The minimalist wardrobe : Support/progress thread

[TankerToad]

when I am heavier, I find skirts and dresses more comfy and forgiving than pants lol. I adore Zara and will check out cos and Anine Bing, thank you!

If the aurora tank is the one that is flowy and long, I can attest that it wears like iron. I machine wash cold and dry on low. The white and beige ones show more of my lumps and bumps simoly bc the opaque material is thin, so I find the navy and black are solid workhorse tops, the kind that you grab when you roll out of bed. My frequent usage/ cost per wear makes them reasonable.

re minimalist wardrobe, for a three week trip, DH and I do carry on luggage only. In one rimowa roller bag, I can fit: 3 lightweight pairs taupe, olive, grey pants; one skinny pleated olive skirt; a lightweight taupe sleeveless (layerable) dress; a grey leopard hoodie techno taffeta dress; some navy and black tanks tops; one short sleeved cardigan; a mouselline GM scarf; a small workout tank and short set (zoom training sessions); a bathing suit (hotel); underpinnings; two pairs of shoes (designer collaboration taupe and green leather camo birkenstocks; taupe valentino flat mules. I’ll take a Dior men’s saddle; an evelyn TPM; and a mini Loewe puzzle, all of which can pack flat; be worn crossbody; and, have minimal hardware. I’m on the fence re a gray Goyard St. Louis, but it packs flat and is light, so not really a problem.

I’ll wear birkenstock sneakers on the plane, a fourth pair of pants, an issey miyake hoodie or cardigan, and a light jacket, probably my Dior tie dye, which can go with everything even the leopard dress. I don’t really pack much in way of toiletries which can be found over there.

Wow - impressive

 

[Style_Baby]

This is VERY impressive! I'd love to see pics if you feel like posting. I'm especially curious about the "grey leopard hoodie techno taffeta dress"... that sounds divine!

 

[mellecyn]

Im in Milan right now and I’m proud to say I packed one cabin bag for 3 weeks. (Including 2 weeks in Italy). While still looking local enough. I mean, the fashion style here is fantastic it’s another level. A level where only the teenagers are super casual (crop tops, destroyed jeans) but no sweat pants and gym clothes…and men in suits and leather shoes, women also in nice tailored dresses, skirts, with flat sandals or heels/pumps. And their ways of putting colors together and accessorizing is divine. Except a few « Donatella Versace » the rest are in all simplicity, not overly done. I absolutely love being in a place where people make an effort and put some thinking into how they show themselves, be Milan or Paris or London or Madrid, be smart or casual.
Being in a city but also the weather, helps. Where I live it rains like horizontally (+the wind) most of the year. So people resort to big sneakers or climbing boots as footwear. Outerwear it need to be warm, wind proof, rainproof…we could literally all look like Breton fishermen.

 

[Muffin_Top]

Im in Milan right now and I’m proud to say I packed one cabin bag for 3 weeks. (Including 2 weeks in Italy). While still looking local enough. I mean, the fashion style here is fantastic it’s another level. A level where only the teenagers are super casual (crop tops, destroyed jeans) but no sweat pants and gym clothes…and men in suits and leather shoes, women also in nice tailored dresses, skirts, with flat sandals or heels/pumps. And their ways of putting colors together and accessorizing is divine. Except a few « Donatella Versace » the rest are in all simplicity, not overly done. I absolutely love being in a place where people make an effort and put some thinking into how they show themselves, be Milan or Paris or London or Madrid, be smart or casual.
Being in a city but also the weather, helps. Where I live it rains like horizontally (+the wind) most of the year. So people resort to big sneakers or climbing boots as footwear. Outerwear it need to be warm, wind proof, rainproof…we could literally all look like Breton fishermen.

You make me remember my holiday in Milan a few years ago.
In the middle of the summer with very hot temperatures everyone was incredibly well-dressed and classy in their everyday lives.
We felt like big potato sacks there (even hubby, whose outfits are usually classic and who is rather self-confident).
That never happened anywhere else while travelling even in other Italian cities

 

[doni]

Im in Milan right now and I’m proud to say I packed one cabin bag for 3 weeks. (Including 2 weeks in Italy). While still looking local enough. I mean, the fashion style here is fantastic it’s another level. A level where only the teenagers are super casual (crop tops, destroyed jeans) but no sweat pants and gym clothes…and men in suits and leather shoes, women also in nice tailored dresses, skirts, with flat sandals or heels/pumps. And their ways of putting colors together and accessorizing is divine. Except a few « Donatella Versace » the rest are in all simplicity, not overly done. I absolutely love being in a place where people make an effort and put some thinking into how they show themselves, be Milan or Paris or London or Madrid, be smart or casual.
Being in a city but also the weather, helps. Where I live it rains like horizontally (+the wind) most of the year. So people resort to big sneakers or climbing boots as footwear. Outerwear it need to be warm, wind proof, rainproof…we could literally all look like Breton fishermen.

