The Lean Wardrobe

Five Principles to Achieve Closet Mastery

The Lean Wardrobe

Effortless Gent

Five Principles to Achieve Closet Mastery

Published by Effortless Gent effortlessgent.com cover photo credit Resources Graduating Your Style Dressing Like a Grownup Subscribe to EG Valet Join us here

Table of Contents
1 2 4 6 8 10 13 Introduction Principle one: Pare Down Aggressively Principle two: Quality Over Quantity (Whenever Possible) Principle three: Versatility is King Principle four: Wear What You Enjoy Principle five: Dress With Intent and Purpose Additional Thoughts

16 Finally 17 18 19 Share Your Story About the Author EG Valet

20 Resources

Introduction
Since I was a young guy, Ive always been interested in appearance, personal style, fads, and trends. Needless to say, I had a lot of clothes. After many years feeding this interest, I ended up with a closet multiple closets, actually filled with clothing I, for one reason or another, no longer wore. When youre young, impressionable, and genuinely interested, you become a voracious consumer. I wanted everything, even if I didnt need it. If I liked one particular item, I bought it in almost every color. I often found great deals on clearance racks, which pleased the budgetconscious side of me, but proved to be a burden as I slowly ran out of closet space. When I grew up and moved out on my own, I only took a few things with me. I survived just fine on the little amount of clothing I had. As my tastes changed, I learned to refine and curate the selection I kept with me. It certainly has grown, but Ive learned to do without the excess. The Lean Wardrobe philosophy is a pillar of Effortless Gent. I encourage you to strive for a Lean Wardrobe, and hopefully this book will get you started on the right track.

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Principle one

Pare Down Aggressively

Theres nothing sweeter than discarding something at least once youve acclimated yourself to the idea. When I was younger, I had the hardest time getting rid of clothing, even if I didnt wear it. I was like a clothes hoarder instead of a clotheshorse. I soon learned that my closet situation was getting a bit ridiculous, and if I kept it up, wouldnt be able to sustain itself (since I was running out of room). The ironic thing is, I hate clutter. Im a guy who believes everything has its place, and an overstuffed closet is difficult to keep neat. As I got older and wiser, I started to realize I only wear a handful of things I own. I began forming opinions about owning less but better things, and only keeping what I put to use. The process of closet curation is an ongoing one. Inevitably, youll find yourself with a few too many pairs of pants, or shirts that find their way to the back of the closet, or socks with holes that for one reason or another you just havent thrown away. The important thing is to continually curate. You have to be active in this approach. You have to pare down very aggressively. By actively weeding out items you no longer need or use, you will always stay on top of it.

Curate constantly. Weed out what you do not use. Taking an active approach will ensure a Lean Wardrobe.

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Its easy to keep a neat closet. Simply ask yourself, When is the last time I actually wore this? Havent touched it in a year? Toss it. Two winters passed, and you still havent worn that coat? Get rid of it; you never will. And when I say get rid of it, do so in a responsible manner. Sell it (on eBay, to a vintage store) or donate it (to Goodwill, Salvation Army), dont just throw it away in the garbage. Just because youve lost interest in it, doesnt mean a less fortunate person couldnt make use of it. The lesson here? Keep your closet neat and clean, and only fill it with things you will wear regularly. Everything else is wasted space. Once youve refined your closet and wardrobe (or come as close as possible to what you imagine perfection to be), switch to a replacement-only strategy. Continually ask yourself, Can this incoming item replace something else I no longer wear? This is how you maintain closet homeostasis.

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Principle two

Quality over Quantity (Whenever Possible)

Quality over quantity is an important principle to remember when building a Lean Wardrobe. First off, realize this phrase is relative. If youre on a tight budget, Im not suggesting you buy $2000+ Isaia suits. What I am saying is that instead of buying five ill-fitting $10 sport shirts, buy one that fits well (and that you love) for $50. Youre going to end up discarding those five cheap sport shirts anyway. Why not save up and buy the one that fits perfectly? If youre relatively well off and money isnt as big of a concern for you as, say, a college grad fresh out of school, this principle still applies. Why? Because youre more at-risk for unnecessarily losing larger amounts of money. Instead of buying $10 sport shirts, youll be purchasing higher-end, luxury goods, and still not putting them to use. If you want to follow the Lean Wardrobe ideology, do your best to be selective when making purchases. Another thing to take into account (especially when you have more discretionary income) is that its easy to buy a bunch of stuff and end up with an overstuffed closet.

