Back in the old days Smaggle was a dead set, full on personal style blog. It actually used to be called Smaggle Style. Weird, right? It evolved over the years from being a fashion advice blog into a life advice blog and although I do still do fashion stuff, itโs been a good few years since Iโve done it on a fiercely regular schedule. I swear, back in 2007, nothing short of a natural disaster would have stopped me getting my daily outfit shot. I would have desperately posed on the roof in my flood-chic outfit as my house sailed down the street in torrential rain.
One of the reasons why Iโm no longer a total daily outfit desperado is because Iโve stopped experimenting with my clothing. Not in a bad way, just in a way that means Iโve found the way I like to dress and I generally end up looking more or less the same every day, which I donโt really think warrants daily documentation.
I was thinking about this when I was in Bali with some girlfriends in April. Weโre all bloggers and we were sitting on a sun lounge at Potato Head when Lucy Faegans from The Design Files walked past. We waved and she came over for a chat and I was delighted to see that she was wearing a white and navy striped cotton t-shirt dress in the balmy Bali heat, paying homage to her daily Melbourne uniform of jeans with a boat neck navy and white striped top. I live in the same suburb where Lucy works and I have never, ever not seen her wearing stripes. She always looks awesome, annoyingly so and she literally wears the same thing every time I see her.
Iโve been thinking a lot recently about unofficial uniforms and how Iโve sort of slipped into a very habitual and very deliberate style of dressing. One of the great things about documenting my outfits both obsessively and occasionally over the last few years is that I know what my favourite pieces are and what colours I like to wear. I had a cruise through my outfit shot files the other day and itโs pretty obvious that this Marimekko dress sums up my style perfectly.
I realised Iโm very similar to those people who wear a uniform every day. Despite my love of clothing and fashion I actually have a very minimalist wardrobe that works perfectly for my lifestyle. Here are are few minimalist wardrobe rules I’ve been following without really realising it…
Choose a colour palette
I love neutrals and high contrast black and white patterns. By sticking to this colour scheme, it makes shopping, packing and getting dressed every day so much easier.
Only have clothes in your wardrobe that fit you right now
If your weight fluctuates (like mine!) make sure you have clothing in jersey and forgiving fabrics. Although my favourite Marimekko dress isn’t stretch or jersey, I know I have a 5 kilo weight range where I can lose or gain weight and still fit into it and all of my clothes fall in to that category.
Mix up your wardrobe with accessories
A scarf or pair of earrings can totally change the look of an outfit.
Clothing should be both functional and comfortable
I stopped wearing uncomfortable clothes and shoes years ago because I honestly couldn’t be bothered not feeling comfortable. I used to have a huge collection of shoes and clothes I never wore because I always chose my comfortable and stylish favourites. Now I only own my comfortable and stylish favourites and nothing has changed except my wardrobe is a hell of a lot neater.
Wear lipstick
My best mate always looks totally dressed up to the nines and she let me in on a secret. Lipstick. She wears lipstick every single day and she swears it’s what makes her look so pulled together. A swipe of bright lipstick makes any outfit look fresher, trust me on this.
Iโm considering trying a capsule wardrobe like Caroline from Un-Fancy. She picks 37 pieces each season, including shoes and just sticks to them for the whole season. I feel like Iโm half way there already.
Are you a minimalist dresser? Or do you have a giant wardrobe full of stuff?
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27 Comments
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I am an organised disciplined person – except when it comes to clothes and shoes. My wardrobe is bulging and I regularly cull, but new things keep popping in! I read somewhere that the average woman has 4 times as many clothes in her wardrobe as she would have had in 1980 and buys equivalent of half her body weight in clothes each year. Consumerism at work right there! x
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you are funny Christine! me too hun! love m:)X
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Oh my goodness that’s insane! It doesn’t surprise me though! I’m shocked at the wardrobes of some of my mates. It’s mental.
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I am a minimalist at heart thanks smags!
but I still have one hundred black top, pants jackets, shoes etc!
because texture is everything to the minimalist!;)X
promise culling will take place soon!;
have a great time in rad! love m:)X-
Yes I’m a shocker with my black dresses – I have so many of them! It’s a Melbourne gal thing!
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People think I have a giant wardrobe but I really don’t, it’s all about buying in your best colours, having great basics and quality classics. I’m definitely someone who loves shoes, scarves and necklaces to change up an outfit and my wardrobe is interchangeable which stretches it further.
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Oh definitely I’m an accessories gal from way back!
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I am a giant wardrobe kind of person – part of it is a well-edited “minimalist” section of my favourite go-tos for days I just want to be able to dress and go – albeit stylishly! The rest is my treasure trove of things that I love and which I’ll bust out when the mood takes me. We’ve just moved overseas and I found that while it was really easy to pick up the minimalist section (one suit case and one carry -on), I obsessed over which treasure trove items to bring – it was kind of like trying to work out which wild, fun and sometimes silly best friends to bring!
