Girls Living Against Minimalism (GLAM): Clothes – Part 1
(1st of 3 part series)
Would I really need much more?
I know women can hate me a lot for a lot I do. I know they hate my critiquing. I know they hate my judgments. And I know I am not winning any points with you ladies with this series. However, I am just trying to provide the 100% honest truth from the other sex’s perspective. Your boyfriends and husbands might actually appreciate me saying the things I will say in these articles so they don’t have to. But throughout this all, I know I am way more flawed than the criticisms I will discuss.
Clothes
My girlfriend and I leave tomorrow for our new home. We have been traveling for 5 months and are starting our life back up in a new place. We are only moving some of our possessions for now as we don’t know how long we will be in our new location.
We started packing the car with necessities and eventually got to the clothes part. This is wear me and the opposite sex don’t see eye to eye. I am a minimalist. I need very few clothes. I purchase quality clothes online and save lots of money. Right now, I am fighting to part with a pair of shorts I have had for half a decade.
Well, my girlfriend and I are definitely in different clothing mindsets. She has a clothing collection that we would be able to open a Boutique with. We obviously didn’t see things the same. Her argument was that she wanted to “look pretty” and “wanted options.” I definitely love when she looks pretty and want her to have some options. However, it wasn’t long before I had to start the realistic figure counting. You know guys, when you start breaking down the real figures of their “options”. So, on the bed lay my girlfriend’s summer clothes. I counted 70 pieces of about 10 pants or skirts and 60 tops. I said that even if she wore a different top 5 days a week, she could wear a new top for 12 weeks or about 3 months. If people at work want to judge you for wearing the same top a month ago (20 business days), let alone 3 months ago, they need to reevaluate their lifestyle. The sad part was that this was only the summer collection. That means there is a spring, fall and winter collection. I know guys are laughing and agreeing reading this, while you ladies are giving me that disgusted lip and one eye brow raise right now.
My life has not had the same clothing outlook.
I grew up in a middle class home. We had enough which was great and a lesson in life. I never needed anything more than I had even though I may have had a fit as a youngster every time I saw the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt but couldn’t get it.
I went to private school from Kinder through 12th grade. At my K-8, we had to wear uniforms so there was never a problem. But then I arrived at high school and it was a different world despite a fairly strict dress code. People wore the nicest of the nice and coolest of the cool. Or so that which the cliques called nice and cool. I didn’t have bad or poor clothes but I never had the $150 sneakers. And at no point in my life did I or do I need $100 pairs of jeans. Sure,there were times I wish I could have fit in more, but for the most part, I am glad my parents didn’t spoil me during that time. I learned a great lesson about what was and wasn’t important.
I think the toughest lesson the American society doesn’t teach to it’s youth is the idea of materialism. We are a country of consumerism and materialists, sadly. I try to open the eyes of those around me and it can be difficult for people who have more than they need to adjust to a minimalist life. When it comes to clothing, our consumerism is horrible. For a time, I was selling True Religion Jeans on EBay for 4150 that were normally an astronomical price of $250. I would buy them for $60 at this placed called Last Chance in Phoenix, Arizona which was all returned items from Nordstroms. I probably wouldn’t even pay the $60 for jeans for myself let alone the $150 or $250. American consumerism has and still is a cultural trait we need to get under control NOW.
Let me provide a few tips for becoming more of a clothing minimalist in your life:
- Never buy on first sight. I remember going to the mall with friends (mainly ladies) and they would buy clothing impulsively. If you see something you like at a store, write it down and how much it cost, then see if you still want it two weeks later.
- Empty your closet. Take everything out of your closet. Immediately take 20% of these items you dislike the most and put them in a pile somewhere. This pile will be donated, sold, or trashed. No if’s and’s or but’s. Then evaluate the other 80% and try to eliminate another 10%. If I haven’t worn something in the last 6 months, it’s bye-bye.
- Limit your clothing budget. Do you care more what the people you hate at work think of your clothes than your retirement account? I know I could care less if the people I work with saw me wear the same tie last week. Start not caring about them and care about your financial future.
- Share clothes. You can make your wardrobe go farther if you share clothes with someone your size. Also, if you are sharing clothes, it will motivate you both to keep up with the other person’s fitness as you have to fit into their clothes too.
- Keep your spouse in check. Couples don’t do much together anymore. How about striving to become true minimalists together?! Start with your clothing decisions and it will spread to other aspects of your life. Plus all that money being saved can now be used for date nights, trips and saving for your future together. The less debt, the happier the couple.
I hope you truly realize my frustration and change your ways. My girlfriend is slowly but surely seeing things more and more like a minimalist. I know you ladies love your clothing options and I am not saying to not have options. I am just asking you (for your relationships sake) to reevaluate your clothing situation today.
