Minimalist Fashion: 7 Things to Know for Dressing Simply
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Have you heard of minimalist style? Or better yet, have you seen your fashion icons elegantly wearing clothes that, taken separately, are oh-so-basic? In short, dressing in a minimalist style is calling to you, but you don’t know how to go about it or where to start? Well, in this article, we’ll take a look at a trendy stylistic movement: less is more or the art of wearing basics while looking stylish. Colors, cuts, pieces to shop for, organizing your wardrobe… Discover 7 things to know about minimalist fashion.
- 1. 1 – Soft tones and sober colors: essential for dressing in a minimalist way
- 2. 2 – Simplicity and elegance: the key words of minimalist style
- 3. 3 – A minimalist outfit is composed of basics
- 4. 4- Consistency is key to creating a minimalist outfit
- 5. 5- With minimalist fashion, quality is more important than quantity
- 6. 6- Giving depth to your outfit through the choice of cuts
- 7. 7 – Creating a capsule wardrobe is clever for a minimalist style
1 – Soft tones and sober colors: essential for dressing in a minimalist way
Unlike the Color Block trend, which emphasizes a mix & match of vibrant colors, minimalist fashion is decidedly sober. No prints, flashy colors, or frills of any kind, we focus on soft and sober colors. What’s in the spotlight? Cream, white, gray, black, pastel colors, shades of blue, etc. In essence, everything that evokes purity and naturalness.
But be careful, minimalist style is far from dull or boring. On the contrary, it offers almost infinite outfit possibilities. For example, you can dare to wear a monochrome look or have fun playing with different shades of the same color. It’s the volume, the clean cuts, and the play of materials that will bring depth to the outfit, but we’ll talk about that in the rest of the article!
2 – Simplicity and elegance: the key words of minimalist style
Simple, basic, clean are words that characterize minimalist fashion.
Dressing in a minimalist style means striving for “less is more,” literally translated as “less is better.” Like in the minimalist movement, we aim for a return to the essentials. We get rid of what clutters us, what is superfluous, to focus on what matters most. In terms of fashion, minimalist style is therefore akin to an effortless look: the art and way of being stylish with very little.
Wearing simple pieces, but ones that have style, is therefore the best way to have a polished look and a minimalist style, just like the Scandinavians and the famous “Lagom,” a philosophy of life that seeks balance: never too much, just enough.
3 – A minimalist outfit is composed of basics
The third thing to know to perfect your minimalist look is the choice of pieces.
And good news, you just need to open the doors of your wardrobe to put together your minimalist outfit, because the white shirt, the oversized jacket, and the classic denim are must-haves of the minimalist wardrobe. No need to rush to the stores or online shopping sites to dress simply, you probably have everything you need at hand. Because, once again, the idea with this trendy trend is to opt for timeless, durable pieces that are easy to mix and reuse.
However, you can treat yourself to the purchase of a luxury piece or two to upgrade your minimalist outfit and give it that sought-after touch of elegance. Fashion influencers love this combo: basics + high-end accessories.
4- Consistency is key to creating a minimalist outfit
Even though simplicity is the rule in minimalist style, it’s not necessarily easy to put together an outfit. So, rest assured, it’s within everyone’s reach, but to sport a perfect minimalist outfit, subtlety is key.
And when it comes to subtlety, there are a few golden rules to follow:
- the outfit must be consistent,
- you must know how to balance: balancing colors, layering clothes, combining cuts… It’s all about balance. And it’s precisely by seeking this middle ground that you’ll make a difference with your outfit. How to do it? Try different combinations in front of your mirror and get inspired by trendy girls!
- the choice of materials is important.
5- With minimalist fashion, quality is more important than quantity
With few pieces, there are many possibilities: that’s the magic of minimalist fashion! By targeting your basics, timeless pieces that go with almost anything and are easy to mix and match, you give yourself the freedom to create your outfit as you please. It’s also an excellent way to unleash your creativity.
Furthermore, a basic garment doesn’t have to be budget-friendly, it can be a high-end piece that will undoubtedly accompany many of your outfits over time.
Finally, quality also comes from the choice of materials: silk, cashmere, linen… These fabrics lend themselves particularly well to minimalist fashion. They bring a natural and elegant touch to the outfit.
6- Giving depth to your outfit through the choice of cuts
This brings us to the sixth point of the things to know about minimalist fashion: the choice of garment cuts. The choice of neutral colors must be compensated for with something that will give character to the outfit, to avoid it going unnoticed. And that something is volume.
For that, oversized pieces are favored, such as a trench coat, a chunky knit sweater, or cigarette pants. Playing with proportions will allow you to achieve contrast and give depth to the outfit. Layering materials is also a good way to bring contrast to your minimalist outfit.
7 – Creating a capsule wardrobe is clever for a minimalist style
What if all it took was organizing your wardrobe to dress in a minimalist way? That’s what the capsule wardrobe promises.
In a nutshell, the capsule wardrobe is a wardrobe composed of about 10 timeless fashion pieces that you can interchange throughout the year to create looks that tend to be minimalist. This concept is based on the idea of combination: starting from one garment, you create an outfit with a style of its own. For example, the flagship piece is the cigarette pants. You pair them with a turtleneck sweater, a blazer, and a pair of heels, and you have the epitome of effortless chic.
Time-saving, economical, creative, varied styles, appreciation of clothing… The advantages of the capsule wardrobe are definitely numerous.
You have reached the end of this article. So, do you think you can dress simply with minimalist fashion? One thing is for sure, adopting minimalist style is within everyone’s reach. You just need to respect a few basic rules: the choice of colors, pieces, outfit harmony, and last but not least, having fun!
➡️ And if, despite your attempts, this style doesn’t suit you, take a look at maximalism, the other trendy trend that we decipher in our article.