Buy less but better whenever possible, and be selective with every purchase you make.

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Remember the principle of paring down aggressively. Only fill your closet with things you wear and love. Discard everything else.

Lean Wardrobe Essentials

I think every man can benefit from having at least one (potentially a few) of each of these items in his closet: oxford cloth button downs crisp dress shirt (one white, one blue) dark, slim denim dark brown brogue lace-ups single-breasted navy blazer one charcoal gray suit white T-shirts, pairs of underwear, socks, and ties as necessary

Fit > Quality > Brand

All else being equal, fit trumps brand and quality, every time. You can wear brand name clothing that is ill-fitting, and you can buy quality garments that are also ill-fitting. But a $150 suit that fits perfectly will always be way more impressive than an impeccably constructed, $1500 brand name suit thats ill-fitting. Basically, top quality and brand name status cant cover up crappy fit.

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Principle three

Versatility is King
The leanest of wardrobes (refer to the Essentials list in Principle two) ensures that every item can be worn with every other item in the closet. I realize that in reality, its not that easy. Your closet still has clothing from when you were in high school, college, or grad school. Clothes you bought on a whim, accessories you were told to purchase because they were in style, an unused suit from some event you attended years ago... All still there. Clothes you thought looked good but are clearly too big for you. Clothes that are too tight, because you grew out of them... Yep, in there as well. Ideally, we can pick up our closets, toss everything out, and start from scratch. If only it was that easy. Start small and pare down aggressively (see Principle one). Start with one section of your closet, one stack of shirts, or hell, just one item in general. Do you need it? If not, get rid of it. After a few repetitions of Principle one, start rebuilding your closet.

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Remember, you dont need much to have a completely versatile (and not to mention good-looking) wardrobe. Have 10 pairs of denim in various washes and fits, yet you wear none? Get rid of them, and find yourself that one dark, slim pair you can wear day in and day out. Own 22 shirts in different colors and patterns, but only a few fit well? Keep the ones that work, discard the rest, and pick up a few oxford cloth button down shirts in white and blue, for good measure.

How to stay versatile

One good way to ensure versatility in your wardrobe is to invest in clothes that are relatively neutral, earthy, or basic in color. These clothes will serve as your base. Think dark denim, chinos in olive, charcoal, brown, and navy. Think oxford cloth button down shirts in white and blue. Think T-shirts in white and gray. Think navy blazer, charcoal suit. Once you have these, you can expand your wardrobe slowly and deliberately to include a more colorful selection. A pair of brightlycolored chinos, a few more vibrant sport shirts, sweaters in teal, plum, and persimmon. Need a simple, foolproof way to inject color into your ensemble? Incorporate colorful accessories such as socks, belts, gloves, hats, bracelets, watch straps, etc. into your wardrobe. Keep it simple. It all starts with obtaining a few versatile pieces you can wear for years.

The key to versatility: a base wardrobe in neutral, earthy, and basic colors. Accent with bright colors and interesting patterns.

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Principle four

Wear What You Enjoy

Its a simple idea, but when you put your money down for an item of clothing, youre committing to it. Make sure you enjoy everything you buy and wear. Its important to feel good when you wear the clothing you own. You want to feel confident, empowered, put together, dapper, self-assured. You do not want to feel self-conscious, uncomfortable, unsure. Theres a gray area here, by the way. When youre first engineering your personal style and figuring out what looks best on you, there will be moments of uncertainty. Youll feel self-conscious and unsure about what youre wearing. Thats normal, and not at all what Im referring to. Think of your clothing as a form of self-expression, an unspoken introduction to those around you. Just as your handshake should be firm, your appearance should be polished, deliberate, and unabashedly YOU. A sloppy presentation is like a limp handshake; youre not impressing anyone, and that person you just introduced yourself to is not taking you seriously at all.

