6 Steps to a Minimal Wardrobe

Over the past couple of months I've slowly but surely begun the process of becoming a minimalist. I've always been a fan of simplicity, and as someone with high anxiety and stress levels, minimalism is a great way to approach all aspects of my life.

The first place I wanted to start is the place I felt needed the most attention - my wardrobe. I had years and years worth of clothes in colours and patterns I absolutely hated now, and always struggled to find something to wear each morning as I not only had to rummage through so many unnecessary items, but I was missing key wardrobe pieces!

Now I'm not an expert by any means, but deciding to lead a minimal lifestyle and simplifying my wardrobe has made my life a lot easier and freed up a lot of my time. So, these are my six simple steps to a minimal wardrobe - I hope you find them helpful! x

1. Figure Out Your Colour Palette.
Neutrals are your best friends. Of course there's the obvious - black, white and grey. These shades are essential, as they look great with anything and never go out of style. Likewise, you've got your nudes, creams, beiges & taupes. Again, these colours are versatile and timeless. You may also want to include a few 'pops' of colour in your wardrobe, but it's a good idea to stick to no more than two or three. For me, I've gone with khaki, dusty/rosy pinks, and the occasional deep red/burgundy piece. Again, these colours tend to be simple, versatile and timeless.

2. Pull Everything Out of Your Wardrobe.
And I mean everything. It might will seem extremely overwhelming at first, but it's the only effective way to see exactly what you've got and figure out what you want to keep and what you really don't need anymore.

3. Sort Everything Into Three Piles.
The first pile will be of items you want to keep - more specifically, items that you wear often and can pair with one another. The second pile will be of items that are still in good condition but for whatever reason (no longer fit, out of style, etc) you haven't worn in a while and are unlikely to wear again, and these can be sold or given away. The third and final pile will be of items to be thrown away. Once you've completed this step, it's a good idea to repeat it to ensure you're only keeping the items you're definitely going to wear.

4. Find Out What's Missing.
If you're completely new to minimalism, chances are though you may have lots of clothes, you could be missing the essentials. So this is where you figure out what essential pieces are missing from your wardrobe. Denim, black, and white jeans and shorts. A little black dress. A black leather jacket. A simple white jumper or the classic white tee. Find out what you 'need' in your wardrobe and acquire these pieces.

5. Pick Up Some Versatile Pieces.
Now that you've got the originals and the essentials, you can pick up some of the pieces you want in your wardrobe. I'm not saying to go crazy with colours and patterns - please, avoid this at all costs (you didn't go through the first four steps for nothing, did you?)! I'm saying, this is the time to pick up some versatile yet interesting pieces. Maybe you want some cropped, long sleeved or strappy shirts? Do you want some skirts or heels? And if you still like your patterns, you can't go wrong with stripes! I find that experimenting with cuts and fits is much more forgiving than experimenting with patterns and colour.

6. Organise Your Wardrobe.
Now that you've decluttered, gotten rid of the items that don't belong in your wardrobe and picked up the pieces you know you'll love, it's time to organise things. As you put your items back into your wardrobe, be aware of where the pieces go and how you want to place everything. There's no set rule for this step, as everybody is different. You may like to colour code, you may like to organise your clothes by season or item type, or you may have a completely different approach! The most important thing is that it makes sense to you and you know where everything is.

xx Chontelle Louise

5 Tips for Looking Good on a Budget

Growing up, I've never had much money. However, I've always had an interest in fashion, make up & accessories (along with many other bank-draining activities). This is quite clearly a conflicting matter, but being the stubborn, hard-headed girl that I am, I was never going to let the issue of 'not having enough money' bring me down.

I learnt (over time) how to be able to indulge my love for shopping and all things pretty without breaking the bank, and still manage to look great (well, I hope so anyway)!

Here are my five helpful tips for looking good on a budget!

1. You don't need to buy all of the latest trends! The latest trends come and go, and if you're spending all your cash on a passing fad, you're gonna run out of money - fast.

2. Have a wardrobe of basic pieces that you can wear with just about anything! I have basic pieces from several years ago that I still wear to this day. A black cardigan, for example, can be added to just about any outfit. A simple white crop can be dressed down with some jeans or shorts, or dressed up with a colourful bodycon skirt.

3. Buy things when they go on sale! Things go on sale a lot more often than you may think. I recently found a gorgeous scarf in Cotton On for $20, new in for the Fall season. Despite absolutely loving it, I decided to pass on it as I only had the $20 and still needed to pick up some other things. Well, whaddaya' know? This scarf was now only $10. That's a 50% reduction on new stock, two days after seeing it full price. This wasn't an advertised sale either, but trust me, stores randomly mark down their products a heck of a lot more than they're willing to share! And the leftover $10 meant I was able to grab some lip gloss to go with my new scarf!

4. Get creative with your old clothes! Do you have a bunch of now out-of-fashion items? Have you lost or gained some weight? Do you have old clothes that are ready to go into retirement? Why not pull out your scissors and get creative! An old pair of jeans, for example, could be turned into a pair of shorts and a purse with a bit of D.I.Y! You'll still be making good use of your old clothing, and have something totally one of a kind to show off!

5. Shop around! If you see something you absolutely love, then by all means you should be able to get it! But before purchasing it (love at first sight, aye?), it's always a good idea to check out other stores to see if they have the same thing at a better price, or of a higher quality. You should always try to get your moneys worth!

I hope my tips for looking good on a budget were helpful to you! If you have any of your own tips you'd like to add, let me know in the comments below!

xx Chontelle Louise