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How minimalistic is actually realistic (casual wardrobe)


38carrots
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For the clothes I'll keep in the dresser (not counitng outerwear at this point.)

 

6 pairs of underwear

3 bras

6 pairs of socks

1 pair of pyjama pants

1 set of thermal underwear

 

2 pairs of jeans

3 dressier (but still casual) t-shirts

4 work out / pyjama t-shirts

1 knitted sweater

1 button down shirt

2 scarves

 

2 summer dresses

 

 

 

 

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I'd add two pairs of pants. One workout pair (since you mentioned workout shirts and I'm assuming you're not wanting to work out in jeans), and one slightly more professional- looking non-jean pair of pants, like good khakis or (more likely) black dress pants.

 

Edited to add: I'd also likely add in a cardigan or shrug of some sort to get more use out of your short sleeved shirts in colder weather.

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My current winter wardrobe:

 

2 sweaters

2 Maxi Skirts

4 Tunics

4 pairs of leggings

1 Maxi dress

2 dressier blouses

1 dressier black skirt

1 pr black slacks

3 prs jeans

4 prs yoga pants (for work, I am a caregiver)

4 long sleeved tshirts not including my homeschool group shirts because those are kept for wearing to events (again, for work)

Pajamas.............we won't go there.  They are my weakness.

 

Most of my bottoms are solid black or black prints so they mix & match easily.

 

I do like to have SOME variety so that my friends don't think I only own 1 or 2 outfits when they see me.

 

I was thinking I needed more clothes.  Typing it out, yeah I don't see the need.  Thanks for the thread. You just saved me money :lol:

 

 

 

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For the clothes I'll keep in the dresser (not counitng outerwear at this point.)

 

6 pairs of underwear -- I prefer 10 for periods / hot days / working out.

3 bras

6 pairs of socks -- Including exercise? Otherwise yes, unless you are frequently outside in the cold and wet

1 pair of pajama pants -- I have two that I wear, but I wear these from the moment I get home until I go to bed. They are more "house pants"

1 set of thermal underwear -- I assume you don't ski or snowshoe so sounds good

 

2 pairs of jeans -- Yes

3 dressier (but still casual) t-shirts -- I find these wear out but effectively I have about four

4 work out / pyjama t-shirts -- No tank tops?

1 knitted sweater -- I would have one dark, and one light

1 button down shirt -- Yep

2 scarves -- Yep

 

2 summer dresses -- Yes, but I'd have one dark, one light

 

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Google the Daily Connoisseur.  She suggests a 10 item wardrobe, however, t-shirts, sweaters, workout gear, dressy items, and pajamas are "free" items.  She has great youtube videos and three books.  

 

A ten item wardrobe might consist of a skirt, two jeans and button downs, a couple of blouses and three dresses.  Layer with the number of cardigans and sweaters needed to keep warm.

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I would add more socks, undies, and pjs; otherwise it may feel like you are constantly doing laundry. I would also add at least one pair of non-jeans pants and another few tops; again so you don't keep running out of them.

 

I have never tried a minimalist wardrobe on a full time basis, but we travel a lot, so I have gotten pretty good at packing only the stuff I will actually wear on a regular basis and that is versatile enough to wear in different ways.

 

Do you need a coat or a raincoat?

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Google the Daily Connoisseur.  She suggests a 10 item wardrobe, however, t-shirts, sweaters, workout gear, dressy items, and pajamas are "free" items.  She has great youtube videos and three books.  

 

A ten item wardrobe might consist of a skirt, two jeans and button downs, a couple of blouses and three dresses.  Layer with the number of cardigans and sweaters needed to keep warm.

 

I googled "minimalist wardrobe" before posting, and the items that are listed are not what I wear. I don't wear dresses and skirts. I don't even wear button down blouses, but I'd like to have one that I like. It seems all I wear are "free items"! lol

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I would add more socks, undies, and pjs; otherwise it may feel like you are constantly doing laundry. I would also add at least one pair of non-jeans pants and another few tops; again so you don't keep running out of them.

 

I have never tried a minimalist wardrobe on a full time basis, but we travel a lot, so I have gotten pretty good at packing only the stuff I will actually wear on a regular basis and that is versatile enough to wear in different ways.

 

Do you need a coat or a raincoat?

 

I need several coats, snow pants etc etc because of the variable weather. I hate how much space they all take at the entrance, but I'll deal witht his later. For now I'm dealing with my bedroom, and I want to occupy a really small space. I want to pretend that I'm travelling! lol

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That's pretty much what I've had for years, depending on the weather where I live. You have more of some things than I do and I have a few things you don't have. It's nice to be able to fit all my clothes in a small bag. I am sure that some people think my wardrobe is boring, but I've never cared about clothes. I think some people's spice racks are boring, but they don't care about that.

 

You do have to do the laundry often when you don't have a lot of clothes if you want to stay with a typical American expectation of clothing cleanliness. Since nearly all of my family has very few clothes, I do laundry every day or two. It is a challenge when we're travelling or moving and don't have access to a washing machine for a couple of days, but we've always been able to make it work. It's worth it to me to not have a lot of clothes around.

