Jessica Val Ang

What does it really mean to be a minimalist?

Many people look the part these days. You know them. They look super-cool, dressed in monochrome colors, with strikingly simple accessories in shiny silver on their wrists, arms and necks, usually with a beautifully understated bag and pair of shoes. There are many of them in social media, and their photos always look amazing.

But are they true minimalists? Some of them are, and some are not. Being a minimalist isn’t just about looking like a minimalist.

Someone who owns a bursting closet full of clothes, for example, is not a minimalist, nor is someone who buys 10 tops or 5 pairs of jeans in 2 months. A minimalist doesn’t need a huge wardrobe to look good. She works with what she has, adding a few carefully considered items once in a while if they add value to her existing wardrobe.

Living Minimally, Too?

Outside of fashion, minimal living includes reducing waste in everyday life, such as cutting down the usage of plastics like cling wrap. But that’s another topic for another day.

I was a (self-confessed) maximalist before. I liked things in multiples and could afford them. I bought everything in different colors. But they often ended up stacked in the closet and hardly worn. The thrill of the endless cycle of buying kept me from thinking about how much trash I was generating and how much money I was wasting.

After years of being trapped in this vicious cycle, I got to a point where I was really tired. Was there an end to this desire to own everything? How could anyone ever own everything? Do we really need to own everything to be happy?

At this point, I happened to develop minor, chronic health ailments which kick-started my search for the truth in conscious, healthy living. This included clean nutrition, the right attitude, environmental issues and toxins that impact our health and more. Because of this, I started being exposed to bloggers, Instagrammers and YouTubers who spoke about the minimalist lifestyle.

The age of consumerism is killing our world with the amount of trash we generate. I look at young girls who buy up cheap, ugly, fast fashion by the truckloads. I realize with horror that I was one of them in the past.

But I don’t have to carry on that way. Neither do I have to give up my interest in fashion. I am now an advocate for minimalist fashion and lifestyle. One does not necessarily need to buy expensive items, just good quality classics that last for a long time and look timeless. I want to show people how good it looks, which will hopefully lead to them understanding how good it feels.

Be a discerning shopper. Don’t buy something just because it’s cheap. You won’t appreciate it and it will probably fall apart quickly. Our end goal here is to reduce waste. Invest in fewer, good quality items, of which both the style and quality will stand up to the test of time. One big plus to wearing timeless basics is there is less room for fashion mistakes. Who doesn’t want to look classy all the time, while having more money in the bank account? I know I do.

I look forward to sharing more with you next time.

Ms. Ang may be contacted at jessicaval@gmail.com