In 2013, which was not that long ago, I remember we only had summer and winter collections to buy clothes from....
COVER STORY
In 2013, which was not that long ago, I remember we only had summer and winter collections to buy clothes from. Fast forward to 2018, every month in Pakistan, a high-end fashion store introduces its new seasonal or themed collection. They want customers to come to their stores more often and buy as many clothes as possible, and the sales and discounts they offer make it even more difficult for the customers to resist. Fast fashion has taken over our lives and with each passing day keeping track of what’s trending and what’s not has become extremely frustrating; and for youth it is even more difficult since they have to focus more on their studies, and spend money smartly.
Minimalist fashion can be of some help here! You don’t really have to spend your semester break collecting expensive clothes to wear to the university when with just few little things you can make your boring outfits more interesting and hassle free. We have got some ideas for you.
Pins and patches
It’s time to get your DIY game on. A new generation of enamel pins and patches allows you to personalize your favourite old jacket, pair of jeans, or backpacks any way you want.
A handful of tiny adorable pins and embroidered patches wouldn’t cost you much and can be used in multiple ways. The trick is to get pins and patches that are artistic and creepy. One of my office peeps wore old white sneakers with dragon fly pins to work and they looked stunning.
No matter what you wear, pin draws the eye and adds an extra layer of self-expression much like other accessories.
Geometric sunnies
Bold geometric sunglasses are everywhere right now! Hexagons, circles, squares, rectangles, cat eye are just few shapes to try. When worn with confidence, they suit every face; don’t even listen to your friends if they think you look funny in them!
Tassels
Who knew the humble tassels from the bedding and graduation cap will rock the fashion world?
They were being used extensively in footwear, bags, dresses, but now you have them in your jewellery as well.
With colourful tassel earrings (think of it as statement accessory), you wouldn’t need any other piece of jewellery or an elaborate dress. They are available in a variety of colours, shapes, floral motifs, beads.
Experiment and see what works best for you.
Flora and fauna
You don’t have to continuously wear an all-white outfit because you’re trying to be a minimalist; you can make it more interesting and summery by pairing it up with shirt or pants with floral prints and tropical fruits.
You can even get hold of something with elephants, peacocks, or macaws printed on it so that in case you get bored of flowers, you have fun animal patterns to wear.
Slogan t-shirts
T-shirts are a staple so it doesn’t mean they have to come from a pricey branded store. Grab a monochrome tee from your closet, think of a message, go to a graphic printing shop and get your message printed on it. This way you can refresh some of your tees or you can just get ready-to-wear slogan t-shirts.
They are also a great way to promote positive ideas and tell people what values you live by. But yeah, please don’t spoil the look by getting political messages on your tee, especially when elections are just around the corner.
For inspiration, you can check out Cumberbatch’s tee that says, “This is what a feminist looks like”.
Decorative necklace
From glittery bibs to geometric collars, a decorative necklace is just what the fashionistas would love to wear with a simple outfit.
With a bold necklace, keep other things simple. Try to minimize distractions by avoiding gaudy rings and earrings and let your necklace stand out.
Evergreen denim
Think about the most sustainable piece of clothing in your closet right now. It could only be denim because it last a little longer than other fabric. Jeans can be worn all year round, and you can easily modify them according to the occasion. Have we ever seen jeans going out of style? I don’t think so.
Mini bags
Mini bag is the prettiest thing to hold. A lot of girls think tiny bags can’t hold all the stuff we need on the go. But, in reality, these bags are such a relief!
Just go through all the stuff in your bag and ask yourself how often you use the nail kit, the hair ties, and the moisturizer buried in the last layer of your stuffed bag.
If you are planning to get a new handbag, consider downsizing and get an adorable mini bag to look fabulous.
Minimalist jewellery
Bigger the better – is what you get to hear from jewellery hoarders, right? After all, huge sparkly earrings and gigantic rings get noticed by everybody in the party.
Even though they are usually too pricey and showy, you get bored of them really fast. So minimalist jewellery could be a great option to play with when big gets boring.
Delicate hoops and chains, thin stacked rings, and geometric pieces could become the coolest items in your jewellery box.
All flared up
For making your outfit a bit dramatic, try few interesting cuts to lift up your minimalist outfit. Flares have always been there in the fashion world; you can never say they are old-fashioned. Other than flared trousers and jeans, you can have them on your sleeves or on edges of your shirt as embellishment; even lenhga pants look cool and classy.
For party wear, just play around with different fabrics like lame and lurex and you will not have to worry about extra decorative details and glittery embellishments.
The crinkly touch
You can even experiment with different types of fabric as well; one fabric that can really elevate your minimalist look is plisse – a light hardy fabric, chemically treated to maintain a crinkled appearance and to add texture. And wow, you don’t even have to iron it! Super comfy stretchable plisse skirt, pants, scarves are all-purpose and versatile items that go really well with a monochrome top.
The magical stripes
Stripes are never out of fashion. All you have to do is get the brightest and the most eye-catching stripes!
Barcode striped pants and chevron or multi-colour striped tees stand out and are perfect items to get a street-style look effortlessly.
