Minimalist style — also known in recent months as the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ — has been reigning supreme on social media, and here at Concrete Playground, we’re big fans. From crisp white shirts, box-fresh sneakers and slicked buns to clean and uncluttered living spaces — we’re all about it.

But while minimalist style seems easy enough on paper, in reality it can be tough to nail. If you’re staring at a wardrobe, makeup bag and living space filled with colours and prints from years gone by, you might want to start with a bit of a cull. Once you’ve done that, a few well-chosen buys are all you need — this trend is about quality over quantity.

We’ve partnered with our friends at Westfield to learn how to embrace not-so-basic basics that will last a lifetime.

Minimalism can be stretched across so many categories: lifestyle, art, fashion, food, architecture, literature, music — the list goes on. Art fiends will know it began flourishing in the 60s and 70s thanks to artworks like Frank Stella’s Black paintings and the influence of Rothko’s abstracts.

Fashion-wise, it came into its own in the 90s as a bit of a revolt against the showy looks of the 80s. Nineties minimalists celebrated clean lines and classic styles with fit and function at the forefront — think slim tailoring, neutral palettes, slip dresses and understated white tanks. That style has come full circle this year, as we’ve started looking to the 90s for ‘vintage’ fashion inspiration.

And of course, a few years ago it hit headlines when we all started simplifying our homes thanks to a certain Marie Kondo, who had us all stripping our homes of anything that didn’t “spark joy”.