PS: Love that Marimekko dress on you. So fab. So you.
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Oh no! That must suck for you – I know how much you love a statement piece! I love that skirt you wore to the French thing we went to… I hope that made the cut!
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I sometimes wish for a stylish minimalist capsule wardrobe full of amazing high-end pieces and then remember I feel uneasy if I wear the same outfit twice in a fortnight. My cupboards and drawers are chockas yet I take big bags down to Savers on the regular. Oh, and did I mention I never have anything to wear?
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I’m the same! I never have anything to wear! It drives me batty! I just did another major wardrobe clean out and I’ve got another one pending!
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Great article consolidating a lot of ideas that have been floating around my head. And that unfancy link is quite the rabbit hole. Lucky I have a few hours free nursing this cranky baby back to sleep.
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I went nuts when I first discovered her site. It’s gorgeous and I’m totally obsessed with capsule wardrobe now! ๐
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Oh I am minimalist all the way! It kind of happened accidentally. I actually went into winter with a plan. I had a colour scheme – black, red tones (from fire engine to wine) and a splash of red to burgundy lips and nails. Now I basically wear my uniform every day. At times I bore myself, but I know the outfits suit me and that they work. I’m actually really proud of myself, because each winter I have struggled. Until this year. I love the thought that we don’t have to look completely different every single day. I just don’t have time for it!
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Mine happened totally accidentally as well. I think Mr Smaggle had a pretty big influence on me- he’s very streamlined an d minimalist and I think it rubbed off on me. I’m the same in winter. I don’t care if I look the same! A gorgeous coat is gorgeous no matter how many times you see it!
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This is so interesting, I read an article a few days ago about how Kim Kardashian really only wears 11 things, or at least 11 styles and shapes it’s really interesting how her stylist has found the cuts that suit her and mixes it up that way. I’m donating a bunch of clothes to Vinnies this weekend in the hope of condensing my wardrobe.
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I read that too and I was shocked! She always looks so different. It just goes to show how far a minimalist wardrobe can go!
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I have heaps but most don’t fit me anymore or are almost that old they are coming back to be trendy again! Think I need to go through it one day soon…one day… soon. xx
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I’ve been the same size for about ten years give or take a few kilos so that certainly helps but I do have some clothes that look better than others at different weights! ๐
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I followed Caroline advice and already made 2 minimalist wardrobe. I managed perfectly the winter one and the sumer one. I stick to her 37 numbers. My problem was more about the mid season that is always lasting toooooo long here. So spring and automn are not yet really fonctional. But I’m working on it and since, never bought stuff that I don’t really need or spent too much on sales. I’m a big fan of minimalistic wardrobe! xx cathy
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Oh good to know someone has done it and it works! I’m definitely going to give it a try! I have lots of credit card points so I’m going to spend them on a Westfield voucher to set myself up with a capsule wardrobe!
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Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper is in this month’s edition of ELLE magazine and she has a great quote about classic items of clothing in neutral tones not being boring but incredibly versatile. I tend to agree! Plus, you always look fab to me. x
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Thank you darling! I’ll have to read that… especially as I outed her as having an enormous wardrobe at LBB! ๐
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Very helpful! My wardrobe is currently an ARRAY of colours and sizes. I swear sometimes I share it with a 9 year old, a hippie, a drag queen and bono. It is only occasion that I find one of my own garments in there. Thanks smaggle! I shall work on it. (moh)
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I’ve seriously been looking at capsule wardrobes.
I don’t work at the moment (I’m a stay at home mum), but I’m applying at the two pubs in the village for weekend work. Luckily, that’s usually black trousers and a black shirt/tshirt.
As for the rest, I desperately need to buy new clothes, so buying a limited number of them and knowing they all work together makes sense. -
I tried to do the minimalist wardrobe thing with my work wardrobe but I just couldn’t do it. Although I love the idea of having a capsule collection of pieces that all work together, the truth is my style is just too eclectic to manage that. I love having a range of pieces to choose from and to be able to play dress ups on a daily basis.
However, like you as I’ve gotten older I’ve begun to be stricter with the items that stay in my wardrobe. I’m over wearing clothes that are uncomfortable or binding and I’ve gotten rid of a lot of things that looked great but felt dreadful. I feel that as I age I’m getting smarter with what I buy and I don’t waste money on trendy items that I know I won’t wear.
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I have been striving for a minimal wardrobe for a while, and every shopping decision I make its around this idea. Most times its a success…but there are times….ha. letsdolifestyle.com
