The minimalist wardrobe : Support/progress thread

[doni]

This is helpful as I have similar taste and have just gotten rid of Chunky sweaters, RTW, jeans, pants and leggings not in my preferred three styles, etc. Shoes that don’t quite fit Or boots that hit my calf the wrong way. I’m also sadly getting rid of anichini high thread count sheets as percale is cooler (cough as I get older). My cleaning woman takes all of it for her extended family. Here’s one of the latest closet purges. . .
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Ah, love closet purges!!

I just finished this weekend the change of season. I have to say, I believe I am managing to have less each year. Should take a pic of my closet before it gets messy again.

Camel is back is it not? I just got a camel blazer in Maje. And I could swear I saw a Joseph camel knit at a shop yesterday, although I don’t know it was cashmere. But a good place to have a look.

I hated camel in the 80s. At that time, you were either someone who wore camel or someon who wore black, and the choice defined you .

Love camel now.

 

[FizzyWater]

I hated camel in the 80s. At that time, you were either someone who wore camel or someon who wore black, and the choice defined you .

Love camel now.

Ha, doesn't it define you now?

Ok, I've mellowed to the point that I can really admire it on others, but it seems like it goes with things like "huge regular dry cleaning bill" and "wearing white without fear". Hm. Maybe the first allows the second!

 

[880]

hated camel in the 80s. At that time, you were either someone who wore camel or someon who wore black, and the choice defined you

Yes, I hated camel back then. And now, in my closet, it’s as far as the eye can see. . .

 

[mellecyn]

Yes, I hated camel back then. And now, in my closet, it’s as far as the eye can see. . .

haha Camel was such a Mom thing....and here I am, with my mom´s camel coat from the 90s. Very Max Mara
Basically camel is back big time...BUT all camel cashmere I find are oversized chunky turtle neck (which I also need) or crew neck.
Good idea with looking in the mens section. ...I want because since I was 20 I remember this being defined in french magazines as a classic super sexy to wear. It stuck with me.
Basically when so fixated on something so specific it´s really hard to shop second hand, but I´m browsing...

As far as knitwear goes my list is as follows :
-black classic turtle neck
-loose v neck camel cashmere
-grey angora
-navy cardigan
-structured big sleeves (I have one in purple)
-something red
-tight turtle neck cream/off white to wear as underlayer

 

[880]

haha Camel was such a Mom thing

Yep , totally agree! And the chunky gucci mid heel with insert gold Trim; and when roger vivier came back,mom was like why do you want to wear something that old Bc she remembered it from decades before. . .

great list of classics with a twist, BTW!

 

[mellecyn]

OK I might have found on Eric Bompard new classic collection

 

[Etriers]

I’m so gun-shy about cashmere. Most of it is so bad. There was a time when a cashmere sweater was a car payment, but it was dreamy soft and absolutely did.not.pill. Nowadays, (and where in heavens is all this cashmere coming from anyway? Is it even cashmere? Can there be that many more goats now than there were then? ) every cheap teeny-bopper store sells cashmere everything. I’ve pretty much stopped buying it in favor of merino.

 

[880]

I’ve pretty much stopped buying it in favor of merino.

Love merino. It’s drier finish, hardier and warm!

 

[880]

all one really needs is a couple pairs of jeans, a few white BLACK shirts, a simple uncluttered dress-up dress or pant suit and some basic shoes."

This... sort of sounds like my wardrobe (ok, plus too many scarves and the whole wardrobe of pretty, frivolous clothes that I'm currently too fat for). But there's no way I'm expressing my personality in a white blouse - I'd be worrying about what I'm about to spill on myself, or how many layers I have to wear to not display my underwear...

Yes ITA wth ^, except substitute leggings, yoga pants and cargo ish bottoms in camel, beige, midnight blue camo or charcoal grey, bc with covid, you need pockets

I bought Chanel starting in maybe 2001, when RTW prices were a tenth the current prices (And there used to be seasonal 60%sales), only to learn DH and my own body type might look best in Akris whose staples, as well as that of the bridge/diffusion line, still go on massive 80% sales in the US.

john smedley knitwear, while not as nicely cut and lux as Brunello is reasonably priced, especially if you wear men’s renditions.

still love older Jil sander, dries van noten, comme dea garçons, yamamoto, but fit into IS pleats please.

not sure how anyone who collects clothes for decades can fit wooden hangers in a closet, but I’m envious (I do allow DH and some winter coats wooden ones lol), but he arguable adores clothes more than I do.

 

[880]

As for myself, I am looking for tees that can withstand many washes with great cut. What kind of price point should I expect to get it at? I would appreciate it if someone can advice me on brands etc. Thanks!

price ranges are all over the map
Brunello, lasts a long time, good cut, expensive but there used t be sample sales
issey miyake, synthetic tees and tanks
Sunspel (English but made in Portugal?) or zimmerli if you like a men’s tee shirt
Hanro (cotton tank) or wolf ore (synthetic)
athletic tees like Athletica, lululemon
California style tees like James Perse (overpriced for what they are, but flattering)
american giant, u necklines in the supima cotton (or whatever the thin ones are called)

honorary mention: John smedley for close cut sweaters you can wear like a t shirt. With jeans, skirts, pants, under jackets etc. women’s sizing is very large IMO; men’s runs small

im afraid to cull my overstuffed tee shirt drawers for fear, if I open them, they might explode.

