r/minimalism • u/TiredAndHungryParent • 1d ago
[lifestyle] Minimalist wardrobe - 35m
Hello there - I’m looking for advice on what a minimalist wardrobe could look like. Here’s some information that may help:
- 35 year old man
- Office job 5 days a week with standard smart attire; chinos, shirt, shoes/smart trainers, jumper
- Gym and run 3-5 times a week
- Rarely go out to fancy places
- have 2 young kids so there’s a lot of park/outdoor action
- Happy to invest in good quality clothes
- Happy to totally dump my existing wardrobe if it doesn’t fit with the new approach
Thanks and if there’s an existing post that covers this please share!
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 1d ago
Five days' worth of mix-and-match work "uniform" - see r/capsulewardrobe and r/mensfashionadvice
Enough gym clothes to get you from one laundry day to the next.
A smaller capsule wardrobe for weekends.
For reference, my husband has a work uniform - 5 tops and 5 bottoms, plus a specific jacket, pair of shoes, and 5 pairs of socks. For everything else - weekends to yoga - he owns 3 bottoms, 3 tops, 3 pairs of yoga shorts, 1 pair of swim trunks, 6 undershirts, 6 pairs of underwear, 4 pairs of socks, and 2 pairs of shoes. There's a few other things like a merino buff, sun hat, and reusable face mask but that's it.
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 16h ago
I wonder (no criticism): What is about seasons? In most regions, I would assume that at least the "tops" would be of two types, for summer and winter (for fall and spring, wear the summer ones with a jacket), and two types of shoes (summer, winter). At least I personally would not want to freeze during winter in a t-shirt or light long-sleeve and light shoes, or sweat during summer in sweaters and boots.
Or does your husband live in a region with minimal differences between summer and winter, and/or changes into a work uniform only being worn indoors in a heated/cooled room? If that's the case, I can totally understand it.•
u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 16h ago
Layers, homie. We live in an area with all four seasons. The work uniform takes that into consideration - and he uses things like the merino buff, some UV sleeves and a sun hat, and winter gloves along with his work jacket to be comfortable. He is not in an office but he's also not outdoors constantly like construction. When he's not at work, he's not out in the blazing summer sun or dangerously cold winter temps. He's one of those humans who is just fine with living within a normal spectrum of temperatures and humidity with no complaints.
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 15h ago
Thank you! I also do layers, it really helps a lot. I just had not seen this in the description and I got the, likely misleading, impression:
If you have 5 tops, that is either all light ones, or half light, half a bit warmer ones, and with the shoes I then really wondered how one pair of work shoes is fine for all seasons when one season might have actually snow.
I'm also somebody who just dresses for the weather, and I wondered as I first could not really find this in your description. (I'm for sure not a "I keep my AC setting at ... degrees" person. We do not even have one, neither at home nor at work. Dress for the weather/temperature and use layers is the thing.) My workplace, also, is not an acclimated office (but in between office and workshop, partially outdoors) - I'm working partially at a university, partially at an observatory at high altitude.
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 15h ago
His work uniform consists of a mix of short sleeve light cotton shirts and some thicker long sleeve shirts. The bottoms are a mix of shorts and long pants. There is an "all weather jacket" that has a removable layer and is waterproof. The shoes are just work boots. Dependable, well-fitting, waterproof, and safe - nothing else to add there. He wears one of his "not work" undershirts every day, under the work shirt. They're cooling, moisture wicking shirts that cool him all year long which is necessary even in winter because it's easier to regulate temperature that way than constantly donning and doffing the coat. The work socks are strictly for work. The shoes are waterproof and he doesn't need to trudge through messy areas with puddles or snow so basic cotton socks are enough. There was a pair of gloves but I just asked him about them and he threw them away last winter and says he has no plans to replace them. The work wardrobe is 16 items and none of them are worn outside of work.
At home, we just avoid extreme outside temperatures and weather conditions. Neither of us is sensitive enough to run our heat or A/C for most of the year. The A/C is set to 80° and the heat is set to 58° - 60°. When he's home from work, he's mostly in a pair of his yoga shorts. Lol. We're mostly homebodies and don't need to have fancy clothes, or specific clothes for sports or hobbies. The yoga shorts double as regular items he wears and for his actual regular yoga practice. If we're chilled, we sit closer to the fire and/or grab the blanket from our bed and get cozy. If we're overly warm, we enjoy a couple of fans, cool drinks, and not crabbing about it.
Home wardrobe:
Bottoms - 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of linen trousers, and 1 pair of sweatpants. The jeans work all year round, the trousers keep cool in summer and work for most any sort of "dressing up", and the sweatpants are what he uses to lounge around in if he's not feeling well and wants more than a pair of yoga shorts or something like that.
