minimal fashion

Summer in Blue

July 1, 2021 by The Partial Ingredients

We had a brutal heat wave the last few weeks, and on both coasts that heat has unfortunately continued. Now that it’s returned back to more milder temperatures, I feel like I can finally enjoy Summer again! Recently I stumbled across this 100% cotton midi dress from H&M (on Poshmark) during my pursuit for perfect Summer dresses. Cotton is definitely my jam in the Summer, just because it’s lightweight and breathable. Midi dresses are also great because you don’t have to wear any tights or leggings underneath to cover up. Speaking of which, does anyone else get annoyed by dresses that are so mini they might as well be long shirts? How am I supposed to wear those in the Summer without leggings? The last thing I want to wear on a hot day is leggings, so mini dresses are pretty much out for me in the Summer (kind of ironic, no?) I digress. This dress reminds me a bit of the #cottagecore vibe which may or may not be passe by now. Not really sure what the status is, but I don’t mind keeping a few pieces of that trend around in the future since florals and shirt dresses are pretty much a closet staple of mine. Just out of morbid curiosity, I recently read one of those “what’s OUT of style and will date you in 2021” pieces, and can I just say that the very topic of “what’s in” and “what’s out” feels really….dated to me? Expecting people to throw out perfectly good clothes for the sake of the latest trends is 1. horrible for the environment and 2. an exercise in futility as those trends will just circle back around in a couple years. It would be great if the internet just gave it up already, and let people wear and enjoy whatever they want without being slaves to the latest trends. Sigh, maybe one day.

On a totally separate note, the garden has really taken off this year (pics below). Gotta say I am pretty proud of the rose bushes, they are producing like crazy!

**Outfit** **Details:** Dress: H&M (Thrifted from Poshmark); Bag: Etsy; Hat: eBay (Unbranded); Shoes: Free People

Linen & Slate

December 21, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

I had been hearing about the joggers trend for a while, but never found a pair that could be easily incorporated into my wardrobe. I try to keep my closet versatile, yet as minimal as possible so I just didn’t see any room for this trend or what I would even wear joggers with. How do you dress up joggers and make them not look like you’re wearing pajamas? It seemed like the options to make them look actually nice were limited, but I recently found a pair from Anthropologie that actually look…classy? I think it has something to do with the front pleats which gives it a bit of a dress pants vibe. Whatever the reason, these certainly don’t resemble pajamas, but they are so comfortable they might as well be. The material is Modal, which is seriously such a soft and luxurious fabric. I absolutely love these and have been pretty much living in them!

Pairing these pants with a linen cami from Abercrombie, and a cozy oversized cardigan dresses up the ‘fit while also keeping it pretty laid back. Completed the look with this great little bee pendant and some classic Vans kicks. Overall, I’m really happy with the addition of these joggers to my closet and I hope they will inspire a lot of other future looks!

**Outfit Details:** Cardigan: American Eagle; Pants: Saturday/Sunday Abroad by Anthropologie; Shoes: Old Skool sneakers by Vans; Necklace: Etsy; Cami: Abercrombie & Fitch

Touch of Grunge

December 10, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

I usually don’t get sick of Winter until at least January after all the holidays have passed, but this year seems to have sped that up a bit. In any event, I am in the mood for a Spring outfit! This look is one part Spring and two parts Fall, featuring this pretty Boho top from Abercrombie. I love blouses like these because they are timeless and versatile. Pair them with a skirt, cardigan, jeans — whatever! It’s one of those items that should belong in every minimalist capsule wardrobe IMO.

Adding to this look are a couple more Fall inspired items made for your capsule wardrobe, like these Chelsea boots by Sutro which have been my fav for a couple months now. They’re so comfy and look good with just about everything! Since we are still in the dead of winter, this look would be perfect paired with a trench coat or cozy cardigan to keep yourself warm! I also went with a touch of grunge with these high-rise distressed jeans from Levi’s which have been featured in a lot of my previous blog posts. A simple pair of black jeans is another closet staple of mine, distressed or not — though I like to have both options in the closet!

**Outfit Details:** Top: Abercrombie & Fitch; Pants: Levi’s; Boots: Sutro; Bag: Teddi Joelle; Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Rust & White

November 14, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

Early November has been so lovely and mild, it’s been kind of amazing. Finally, something in 2020 has been nice?! Somebody pinch me. We saw some absolutely perfect Fall days with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. The latest look on the blog is all about Summery dresses coupled with cozy oversized cardigans. There’s something about big ole cardigans that I find so comforting, especially this one from Abercrombie, which is apparently a size small, LOL. I can’t imagine what the large is like, but I would imagine it’s bordering on tent-like proportions. Can’t complain though, because big-ass cardigans are basically like blankets that you can wear without resorting to snuggies and such.

You could say that Cardigans are like the socially acceptable blankets that you can wear in public without being socially ostracized — while still being cozy! It’s a win-win, especially during the winter months. Plus you can take a Summery dress, pair it with a cozy cardigan and boots, and voila, you have a perfect Fall outfit. These boots, by the way, are from Thursdays, and they have been such a great addition into my closet. I’m always a fan of “swiss army knife” additions because these boots look good with basically anything! Granted, this outfit wouldn’t do well in a snow storm but hey, you can’t have everything. Please keep this beautiful Fall weather coming Colorado, thank you very much!