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Enjoy it, whether a classic or a trend

I encourage you to try anything that strikes your fancy. I dont care if its a classic piece of clothing (like a standard dress shirt) or something more trendy or popular at the moment (like suspenders or multi-patterned sport shirts). Whatever it is, try it! One piece of advice: If youre trying something new, tread carefully. You dont want to overbuy (which leads to closet clutter), and you dont want to overspend (which leads to an empty, sad wallet). Think long and hard, and then buy ONE piece to see if you can incorporate that style into your existing wardrobe.

You have to know the rules in order to break them effectively.

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Know the rules, then break them at will

The best part about forming your own personal style and learning how to dress well is the liberation you get from knowing the rules and being able to break them at will. Breaking the rules is fun, and I encourage you to do so. But, in order to break the rules effectively and with a hint of panache, you have to know them inside and out. So learn them first.

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Principle five

Dress with Intent and Purpose

If you buy clothing with intent, stock your closet with intent, and dress with intent, you will be a much happier and fulfilled man. Some of this comes with age and experience, but if youre young and aware of this idea, you can practice it and come to sartorial enlightenment much earlier (and save money and closet space in the process).

How does one shop with intent?

If you shop with an intention, youll know 1. what youre looking for, and 2. the reason youre looking for it. Youre not simply browsing, youre on a mission. Shopping with intent is good because you dont waste time browsing, and you dont waste money by buying things that werent part of your original plan. Your recently-curated closet will also benefit from a little intent when shopping, because you wont be refilling it up with useless crap you picked up on a clearance rack somewhere, just because.

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What does it mean to dress with intent and purpose?

Know your situation and preferences
A corporate office workers closet will be much different than a graphic designers. Understand your situation (where you spend the majority of your time, for example) and your preferences. Knowing your situation will help you understand whats expected and accepted, as far as dress code is concerned. Knowing your preferences will help you dress accordingly (the intersection point between whats expected and what you like.) Corporate office workers usually have a more formal dress code than people in the creative field, but that doesnt mean casual office workplaces dont exist, or that designers dont like to put on suits once in a while. Situation and preferences.

Know why you want to dress better

Do you want to command more respect, have people take you more seriously, or catch the eye of a female youve been eyeing yourself? Everyone has their reasons. What are yours? Its important to know your reasons for wanting to improve. This will help you keep your eyes on the prize, if you will. Its like setting a goal and taking steps to achieve that goal. You have to know what your desired end result will be, so you can formulate the steps needed to get there.

Step it up just a little to set yourself apart

Understand that dressing better simply means stepping it up just a bit, relative to your surroundings and situation.

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Also, dont confuse dressing up with dressing better. If you work in a casual environment, you can still dress casually, but step it up just a bit and refine what you wear and how you wear it. For example, instead of a T-shirt, put on a polo shirt, a sport shirt, something with a collar. Instead of faded, baggy denim, throw on a pair of slim chinos. Youre still casual, just more put-together and refined.

Ultimately...
Understand that how you project yourself is a reflection of your selfrespect and how you expect others to regard you. Hopefully by dressing better, youll start to feel better and project more confidence.

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Additional Thoughts
Dressing well is about more than just looking good
Sure, dressing well is mostly physical. However, I think the desire to dress well gets a bad rap. Most people have this idea that dressing well or even just caring about ones physical appearance is vain, or worse, unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth. Weve already discussed dressing with a purpose. Also, besides looking better, dressing well can help you feel better and more confident. Ultimately, it will allow you to command more respect from friends and family, as well as your subordinates, colleagues, and superiors. Deny it all you want, but its a simple fact: Presenting yourself as a more refined, put-together man results in people looking at you differently, and in a more positive way.

