How to Shop Like a Minimalist (ARCHIVE)
Originally posted October 12, 2016
36 items of clothing, 8 pairs of shoes, 3 bags
The current shopping situation has rules. The current shopping situation feels complex and intricate, like another job. This is excellent, as it really deters me from shopping regularly, and I simply must take month long breaks from thinking about buying stuff completely.
My minimalist shopping rules:
Only buy things on the wish list.
Only buy things that are exactly what I want.
Only buy things that fit perfectly.
Only buy things of good quality.
Do not even enter the banned brands list stores.
I know that if I don’t follow these rules, the things I buy in the future will end up discarded, just like the many items of clothing I removed from my wardrobe earlier this year. Your goal, when shopping, should be to invest in flexible and lifestyle appropriate items of clothing that rarely need to be updated.
The wish list contains items of clothing that I feel ‘complete’ my wardrobe. When I underwent my seven month shopping fast, I discovered that my wardrobe lacked a number of basic, flexible items of clothing. My original wish list had about twenty items on it. It listed things like ‘white t-shirt’, ‘black leather jacket’, ‘black work skirt’ and ‘white shirt’. I realised I had wanted these classic pieces for years, but kept getting distracted by my shopping hobby and buying other stuff instead. I have chipped away at my list steadily, and six items remain. These items will likely replace things that get little or no use in my current wardrobe.
My current wish list:
Patterned summer dress that can be worn to work but also dressed up
Formal event dress that can be worn under my leather jacket
A few summer work tops with loose silhouettes
Work trousers that can double as formal trousers
Work shoes (black loafers)
Formal shoes (black strappy heels)
You can see this list is quite specific. Knowing the exact function of each piece really helps eliminate the potential for distractions when shopping. Keep things in context and make sure that you identify colours and styles that either work with your current wardrobe, or your future dream wardrobe, if you want a style overhaul.
I would suggest that if you want to keep your wardrobe small but satisfying, you come up with some rules that suit your own circumstances, and create a shopping wish list.
