Minimal Luxury Wardrobe Remake: black essentials.

I've already mentioned that my style is heavily influenced by The Row.

I love to indulge this, because talking about what makes The Row so special feels like an expression of appreciation for everything about craftsmanship that I love.

Meticulous attention to detail.

A veil of simplicity.

I love that the more minimal and bare something is, the harder it is to perfect.

It's like a well-kept secret. Everything that makes it crucial is hidden from sight - unless you know where, and how, to look.

If you haven't already, pop over to my post about the impeccable styling of Tar, as I talk about the drape and feel of clothing, and how different fabrics communicate with us.

When I walk around in these pants, and feel the lower leg brush my skin, I am reminded that all the work it took to create a pair of perfectly fitting pants was totally worth it.

Let's talk about styling.

I paired the pants with the first garment I ever made, which is a sleeveless top in a black cotton lawn. This outfit is very minimal, and classic. Both items hint at structure, with their clean lines and tailoring; but they're so discreet that this structure is easily toned down by the drape of fabric.

Though the top is boxy, it doesn't swamp the body. Rather, it hints at the figure beneath, by hitting at the wider points and skimming through the rest.

Untucked, it elevates the pants slightly, but easily. A pair of sneakers keeps each at a baseline of utter simplicity, that looked as though no thought was involved in getting dressed, and yet, the task was achieved perfectly.

It communicates the effortless breeze of what it means to literally slip into a garment, and achieve a polished look that cost the morning nothing.

Luxury is ease. Luxury is the wealth of having time back.

That is where I am trying to get, with this minimal luxury wardrobe remake.

The discreet structure in both garments is easily accessed with a leather belt and the addition of a waistcoat.

Untucked and open, it looks casual but thoughtful; tucked in, the look pushes the needle of formal slightly further again, making it a little more business. Buttoned up, the waistcoat lifts the realm of the outfit into formalities and events. It doesn't look fussy, or too 'done'. We return again to the agent of ease.

A black shoe, like the FEIT sneakers shown in the videos, straddle the line of casual-but-polished, beautifully.

Each piece speaks to one another in a way that harmoniously ties the aesthetics of smart and relaxed together.

It's about lines. It's about where hems meet, and then depart.

It's about the perfect width of belt, relaxing formality the tiniest notch.

When making the waistcoat, it was important to me that it could be worn on its own.

When it comes to dressing up for a special occasion, I love a twist on the genteel: a tuxedo, or pantsuit.

Inspired by a single-breasted, twill waistcoat by Raey, I set to work making one to fit my frame.

I was also inspired by The Row's Vega waistcoat.

What I like about The Row is that it celebrates clothing and beauty without relying on sex, or the body.

Somehow, it proves that covering the body up suggests more mystery and appeal than revealing it ever does.

I wanted the waistcoat to work on its own because, for me, the elements of what make a woman appealing lie in her strength, and resilience. They are in her confidence, and the way she shuns expectation without relying on shock-value. A floaty dress, with or without the ever-predictable strapless bodice, is, at least to me, exactly that: completely predictable. Weaving a line of masculinity over the top of the female form, with a well tailored waistcoat and bare skin, is an unexpected power play.

The key to the shorts was finding the right length. I decided on a longer pair than I'd ordinarily go for, due to wanting the ability to dress them up. I thought about parties and formal functions in the heat of summer, and felt that a pair of shorts were a nice compromise on, again, a cocktail dress, or skirt.

I considered pleats, to formalise them further, but ultimately decided that for a foundation piece, they needed to be as unassuming as possible.

No frills. No fake welt pockets or non-functioning additions.

Just a very honest pair of shorts not trying to be anything else.

The last piece in my extremely pared back, black essentials, is an ankle length black skirt by Harris Tapper.

The only piece I didn't make myself.

Despite coming across it after I'd already made all the other pieces, it appears to follow the same line of thought: structure, that is relaxed by drape.

A tuxedo skirt by design, it sits low on the hips for a casualness not typical of suiting; whilst it's flat front, belt loops and back vent all stay true to the polished, clean lines of minimal luxury.

Below are a list of the items shown in the video, to style these black essentials.

From here, we can build upon these core items for versatility. It's good to have some staple items that can seamlessly blend into the wardrobe, lending a little structure to an otherwise relaxed outfit, or, relying on very casual pieces to pare it right back.

What are your bare minimum, essential items?

Items made by me

1. Sleeveless top

2. Waistcoat/vest

3. Pants

4. Shorts

Other items shown:

1. Skirt - Harris Tapper

2. Flip flops - Havaiana

3. Sneakers - FEIT

4. Hat - Tilley

5. Belt - Calvin Klein