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Wardrobe

The Story of a Skirt

Today, I’m going to tell you the story of a skirt–in particular, the gray tulle number in the photo above. It doesn’t look like it has any business being in a minimalist wardrobe, does it? I didn’t think so, either.

So why do I own it? Well, when I recently had new author photos taken, my photographer suggested we do some fun, ballet-style shots to convey the idea of living lightly and gracefully (as per my new book). I loved the idea, but had nothing of the sort in my wardrobe–so I dutifully found an appropriate skirt with two-day shipping, and received it just in time for the shoot.… {Read more}

Minimalist Wardrobe: Leggings

For a few years now, I’ve been inching closer and closer towards a uniform. I’ve experimented with styles, and pondered the versatility of various tops, bottoms, dresses, etc. I’ve pared down to One Shoe, One Coat, and One Handbag.

Well, as of late, I’ve taken another leap forward in this initiative—I believe I am down to One Bottom. To be honest, this happened by accident; one of the unintended consequences of my Eating Less experiment is that most of my clothes no longer fit. And just when I nailed down a great capsule wardrobe—argh!

Pants (trousers for my UK readers) have been a particular problem.… {Read more}

The Joy of One: Handbag

Okay, everyone…are we ready to talk about One Handbag? This should be a good one.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told you before, but I’m a “bag person”—not a designer bag or novelty bag person, but a utilitarian one. I get excited about zippered compartments and adjustable straps and water bottle holders (be still, my heart!).

And to be clear, I’m not a bag person who wants a different carryall for every occasion or day of the week. I’m far too lazy for that. Not only can’t I be bothered to make such a decision in the morning, there’s no way I’m going to shuffle the contents around from one bag to another.… {Read more}

The Joy of One: Shoe

I feel a little guilty that last week’s One Coat challenge was so easy. It was a good warm up, though, and I hope it inspired some of you that yes, it can be done! We often discover on our minimalist journey that what might seem daunting or pointless at first can actually be quite doable and gratifying.

But still—a bit of a struggle makes for a more interesting blog post, doesn’t it?

Well, I have that struggle for you today, as I tackle what might be the most difficult item to reduce to One: shoes.

Now, I’m no Carrie Bradshaw when it comes to footwear; beyond looking presentable and feeling comfortable, I have little interest in what’s on my feet.… {Read more}

The Joy of One: Coat

When I moved from the Northeast to the Pacific Northwest, I took the opportunity to rethink my outerwear. I no longer needed my heavy winter coat (goodbye snow, ice, and sub-freezing temperatures!), but I did need something more waterproof (hello rain!).

I wanted just One Coat that would work for fall, winter, and spring, and settled on a mid-weight raincoat with a removable quilted liner. I opted for one with a hood, to eliminate the need for a hat (and hopefully, an umbrella—optimistic, I know, but so far, so good).

As far as color goes, I normally default to black for outerwear.… {Read more}

Minimalist Wardrobe: Slow Fashion

This past summer, I saw the documentary The True Cost. It’s a heartbreaking look at how our society’s addiction to cheap clothes impacts the people who make them. (I hope some of you will watch it and spread the word–everyone should know where their clothing comes from.) Needless to say, it made my commitment to having a tiny wardrobe that much stronger.

I’ve never been one to embrace fashion to begin with; as I’ve written in the past, I love the idea of a uniform. The fact that my entire wardrobe can fit in a suitcase gives me a great deal of joy (strange but true).… {Read more}

Extreme Minimalism: Wardrobe

Let’s wrap up the Extreme Minimalism series with a topic that’s always popular: clothing!

It’s been over a year since I wrote More Minimalist Wardrobe Musings. In that post, I asked, “So (laundry concerns aside), what if you could have one perfectly-comfortable, perfectly-designed outfit that you could wear everyday — and nobody cared, or ridiculed you for it? I’m not talking scrubs, or military dress, or a UPS uniform, but something you looked fabulous and felt great in. Would you want that?”

For me, the answer is an emphatic yes! Although I haven’t adopted one yet, I’m completely smitten with the idea of a uniform.… {Read more}

Minimalist Maternity Wear

At this time last year, I was a few months into my pregnancy with Plumblossom. My goal had been not to purchase a single piece of maternity wear, and rather make do with what I already had.

Naïve and ambitious, I know—but I’m proud to say that I almost achieved it.

The first trimester was easy. Although I never had any morning sickness, I also didn’t have much of an appetite. I’m glad I didn’t run out to the nearest Motherhood store after my positive pregnancy test, because my normal clothes fit perfectly fine for the first few months. And as I wanted to keep my pregnancy secret for as long as possible, my attire didn’t tip anyone off (though declining wine at dinner raised a few eyebrows!).… {Read more}

100 Possessions: Turquoise Wellies

At first glance, this particular possession may seem way out of line with my minimalist principles. But hey, a girl’s gotta have a little fun, right?

Maybe they make me a bad minimalist—they’re not a basic color, and they don’t go with everything in my closet (though I typically pair them with anything anyway). They’re not lightweight, and they don’t fold down to nothing for easy storage and transport. And they’d take up way too much space in the minimalist’s proverbial backpack. ;-)

So why are they part of my life?

1. They’re practical. When I lived in England, I learned that in rainy weather, there’s nothing better than a pair of wellies to keep your feet warm and dry.… {Read more}

One Less Thing: Fashion Trends

It’s hard to believe now, but back in my early twenties, I was something of a fashionista. I had two closets full of clothes, and regularly browsed a number of fashion magazines (each fall, I eagerly awaited Vogue’s phonebook-size September issue). I spent far too much time, money, and effort dressing for some imaginary spotlight—embarrassing to admit, but true.

Fortunately, somewhere along the line I tired of the excess—the stuffed closets, the barely-worn clothes, the pieces that were “out” just months after I bought them. The whole endeavor seemed an exercise in futility and waste. So I called it quits on my fashion habit, and unloaded the vast majority of my wardrobe in a no-holds-barred eBay extravaganza.… {Read more}