Be the best dressed man you know, on your own terms

In other words, stop comparing yourself to others. You build personal style during the journey, not at the final destination. Its a marathon, not a sprint. Whos to tell you what looks good and what doesnt? As long as youve learned the rules and deviated from them deliberately and mindfully, no one can tell you whats best for you.

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There is no one correct form of personal style. Thats why its referred to as personal. It is a reflection of your unique tastes and how you choose to present yourself to the world. Yes, there are rules, and right and wrong ways to do things. Yes, there are purists out there who believe a tie should be a specific length 100 percent of the time, that cuffs should only exist on pleated pants, and that a jacket lapels width should be exactly three inches. And yet, there are others who know all this, and choose to wear their tie slightly shorter, cuff their flat front trousers, and have narrow lapels on their sport coat. Dont be afraid to learn the rules, and then twist them to make them your own.

Your personal style is a reflection of your unique tastes and how you choose to present yourself to the world.

Pay attention to the details

Details are the extra 10 percent, the finishing touch that pulls everything together. I cant keep track of how many times Ive seen a guy in a decent looking suit, but wearing cheap, plastic-looking, square-toed shoes. Pay attention to everything. More importantly, learn what to pay attention to, otherwise you are just wasting your time.

Know a little about a lot

You dont have to understand the complete history of the brogue, or who first designed the oxford cloth button down, or know by first name the worlds best tailors. Thats great if you do know all that stuff, but if not, thats okay. It is more important to know just enough about a lot of the different rules when it comes to clothing. A little bit can take you a long way.

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For example, even if you dont know the full history of the brogue, at least understand that, traditionally, the more broguing on your shoe, the more casual it is. So if you are wearing a tuxedo or attending a formal event, a plain or cap toe oxford shoe would be best. Traditionally, the OCBD is a sportier shirt, because the collar points button down and the collar itself has little to no lining. Therefore, its not an actual dress shirt. Knowing a little about a lot makes a big difference. Understanding the history of your favorite garments and knowing how things were done traditionally will help you understand why these rules even exist. From there, you can determine whether youd like to follow them, or discard them completely. Keep in mind, rules exist for a reason. Dont just break them all for the sake of being a sartorial rebel. Its the quickest way to end up looking more foolish than dapper.

Lean Home, Lean Office, Lean Spaces

These Lean principles can extend to other parts of your life as well. Think of all the spaces in your home and office that accumulate clutter. If you strip each area down to its bare essentials, imagine how much more clear-headed and focused you will be. Just like a clean closet, a well-curated space provides clarity and facilitates focus.

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Finally
Thanks for reading. I hope this helps in your quest to curate the perfect Lean Wardrobe. These five general principles are a good place to start, though it is only the beginning. There is no right or wrong way to build up a Lean Wardrobe. It really comes down to having the basics and essentials in versatile colors, getting rid of things you dont use, and owning only the things you enjoy wearing. Contemplating, curating, and eventually maintaining a Lean Wardrobe is not simple. Its definitely not hands-off, either. It takes time, determination, and perseverance, much like any other goal or outcome you are trying to achieve in life. Always remember that once you achieve your version of the perfect Lean Wardrobe, you have to work to keep it that way. Dont allow stray items to make their way into your closet. Even if you do so deliberately, keep mental note of these things. If you find yourself not making use of them after a specific period of time, discard!

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Share Your Story

Id love to hear the story about your Lean Wardrobe, or the Lean Wardrobe youre working towards. What are your experiences, challenges, and victories? Leave a comment and share with the EG community, or send me a note and tell me personally.

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About the Author

Barron Cuadro is Founding Editor of Effortless Gent, a site dedicated to helping guys figure out what looks best on them. He has written several guides on improving ones wardrobe and personal style from the ground up, as well as how to do so as a young man on a limited budget. You can (usually) find him in San Francisco.

Lets have a conversation

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Resources

The Effortless Guide to Graduating Your Style A Young Mans Guide to Dressing Like a Grownup (without breaking the bank)

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