I remember when we were living in the US (very nice neighbourhood) and the elderly parents of our Italian friend came to visit. They were so horrified by the casualness of attire. The father would wear a tie with a cardigan on Sunday for a walk (my father also does this, never out in town without a tie), and people would be around us in sweats and gym wear and he’d be feeling like a fish out of water. So his son would tell him, you do not need to wear the tie here. And I always remember what he replied: “to me it is about respect. Not being properly dressed would be like telling these people that I have no respect for them.”

 

[mellecyn]

I remember when we were living in the US (very nice neighbourhood) and the elderly parents of our Italian friend came to visit. They were so horrified by the casualness of attire. The father would wear a tie with a cardigan on Sunday for a walk (my father also does this, never out in town without a tie), and people would be around us in sweats and gym wear and he’d be feeling like a fish out of water. So his son would tell him, you do not need to wear the tie here. And I always remember what he replied: “to me it is about respect. Not being properly dressed would be like telling these people that I have no respect for them.”

Aawww that is actually so sweet! That reminds me of my grandpa (French) who also only wore suits to go out. Without the jacket in the summer he would not hesitate to poke fun at the destroyed jeans of the teenagers who were amused by this quirky grandpa.
And my grandma would only wear shoes with heels. And was stubborn til the end in wearing lipstick.

 

[mellecyn]

Actually I just walked past Chiara Ferragni! !!
was just commenting on her brand shops yesterday and how she is an icon/superstar here.

 

[MiaKing]

Im in Milan right now and I’m proud to say I packed one cabin bag for 3 weeks. (Including 2 weeks in Italy). While still looking local enough. I mean, the fashion style here is fantastic it’s another level. A level where only the teenagers are super casual (crop tops, destroyed jeans) but no sweat pants and gym clothes…and men in suits and leather shoes, women also in nice tailored dresses, skirts, with flat sandals or heels/pumps. And their ways of putting colors together and accessorizing is divine. Except a few « Donatella Versace » the rest are in all simplicity, not overly done. I absolutely love being in a place where people make an effort and put some thinking into how they show themselves, be Milan or Paris or London or Madrid, be smart or casual.
Being in a city but also the weather, helps. Where I live it rains like horizontally (+the wind) most of the year. So people resort to big sneakers or climbing boots as footwear. Outerwear it need to be warm, wind proof, rainproof…we could literally all look like Breton fishermen.

I read, K. Lagerfeld said once, something like: no person will ever look good in sweatpants unless doing jogging or at the gym. I don't remember the exact quote but it stuck in my head. I think it's that effort you put to make yourself look simply but classy. Of course no offense to people rocking sweatpants with heels or whatever you like! It's just something that stuck in my mind. It's not easy though, especially if you live in small city in the USA. I think it's the freedom here, people think it's normal to wear pajama to the store. I'm from Europe, and people there pay more attention to dress, let's say, appropriately? So pajama to bed, gym clothes to the gym. I live in the small city in the middle in OK now (ready to pcs soon ) and I went to the first day of my son's school a little while ago. I dressed him nicely, myself as well. Guess what. We were the only ones dressed like this. I think it's great to have freedom, you do what you want, you dress how you like, but then you look sort of out of place if you're trying to look good while people around are wearing whatever.

 

[Style_Baby]

when I am heavier, I find skirts and dresses more comfy and forgiving than pants lol. I adore Zara and will check out cos and Anine Bing, thank you!

If the aurora tank is the one that is flowy and long, I can attest that it wears like iron. I machine wash cold and dry on low. The white and beige ones show more of my lumps and bumps simoly bc the opaque material is thin, so I find the navy and black are solid workhorse tops, the kind that you grab when you roll out of bed. My frequent usage/ cost per wear makes them reasonable.

re minimalist wardrobe, for a three week trip, DH and I do carry on luggage only. In one rimowa roller bag, I can fit: 3 lightweight pairs taupe, olive, grey pants; one skinny pleated olive skirt; a lightweight taupe sleeveless (layerable) dress; a grey leopard hoodie techno taffeta dress; some navy and black tanks tops; one short sleeved cardigan; a mouselline GM scarf; a small workout tank and short set (zoom training sessions); a bathing suit (hotel); underpinnings; two pairs of shoes (designer collaboration taupe and green leather camo birkenstocks; taupe valentino flat mules. I’ll take a Dior men’s saddle; an evelyn TPM; and a mini Loewe puzzle, all of which can pack flat; be worn crossbody; and, have minimal hardware. I’m on the fence re a gray Goyard St. Louis, but it packs flat and is light, so not really a problem.

I’ll wear birkenstock sneakers on the plane, a fourth pair of pants, an issey miyake hoodie or cardigan, and a light jacket, probably my Dior tie dye, which can go with everything even the leopard dress. I don’t really pack much in way of toiletries which can be found over there.

This list is SO helpful! I'm heading to France in October and hoping to pack carry on luggage only. May I ask where you get your hoodies and dresses? These sound amazing!

 

[880]

This list is SO helpful! I'm heading to France in October and hoping to pack carry on luggage only. May I ask where you get your hoodies and dresses? These sound amazing!