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I think you need more socks, underwear, and bras.  Personally, I believe that every person should have at least 14 pairs of socks and underwear (preferably all white and all the same, so that 1. they can be bleached when necessary and 2. you don't have to match socks when they are all the same and if 1 gets a hole, you can continue using the rest because they all match).  I also think it's nice some days to just swap out your underwear mid-day if you've been busy and maybe a tad sweaty, but don't have time for a shower at the moment.  You need more bras so that you can hang your bras to dry, which substantially preserves their shelf life.  With only 3, I fear you'll find yourself against the wall sometimes with the laundry.

 

Otherwise, I think your numbers look good.  If you find yourself short somewhere you can always add to it later.

 

With so few pieces, you might want to do a run-down on making sure everything matches everything, so you have more combination options.

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I'd go with 8 pairs of undies and socks and at least 4 bras so that you only have to do laundry once a week. You'll need yoga pants or sweats to go with the workout shirts. I agree that you need a non-jean pair of pants and another pj bottom to avoid laundry crises. I'm always cold in winter so I'd want at least 3 sweaters or fleece tops. You don't have to wash them every wear, but every two or three times is necessary if you wear them all the time.

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For the clothes I'll keep in the dresser (not counitng outerwear at this point.)

 

6 pairs of underwear

3 bras

6 pairs of socks

1 pair of pyjama pants

1 set of thermal underwear

 

2 pairs of jeans

3 dressier (but still casual) t-shirts

4 work out / pyjama t-shirts

1 knitted sweater

1 button down shirt

2 scarves

 

2 summer dresses

This is about what I have for casual, with some exceptions (I have 1 pair of jeans and 2 skirts because I wear skirts), etc. However, I also have a small work wardrobe (seriously, only like 10 pieces), most of which can carry over to casual if I need it when the laundry gets behind. I'd have too be way to diligent with laundry if the casual was all I had.

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I need more bras than that, but then I have big books that get sweaty. And I have comfy "leisure" bras for around the house, and uncomfortable pushup bras that make it clear it's books, not fat, around my waist for activities out of the house (no need to lecture me on the bra size.  That's not the problem.  The physics of pushing 20 pounds 6 inches higher on my chest is the problem).  I also have more underwear.  I find I can wear things several times as long as I don't get food or kid stickyness on them, but not underwear, obviously.

 

You might also add some layering pieces.  I wear mostly jersey dresses around the house, but in the winter I add fleece lined leggings, cardigans, jackets, scarves, and boots.  Depends on your climate I guess.

 

I also need more workout clothes than that, simply for laundry purposes. And "paint" clothes for dirty things like crafts, yard work, and hair dye.

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It doesn't look workable to me, but that's just me.  I much prefer a never ending supply of underwear. I don't like to do laundry very often, hence the vast amount of underwear.

 

And I have lived with 2 pair of jeans as my only pants, and it was difficult. And they died in less than a year. I much prefer having at least 4 pairs of pants to rotate through.  They all last longer

 

Do you live in a temperate climate? I live in the cold NE and I can't imagine only having one sweater.  I am wearing a wool sweater and turtleneck right now.  Most people I know have a sweater wardrobe b/c they get worn every day for months. Not to mention the thinner sweaters worn during autumn and spring. I would also need 4 pairs of thermal underwear b/c they get worn every single day for about 3 months. 1 pair would get very stinky, very quickly. And colder weather would also require a couple more long sleeved shirts to wear over those t-shirts when it is not cold, but not hot.

 

And are 6 socks enough when it gets cold? What happens if you have to double up?

 

I guess if you live where it is warm it will be fine. Far too dependent on always having time to do laundry every week for my tastes, but to each her own.  I can't count on a set laundry day every week and don't like to be beholden to laundry.  But I am looking at it through the prism of where I live and it wouldn't work for the autumn/winter.  I just want you to be warm. :blush:

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I'd want more socks than that, but that's because I change my socks multiple times per day. I walk around the house in just socks, and if I step in a puddle of water in the kitchen (from the dc letting an ice cube melt on the floor, for example), I change my socks. If I slip on boots or garden shoes to go outside and work in the garden, I change my socks when I come back in because they get dirt on/in them.

 

I'd want more underwear than that too, in case I couldn't do laundry for several days. You can re-wear jeans and shirts if you absolutely have to, but underwear should be changed! :)

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For the clothes I'll keep in the dresser (not counitng outerwear at this point.)

 

6 pairs of underwear

3 bras

6 pairs of socks

1 pair of pyjama pants

1 set of thermal underwear

 

2 pairs of jeans

3 dressier (but still casual) t-shirts

4 work out / pyjama t-shirts

1 knitted sweater

1 button down shirt

2 scarves

 

2 summer dresses

That's what I aim for but I have four church dresses and several more casual tops than I need. I haven't pared them all the way down yet.

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I could live with that, I do a load for dh & I every other day.  He has work shirts that have to be washed. 

 

Yeah, but I'm not sure living with it is a totally good idea.  It'll be fine most of the time, until you come down with the flu or something, and are too miserable to even think about laundry.  I would at least get an extra pack of cheap undies and stick on a storage shelf somewhere, just in case.

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