Living a minimalist lifestyle is one thing, but acquiring a minimalist wardrobe is a whole other thing – some people may find it difficult to ditch all of the belongings and only keep what they might use within a months’ time. Sustaining a minimalist wardrobe does not mean that you are ditching everything.
It does mean that you are acquiring quality pieces that are going to last you for the long haul. When you consider your wardrobe and you think of what you need and do not need, the must-have list most definitely includes socks, underwear, shirts, and pants. This article will focus on those three clothing items, offering advice on how best to shop for them so that you’re getting clothes that are high quality and long lasting.
When browsing through your sock drawer are you often overwhelmed? Why do you have so many socks? You most likely have socks for casual time, work, and for the gym when you’re working out. You may go through a lot of socks because they absorb your body’s moisture and become wet, and when they are wet microbes are able to grow and then the socks start to smell. It is therefore important that you try and find a moisture-wicking sock that has anti-microbial properties.
The next item is underwear, of which you probably have quite a few (unnecessary) pairs. You most likely have over a dozen pair of underwear for the same reason why you have so many socks, i.e. that you don’t want them to get gross and dirty. So again, when cutting down on underwear, it’s important to get underwear with anti-microbial properties.
Once you get beyond your dresser drawers you may notice an overabundance of shirts hanging in your closet. If you work in a business casual environment you may have dozens of basic colored shirts. Throughout the day your body will create sweat and your cotton shirts will absorb the sweat the same way that your socks and underwear are. The sweat has a chance to sit on the clothing and microbes grow. By the time you get home, you need to change clothes and put the ones you just took off into the wash.
It may seem like all these socks, shirts and underwear are necessary, but you can cut back on these three key items of your wardrobe by switching the material that your shirts, underwear, and socks are made of. Could you imagine having socks, underwear, and shirts that you could wear for two weeks or longer without washing? It’s possible with merino wool fabric. This fabric keeps you cooler when you are hot and warmer when you are cold, and merino wool instantly wicks away sweat, so microbes don’t have a chance to grow, which is one of the many benefits of merino wool shirts and undergarments.
The benefit of switching to merino wool for your wardrobe is clear. Because you are able to wear the same merino wool t-shirts, underwear and socks for days on end you will be able to clear up a lot of clutter from your sock and underwear drawer.