Building A Minimal (Capsule) Wardrobe

I’ve spoke about clearing out and reducing my wardrobe for a while now. It’s been a long gradual process particularly when you’re a clothes hoarder like me but my wardrobe keeps becoming smaller and less cluttered of unworn clothes. Instead of having a wardrobe full of clothes with jeans in every shade possible, I now have and am aiming for a smaller collection of items that I need and wear regularly that fits my style. Not only is de-cluttering a satisfying thing to do, it also teaches you more about buying clothes and how to buy more sensibly.

STEP 1: CLEAR OUT

The first step to making your wardrobe more minimal is to obviously cut it down. Open your wardrobe, drawers etc and look at each item individually and decide on it’s final destination (that sounds much more intense than I am intending!). Anything that you truly love and know that will get its wear, place it back into your wardrobe. If you have anything that is damaged or simply not wearable then chuck it in the bin. You’ve also got your ‘maybe’ items which we all have, items that we may be struggling to get rid of and are holding on to! Keep things simple and keep them in your wardrobe for the time being. Then you have the other items that you know you can get rid of. If you have anything that holds value, e.g. trainers, on-trend pieces then it is a good idea to think about selling items. I use eBay regularly and you also have Depop. It is such a good way to de clutter as you can make money that can be reinvested in your wardrobe! Anything else, can then also be given to charity!

STEP 2: ANALYSE 

After the initial clear out, you can definitely cut your wardrobe quite dramatically. Although I do think particularly if you are like me it can be difficult to be strict and cut out everything that could be erased. After a set amount of time, this could be weeks, a month, longer analyse your wardrobe again being more strict about what stays and what goes. One trick I have heard is to ensure all your hangers are facing one direction then once you wear an item face it the other way and after a length of time you can truly see what has been worn and what’s not. There is simply no point holding on to items that are not getting worn so this proves as a good indicator for de-cluttering. The process of continuously eliminating can be long particularly if you own a lot and have hoarder problems (guilty!), I am still regularly making my wardrobe smaller and smaller but each time I do it, it feels incredibly rewarding!

STEP 3: ORGANISE

Apologies to the naturally messy and untidy people who’s wardrobes mainly stay on the floor, sadly for you I am going to encourage you to do the opposite! The best way to get use out of your wardrobe is to ensure it is in a organised fashion in which you can see everything neatly in front of you. So in terms of hanging items up, I like to arrange them in a certain order like dresses then tops then trousers etc. You can make up your own order but having them in an organised way makes it much easier. In terms of storing in drawers etc, I like to have a drawer dedicated to certain things so one drawer for t-shirts, one for skirts etc. Another handy tip for organisation is to organise your clothes using the Marie Kondo method rather than stacking things as you see items much easier rather than simply wearing what is on the top of the pile!

STEP 4: INVEST 

After cutting down your wardrobe, you will have a clear idea of what is missing as well as understanding what you really wear. It is now time to fill in the gaps and make up a wearable wardrobe that reflects your style. One of the lessons I’ve learnt from looking back to my old shopping habits and my wardrobe is that I used to regularly buy poorer quality clothes and many trend-led pieces that go out of fashion far too quickly. Obviously adopting that method means my wardrobe grows quicker and also becomes unwearable. My attitude towards shopping and different clothing brands has changed a lot over the last year, I try to avoid on-trend pieces and cheap poorly made items and instead I like to invest carefully in pieces that are good quality and will we wearable for years to come. Whilst spending a lot of money on one item can be off-putting it is actually much better value than continuously spending on numerous items and having to replace them after a short period of time!

How do you de-clutter?

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My Minimal Jewellery Collection

The whole minimalistic lifestyle seems to be all the rage lately particularly on many blogs. Whilst the concept sounds pretty good, it isn’t very feasible. However I have definitely tried to adopt the more is less kinda of thing lately style wise, beauty is another story…  From my wardrobe to my accessories, I have been de-cluttering a lot out of my stash in order to create small collections of items that I know I will get use out of it and that I truly love. My jewellery is an area that I have been cutting down quite dramatically recently and I thought I would give you a little insight into my collection.

Taking a look overall at my collection, I have a clear love for small dainty pieces that can be worn very casually. Gold also tends to be colour of preference as I just prefer it and it seems to go more with my style too. I tend to shop in high street stores for my jewellery pieces but I will go into that later and show you where I bought all my favourite pieces from. Also, if you are interested in my storage as seen above, I keep my necklaces and rings on my very beautiful marble and gold stand from Oliver Bonas and I also have a little plate from H&M in which I store my earrings.

NECKLACES

From oversized statement pieces, I have clearly made a change in my preference of necklace style. I currently have three go-to dainty pieces that just add a simplistic but chic addition to a casual outfit. Urban Outfitters is one of my favourite stores and particularly for jewellery. They do the most perfect minimalistic style pieces that fit perfectly in my collection. The first necklace (left) is as extreme as it gets. The longer chain and double triangle style is more of my going out option for when I have a little more neck on show. The other two are simple pieces; one with my star sign and the other a basic gold bar style. When it comes to necklaces I am all for the less is more approach, looking back at what I used to wear I much prefer the neater simplistic style.

