Somewhat inadvertently, I became a minimalist [1]. Not solely with the style of clothing and accessories that I gravitate toward — though I do revel in clean lines, classic silhouettes, and neutral colours [2] — but also with my space and the amount of "stuff" in it. For the last three years, I've primarily worked from home (which is a one-bedroom apartment that I share with my fiancé in Manhattan), wherein certain clothing types no longer made sense. While I've always maintained a clean and relatively clutter-free space, I routinely became distracted by the little messes that would pile up around my workspace, from papers to clothing. My focus derailed and shifted into a full-on deep clean of my apartment on more occasions than I'd like to admit. To wit, on days when I had meetings or went into an office pre-COVID-19, I found myself increasingly challenged by getting dressed. Many of the standout styles in my closet lost their lustre. The majority of my "investment pieces" felt fussy for the occasions at hand. And newer items I purchased were trickier to style than I imagined. As for the basics [3], well, they were wearing down after many a default outfit, which often consisted of a T-shirt [4], blazer, and jeans. For someone who has worked in fashion for the past 10 years, this felt like an epic failure, to say the least.
I decided to restrategize and started with a major home and closet clean-out. In turn, my approach to shopping shifted, too. Admittedly, I've been an impulsive shopper and felt buyer's remorse on one too many occasions. But I've managed to curb the habit, which ultimately has made getting dressed easier both on the days I put on "real" clothes and when I work from home in a cute workout set or sweats. Since COVID-19 began, I dug in deeper. I revisited my already pared-down wardrobe and developed new guidelines for myself in terms of the clothing and accessories I keep and how I shop for something new.
Keep reading for some of my most significant changes and renewed approach to shopping, from my "wish list" strategy to a more thoughtful consideration of the brands I support and my methods for curbing impulse purchases.
The Purge Process
I'm a big believer in regular purges with your wardrobe (and everything else in your home), so I try to do so at least twice a season, if not more. The easiest way to make a task like this seem less daunting is to break it down by section. For me, this started with the hanging items in my closet. I tried on all the styles I no longer gravitated toward yet continued to keep with every purge. Those pieces were out of there! Then, I moved on to my folded items, then onto bags, shoes, and jewellery. I even revisited my socks, underwear, and workout clothes — I don't know about you, but I always hold on to more than is necessary for these categories and for too long. I made sure to say goodbye to clothing that no longer fit or that never fit in the first place, like pieces I'd bought intending to get tailored. I've learned that if I buy something that requires tailoring and don't take care of it from the get-go, I never will. When I come across those items during a purge, it's a clear sign to move on.
The "Wish List" Strategy
I've shopped aimlessly in my day, and as a fashion editor, I'm pursuing new-arrivals sections almost daily. Most of the time, I practice restraint rather well. Still, there have been times when a piece jumps out at me, and I have suddenly added to cart, entered in my credit card security code, and am compulsively checking the tracking number until said package arrives at my doorstep. Not a great habit.
To cut down on these impulse purchases, I started making a wish list of items I feel my wardrobe is missing, styles I've purged and want to replace, or new trends for the season that I've deemed worthy of investing in. I've found this to be an extremely helpful tactic not solely to reduce impulse purchases but also to avoid an accumulation of items that, while cute, end up either unused or feel less than authentic to my style because I bought them without a specific purpose.
Scaling Back on Fast Fashion
With an innate interest in fashion, I've maintained a willingness to experiment with various style aesthetics and trends over the years. This led to many impulse purchases and many from fast-fashion brands in an attempt to save money. Spoiler: I rarely saved money. Instead, I usually bought more than planned and ended up with a mixture of pieces that hardly denoted a particular style. Sure, I put together plenty of fun outfits, but not many that I truly loved. I look back at most of them and cringe, but we all know about hindsight, particularly as it relates to outfit choices.
It took me a long time to establish what I now consider to be my personal style, mostly because I didn't take the time to reflect on what I was buying. I shopped willy nilly and let affordable price tags convince me that a purchase was sound. Now that I've landed on a style that truly suits me, I'm much more thoughtful about what I buy. I think ahead and plan out my purchases. I consider how versatile a piece is and how many ways I can wear it. I choose to invest in staple pieces that are more classic in silhouette but still fill in my wardrobe with plenty of affordable pieces that are similarly clean and simple for a cohesive feel. If a trend tempts me, I opt for a less-pricey version — if it's ultimately not for me, I'm not as burdened by the purchase.
Keeping It Simple
Feminine pieces have been at the crux of my wardrobe since I can remember. Anything with a pretty print or frilled detail pretty much had my name on it. It wasn't until the past year that I found myself reluctant to pluck those pieces when getting dressed. Instead, I've been turning to basics like T-shirts and jeans more than ever before. I've morphed into a person who appreciates simple yet elevated pieces for their comfort and versatility. I'm able to put together a stylish outfit sans overthinking and rarely encounter that dreadful feeling of hating what I've put on later in the day. I've hardly ditched feminine styles entirely — give me a puff sleeve and waist-skimming silhouette any day! But when it comes to buying something new, I'm ultimately seeking out styles with a timelessness to them, so I can wear them almost anywhere while feeling fuss-free and polished.
Having a Sales Strategy
Sales. They're dangerous. They always manage to convince me that I need something I absolutely don't. Who can relate?! Like with affordable fashion, I've validated tons of unnecessary purchases because of a markdown, but I'm not doing it anymore. OK, I'm doing it a lot less, anyway. When I happen upon a sale or am privy to one before it starts, I've implemented a strategy: seek out pieces from my wish list and those pieces alone. Don't get sidetracked. Don't click through every category. Stick. To. The. List. Otherwise, it's like grocery shopping when I'm hungry — a few extras usually appear in my cart and make their way through checkout to satiate my appetite.
Thoughtfully Supporting Brands
One of the biggest perks of my job is discovering brands from emerging designers or smaller, independent businesses. Since COVID-19 hit, it's something that's become increasingly important to me. A huge goal of mine is to consume less and be more creative with the pieces already in my wardrobe. When a shopping urge does strike, I can genuinely rationalize a new piece when I know I'm supporting a company with my purchase, whether from a sustainable brand, an emerging label, or a local boutique. To wit, it's one of my favourite ways to procure unique pieces as part of the antimass movement I think fashion is moving toward — I'm able to discover amazing pieces that feel true to my aesthetic while contributing to the success of a company. Sure, I still have items from big-name brands on my wish list, but this considered approach helps streamline my consumption and curb impulses.