On a daily basis, our minds are flooded with thoughts. There always seems to be a constant noise of worry and anxiety about worrying.
Midterm season. Tea that could make-or-break a friendship. The imminent health decline from pulling all-nighters.
In the entanglement of thoughts, we often lose focus on who we are as expressive beings. It is as if we are slipping from individuality, and instead, becoming a ghost of who we once were. Especially amidst the hustle and bustle of college life, I find myself embracing the idea of “comfort over fashion”- but that isn’t who I am.
Back home, I would meticulously rummage through my closet to piece together insta-gram worthy street wear or American-eagle inspired casual wear. And as I began to distance myself from my fashion glory days, I found myself becoming more and more dull. But I couldn’t stay in my dusty phase for long… As time became more limited, I found that the key to reviving one’s style lies in the hands of minimalism.
Min·i·mal·ism
/ˈminəməˌlizəm/
-
Aesthetically pleasing origins that focuses on “less is more”
-
Perfect for the broke college girl, because it’s a struggle
-
A major time-saver
Due to the limited closet space and busy schedules, one particular branch of minimalistic fashion fit for college students is the “capsule wardrobe”.
A brief history on this idea: Susie Faux created the idea in the 1970s from learning about fashion from the tailors in her family. She loved the concept of well-fitted statement pieces since they are practical for the professional woman, and they often boost their confidence. And we love empowered women!
Faux created a clear-cut definition in her book, Wardrobe: Develop Your Style & Confidence, stating that “The basic idea is simple: by building a capsule wardrobe you will buy fewer clothes of a higher quality that you will wear more often.”
So the trick is in the quality and versatility- which makes sense. Investing more money towards clothes made of good material that adhere to Susie’s golden rules will ultimately create a more put together look.
(not fast fashion- and don’t get me started on that)
Of course that doesn’t mean putting away old clothes in the Goodwill bin or posting it for sale, but becoming more selective when going on treat-yourself splurges.
Becoming more aware of what the piece is made of is a major step. Know how to read the label and feel good quality fabric. According to Timo Rissanen, Assistant Professor of fashion design at New School of Design in NY, “The more fiber there is, the more likely it’s going to last longer.” That goes for any type of clothing, whether it is light-weight or heavy; make sure to really look for density in the pattern of fibers.
What are the take-aways?
-
Go through every article of clothing, and don’t hesitate to donate because of sentimental value
-
Start implementing pieces that complement one another- please, for your sake, don’t go crazy with floral or animal prints
-
Invest in high-quality, even if there’s a sale going on at a lesser quality store