For me, it's about USING what I have, making sure I have some variety (that keeps my creative nature happy), but making sure that I am using what I DO have in my closet.
We beat ourselves up enough. Keeping a few things that MAY be something we want is OK. It's easy to go from decluttering to scrutinizing too much. Soft minimalism for the win. ❤
Another stand out episode! Im sure as a heterosexual male I am far in the minority of who watches/listens to you guys but you all really have great advice and depth when it comes to these discussions. I wear a lot of ‘womens’ clothes and have a fairly modest but loud and bright wardrobe because thats who I am, and I think it is fantastic that you all celebrate individual expression and creativity because thats what its all about. Not a one size fits all approach but one of experimentation and development over time to find what suits you and what you like and love. Thank you for providing such a thoughtful and thorough series of podcasts, I always eagerly await the tuesday uploads! Keep up the good work, and wear mad clothes if it makes you happy
🎉Love that Christina..The minimalist wardrobe is one that doesn't stress you out ...wise words and sooo true. I am working towards this thanks to you fabulous three 🌟 🌟 🌟 love all that you do ❤
I love the insight that the “fashion is frivolous “ idea is really false. That fashion as a hobby, pastime, or passion is somehow less valuable than playing tennis, or sewing, or skiing. What I have been inspired by lately is the discovery that my closet is my playroom and I get to spend time there playing with these “toys” that are my clothing, shoes, bags etc. It’s almost as if I have discovered the other half of the hobby. The other amazing thing that I’ve just recently heard and started to implement is not saving anything for a “special” time, occasion, reason to wear. This moment is special, and I’ve started wearing my favorites and the “special” pieces for the everyday. Love listening to the conversation. Thank you for doing this work. It’s fabulous and so are you guys!
To me a minimalist wardrobe is what reflects my personality, my lifestyle, and my intentions. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. As long as it makes me happy getting dressed up, I am good to go 😊
I find that minimalism is geared towards men in general. Most women need more things (makeup, hair products, feminine products, clothes for the different times of the month, etc.) Men seem to have more flexibility to not have a lot of stuff because it's socially acceptable for them to be bald and wear the same thing everyday like a cartoon character lol. I like that now we have gone away from the extra minimalism from before but it ends up looking different for men and women.
I think a true minimalist wardrobe contains only the minimum needed for someone’s lifestyle, maybe with pieces that would be included in this at a different phase of life etc stored away separately, and anything extra to that minimal core has value in its own right - no empty add-ins “just for options”. That said, I definitely prefer “ish”, where my minimalist wardrobe contains only the minimum needed for me to be happy with the items & choices I have. So if it’s sentimental or adds a bit of fun to my generally classic style, maybe its value is in making me smile when I see it hanging in my wardrobe rather than me getting lots of wear out of it, and as long as I have the space, that’s fine. Weight fluctuation is getting me, though, so I’m using Indyx and tagging my “loose” and “skinny day” items to help formulate capsules by “shopping my closet” before buying more if I absolutely need to.
I have NO shame in owning 10 different purple t shirts, different shades & cuts! Or my 5 purple sweaters. One cashmere and one mohair. 💜 I like the Marie Kondo method. I too love what I have and to some it might be too much. But I keep it clean and organized and let go of obsessing over having “too much” but in the journey I did manage to let go of a lot of stuff I held onto that no longer served me!
Yes! Duplicates are good! If you only have one shirt you love and like me only wash once a week it is perfect to have several of what you love! It is all about you and what you need to feel happy about your wardrobe 👌
I’m a white tee shirt lover. I just recently bought 4, all cotton V- necks. When it comes to white shirts of any style I’m a More is More girl.. I have been buying duplicate pieces for years. I used to buy different colors, but have gone to basic neutral colored pieces in some things.
