3 Reasons Why A Minimalist Wardrobe Won't Work For Me (Right Now)

At the beginning of my experiment with decluttering and a no-spend challenge, I started watching a lot of videos about what others were doing so I could glean from them and ultimately be more of a success.  But, one thing that I have taken away from all those hours of watching their content, it's that some things that work for "them" do not work for everyone and definitely will not work for me at this time in my life.  I'm not throwing shade at them because they're all just trying to help others by sharing something that's made a difference in their own lives and I admire them for it.  My goal in writing this post is more to shed light on the fact that just because something is good and works for some, does not mean it is a blanket solution for everyone.  So, let's dive in to my reasons for having a mindful wardrobe instead of minimalist.

3.  I Love Colors:   After spending the past three months decluttering my closet and watching a lot of minimalist videos for tips and inspiration, I have noticed a trend in their wardrobes and it is this:  BORING.  If you haven't spent a lot of time watching this sort of content it all boils down to two basic fashion types  those who have a tasteful wardrobe built around neutrals and those who just have clothes they put on their bodies but not much in the way of style.  Of course not every minimalist falls into one of these two camps, but we're speaking of majorities here, and yes, that's basically what you get from minimalists.  Those who opt for all neutrals tend to still look chic, but in a very bland way.  Everything is beige, white, or black.  They look good, but interesting?  No, not really.  And the other group are mostly the people who don't care what they wear.  It's a hodgepodge of stretchy pants, comfy tops, and slouchy shoes with the occasional maxi dress thrown in for good measure.  The neutrals usually look nice; the others usually look comfortable, but neither group looks joyful.  Neither of these categories of minimalist looks like they love their lives or what they wear, because as much as we wish it weren't so, your outward appearance really does say a lot about what's going on inside.  Now, if it works for these people, then more power to them (so, there's no need to leave a nasty comment that I'm never going to publish anyway).  All I am saying is that it wouldn't work for me because I love colors, I love pretty clothes, and I love my life.  Everyday feels like an adventure and I want that to show.  Which is why the mindfulness approach makes much more sense for me.

2.  I Wear A Lot of Hats:  Once again, watching these minimalist influencers, I have noticed that many of them work from home in some capacity.  If you work from home, there goes a huge chunk of your wardrobe because your at-home stuff can now do double duty.  I don't have that luxury at the moment, but I can tell you that when I was a stay-at-home-mom, I didn't have nearly as many clothes either.  I don't even have the luxury of the basic triad of work/home/evening-out clothing staples, because I am working three very different jobs which require three very different styles of clothing.  I also have a farm, so I need farm-work clothes.  And then you have the evening-out stuff as well.  So, having a minimalist wardrobe just wouldn't be enough to cover all the areas of my life as it is right now, but a mindful approach totally does.

1.  Distinct Seasons:  Oh to live in a place where the weather stays relatively the same all year round.  Actually my girls and I used to live on a tiny island near Canada that stayed cold all year round, and  come to think of, we didn't need a lot of clothing variety because it never got warm.  We pretty much just needed a winter coat and a summer coat and then things to layer throughout the endless winter.  Now we live in a place where it will be 20 degrees below freezing in the winter and 110F in the summer.  Layering?  Yup, still need it for a few months at least but we definitely need a larger variety of the types of clothes we wear too.

So, as much as I have loved and appreciated all the advice from minimalist influencers about how to simplify my life and closet, and as much as I have taken that advice to heart and made some major changes, I know I can't pare it down to just 30 pieces or whatever other magic number many of them use.  I do hope that one day, and very, very soon, that I will be working less jobs and wearing less hats, for the moment  I am content just to be mindful about what I buy and keep.