sweater are lightweight, durable, and perfect for repeat wear!
• Investing in go-to clothes: this is the fun part, you go shopping! Get yourself a few different "go-to" options for each occasion.
  
  The only challenge is that you have to take into account the mental notes you made about your clothes in the process.
  
  Knowing what you like and don’t like to wear for each occasion, make sure you’re only buying clothes that go along with that criteria.

The secret to daily wear is simplicity, and the more simple you can make your decision making process in the morning, the more focused you’ll be for the day.

The purpose of this article isn’t to encourage you to get rid of everything you own and buy new, but to think critically about the items you do own, and whether or not they truly work for you and your lifestyle.

Once you understand what ways your clothes do or do not work for you, then you’ll be able to move forward more mindfully by shopping smart, and creating a capsule wardobe of clothing that actually makes sense for you and your lifestyle.

Doing so will save you valuable decision making energy that you can apply throughout your day. Whether it be as a parent, boss, or student, each and every one of us has something to gain from simplifying our routines, and our wardrobes.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.