Pants are brunello cuchinelli
tops are wolford (wolford runs large, so I wear a small even though I am a size 40 chanel or Dior which is a US size 8)
hoodie dress and other dresses mainly dior, size 38, but the beige one is brunello
skirt with elastic waist band is Dior palm; top left are Dior sweat pants (which can be used as travel pants; lounge wear; or honestly, be dressed up.
more moderately priced items can be had at Eileen Fisher
shorts are moncler
sneakers are birkenstock.

I am 5’2”, but medium build and somewhat chunky waist, so lots of normal things don’t fit my waist. So elastic waistband sadly is most comfy. @MiaKing, Dior sweats are in the last pic. I posted a pic of me in them in the Dior RTW thread. I wore them out to dinner in Milan, and they looked like palazzo pants. I think it depends on whether the sweats are fluid enough to drape like pants (last pic is one of me wearing them casually, but I can dress them up with a sleeveless top and some jewelry

everythings rolls down into small bundles, and I use away brand packing cubes. the medium packing cube fits up to 12-15 tops and slides into half of one side of a rimowa carry on roller bag with lots of room to spare. This pic below is not packed (each rolled item can be far more compact than pictured). I just shoved stuff in that I wasn’t using (this is during my trip. I can actually strap in all of the skirts and stuff on one side. The other side takes all the tops and three pairs of shoes (not shown). The second photo has the dresses, pants, sweats, and jacket on one side. The top right side is the away packing cube with tops (it’s not full; I can get another jacket, sweater and top into the cube); below the tops fit the three pairs of shoes). The next picture is the bag with both sides strapped down and then closed.
HTH



away brand packing cubes are probably not the most durable, but they have two zippers and collapse into nothing flat. They’re lightweight and I can just shove them into a drawer without unpacking. they are not rigid sided.
I am a size 37.5 or 38 shoe, and I nestle the shoes in three microfiber nylon (old gucci) shoe bags)

 

[Style_Baby]

Pants are brunello cuchinelli
tops are wolford (wolford runs large, so I wear a small even though I am a size 40 chanel or Dior which is a US size 8)
hoodie dress and other dresses mainly dior, size 38, but the beige one is brunello
skirt with elastic waist band is Dior palm; top left are Dior sweat pants (which can be used as travel pants; lounge wear; or honestly, be dressed up.
more moderately priced items can be had at Eileen Fisher
shorts are moncler
sneakers are birkenstock.

I am 5’2”, but medium build and somewhat chunky waist, so lots of normal things don’t fit my waist. So elastic waistband sadly is most comfy. @MiaKing, Dior sweats are in the last pic. I posted a pic of me in them in the Dior RTW thread. I wore them out to dinner in Milan, and they looked like palazzo pants. I think it depends on whether the sweats are fluid enough to drape like pants (last pic is one of me wearing them casually, but I can dress them up with a sleeveless top and some jewelry

everythings rolls down into small bundles, and I use away brand packing cubes. the medium packing cube fits up to 12-15 tops and slides into half of one side of a rimowa carry on roller bag with lots of room to spare. This pic below is not packed (each rolled item can be far more compact than pictured). I just shoved stuff in that I wasn’t using (this is during my trip. I can actually strap in all of the skirts and stuff on one side. The other side takes all the tops and three pairs of shoes (not shown). The second photo has the dresses, pants, sweats, and jacket on one side. The top right side is the away packing cube with tops (it’s not full; I can get another jacket, sweater and top into the cube); below the tops fit the three pairs of shoes). The next picture is the bag with both sides strapped down and then closed.
HTH

View attachment 5199703 View attachment 5199704 View attachment 5199712 View attachment 5199713 View attachment 5199718 View attachment 5199722

away brand packing cubes are probably not the most durable, but they have two zippers and collapse into nothing flat. They’re lightweight and I can just shove them into a drawer without unpacking. they are not rigid sided.
I am a size 37.5 or 38 shoe, and I nestle the shoes in three microfiber nylon (old gucci) shoe bags)

This is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!! Tons of inspiration for my own packing journey...

 

[880]

This is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!! Tons of inspiration for my own packing journey...

Thank you so much for your kind compliment! ive discovered that I brought too much stuff for 21 days, but I don’t mind reusing things; doing some hand washing; and, getting a few things cleaned. What I remind myself is near almost every hotel is a dry cleaner and other services. Also, if you pack less, perhaps you can use the trip as an occasion to shop a bit. Lol. Have fun planning your wardrobe and your trip!

P.S. after many years of not shopping bc of weight gain, I’ve started to slim down and decided to splurge on some brunello and Dior pieces which I think I will wear for many years. i started buying premier designer RTW in 2001, and still wear many pieces. I have also bought far more modestly priced elastic waisted pants, skirts etc from Eileen Fisher and Lafayette, (there are also many other great department store brands, mr my favorite synthetic cardigan is H&M) and there are of course options at every price point, many of which go on sale.

 

[mellecyn]

this is what I had in my small carry on for Italy. Hope it’s readable!

 

[doni]

View attachment 5202599
this is what I had in my small carry on for Italy. Hope it’s readable!

Love this!

 

[880]

View attachment 5202599
this is what I had in my small carry on for Italy. Hope it’s readable!

This is perfectly readable, legible and helpful! Thank you!