There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it – Cruella De Vil was a fashion icon. Her bold pairing of deep reds and monochrome spots was as distinguished as it gets. The confidence and self-assurance that it takes to dress exactly how you feel or exactly how you want the world to perceive you, is truthfully a superpower.
Maximalist fashion effectively helps you unlock that superpower within yourself. But how exactly do you connect with your inner maximalist? Thankfully, there are ways that you can build your own eclectic maximalist wardrobe today. We’ll be sharing our three top tips for accruing statement garments for your maximalist look, and a few other pointers on how to effortlessly pull off the look itself.
Here’s how you can build your own maximalist wardrobe.
Shop online to save
The first impulse you’ll likely have when starting off on this maximalist endeavour is to hit up your favourite designer stores. But it’s important to stay spend-savvy, especially at this earlier stage of your maximalist wardrobe makeover.
Thankfully, you can find plenty of deals on all your most coveted designer goods online. For example, you can shop at THE ICONIC via Qantas Shopping to earn Qantas Points with your purchase.
You may even be able to find some deals on pre-loved or secondhand designer items online. Be sure to browse through the digital racks of genuine designer resellers. You may be surprised by what you can find in the process.
Head to your local thrift shop
Speaking of shopping secondhand, heading to your local thrift stores is perhaps one of the best ways to start any transformative style journey. There’s just so much inspiration to be found in any thrift store, thanks in part to the wild hodgepodge of clothing from eras bygone that you’ll be able to find in the racks of any op shop.
Just carve out a bit of time next weekend to have a little thrift session. There’s no telling what you may be able to find, but hidden gems don’t simply reveal themselves. It may pay to do a bit of thorough browsing, because you could snag yourself some fantastic deals on pieces of clothing that perfectly align with your desired maximalist aesthetic.
If the idea of spending hours browsing through racks for something you’re unaware you’re even looking for feels a bit too aimless to you, then there are some thrift shop pointers that you can follow. For instance, you can go in with a basic list that outlines the types of items you’re looking for. This list can be as detailed or as open-ended as you want. Another great tip is to go with a friend or two, and make sure that everyone knows what the others are looking for. Two or more sets of eyes are better than one, and you may be able to help each other unearth pieces that you may not have seen otherwise.
Raid your parents’ closets
Another pro tip is to just use any striking ensemble pieces that are already at your disposal. Searching for vintage finds at your local thrift shop can be rather hit and miss, especially if you have a very distinct look in mind. And if you do in fact have a distinct look in mind, then it’s likely that you’ve seen that look before. And with ‘80s and ‘90s fashion coming back into vogue, it’s incredibly likely that the ‘fits of your dreams aren’t too far away at all – in fact, they could very well be in your parents’ old wardrobe.
Yes, it may feel a little counterintuitive to turn to your parents for fashion assistance, but rest assured that their wardrobe could have its own fair share of hidden gems, most of which your parents aren’t even likely to have a use for anymore. In one fell swoop, you can help your parents declutter as well as help ensure that your own maximalist wardrobe is just as eco-friendly as it is stylish.
Just be sure to ask your folks for permission before taking anything from their collection. Even if they don’t wear those patterned shirts or fluffy mohair vests anymore, it doesn’t mean that those items aren’t special to them. And if any pieces are particularly sentimental, it’s understandable if they wouldn’t want to part with them.
How to rock a maximalist look
Now that you know a little bit about how to build a maximalist wardrobe, it’s time to equip yourself with a few maximalist fashion hacks to help you attain your ambitious aesthetic. We’ve got three simple tips for you to keep in mind here:
- Look for textures and patterns that bring joy
- Remember to use the colour wheel
- Don’t shy away from a monochromatic look
Remember that these are just tips – not rules. When it comes to maximalism, the rules of balance that apply to all other style guides really just go out the window. It’s okay to mix and match with different textures, colours, patterns, and even styles if that’s what you want to do! In fact, the best loud and proud maximalist looks are those that are boldly different, melding polka dots with stripes, a pink fur coat with a corporate houndstooth pencil skirt, and even rocking a floral embroidered corset with black cargo pants. Yes, that is a maximalist look!
There are no wrong answers here, so just dress however feels most natural and joyful for you. After all, that’s what maximalism is really all about: bringing a little bit more colour and whimsy to the world.
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From shopping at your favourite designer boutiques to browsing through the racks at your local thrift store, your own maximalist aesthetic can be as big, grand, and imbued with symbolism as you want. Or it can be just for dumb fun. Either way, so long as you can leave the house everyday feeling loudly and unapologetically you, you will be a practitioner of maximalism as far as we’re concerned.