wardrobe update

I have read. And re-read. And Pinned and googled, anything and everything about minimalist wardrobe. There several main stream solutions for this. There is project 333 where you choose 33 pieces of clothes to use for three months. Emphasis is mainly on finding items that match that you can keep combining and changing outfits all the time. And then there is 10 item wardrobe by the Daily connoisseur, who two times a year creates a 10 item wardrobe of beautiful outfits and then sticks to those until the next season. None of these seem to fit perfectly. But I think I am finding my path to my minimalist closet.

I don't need to have everything match. 10 items seem a bit extreme, but what attracts me in that one is that she focuses on rather having 10 perfect, high quality outfits that hundreds of H&M pieces that unravel within months. A good example is underwear. I have been struggling to find good underwear in Tanzania. Firstly all except one set from Finland has lived its life. Sadly last time I was in Finland I didn't focus on quality, and living in 30+ degrees with uncomfortable underwear is not fun. Learned that lesson. The one pair that remains was a gift from the hubby in 2010. It is still like new, and crazy comfortable. So good quality items definitely are the key.

So is it 33 or 10 items that I will go with. Actually I think it will be close to 30, excluding (as the "rules" state) lounge wear, underwear, workout gear: that I currently need several because of the daily coaching sessions. And a couple of nicer dresses that I keep around for the weddings, embassy events etc that seem to be somewhat frequent.

This step took me a lot longer than I assumed it would. Actually identifying the clothes that I want and need. I actually had to think about the weather, and my life style as well as the style I want to portray. I think I am somewhere between fun and chic. I want to look like an adult: put together and polished to a certain extent but I also want to look 32 (soon 33) instead of 52. So finding the balance between fun, young, energetic and chic, polished, poised has been my challenge. BUT I finally feel like I have been able to identify the list of clothes that don't overwhelm me in quantity and options but also offer me enough variety to work with my different roles.

So without further rambling here you go, my updated minimalist wardrobe plan:

If you would go through your closet and choose just the clothes that you love, really truly love, how many would that amount up to? Could you live with just those? Do you think it would make you life easier or harder? 

I love the fact I can get dressed in seconds every morning, that everything (except those jeans) are super comfortable, and fit me perfectly. More variety? Maybe at some point, but for now I'm happy with my selection - or will be once it is complete.

Update on Minimalism

In my pursuit for happiness (= minimalism in my head right now), I've made a discovery of my personality. I am picky. This is how I found that out.

I've been going through the steps of creating a dream wardrobe. And let me say thank you Pinterest, because getting dressed has evidently become a scientific experiment that no normal person can manage in their own.

For those of you still in the shopping is my cardio-zone here's what you are supposed (😜) to do to achieve that killer wardrobe.

Step1 the purge

Clearing out the closet. Donate, throw away, keep. I got that down so bad that I actually had to stop before I was happy or I would've had to join a nudist community.

Step 2 design your style 

This is the best excuse ever to enjoy the world of Pinterest😍, the haven of visual people. Identifying that I have three different roles that I need to function was the key point. There is the work-at-home-busy-mom-of-active-boys-do-it-while-looking-32-and-cute-Maiju. Ha! Easy😜. This turns into outfits that have to be comfortable, but look nice. If I stay in my pajamas the whole day, I won't be able to kick in the work-Maiju. I also don't want to wear a suit at home. Nooooot. So I identified that easy uniform for this is some cute blouse and shorts, maybe a stretchy dress or skirt - sometimes. 

The other Maiju is business Maiju. Very minimal role in my life but sometimes I do need to attend meetings and look professional. It can't be just one outfit, so the customers don't think I only have one dress. I have one dress now. 😝

Then I have the coach-Maiju. It's hot. Like really really hot. And I can easily have 17 kids to coach. And I didn't prepare to have this role in Tanzania. Still no idea what to wear to be comfy, not sweating like 🐷 in 2 minutes, and also somehow not be too naked. Respecting the fact that there is a mixture of cultures going on here.

Step 3 shop to complete

The shopping is supposed to be about grabbing pieces that will bring together the whole wardrobe and makes it mix-and-matchable. In Tanzania. Yeah, right.😎

So I'm back in being picky. I keep going to shop and coming back with empty hands. This is coming from a person that at age 14 was given an hour to shop (this was a competition trip and tight schedule) and actually came back with one of those massive sacks (jätesäkki) full of clothes. Is it Tanzania? Have I changed? The directions keep saying that really think if you want to bring this item into your home, will it match with several other pieces? Will it? WILL IT? And I keep running out of the shop in panic thinking it won't, it won't... 

So I've become picky. Who would've thought??? And soon will be writing my application to the nudist community.

Enjoy your day!!