Welcome to the journey of curating your wardrobe—a thoughtful process where every piece tells a story, and each item is a reflection of your personal style.
In this blog post, we're diving into the art of wardrobe curation, a method to not only declutter and organise but also to redefine and enhance your personal style. We'll explore how to select pieces that not only fit and flatter but also align with your lifestyle and aesthetic preferences.
Are you ready?
Don't feel like reading? Watch the video here.
Before you begin
I recommend that you take a few weeks to understand what you are wearing the most in your wardrobe.
A good method is to keep any clothes you wear during those few weeks separate from the rest of your clothes. A free-standing rail outside your wardrobe is a great way to keep them separate.
Analyse this separate rail of clothes and make notes of why you like these pieces, is it the material? the colour? Write anything that can be helpful to identify why you keep coming back to these pieces.
Keep all these clothes separate and add any other pieces in your wardrobe that you definitely want to keep.
Keeping your essentials together will help you determine if the pieces you're unsure about can seamlessly integrate with the overall aesthetic of these items and your personal style.
It will also help you to spot any gaps in your wardrobe: maybe you have too many prints and need more plain items, or maybe you don’t have enough basics.
Sorting through the clothes: making piles
Now is when the fun begins.
Try to keep your wardrobe relevant by only having clothes for the current season in there. Pack items for other seasons away neatly and cleanly, if you have space.
The less items you see in your wardrobe when you open it up, the easier your getting ready ritual will be.
As a general rule if it’s autumn/winter, pack away the very summery pieces you likely won’t wear. If it’s summer, hide away those chunky knits and coats.
The 'maybe' pile
t's going to take guts to discard things, but we’re just getting warmed up to it, so start making a pile of ‘maybes’ that you can revisit at the end of the session.
These might be things that you like but don’t really wear much, that you used to love but now they are not really you anymore. It can also be items that you have never worn because you have no idea how to.
If after going through the whole process you still don’t know what to do with the ‘maybe’ pile, answer the following questions:
- If I saw it in the shops right now will I buy it again?
- Can I style it at least 5 different ways and still feel good about it?
- Does it reflect my personal style right now?
- When did I last wear this item and how did I feel wearing it?
- Does it represent who I am right now?
- Does it fit properly right now without having to lose weight?
The 'donate' pile
These are clothes that don’t fit you anymore or reflect your style. But they are still in good condition. They are not broken, stained, or too far gone. Someone might want to give them a second chance.
Do you have a friend or family member who might really love it? Knowing that someone I know will get more use out of it gives me a good push to part ways with pieces I’m not really using.
If not someone you know, there are always charities that will take clothes in good condition (check with them first what sort of items they accept).
And of course, you can always sell pieces second-hand or look for clothes swapping events happening nearby.
The 'recycle' pile
These are pieces that are broken beyond repair, stained, and are too far gone for anyone to use them again.
Please don’t just trow the clothes you can’t donate to the bin!
Many retailers have recycling services, for example, H&M will give you a £5 voucher if you drop a bag full of clothes in one of their stores. Zara does this too, minus the voucher.
There are also recycling bins specifically for clothes, you can find yours with a quick search here.
The 'repair' pile
Some clothes might need a bit of care or an alteration so they fit you properly. Maybe it’s a small stain or you don’t like the colour anymore, what about trying another shade? You can dye it easily in the washing machine, or you can try natural methods with things you might have in your kitchen.
Other times it might just need some small alterations like changing buttons, shortening hemlines or even taking in a few centimeters so it fits better. If you are not confident with a thread and a needle, ask someone for help or take it to you local seamstress or try this website for amazing repairs and alterations, they make you believe in miracles!
Don't you want me baby?
Analysing what you don’t want to keep will give you some really interesting insights. Perhaps you’ll find some common themes, such as:
Materials you don’t like anymore - maybe they itch or make you feel sweaty.
Brands you’re no longer into - you liked them in the past but maybe their quality has gone down.
Monitoring your answers can help you plan your shopping trips better so you don’t end up buying things that don’t reflect your style and lifestyle and will fit with the overall aesthetic of your wardrobe. Answer the questions below:
- Can you see a pattern?
- Does the fabric not feel good anymore, maybe it's itchy or uncomfortable?
- Is a particular brand popping up often?
Maybe that brand is not really you anymore, so skip it next time you go shopping and unsubscribe to their mailing list so you don’t get tempted.
- Do you have too many different styles in your wardrobe?
The major bigger steps are done! Now it's time to enjoy the clothes you are keeping while trying to introduce the 'maybe' pile into your looks. If you are struggling to find new ways of wearing them, you can always email me and I would love to help.
And remember to keep your wardrobe tidy by doing a little detoxing at least every six months or before going shopping!