To me, less means 'less of what I don't love'. As Christina says, if it's not a hell yes it's a hell no! I'm binging this podcast--I love the combination of the three of you! Each of you offers something unique, yet you all flow so well together with how you break things down to give me principles I can apply to understand when something isn't working for me. so much fun!!
I have had things I bought for several years and suddenly that thing fits with my state of mind and I use it a lot! Bofore then maybe not so much or at all. I think it is not using your mind but your heart when you buy things that makes you love your wardrobe! And I don’t mean just falling in love with a piece and straight away buying it. But when you fall in love with something and you just can’t get it out of your mind. The thing that really helped me is waiting and at least sleeping on it one night to see was it as special as I thought? I was recently in Greece and fel in love with lots of things but with this rule I came home with three things that already was on my I need/want list! You three are such an inspiration! ❤️
I need at least 4 white tops. First, because I love white and second, I seem to always drop stuff on me. I also think you don't have to declutter, but keeping in mind awareness around future purchases will start the process.
@meha3803 it depends on the stain. Most success depends on prompt removal. The longer it sits, the harder it is to remove. Also, check to see the stain is actually gone before putting the garment in the dryer. If you dry it, you miss a second chance at removal. I use peroxide on blood and oxiclean on most food stains
About seven years ago I did the Konmari method to go through my clothes and declutter. Then I got set up with Capsule Wardrobing which really helped me to sort, match up my clothes, and not feel so overwhelmed. Then after a while I began to "feel" the amount of items that worked for me. Six to seven sweaters per season was too many but 4 felt about right. It stresses me out to not have enough tee shirts so 6 or 7 feel about right. I hardly dress up but try to have something on hand to wear when the occasion arises. The 90/90 rule would never work in that department. What a guy rule! lol That said, it's an evolution and I'm learning all the time. The three of you have been hugely helpful!
If we all followed the stereotypical Capsule Wardrobe we would all be dressed the same. I want to be different. I also feel all of these “rules” are getting ridiculous. Keep what you love and use and want!
Femininity as a style word is one thing, but hearing Christina's insights on the matter outside of fashion & style was really great and brought some realness into the discussion here. I know that not all women look the same on a humane level, and yet, I realize that on an unconscious level, I do carry some preconceived beliefs or views in other aspects (like height, body-types, hair color, etc). I know I've gone through periods of not feeling feminine enough, or like my masculine energy is driving my thoughts and actions more than what I personally care for... I realize that the more I allow femininity or elegance to exist in the context of fashion and style, the more confident and well-rounded I start to feel about myself. Our womanhood, in my opinion at least, should be celebrated more often. There's nothing wrong with allowing some femininity to exist ❤
Signe struck a chord with me by saying it’s not bad to have duplicates! I have 5 white tank tops I wear under sweaters every day to work bc Wisconsin winters are cold. Duplicates are essential to me!❤
I would like to suggest a possible guest for the podcast - Gittemary Johansen. She promotes a pretty intense but well-informed sustainable low-waste lifestyle and has talked a lot about clothing, fast fashion, thrifting, etc, but has a different aesthetic and perspective from what I normally see in the sustainability realm. I think it would be interesting to see you discuss this with her. (She also does some amazing-looking plant-based recipes….) Thank you for creating this forum - it’s so refreshing to see women having such respectful and smart conversations. You’re awesome!
I like the balance noted about guidelines vs rules and being thoughtful about what we put in and take out of our closets vs it has to be a certain size, color, etc. Thanks for some great food for thought!
In the 2010s, we had a name for people who only used the kind of minimalist capsule wardrobe that everyone else had. It was "basic girl" and it was not a compliment. On the other hand, there is a way to do an interesting capsule wardrobe with different colors and shapes, and I support that, but I'm not a minimalist myself.