Okay ladies….let me have it. Click here to constructively criticize me. I can take it.
Good luck….
Dave
LifeExcursion
Schucks...This one is super unique. No similar posts.
Kudos to you! I am a 23 year-old female who grew up in a middle-class house. Like you I never wanted for anything, but my parent’s were sure to teach me that $100 for jeans is too much, and that money is meant to be respected, not tossed away on a whim or an impulse.
I’ve lived on my own since I was 17 and took on all my own bills shortly thereafter. That taught me really quickly to work hard, and save to get ahead, not rely on credit cards and dig myself into a huge hole of debt, as so many of my other friends have.
After reviewing my goals and dreams, and realizing that I want to be able to travel, I quickly became a minimalist when it came to material possessions. I wear my jeans until they have holes, buy $35 sneakers, and do exactly what you suggested…jot down an item I want to purchase, then see if I am still thinking about it a week later. That saves me from impulse buys and makes me more motivated to hunt around for bargains.
I am certainly not perfect. Admittedly, I have a slight obsession with sundresses
I can’t tell you how good it feels though to pack my possessions in a bag and head out for an adventure, using the money I worked so hard to save. In the past two years I have lived in Indonesia for three months (volunteering to live for free at a health clinic), spent two months in Argentina, and even traveled to Antarctica. I’m happy to say that my frugality makes it very easy to live out of a pack for months at a time, wearing the same three shirts over and over.
Wow, that was long. I guess what I’m trying to say is that people need to reassess their priorities, and take back control over their money and possessions. I wouldn’t trade my trip to Antarctica for anything, in fact if I had any designer threads, I’d probably sell them on e-bay just to travel to another country!
Thanks again for the post.
Jackie
.-= Jackie Rose´s last blog ..Journal Excerpts From Costa Rica =-.
Wow….You have definitely traveled more hardcore then I. I want to run this marathon in Antartica someday and South America is my next continent to hit.
Congrats on creating a lifestyle that works for you. Its all about balance. I definitely have my obsessions (running shirts) but as long as sundresses are your only obsession I wouldn’t worry too much.
I envy your lifestyle and aspire to be as great of an adventurer as you.
Hope you enjoy the next two parts…..
Dave
A marathon in Antarctica! That’s awesome! On my bucket list is certainly to run a marathon but I believe I’ll have to change that one to say “Complete a marathon in Antarctica”!
See you there, someday!
.-= Jackie Rose´s last blog ..Journal Excerpts From Costa Rica =-.
Here’s a link ( http://lifeexcursion.com/index.php/lists/top-8-reasons-to-run-a-marathon/ )to some motivation hopefully. In the near future, I will be writing a lot about running so definitely come back and maybe subscribe so you can see the updates that may help you knock off that option on your Bucket List.
Dave
LifeExcursion
[...] you continue reading this post, Click here to check out Part 1 of GLAM on Clothes…..then come back to check my new [...]
[...] two parts to this series. Click the following highlighted links to see the corresponding posts: Part 1 – Clothes Part 2 – Purses …..then come back to check my new [...]
[...] enjoyed sharing my minimalist lifestyle and thoughts in articles like Fight Against STUFF and the GLAM Series, but I too can be the hypocrite and live a life of consumption. In this case, it was an overdone [...]
Good Points. I agree. You may not believe this but my husband is the clothes horse in this family. Amazing but true. His clothes amount is 6 times mine and I can honestly say that I felt your pain when you described all of those 60 tops that your girlfriend has. My husband’s T-shirts could clothe a village from a 3rd world nation. Not that he has anything from high school in his closet, but his mindset is “I think I’ll hold onto this just in case I need it”.
I am all for the clothing purging. If I haven’t worn something in a while, that means I really don’t need it, so I donate it for someone who really needs it to get some use from. Everything in my closest is something I wear all of the time. Everything is now my favorite thing to wear. I’ve gotten my wardrobe down to only two seasons – warm/hot & cool/cold.
My partner is the same. I have less clothing and fewer shoes than he does… have started to get him to throw out two things when he buys one, but he’s still a bit of a consumer (and, I think, cares too much about wearing labels and looking good for others). =(
I’m almost inclined to get rid of some stuff he hasn’t worn in years and see if he even notices.
Your article on clothing and women was hilarious. I am a woman, and I can still laugh at it. Just so you know, there are ladies out there who have only the needed amount of clothes and shoes. Every spring I go through all my stuff (clothes included) and get rid of anything I don’t need, want, wear, or use. When I get a new article of clothing, I throw another out. (I.E. I get a new shirt, I throw an old shirt away) I only have two sets of season clothes (winter and summer) and some of those work for both seasons depending on the weather.
I am still laughing that you get attached to clothes. Even if I like something, I think nothing of throwing it away when it gets old. I’m thinking you might actually be more attached to clothes than me.