Tops - 1 guayabara, 1 cotton tank top, and 1 longsleeve cotton t shirt. The guayabara works with both the jeans and the trousers all summer long. The tank top is his summer option to the guayabara and a layer under the longsleeve shirt if he feels like he needs one.
Other clothes - 3 pairs of yoga shorts, 1 pair of swim trunks, 6 pairs of Airism undershirts, 6 pairs of underwear, 4 pairs of cotton socks.
Shoes - barefoot sneakers, Birkenstock sandals.
Accessories - wallet, UV sleeves, merino gaiter, umbrella, reusable mask, sun hat, UV half-gaiter, and wedding band.
36 items in all. If I had sudden success at convincing him to retire, he'd happily toss the work uniform except for that stupid jacket and never bother with his wardrobe again except to replace something worn out beyond repair.
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 14h ago
With that, it looks very much more like my clothes, just that I have likely a few more t-shirts. In summer, I go through one work t-shirt a day (I do not consider to wear a sweaty, slightly smelly t-shirt again without washing it), and when socks must be worn, I not always but often go through 2 pairs a day (when I come home and my socks are sweaty, I change). In your list I had mostly missed: More socks to have enough for a week, and 5 t-shirts plus 2 - 3 long-sleeve shirts. Also maybe 1 pair of warmer socks for winter. Thus, my list includes 10 pairs of socks, 5 t-shirts and 2 hoodies. (But I now see: there are also 4 pairs of cotton socks, so it would be possible to change into different socks when coming home.)
How often do you run the washing machine? Does once a week work out?(Nevertheless, I like it to have not that much clothes and "stuff". And I like to look recognizable. I'm female, btw., and my husband and me share a closet that was meant for one person. I do not care about fashion or such. Exactly this
"Dependable, well-fitting, waterproof, and safe - nothing else to add there."
is how I like clothes. Not "stuff". Many of my clothes, I have for years to decades as I will only buy new ones if they wear out, and I like dependable, durable clothes. Even if I'm female, I will also not buy flimsy shoes.)
"We're mostly homebodies and don't need to have fancy clothes, or specific clothes for sports or hobbies. "
It's the same for me. Also, part of my work clothes double for hiking.
"If we're chilled, we sit closer to the fire and/or grab the blanket from our bed and get cozy. If we're overly warm, we enjoy a couple of fans, cool drinks, and not crabbing about it."
Same for us.
My shoes:
At home, these are also Birkenstock sandals, or just socks in summer.
For work: Trekking sandals, hiking boots and if necessary winter boots depending on the temperature. At 35°C during day I for sure wear different ones than when it's -10 °C or lower. These are also worn outdoors on non-work days, e.g. hiking, grocery shopping, errands. No need for "fancy" ones and I will for sure not buy those "fashion shoes", i.e. high-heels and other unpractical stuff.•
u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 13h ago
Ah, yes. My husband is lucky to not have much issue with sweating and getting super stinky from that. The undershirts keep the work shirts from getting sweaty and gross, and he's much more likely to be barefoot any time he's not at work but stinky socks aren't an issue even when he does wear them.
We do laundry on Saturdays. One load for linens, one load for his uniform, and one load for everything else.
I'm also female, and my husband and I share the small closet in our bedroom. We don't have any furniture so no dressers or nightstands with drawers. I own two businesses and work from home (or anywhere, really) when I want to. I do have to sometimes make appearances at functions and I do meet with clients, mostly on Zoom or FaceTime so I don't have to get too fancy.
I just got out my sweater and sweatshirt to make sure they were good for the coming cold and gave a look at everything else to see if I needed to mend anything. My wardrobe, then:
2 dresses - 1 maxi, 1 kaftan
7 tops - 1 button down, 1 slub v-neck tshirt, 2 cotton v-neck tank tops, 1 linen v-neck tank top, 2 cotton v-neck tshirts with elbow length sleeves
4 bottoms - 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of linen shorts, 1 pair of wool culottes, 1 pair of cropped linen pants
1 sweatshit
1 sweater
1 pair of yoga pants for classes
13 undergarments - 2 camisoles, 1 bralette, 6 pairs of underwear, 1 pair of wool hiking socks, 2 pairs of cotton socks, 1 pair of compression stockings
1 wool coat, 1 rain jacket
4 pairs of shoes - 1 pair of Birkenstock sandals, 1 pair of Birkenstock clogs, 1 pair of casual/dressy sandals, 1 pair of barefoot sneakers
16 accessories - 1 wallet, 1 tote, 1 crossbody bag, 1 leather clutch, wedding band, 1 pair of hoops, umbrella, 1 pair of UV sleeves, merino wool gaiter, UV half-gaiter, 1 big floppy Janessa Leone sunhat, 1 pair of winter gloves, 1 wool beanie, 1 reusable cotton mask, 1 linen scarf, 1 nose ring.