Love this ladies. I have a lot of items that are years old. I take good care of them and they last. I may go off something for quite some time, then reintroduce and reinvent looks with it. I have a lot of shoes (my weakness) but I don't need to buy anymore because I feel content with my current collection, some are over ten years old but in excellent condition. I rarely declutter good quality items. I've never been trend driven, I wear what I like and feel comfortable in. Thank you for another excellent discussion ❤
I loved this episode - Christina, I think your journey is so relatable (like how having x amount of clothing was frowned upon while having x amount of books was "acceptable"). I am such a fan of the 3 of you - always so thoughtful (and thought-provoking) and nuanced. Thanks so much for your work.
Thank you all for this podcast. How many chances do you give a piece that you feel like you love it but when you put it on , you just are not feeling it and you take it back off. I am bad about this. Sometimes, I think when I have time Lol, I’ll try to wear it differently. I will say all 3 of you have gave me that thought of finding different ways to wear things and it looks better but getting back to that one piece could be a month or more longer before I look at it again. 😂
I have the same experience. I have a Seasonsal rule. If I tried it on a couple of times different ways and still wasn't enjoying the garment, when the next season comes, I declutter it.
@@pajamamama5965 Thank you! I agree with that and need to immediately take it to karm or give it to someone instead of putting in box in garage , waiting on box to be full, to take it haha and then revisiting it and bringing it back in the house 🤦🏼♀️
@@tanakribbs3583 That's funny! So tempting to do that. I put mine in the trunk of the car, so that I will be sure to drop it off. I have to trust my gut that there's a reason it's not working for me. I just gave a bag to a friend and put in a winter coat, a long cardigan, a handbag, and a few other things that I thought I would use this winter. But I didn't and it's time to say goodbye LOL.
Black, white and grey definitely don’t work for me. I have recently been working through my clothes and decluttered quite a lot of long tunics and busy patterns that I hadn’t worn for more than two years. I do log my clothes and have done for more than three years so it’s easy to see what I wear. I let go of two dresses and just kept one and just one skirt. I love jeans and wear different styles, sometimes different sizes, every day. They are all from a small company in Wales, UK who only make jeans, now just to order. This is another great episode. I’m really learning about balance in my wardrobe and among other things I have now. I’ve decluttered books, ornaments and a few tools. I will need to give away some coat hangers next 😊
I would be really curious to know exactly how many items of clothing Signa, Christina, and Alyssa all own. Not because the numbers matter, but I've always been curious what other people's number of items are, just so I know where I fall in the spectrum! I think of myself as having a minimalist-ish wardrobe, but I have no real number to go off of!😁
To Christina’s point, guys I think also have way less peer group/social license to explore aesthetics in terms of clothing. A lot of men dress to not stand out, to not explore gender expression, to not appear fashionable or like they have a strong personal style, to not look like they tried to look good or unusual or individualized. They don’t want other men to judge them as un-masculine. I’m glad gen z men seem to have a less fraught relationship with masculinity, clothing and style.
Re: Capsule Wardrobes I am curious if any of you are familiar with the Vivienne Files? She has a lovely approach that is a combination of the creative and the structured. Inspired by art and silk scarves and lifestyle, combined with crazy 8s, French 5 piece, 4x4... I find a lot of inspiration with what she does, especially her palettes which are generally 2 neutrals with 3 accents. Please take a look and share your comments!
Many minimalist just look all the same, like dressed in a uniform: the same colours, same shapes, same combinations. And then when they buy the same staff next season, I am asking myself why?
For me, it's about USING what I have, making sure I have some variety (that keeps my creative nature happy), but making sure that I am using what I DO have in my closet.
We beat ourselves up enough. Keeping a few things that MAY be something we want is OK. It's easy to go from decluttering to scrutinizing too much. Soft minimalism for the win. ❤
Loveee that term! “Soft minimalism” ❤ I feel like I need to do a video on my channel with this! 🎉
@@Christinamychaslike minimalist-ish! 😊
I think a minimalist wardrobe is one that fits comfortably in you closet and dressers and/or bins comfortably without having to cram or stuff items!!!
Such a great video!
