Sophie's Minimalist Wardrobe Tips: Quality over Quantity

Minimalism, for some, means painting your walls white, dressing head to toe in black or ditching all non-practical items. For me, minimalism means investing in the things that add value to my life. Not only by culling all things that don’t ‘spark joy’ – to quote Marie Kondo – but by paying closer attention to those things that really do. Read on to learn how to build a minimalist wardrobe, prioritising quality over quantity.

Sophie's Minimalist Wardrobe Tips: Quality Over Quantity

It takes a little time to figure out what really sets your heart on fire… we’ve been so conditioned into thinking our happiness and worth correlates with the amount of stuff we own that we’ve forgotten ourselves – including our passions, interest and ideals – in the mix. But once we’ve found it, we never look back. Time, for me, is a valuable commodity that cannot be bought or traded and so I live my life spending my time as wisely as I can. I no longer want to spend the time recycling, replacing and repurchasing slow-fashion items, for example, when I can be spending those hours doing things that uplift, inspire and grow me. Minimalism stops being about how little we can own, and starts being about investing in what we allow into our lives. We don’t need clothing, but if we decide to keep some items of clothing, let’s make them durable, ethical, practical and beautiful. I ask myself a few questions before inviting new items of clothing into my minimalist wardrobe:

Is there a space for you?

By this I don’t mean physical space, I mean a gap in my wardrobe market. Am I longing for something I don’t already have and can this piece fill that space?

Will you blend?

I want all of the pics in my wardrobe to work together so that I can mix and match and always look put together without having to spend the time deciding which pieces go with what. I have a love for monochrome, but it also helps to achieve the perfectly seamless wardrobe.

Do I love you?

Before I purchase anything I always make sure I absolutely adore it. Gone are the days I buy sometime because it ticks almost all of my boxes or I own it until something better comes along. If I’m not sure or have to ask myself twice if I love it, I put it back. I want to feel my very best every single day and in everything I wear. You know that feeling when you wear your favourite shirt or best pair of jeans? Why not wake up to that feeling every morning? You’re worth that.

Will you last?

Often we think of fast fashion stores as the cheaper option, but when we’re buying the same things again and again because they tear, fade, break or stretch-out, we’re actually spending a lot more money than we would have had we bought the more durable item to begin with. So before I head to the check-out, I always ask myself whether the item will last 3, 5, 10 years… because I’m buying longevity, not a fading trend. Make sure you let us know what you think in the comments below. You might also love to read Hannah's Wardrobe Detox tips.