Total - 51 items
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 13h ago
"We do laundry on Saturdays. One load for linens, one load for his uniform, and one load for everything else."
Same.
"I'm also female, and my husband and I share the small closet in our bedroom. We don't have any furniture so no dressers or nightstands with drawers."
No furniture in your bedroom, or no furniture at all? (Bedroom: bed, plus a night stand to keep a lamp and an alarm clock at an elevated level; too cumbersome for me to reach for one on the floor with back problems. No other things in the bedroom, especially not one of those romantic bedroom decorations, really not my thing.)
Mending is also something I do. The hoodie I wear right now has recently gotten a new zipper, and I also just patched a hole where work pants started to wear through.
Thanks for your list; mine is a bit shorter than yours, especially:
- Dresses: none (also no skirts)
- less of some type of the underwear, but more socks (my undershirts are tanktops and can be worn as such, and I need no bralettes but that of course depends on the body shape)
- regarding accessories: a bit less, e.g. no leather clutch or other "nice women's bag"; bags are a canvas laptop bag (for laptop or when I have to appear for an appointment with some documents) and a small canvas crossbody bag (I bought me the small and the large version of the classic army bags) and a hiking backpack. No tote; I might use a reusable cotton shopping back if transporting something like e.g. a gift. I have one watch (some always use their phone; I'm not a phone person). Prescription glasses and spare glasses (I have very bad eyesight and it's better to have a spare) and prescription sunglasses (for working at high altitude). Jewelry is about the same as yours, i.e.: two clip-on earrings that go on the same side, wedding band, three silver rings I have since my teenage years, stainless steel chain, few simple, casual necklaces (tumbled stone on cotton band, something from a pottery class). Umbrella, hat: of course also.
For sweaters, I clearly prefer hoodies with front zippers; those are totally okay at my workplace. Easier to layer, to wear open over a t-shirt etc.
(Typical clothes at my workplace: clean, simple leisure or outdoor/hiking clothes is what most wear; one can dress up for activities like lectures, but not required. Typical for me: black t-shirt, black or tan cargo pants, shoes matching the temperatures, if it's cooler a hoodie. Thick winter jacket/ winter gear for nights at high altitude.)
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 12h ago
Very similar lists! I also have prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses. I stopped wearing contact lenses about 10 years ago and can't be bothered to fuss with them again. I keep spare eyeglasses, too. I'm not getting any younger and my eyes like to remind me of it. I'd hate to be caught without a pair of glasses.
No furniture at all. There are pics of my spaces scattered around r/floorsleeping, r/floordesk, r/floorliving, and r/RealLifeMinimalist. The only "furniture" in my bedroom is my mattress on top of tatami mats. There is a board on the floor next to the bed to give some height to a table fan, and one of those vintage beer crates to do the same for another table fan. That's it. My living room is empty. I don't have a dining room, and there is no kitchen table in the kitchen. My den has floor seating options and a couple of Ikea LACK coffee tables. There is a table with drawers from IKEA that is used as storage. I sometimes sit there to appear on video but I'm much more comfortable on the floor so it's mainly storage for my studio supplies.
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 10h ago
Interesting, with no furniture. I could imagine it works for people without orthopedic issues to stay flexible.
It won't work for me as I have severe scoliosis and a fused spine (fused from neck to hip since adolescence), thus requiring ergonomic furniture. I could not sit on the floor, for example, as my back won't bend and flex the way it does with "normal-spine" people when sitting know. What is shown in the links you provide reminds me of how especially young people often sit despite having furniture; I could not do any of those positions and could never (when I was a kid, I had a restrictive back brace).Also for such as putting on my shoes, I have to sit on a chair. Thus I absolutely need the "typical" furniture like a desk (with an ergonomic chair that keeps my hips higher than my knees and an optional book stand so I do not have to bend my neck to read a book), a standing desk, table with chair (all at normal height, coffee tables are ways too low for me), and a bed with a mattress at normal sitting height with a memory foam mattress. Doing such as eating at a kitchen counter (done while moving in) hurts my back badly as I have to bend the neck down.
For this reason, even when I was younger, I spent always a bit more on good, ergonomic furniture as just "with a laptop on the floor" or just "the bed with the average mattress the furnished room came with" won't work for me.What we do not have is purely decorative furniture, as well as such as a couch or other pillowy seats as I cannot use those.