Another stand out episode! Im sure as a heterosexual male I am far in the minority of who watches/listens to you guys but you all really have great advice and depth when it comes to these discussions. I wear a lot of ‘womens’ clothes and have a fairly modest but loud and bright wardrobe because thats who I am, and I think it is fantastic that you all celebrate individual expression and creativity because thats what its all about. Not a one size fits all approach but one of experimentation and development over time to find what suits you and what you like and love. Thank you for providing such a thoughtful and thorough series of podcasts, I always eagerly await the tuesday uploads! Keep up the good work, and wear mad clothes if it makes you happy
The perfect wardrobe is that makes you smile and exited to wear it. Everything else is only a tool for you to take you to this feelings.
Definitely!
🎉Love that Christina..The minimalist wardrobe is one that doesn't stress you out ...wise words and sooo true. I am working towards this thanks to you fabulous three 🌟 🌟 🌟 love all that you do ❤
I love the insight that the “fashion is frivolous “ idea is really false. That fashion as a hobby, pastime, or passion is somehow less valuable than playing tennis, or sewing, or skiing. What I have been inspired by lately is the discovery that my closet is my playroom and I get to spend time there playing with these “toys” that are my clothing, shoes, bags etc. It’s almost as if I have discovered the other half of the hobby. The other amazing thing that I’ve just recently heard and started to implement is not saving anything for a “special” time, occasion, reason to wear. This moment is special, and I’ve started wearing my favorites and the “special” pieces for the everyday. Love listening to the conversation. Thank you for doing this work. It’s fabulous and so are you guys!
To me a minimalist wardrobe is what reflects my personality, my lifestyle, and my intentions. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. As long as it makes me happy getting dressed up, I am good to go 😊
I find that minimalism is geared towards men in general. Most women need more things (makeup, hair products, feminine products, clothes for the different times of the month, etc.) Men seem to have more flexibility to not have a lot of stuff because it's socially acceptable for them to be bald and wear the same thing everyday like a cartoon character lol. I like that now we have gone away from the extra minimalism from before but it ends up looking different for men and women.
I think a true minimalist wardrobe contains only the minimum needed for someone’s lifestyle, maybe with pieces that would be included in this at a different phase of life etc stored away separately, and anything extra to that minimal core has value in its own right - no empty add-ins “just for options”. That said, I definitely prefer “ish”, where my minimalist wardrobe contains only the minimum needed for me to be happy with the items & choices I have. So if it’s sentimental or adds a bit of fun to my generally classic style, maybe its value is in making me smile when I see it hanging in my wardrobe rather than me getting lots of wear out of it, and as long as I have the space, that’s fine. Weight fluctuation is getting me, though, so I’m using Indyx and tagging my “loose” and “skinny day” items to help formulate capsules by “shopping my closet” before buying more if I absolutely need to.
I have NO shame in owning 10 different purple t shirts, different shades & cuts! Or my 5 purple sweaters. One cashmere and one mohair. 💜 I like the Marie Kondo method. I too love what I have and to some it might be too much. But I keep it clean and organized and let go of obsessing over having “too much” but in the journey I did manage to let go of a lot of stuff I held onto that no longer served me!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
Thank you for enlightening me about "fantasized" clothing. I hugged it and accepted that "this isn't working." I happily donated it.
Yes! Duplicates are good! If you only have one shirt you love and like me only wash once a week it is perfect to have several of what you love! It is all about you and what you need to feel happy about your wardrobe 👌
I’m a white tee shirt lover. I just recently bought 4, all cotton V- necks. When it comes to white shirts of any style I’m a More is More girl.. I have been buying duplicate pieces for years. I used to buy different colors, but have gone to basic neutral colored pieces in some things.
To me, less means 'less of what I don't love'. As Christina says, if it's not a hell yes it's a hell no! I'm binging this podcast--I love the combination of the three of you! Each of you offers something unique, yet you all flow so well together with how you break things down to give me principles I can apply to understand when something isn't working for me. so much fun!!
