The rise of what is now called the New Minimalism can be attributed to a number of factors. The Independent wonderfully explains the economic factors and occurrences that have made way for minimalism to become the new leading trend. As the article puts it the New Minimalism is a movement that distilled all of the quality, desirability and “must-have” nature of previous aesthetics into something more palatable for a troubled economy. However, it’s surprising to see such a large number of both men and women alike embrace this trend, regardless of their different socio-economic status. That goes to show that minimalism isn’t only a convenient financial route, but that there’s an aesthetic appeal to it.
The fact that adopting this trend and welcoming it into your life and closet doesn’t only elevate your appearance, making it more sleek and effortlessly sophisticated, but also saves you precious time is an undeniable one. If you’re intrigued by the possibility of change that will make you look sharp, chic and sophisticated with time to spare, it’s time to pay close attention because mastering minimalism is far simpler than you imagined.
No room for mistakes
The first order of business is definitely the color palette. Your wardrobe should be a spectacular display of black, gray, navy, white and camel. Why? Because not only do these colors epitomize sophistication, but are also as versatile as it gets. That in turn means that you don’t have to worry about mixing and matching – once you welcome these colors into your life and weed out all the others, everything falls into place and there are no more clashing garments.
Now, perhaps there’s no need to even emphasize this but just for safety – embellishments and flashy details such as brand logos or conspicuous patterns are an absolute no – minimalism is all about reductivism, and one of the key elements of it are items devoid of any signs of ‘trendiness’.
Make it fit
Now, the second most important lesson to learn when mastering minimalism is the cut and silhouette of the garments. Unlike women’s wear in which the advised cut is clean and fitted, the menswear arena leaves plenty of room to play with silhouettes.
Designers and consumers have the liberty to play with shapes and sizes which basically means that you can be seen sporting and oversized white T-shirt and black skinny jeans or in a well-tailored pair of gray pants and a white button-down shirt. Both of these looks will be perceived as minimal as long as you follow the ‘prescribed’ color palette and avoid overwhelming patterns and details.
Where to begin?
What every minimalism neophyte needs to bear in mind is that, when it comes to this trend, quality trumps quantity. These pieces should be worn for years to come, so you need to choose garments crafted using durable, high-quality fabrics.
The first thing you need is a solid number of plain and simple T-shirts in white, black and gray, preferably made from great and pure cotton. After that it’s time to move on to bottoms. Some men can’t possibly imagine themselves in tailored trousers – and that’s perfectly ok; you can look equally sophisticated in navy and black jeans (that fit). A navy striped long-sleeve thin sweater is just what the doctor ordered.
To complete the arsenal you’ll need a simple cashmere sweater (gray goes with everything and makes you look not only sophisticated but extremely hot. It’s a mystery, but women find men in gray unbelievably sexy (so add gray sweats to your list as well).
Speaking of hot – women generally don’t care for men who wear jewelry, except for one piece – a great watch. The reason you need to invest in something like timeless luxury watches from Australia is because this one little detail has the ability to elevate your look and make you sleeker in an instant, regardless of the rest of your outfit.
A gray and/or navy coat and a beige trench coat should definitely find their way to your wardrobe. A casual white button up cotton shirt is absolutely mandatory, even if you’re not a ‘shirt kind of guy’. There is a time and place for everything, and a classic white shirt will save you in case of a business meeting or even a date. Classic black and navy leather or suede shoes should be your top priority, because again, you never know when you’ll need them. However, if this isn’t exactly your go-to footwear, clean and classic sneakers will do the job in the everyday department just as well.
Rounding up
Now, once you have created a base with these essential pieces, the first benefit to reap is that you won’t need to go shopping for a very long time. Now, that doesn’t go to say that you shouldn’t shop if you come across something you like, but always bear in mind the items you own and then estimate what the combinability power of this potential new garment is. That’s how you’ll decide whether it’s worth adding to your wardrobe or not.
The final perk, however, and this one will be much appreciated for busy and lazy guys alike – you will have the power to look amazing without having to think or spend more than five minutes creating an outfit.
BIO:
Sophia Smith is an Australia-based beauty and style blogger. She is very passionate about the latest fashion trends and graphic design projects. Sophia writes mostly about fashion-related topics and she has contributed to a number of publications including: LA Fashion, Viva Glam Magazine, Just Haves, How to Simplify and Carousel.