Minimal Wardrobe: Genteel
Genteel. A word that isn't used as much as other descriptors of style. The first thing it makes me think of is gentleman. Or gentlemanly, as an adjective.
And when I think of an element of style and discretion, towards building a simple, minimal and functional wardrobe, I do draw inspiration from menswear. Specifically, menswear straight from the refined and sophisticated old world of pocket watches, vests and hunting jackets.
The reason for that is there's a simplicity and attention to detail that is so refined, and so well done, that it barely shows. By contrast, womenswear can seem overly fussy, and dolled up. Not to mention easily dated.
Something about manners is communicated, with this respectable, gentleman's approach to style. I think it might be because it seems hushed, and somehow on the down-low.
Woollen coats sweep the floor, and brush the fine-spun, suited trouser legs. The sounds of genteel clothing are but whispers in an otherwise loud and overt world.
Shirts are not starched to within an inch of their life, but rather crease like the smile lines of a face that has lived a long and joyful life.
Crumpled sleeves with rolled cuffs speak to hard work, and ethic.
Genteel, by definition, is refined and respectable, with an affected politeness. I think about tobacco pipes, roaring fires, and the Sunday paper on the lap of a cashmere robe and Grandpa slippers. I think of crossed ankles on an ottoman and buttered toast.
Cardigans with large buttons; not dainty pearls and a lace collar.
Houndstooth patterns, and the repeated chevron of herringbone; not flowers. Not spots.
I think of stories that get retold but never lose their interest.
What does your wardrobe tell the world about you? In using clothing to communicate visual cues about who you are, do you know what you're saying? This is a fun concept to explore, because it's not about proving anything, it's about authenticity.
A genteel element brings with it carefully but deliberately placed elegance; and it translates to a feminine wardrobe easily. Though my inspiration stems from refined masculinity, it is carried over in a single pleat, or a meticulously thought out dart. It's in the process of whether or not an item needs contours, or if it can be transposed to a curve without altering it in any way.
It's in a sharp crease, a shoulder pad, or the well worn leather strap of a vintage watch.
It's whether or not to button that cuff, or peel it back.
It's in loafers, slippers, and the colour palette of the natural world.
Considering the genteel elements of my wardrobe has helped me plan out my autumn collection, which I will document here and as a video on my YouTube channel.
Many of us meal plan, and meal prep, and it got me thinking that perhaps the same approach could be carried over to the wardrobe, with wardrobe planning and prepping.
Fabrics and palettes are crucial in making this work, and a refined, elegant lens across my belongings has helped curate the collection.
But that's for next time. For now, it's time for buttered toast and slippers.
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