I have had things I bought for several years and suddenly that thing fits with my state of mind and I use it a lot! Bofore then maybe not so much or at all. I think it is not using your mind but your heart when you buy things that makes you love your wardrobe! And I don’t mean just falling in love with a piece and straight away buying it. But when you fall in love with something and you just can’t get it out of your mind. The thing that really helped me is waiting and at least sleeping on it one night to see was it as special as I thought? I was recently in Greece and fel in love with lots of things but with this rule I came home with three things that already was on my I need/want list! You three are such an inspiration! ❤️
This, all of this (but particularly that first part) !! 🙌
@@az6462 Thank You!
I need at least 4 white tops. First, because I love white and second, I seem to always drop stuff on me.
I also think you don't have to declutter, but keeping in mind awareness around future purchases will start the process.
Hey, if you don't mind sharing - can you please let me know how you remove the stains?
@meha3803 it depends on the stain. Most success depends on prompt removal. The longer it sits, the harder it is to remove. Also, check to see the stain is actually gone before putting the garment in the dryer. If you dry it, you miss a second chance at removal.
I use peroxide on blood and oxiclean on most food stains
I love your honesty, Christina, I am right there with you on so many things you said. Great video!
About seven years ago I did the Konmari method to go through my clothes and declutter. Then I got set up with Capsule Wardrobing which really helped me to sort, match up my clothes, and not feel so overwhelmed. Then after a while I began to "feel" the amount of items that worked for me. Six to seven sweaters per season was too many but 4 felt about right. It stresses me out to not have enough tee shirts so 6 or 7 feel about right. I hardly dress up but try to have something on hand to wear when the occasion arises. The 90/90 rule would never work in that department. What a guy rule! lol That said, it's an evolution and I'm learning all the time. The three of you have been hugely helpful!
Really enjoyed this discussion.
If we all followed the stereotypical Capsule Wardrobe we would all be dressed the same. I want to be different. I also feel all of these “rules” are getting ridiculous. Keep what you love and use and want!
Femininity as a style word is one thing, but hearing Christina's insights on the matter outside of fashion & style was really great and brought some realness into the discussion here. I know that not all women look the same on a humane level, and yet, I realize that on an unconscious level, I do carry some preconceived beliefs or views in other aspects (like height, body-types, hair color, etc).
I know I've gone through periods of not feeling feminine enough, or like my masculine energy is driving my thoughts and actions more than what I personally care for... I realize that the more I allow femininity or elegance to exist in the context of fashion and style, the more confident and well-rounded I start to feel about myself. Our womanhood, in my opinion at least, should be celebrated more often. There's nothing wrong with allowing some femininity to exist ❤
Signe struck a chord with me by saying it’s not bad to have duplicates! I have 5 white tank tops I wear under sweaters every day to work bc Wisconsin winters are cold. Duplicates are essential to me!❤
I would like to suggest a possible guest for the podcast - Gittemary Johansen. She promotes a pretty intense but well-informed sustainable low-waste lifestyle and has talked a lot about clothing, fast fashion, thrifting, etc, but has a different aesthetic and perspective from what I normally see in the sustainability realm. I think it would be interesting to see you discuss this with her. (She also does some amazing-looking plant-based recipes….)
Thank you for creating this forum - it’s so refreshing to see women having such respectful and smart conversations. You’re awesome!
I like the balance noted about guidelines vs rules and being thoughtful about what we put in and take out of our closets vs it has to be a certain size, color, etc. Thanks for some great food for thought!
In the 2010s, we had a name for people who only used the kind of minimalist capsule wardrobe that everyone else had. It was "basic girl" and it was not a compliment. On the other hand, there is a way to do an interesting capsule wardrobe with different colors and shapes, and I support that, but I'm not a minimalist myself.
