5 Minimalism and Clean Girl Looks to Start a Simply Polished Wardrobe

We're back FINALLY with a new fashion subculture article; the groups that are defined and organized with particular features of appearance that make their taste distinctive from all others, and what we have at My Melrose and Melrose Family Fashions for you to explore and create your outfits. This week we blend two fashion subcultures with a fine line dividing them; purpose over preference. Minimalism and the clean girl aesthetics are topics this author looks forward to explaining and expanding upon. Read more below and view our five styled looks with examples of other ways to put pieces to go together.

Minimalism removes the unnecessary and focuses on durable, high-quality clothing. This subculture aims to support and promote sustainability, a current fashion industry trend, by thoughtfully donating unwanted clothes, selling them, or even giving them as gifts instead of sending them to landfills. Minimalist fashion is simple and streamlined, focusing on neutral colors like white, nude, and black. This doesn't mean you must eliminate color; just be mindful of how you style color; simplicity, consistency, management, and organization are key. Think of this as creating a curated closet that is YOUR uniform, with every item being your signature piece.

Key pieces in this aesthetic for summertime are short sleeve button-down tops, basic tees, straight-leg denim jeans, sleek loafers, and thong sandals, particularly with square toes. What makes minimalism interesting is how you use silhouettes and textures to make your outfits come together. These pieces are meant to be versatile to fulfill the mission of "less is more." Comfortability and purpose over consumerism and debt is the perfect approach for the current times, with everything being more expensive and prioritizing necessities over excess possessions.

Some examples of minimalist fashion are tonal outfits like blazers and pant sets, where you can incorporate bold color choices. If you opt into the monochromatic look, like all black or all white, for example, to create an exciting outfit, you want to play with shapes and textures. Go for a puff sleeve blouse and wide-leg pants with a linen texture, and change the consistency of the shoes to something like shiny pleather/leather loafers. You can go as simple as pairing a cotton tee with high-waisted ankle-length pants and some mules or loafers, all of which have different textures individually.

The clean girl aesthetic originated with people of color in the '90s, showcasing an "off-duty model" look. This aesthetic mainly refers to facial presentation with minimal makeup (or makeup that looks minimal), bushy brows, slicked-back hair, glossy lips, and small gold jewelry. They present themselves outwardly as ladies with a "stress-free" life and making healthy choices. Anyone and everyone can pull off the clean girl look. Clothing in the clean girl's wardrobe is pretty much copy-paste of minimalism, except clean girls include distressed denim more often than the minimalists. Think of clean girls as a sort of "new age minimalist."

Compared to the minimalist sustainability ideology, clean girls choose the minimalist style as a lifestyle choice for themselves rather than placing environmental conscientiousness as their primary influence.

Our top look that showcases a fine example of minimalism is our white "Cotton" 12" Sleeveless Mock Top combined with our "Wax" 27" Black Denim Skinny Jeans and "S-3" Low Top Canvas Sneakers. Add to this look a blazer like our "Love U" Long Sleeve Tropical Lined Double Flap Blazer, particularly in black. The silhouette becomes more interesting with this piece by not only adding to the black and white color story but also creating a sense of depth for an outfit that is entirely fitted to the model's shape.

There's also the consideration of various textures; say you add the blazer, the consistency is light and smooth. The mock top is a breathable rib knit that has a ridge to the touch. The jeans are skinny, continuing the fitted theme of the outfit's base, and the texture is the thickest part of your look. Canvas shoes pair perfectly with denim since they have the same surface. This look is best suited for a casual day out.

The clean girl aesthetic, as stated previously, is similar to the minimalist style; however, while the minimalist style favors tailored pants, clean girls might opt for distressed denim and frayed hems to add a touch of edge to their outfits. Clean girls might not necessarily prefer distressed denim, but adding depth and texture to a basic fashion top is easy. Here we feature our black "Ikeddi" Tank Bodysuit, "Wax" 27" Dark Wash Distressed Denim Skinny Jeans, and white "Forever" Pleather Solid Lace-Up Sneakers.

Remember, clean girls focus primarily on their cosmetic presentation and self-care. This might include practicing good posture, stretching, drinking water, having nude or white nails, keeping tidy eyebrows, moist lips, neat hair, wearing natural makeup, and spritzing perfume dainty with hints of vanilla.

This author is not necessarily a "clean girl" type. However, skin care has been up my alley since I was a teenager. A solid skin routine is a form of self-care that can boost confidence and make you feel fresh and clean. I cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize my face daily. Healthline has a cohesive infographic and a well-researched article on the correct order to apply skin care products to the face, with extra details to help you understand what is best for your skin. Another wellness factor that has helped me is working out and stretching; I struggle with stress and anxiety. Being active several times a week and eating healthy meals has improved my stress management and overall mental health.

The first outfit features our soft white "Bozzolo" 17" Short Sleeve Basic Crop Top, "Wax" 27" Light Wash Distressed Denim Skinny Jeans, and tan "Weeboo" Basic Double Buckle Slide Sandals. The clean girl aesthetic look is great for a casual day out anytime, especially in warmer weather. Mix up the outfit minimalist by keeping the tee and switch out for a more elevated look with our white "Chocolate" Solid Belted Skinny Ponte Pants, "Weeboo" 2 1/2" Thick Clear Heeled Mules (which are currently on sale), and the "Deluxity" Quilted Pleather Insect Hardware Crossbody Bag. The minimalist version is still casual but is probably better suited for pleasant indoor activities. Make this look more lightweight and flowy by changing the silhouette of the pants from skinny to wide leg.

Showcased second in our slides is our red "Ambiance" Short Sleeve Boat Neck Crop Top shown with the "Wax" 3" Light Wash Denim Jean Shorts and the white "Soda" 1" Pleather Lug Wedge Sandals. Giving off America's sweetheart vibes, you channel a clean girl aesthetic with comfort and ease. To make this more chic and minimalist, we recommend pants in red that are similar in silhouette to our "Ashley Blue" Black Tie Belt Flare Pants paired with our red and white "Legend" Vintage Style Faux Leather Two Color Lace Up Sneakers and finished with our white "Deluxity" Faux Leather Chevron Stitch Chain Strap Purse for that extra sophisticated touch.

Our final look plays on the boyfriend shirt with a modern take featuring our white "Thread" 17" Short Sleeve Button Down Elastic Back Crop Top, "Wax" Light Wash Distressed Denim Jean Shorts, and the navy and white "S-3" Low Top Canvas Sneakers. Create a color story using minimalism as your inspiration by using pants with a similar or broader leg than our green "Chocolate" Single Button Pleated Trousers, but instead of green, grab your pants in white. Finish this look with our black "Comfort" Lug Sole Two Strap Slide Sandal and our black "Deluxity" Small V Hardware Satchel Crossbody Bag.