**Outfit Details:** Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Cardigan: Abercrombie & Fitch; Shoes: Thursday Boots; Watch: Stock Watch; Bag: LeatherStrata

Denim & Stripes

August 15, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

My mind is thinking Fall outfit ideas but the weather is thinking 92 degrees. We are clearly not in sync right now. August is one of those months that you kind of just want to skip and fast-forward into September am I right? This outfit is all about classic Summer style, heavy on the minimal vibes. To deal with this weird month, I have whipped out this super lightweight button-down blouse from Abercrombie — perfect for this second round of hot-ass weather. I love tie front tops because they look great with both skirts and jeans. I am a big fan of the classic mom jean style and these cut-offs are actually quite comfortable!

Worn in this look are these Moroccan Babouches with a flip-up heel from Etsy seller FezSouk. I like the flexibility of being able to wear these like a slip-on mule or as a ballet flat. It’s really cool that this shoe can provide both styles! This little cross-body bag is also from Etsy at AFONiEStyle. Such a cute leather bag for a very affordable price. While I still have a couple more Summer looks up my sleeve (no pun intended), I am definitely excited to move on to Fall style inspiration!

**Outfit Details:** Top: Abercrombie & Fitch; Jeans: Levi’s; Bag; Etsy; Shoes: Etsy; Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Linen & Silk

March 30, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

All dressed up and nowhere to go = the current theme of the month(s) due to COVID-19. But that’s alright, sometimes when you’re #socialdistancing it’s important to put on something nice to feel normal again. The latest Spring look features a few of the best quality materials to go for — linen and silk! Don’t buy full price though since these can get pricey! You can find great deals online for well made clothing, like this top from Everlane which was on clearance for a big discount. Gotta love when clearance items are still available in your size! This top is light and breezy and so perfect for Summer that I’m almost looking forward to hotter weather to try it out. I sized down on this top and I’m glad I did since it’s meant to fit fairly loose.

The skirt and shoes were found at Roolee, a boutique online store, which has tons of great items for reasonable prices. I was overall happy with the quality of the skirt and shoes — especially the skirt which is made from a linen blend and comes with pockets. I am aaalways a fan of skirts/dresses that have decent pockets. The material is super breathable and perfect for Summertime, the beach…picnics–you name it!

**Outfit Details:** Top: Everlane; Skirt: Roolee; Shoes; Roolee; Watch: Stock Watches

Pointelle Sweater

February 9, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

It’s been a very mild January/February so my thoughts have been turning more toward Winter-to-Spring transition looks. This pointelle sweater from Asos fits the bill as it’s very cozy but also has a bit of a Spring vibe going on. The length is pretty average and not overly cropped which is gives it some versatility. It looks great with high-waisted jeans but works well as a pullover with dresses and skirts. It’s always a treat to order something online and surprise–the thing is majorly cropped! And nowhere does it say on the listing that it is of course. This seems to be one of the casualties of online clothes shopping, especially with fast fashion brands (looking at you Forever 21). Luckily, Asos just made a normal sweater of normal length –incredible, I know! I paired this sweater with some comfy jeans from Levi’s–I’m a big fan of their stretchier jeans. They are ridiculously comfy and feel like you are wearing leggings!

Lately, I’ve been slowly putting together some minimalist capsule wardrobe ideas and a cozy reading corner in the new place! Still works in progress but I’ve chosen a few neutral and minimal looks suitable for everyday, work or travel. Shown below are a few tops that fit perfectly into a more minimalist wardrobe. Simplification will be the key word for me in 2020!

**Outfit Details**: Sweater: Asos; Jeans: Levi’s; Bag: LeatherStrata- Etsy; Shoes: Anthropologie; Jewelry: Etsy

Inside Life

January 25, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

After moving to a new place, decor and furniture are still works in progress–hence this outfit shoot was all about the minimalism! Plus, when January hits I’m pretty much over Winter stuff and just want Spring already! This midi skirt from Adored Vintage is one of my favorite every day skirts that lends itself well to more minimalist looks. I also love the pattern! I have this weird thing about polka dots where in order for me to be on board, the dots needs to be small and unevenly spaced. Is that super weird/OCD? Probably, oh well.

Anywaaays, to complete this look I threw on a basic ribbed pullover top from Forever 21. The ribs/stripes are a nice way to add in some subtle pattern mixing/texture while not actually doing full on pattern mixing (but I am a fan of that too!). Forever 21 is so great with these staple items for your closet–especially semi-cropped tops like these. I like to wear shorter tops with skirts (especially the high-waisted kind) so there isn’t a whole lot of fabric to tuck in and make it messy. This look was meant to be worn while out on a warm, Spring day — now all I need is for it to be April to make it work!

Outfit Details: Top: Forever21; Skirt: Adored Vintage; Bag: Live Fashionable Mamuye Tote; Shoes: Matisse

Spring in December

December 26, 2019 by The Partial Ingredients

Technically this shoot was taken in November (before the big storm hit) buuut it has been warming up here in Colorado and most of the snow has melted off — yay! I’ve even had a few chances to wear skirts in December which is a nice change of pace. In my opinion, skirts help break up the monotony of pants during the winter a bit. Lately, I have been loving this skirt from Main Street Exchange. Their site describes it as ‘feminine meets practical’ and I couldn’t agree more!

This skirt comes in three other colorways and this one in Taupe seems like more of a rosy peach than a tan/beige color. The material is on the heftier side and has several layers going on which is nice on chillier days. You can’t beat the price point on this one too. And of course it has some very nice pockets–a feature that sells! I got this for Spring but since it has warmed up here it’s nice to be able to showcase it earlier. This sweater from American Eagle is the same style as the one in rust I blogged about a few weeks ago. You know it’s a winner when you get it in more than one color! The length is perfect for both high-waisted jeans and skirts, and its incredibly soft and cozy. So now I’m kind of wishing I got it in a third color, waaah. Oh well, can’t have everything.