 

[inkfade]

It's been a while since I've been in this topic, thought I'd drop in. I did a major purge of belongings last week, including my closet, and either trashed or donated a ton of stuff. Last night did another mini-purge in my closet and got rid of another five or six items. I now own around 35 items total (excluding five pairs of scrubs which are for work Mon-Fri and I keep separate in my closet), including both tops and bottoms, and three pairs of shoes, which I would like to cut down to two. I feel like I could get rid of a few more items, which I might try to do this weekend, but for now I feel good. I think I'm the type of person to only wear a few tops with the same bottoms any time I go out, either to run errands or eat, etc., so I know I don't need a huge closet, and I like a more curated selection of pieces I know I love wearing and feel comfortable, too.

 

[opensesame]

price ranges are all over the map
Brunello, lasts a long time, good cut, expensive but there used t be sample sales
issey miyake, synthetic tees and tanks
Sunspel (English but made in Portugal?) or zimmerli if you like a men’s tee shirt
Hanro (cotton tank) or wolf ore (synthetic)
athletic tees like Athletica, lululemon
California style tees like James Perse (overpriced for what they are, but flattering)
american giant, u necklines in the supima cotton (or whatever the thin ones are called)

honorary mention: John smedley for close cut sweaters you can wear like a t shirt. With jeans, skirts, pants, under jackets etc. women’s sizing is very large IMO; men’s runs small

im afraid to cull my overstuffed tee shirt drawers for fear, if I open them, they might explode.

Thanks for listing so many options! Brunello Cucinelli is too expensive for me, but I would definitely consider getting more Hanro and Issey. Sometimes, I get lost and don’t know what kind of quality I should expect at a certain price point. I don’t want to be delusional and expect BC quality for $50 or something. At the same time, I also feel pretty clueless whether I am overpaying for a tee, but now I have a point of reference. Thanks!

 

[880]

Thanks for listing so many options! Brunello Cucinelli is too expensive for me, but I would definitely consider getting more Hanro and Issey. Sometimes, I get lost and don’t know what kind of quality I should expect at a certain price point. I don’t want to be delusional and expect BC quality for $50 or something. At the same time, I also feel pretty clueless whether I am overpaying for a tee, but now I have a point of reference. Thanks!

I apologize for not having current prices
sunspel 75usd
brunello 375 usd

in NYC, there used to be sample sales of certain things Like hanro, la perla, Wolford etc., (Search soiffer Haskins ); stand alone stores maybe like bra smythe (but I don’t remember specific store names) used to have some sales of zimmerli and Wolford and at least precovid, in delancy st, there were three generation old small businesses, that sold this stuff for less. . . The reason why I don’t know currnt prices is I haven’t bought many t shirts recently except inexpensive ones via mail orde like American giant 4 for 100 usd or some special like that, or athletica (recommended by @Rockerchic) I think the latter runs large. . . i think issey miyake is probably expensive, but I have tank tops from twenty years ago literally that seem fine. . . HTH, hugs

 

[opensesame]

I apologize for not having current prices
sunspel 75usd
brunello 375 usd

in NYC, there used to be sample sales of certain things Like hanro, la perla, Wolford etc., (Search soiffer Haskins ); stand alone stores maybe like bra smythe (but I don’t remember specific store names) used to have some sales of zimmerli and Wolford and at least precovid, in delancy st, there were three generation old small businesses, that sold this stuff for less. . . The reason why I don’t know currnt prices is I haven’t bought many t shirts recently except inexpensive ones via mail orde like American giant 4 for 100 usd or some special like that, or athletica (recommended by @Rockerchic) I think the latter runs large. . . i think issey miyake is probably expensive, but I have tank tops from twenty years ago literally that seem fine. . . HTH, hugs

Wow thank you for the info! I will visit them when I visit NYC. I usually buy Issey in Japan, and it’s about 50% cheaper than in the US.

 

[880]

It's been a while since I've been in this topic, thought I'd drop in. I did a major purge of belongings last week, including my closet, and either trashed or donated a ton of stuff. Last night did another mini-purge in my closet and got rid of another five or six items. I now own around 35 items total (excluding five pairs of scrubs which are for work Mon-Fri and I keep separate in my closet), including both tops and bottoms, and three pairs of shoes, which I would like to cut down to two. I feel like I could get rid of a few more items, which I might try to do this weekend, but for now I feel good. I think I'm the type of person to only wear a few tops with the same bottoms any time I go out, either to run errands or eat, etc., so I know I don't need a huge closet, and I like a more curated selection of pieces I know I love wearing and feel comfortable, too.

I’m just so in awe of this job you did. Wow! Congratulations! Maybe keep three pairs of shoes in case of rain?