In the fast-paced world of fashion, where trends change in the blink of an eye, it’s easy for our closets to become stuffed with clothes. Let’s be honest, most of our clothing rarely reaches the light of day. But what if we told you there’s a way to transform your wardrobe from a cluttered chaos into a curated collection, a sustainable wardrobe made from your authentic self reflecting your unique style and values?
In this blog article, we invite you to embark on a journey to:
- develop your slow fashion wardrobe,
- create a sustainable wardrobe,
- cleaning your closet,
- discover your authentic style
and ultimately, finding your personal style to shift from excess to essence.
Source: Pexels
Curate Your Capsule Wardrobe: A Mindful Detox and Evolution of Style
A capsule wardrobe is the epitome of a slow fashion wardrobe. It’s a collection of essential pieces that align with your fashion personality. To create your own capsule wardrobe, you need to first take some hours for a closet detox. Start this process by preparing your favorite drink to delve into the start of connecting with your second skin, the clothing in your closet. It will help creating a sustainable wardrobe.
Whether you’re looking to refine your personal fashion, enhance your professional image, or simply explore new avenues of self-expression, engage in a reflective process that encourages self-discovery and growth. Consequently, you will have to let go of pieces to get to the essence of your true fashion personality.
Wardrobe archaeology
Take the time to look through your closet, and start to think about what to keep and why, consider imagining your closet as an archaeological dig site. It really is filled with artifacts of your personal style evolution. And, just like archaeologists uncover the past, you can uncover your past fashion journey and what it means to you now. Start by sorting through your clothes, one piece at a time. Ask yourself why you bought each item and what it represents in your style evolution. Was it a trend-driven impulse purchase, or does it hold sentimental value? It will help you towards a sustainable wardrobe. This helps you gain a deeper understanding of your current style. These questions set meaningful objectives for its evolution while developing your slow fashion wardrobe.
Source: Pexel
When considering what you want to keep and let go, keep in mind the following:
If you love it, keep it
- All those clothes that fit you well, make you feel fabulous, get compliments on and are exciting to wear, stay with you. Also, try to purge by season by focusing on what clothes you wear the most in each season. Thus, it helps you to pay attention to what you use the most and consider why you like them so much. Take a cute photo or polaroid in your favorite pieces to remind yourself what you enjoy the most from your closet.
Create a sacred space for your loved items
- Keep your closet as a space for the clothes you are wearing. Find a place in your home to store clothing that has an emotional/sentimental meaning that you want to keep but wouldn’t serve you everyday. Also, force yourself to not worry about the amount of money and time you spent on a piece of garment. If you no longer wear it and it does not work with your style anymore, consider no longer holding on to it. Letting it go makes room for it to be loved by someone else. Equally important, if you encounter pieces you are not sure of, hang on to them. Some things deserve a bit more patience, creativity and a second or third chance. Hopefully, with some effort, they can become your favorite pieces after a bit of love and care. Consider hanging maybe items to the front of your closet with the goal of combining and styling them with other pieces within the month.
Bye, Bye… but not forever.
- The garments you get rid of must be let go of. But getting rid of clothing does not mean throwing them away. You should always consider hosting a clothing swap, donating to your local second-hand shop, or reselling them online. As a matter of fact, slow fashion is all about giving garments more lifes, with the hopes it does not end up unused or in the landfill.
Excess to Essence Journaling Activity
Firstly, reflect on moments when you felt most confident and comfortable in your clothing. Then, use a few descriptive keywords that describe your past and current style. Above all, it helps you to develop your slow fashion wardrobe. Don’t overthink too much while answering the following prompts:
Source: Pexels
- My three main goals for my wardrobe and the vibe I want to project are:
- How will I achieve these goals:
- I want to avoid seeing myself:
- I don’t like to buy:
- I love shopping:
- My three favorite pieces of all time are:
- The three most important features I want for my closet are:
- I will achieve those objectives with:
Finding Your Authentic Style
Building a slow fashion wardrobe not only contributes to sustainability but it also serves as a canvas for discovering and refining our unique style preferences: your authentic style. Thus, a well-curated wardrobe, you’ll no longer find yourself standing in front of a sea of clothes, overwhelmed by choices. Instead, you’ll have a carefully selected collection that mirrors your true essence, an authentic style. Consequently, the process of self-discovery goes beyond just fashion; it becomes a journey of personal expression and self-reflection. A slow fashion wardrobe also allows you to make intentional decisions about what to cherish, transform, or release.
If you’re still in the process of honouring your personal style, consider tailoring your closet around three distinct fashion personality types:
The Minimalist: A minimalist craves simplicity and seeks a finish line in their choices. They invest in pieces meant to endure, preferring a look that transcends passing trends. Their style vocabulary is defined by keywords like sleek, effortless, timeless, subtle, sophisticated, clean, neutral, functional, versatile, and understated.
The Traditionalist: Positioned between the extremes of minimalist and maximalist, the traditionalist seeks a wardrobe that strikes a balance. They value a sense of novelty without being swayed by every passing trend. Their style is contemporary, polished, elegant, time-tested, innovative, balanced, tailored, meticulous, iconic, and graceful. For them, fashion is a means of making a statement without losing sight of timeless sophistication.
The Maximalist: Maximalists have an unabashed love for fashion, trends, and using their attire as a canvas for self-expression. For them, clothing is an extension of their personality, a medium to make bold statements and evoke emotions. They thrive on statement-making pieces and welcome change in their wardrobes. Their style language is marked by words like bold, eclectic, vibrant, creative, colorful, exuberant, whimsical, playful, attention to detail, and flamboyant.
Sources: Merlina Carolina
Remember, these categories are not restrictive boxes, but rather starting points for you to explore and blend elements that resonate with your true self. Accordingly, your authentic style is an evolving narrative, and your wardrobe serves as a reflection of your journey towards self-discovery and expression. Embrace the process, relish in the reflection and let your style be a celebration of your unique essence. Furthermore, the journey from excess to essence in your wardrobe is a transformation worth undertaking. You’ll not only develop a slow fashion wardrobe, but also a deeper connection to your most authentic self.