Love this ladies. I have a lot of items that are years old. I take good care of them and they last. I may go off something for quite some time, then reintroduce and reinvent looks with it. I have a lot of shoes (my weakness) but I don't need to buy anymore because I feel content with my current collection, some are over ten years old but in excellent condition. I rarely declutter good quality items. I've never been trend driven, I wear what I like and feel comfortable in. Thank you for another excellent discussion ❤
Aliquots! One of my favorite science words 😅❤
Haha the pharmacist in me coming out 😂
I loved this episode - Christina, I think your journey is so relatable (like how having x amount of clothing was frowned upon while having x amount of books was "acceptable"). I am such a fan of the 3 of you - always so thoughtful (and thought-provoking) and nuanced. Thanks so much for your work.
I love your podcast! It’s so wonderful to hear such intelligent discussion about a subject that isn’t often treated in such an articulate manner.
Thank you all for this podcast. How many chances do you give a piece that you feel like you love it but when you put it on , you just are not feeling it and you take it back off. I am bad about this. Sometimes, I think when
I have time Lol, I’ll try to wear it differently. I will say all 3 of you have gave me that thought of finding different ways to wear things and it looks better but getting back to that one piece could be a month or more longer before I look at it again. 😂
I have the same experience. I have a Seasonsal rule. If I tried it on a couple of times different ways and still wasn't enjoying the garment, when the next season comes, I declutter it.
@@pajamamama5965 Thank you! I agree with that and need to immediately take it to karm or give it to someone instead of putting in box in garage , waiting on box to be full, to take it haha and then revisiting it and bringing it back in the house 🤦🏼♀️
@@tanakribbs3583 That's funny! So tempting to do that. I put mine in the trunk of the car, so that I will be sure to drop it off. I have to trust my gut that there's a reason it's not working for me. I just gave a bag to a friend and put in a winter coat, a long cardigan, a handbag, and a few other things that I thought I would use this winter. But I didn't and it's time to say goodbye LOL.
Mindset! I’m working on it 😄
Black, white and grey definitely don’t work for me. I have recently been working through my clothes and decluttered quite a lot of long tunics and busy patterns that I hadn’t worn for more than two years. I do log my clothes and have done for more than three years so it’s easy to see what I wear. I let go of two dresses and just kept one and just one skirt. I love jeans and wear different styles, sometimes different sizes, every day. They are all from a small company in Wales, UK who only make jeans, now just to order. This is another great episode. I’m really learning about balance in my wardrobe and among other things I have now. I’ve decluttered books, ornaments and a few tools. I will need to give away some coat hangers next 😊
23:00💯
❤
I would be really curious to know exactly how many items of clothing Signa, Christina, and Alyssa all own. Not because the numbers matter, but I've always been curious what other people's number of items are, just so I know where I fall in the spectrum! I think of myself as having a minimalist-ish wardrobe, but I have no real number to go off of!😁
To Christina’s point, guys I think also have way less peer group/social license to explore aesthetics in terms of clothing. A lot of men dress to not stand out, to not explore gender expression, to not appear fashionable or like they have a strong personal style, to not look like they tried to look good or unusual or individualized. They don’t want other men to judge them as un-masculine. I’m glad gen z men seem to have a less fraught relationship with masculinity, clothing and style.
I always keep my donation bin for a while, in case I’d change my mind. It rarely happens but it does sometimes😅. Are you like me?
Re: Capsule Wardrobes
I am curious if any of you are familiar with the Vivienne Files? She has a lovely approach that is a combination of the creative and the structured.
Inspired by art and silk scarves and lifestyle, combined with crazy 8s, French 5 piece, 4x4... I find a lot of inspiration with what she does, especially her palettes which are generally 2 neutrals with 3 accents.
Please take a look and share your comments!
Many minimalist just look all the same, like dressed in a uniform: the same colours, same shapes, same combinations. And then when they buy the same staff next season, I am asking myself why?
If I get pregnant again 😭❤