RINGS

I don’t want to sound like a broken record since I am sure by now you get the whole ‘I prefer the minimal look’ although when it comes to rings I am so for it. I love the look of having a handful of rings with cute midi styles and what not but if I am honest I forget my rings half the time so remembering to coat my hand in them doesn’t really work for me. Although nevertheless I love a good simple ring. There is something about a good ring that just makes me feel complete outfit wise but also adds a bit of sophistication to an outfit. For a simple casual look I love my Gemporia Crescent Moon Ring*  which I spoke about in a separate post here. The crescent moon adds a personal touch yet is super simple but a special piece in my collection. I also have a more ‘edgier’ style from Topshop with a cross design which remains well despite being a cheaper piece.

EARRINGS

Probably my favourite pieces of jewellery. Earrings are the one thing I wear all the time (although saying that I currently am not wearing any!). Whilst fun slightly comical fruit shaped earrings look ever so cool they just don’t fit my style and after wearing boring studs I really wanted to find earrings that I enjoyed wearing and created a bit of a statement. I have became truly obsessed with swing earrings that are pretty unique with a swing bar style that comes from the back of the ear as well as a stud at the front. I have multiple pairs now and Asos seem to hold the best selection. Whilst I love the look of crazily pierced ears I wouldn’t wish that pain on myself (lol) so I love that adding something unique can keep my earring choice a bit interesting.

*PR sample

What is your favourite type of jewellery?

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Gemporia 9K Gold Moon Stacker Ring

I don’t think I could ever fall into that ‘minimalistic lifestyle’ category although I love the minimal look when it comes to style particularly jewellery. There is just something so chic about minimal simple pieces. Speaking of which, I have added a new piece to my minimal jewellery collection (something I will show you soon!). Thanks to Gemporia who specialise in gemstones, I was kindly gifted this gorgeous 9K Gold Moon Stacker Ring* (£52) which is the perfect new addition to my jewellery wardrobe.

I love a good ring but I am so disappointed in the poor quality high street offerings which are easily scratched and worn within a short amount of time. So it has been a delight to get my hands on this gorgeous gold ring from Gemporia. As I said previously, with my minimal preferences I chose this simplistic but classic piece rather than something big and chunky which isn’t my style. The ring has a cute crescent moon design on the gold band which is super pretty and goes with everything. I used to have a crescent moon necklace which sadly broke but I am delighted to have the moon design back in my collection in some form. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing but the crescent moon has a bit of deeper meaning to me as it holds a much more personal meaning to me. The symbol actually plays a sort of reminder to me in where I grew up and basically home for me  (Just pretend you know what I am talking about!). So obviously to have a personal touch behind it makes it feel even more special!

The ring is slightly a touch too big for me although it is nothing that can’t be fixed! Once it is more my size, I can’t wait to wear this more as it adds such a simple and classy touch to any outfit. I am obsessed! Gemporia also have a really great range of jewellery to suit everyone so if you are still stuck for Mother’s Day then I am sure they will have something perfect for a last-minute present!

What is your favourite piece for jewelery?

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The Minimal Makeup Look

We all have those days were we want a fuss free makeup menu that will take a limited amount of time. I certainly have those days and since starting work this Summer I have nailed down a quick makeup routine that is easy and appropriate for a day at work. I am thinking those easy and convenient products but also ones that I can trust to create a good base. There are quite a few products in my stash that serve this purpose pretty well.

First up, when it comes to base I want something simple, lightweight but also creates radiant and flawless skin. Sounds like a lot but BareMinerals Complexion Rescue fits the bill. The light coverage base blends in like a dream and creates such gorgeous glowy fresh skin. Teamed with the Nars Creamy Concealer which gives the coverage it serves up a flawless base. Still sticking with the base, to warm things up a bit my new trusty Body Shop Honey Bronzer is a match made in heaven for my pale skin. For quick and easy application, the Rimmel Stay Blushed cheek tint works perfectly at adding a little flushed look to the cheeks. To keep on top of the glow the Topshop Glow Pot is the perfect product for adding a sheen to the tops of the cheekbones.

Moving on to eyes. there is nothing quite as easy and simple as a good eyeshadow stick. The By Terry Ombre Blackstars are as good as the hype suggests. The shade Misty Rock is simply beautiful and the formula is incredible gliding over the lids smoothly with a gorgeous finish. To finish the look, a quick swipe of the Benefit Bad Gal mascara for that natural fluttery style which is perfect for an everyday basis. For brows, the Soap and Glory Archery works wonders and is perfect for those minimal makeup days when you need something natural but still tidied up.  To finish the look, a simple sweep of the Clarins Lip Balm Perfector is a great choice, super moisturising and buttery smooth on the lips whilst still giving them a little colour.

What do you wear on Minimal Makeup days?

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