My desk setup is approx. this one - desk, kneeling chair, and a book stand when I'm not using my computer: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVLehJnsTmxa66izro-q0-YQtO3sX48W7nF-qM5t-gxVlU7zfGgBDpWyo&s=10
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u/doneinajiffy 1d ago
- Check which colors match your skin tone
- Think about the climate where you are
- Take an audit if yiur clothes and shoes, anything you like and is in good condition is wirth keeping
Now you can probably grt buy with:
- 2-3x trousers
- 5x shirts
- 2-3 t shirts
- 5x underwear
- 1-2 jumpers, make sure one is durable e.g. Cotton
- 3-5x socks(at least 2 black, Darn tough socks are good)
- Shoes or Chelsea Boots
- Trainers or sandles
- 2 belts
- Blazer
- Jacket
- Cap
- Rain jacket/coat
- Gloves
- Long johns
That’s a pretty generous 4 season UK friendly wardrobe
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u/pwassonchat 1d ago
Do you ever feel like you have "nothing to wear"? If not, start with your current wardrobe, do not add anything, just remove. Try Project 333 for a start.
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u/TiredAndHungryParent 1d ago
Yep - despite having lots of clothes. Silly really, will look at the 333 thing
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u/pwassonchat 1d ago
Then first think about what situations you feel that way about. Are you really missing stuff for certain occasions or formality levels? Or do you actually have a lot of perfectly appropriate clothes, just none that you love?
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u/edenrevsxb 1d ago
Be sure to have 2 pairs of work shoes to rotate at least, it increases their life spans. I would go 2 suits with extra trousers each (rotate for wear, jacket wears out slower). 1/2 chinos/dress pants to match jacket. Between 5 and 7 shirts, broadcloth, plain white, light blue, stripes. 1 or 2 ties. 2 jumpers.
For sport as said, enough to go through laundries, probably 3 sets.
For the rest, 2 hardwearing trousers, like carhartt wip or dickies. Survive the kids. 3/4 tshirts. A zipper hoodie. A good pair of trainers.
Ggwp.
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u/Old_Finding668 23h ago
Put everything you didnt wear last month in a different closet. And look if next month you use that closet, if not, it is disposable 🙂
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u/LakeAdventurous7161 16h ago
I suggest sizing down what you have - I guess you already have clothes for what you mention (e.g.: job, sports, outdoors).
I would, for example, in your case combine office clothes with "fancy places" clothes, especially as you mention you rarely go to such places. Would your "smart attire" fit those? If yes, I would get rid of anything that fits only fancy places and not the office. If not: maybe keeping one set.
Reducing what: I would start with all clothes that serve only one purpose when there exist others that serve multiple purposes.
What makes sense for me: As much (and as few) clothes to get through 1 week of business travel and to only have to run full loads of laundry. For me, clothes for work and clothes for outdoor partially overlap. I keep 1 set (with two different shirts) of "nicer" clothes for such as job interviews, talks, an invitation to a more fancier place; these look quite classic and combine with other clothes (e.g.: a dress shirt could also be worn with the cargo pants I wear for work, or with the dress pants).
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u/Dry-Swing9507 1d ago
As my Mexican buddy.would say , Todo depende (it all depends) . For example, Im a musician who has several stints of walking the earth , guitar slung on.my back, maybe a small backpack w maybe change of shorts (if i was wearing the single pair of pant I pessessed) extra t shirt or long-sleeved (depending on which of the 2 I was wearing at any given time) the most critical thing was socks though..i got a.thing about needing my feet to be dry so I would change socks frequently, wash the ones I had on in whatever lake, pond gas station bathroom sink I had nearby , hopefully have a spot to hand em in a tree to dry while I went out and brought home the tips from busking(playing music -in part-for the $ to get by )
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u/SeattleHikeBike 1d ago
Pick out the stuff in your closet that you actually wear and hang them on the left side.
Go a few weeks and continue putting items on the left as you launder them. Save enough to cover your usual laundry cycle, factor in seasonal, casual and formal occasions, move them to the left and get rid of everything else on the right.
Add as needed to fill in your laundry cycle and adopt a “one in one out” policy as you replace worn or disliked items.
Be honest. You know which items in your wardrobe that haven’t been worn in a long time. Reduce duplicates as much as possible. Discard items that don’t color coordinate well, don’t fit, or have stains or damage.
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u/CarolinaSurly 1d ago
Basically, I have 5 pairs of identical or nearly identical pants and about 12 varieties of button down shirts that all match the pants. Four sets of workout clothes, 2 pairs of jeans, some nice shorts and golf polos, four pairs of shoes, 2 weeks of boxer briefs and socks, sweatshirt and a few jackets of various warmth. Four main colors for all my tops— navy, black, grey and white. 75 pieces total. When I get a new piece, an old piece goes away. Everything matches so it’s low stress.
Little boring but I like the simplicity.
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u/ElPiet 1d ago
I would start reducing around what you already have and go from there. Go through your closet and sort out what you don't wear anymore. See what's left. Rebuy where you are missing something. If you have too much of something wear it till it breaks and don't rebuy.