When walking to the office the past few mornings, I've felt the winter chill creeping in and by the time I get inside, my hands are ice cold and I wish I had worn a scarf! However, the only problem is that I need to sort out my winter warmers and I can't actually find anything in my wardrobe, apart from summer skirts, sandals and vest tops! So, reluctantly (as it is now October), I have decided to sort my winter wardrobe out and be prepared for the colder months ahead.
Some fashion experts reckon that we wear only 20% of our clothes 80% of the time; therefore 80% of your wardrobe is just hanging there waiting to be worn! With this in mind, I thought I would present a guide on how to go about sorting out your seasonal wardrobe, breathing new life into old clothes, and generally being honest about what you need.
Be Organised
Set aside an afternoon for sorting through your wardrobe, as the last thing you want is to have to stop half way through, leaving piles of clothes strewn around your bedroom! So, plan and organise what you are going to sort through first, whether you're going to tackle drawers, wardrobe or stored away winter clothes first.
What's In Your Wardrobe?
Most people will probably only know about 50% of what is actually in their wardrobe, therefore first off take a look at what you've got. The best way to do this is by laying out all the clothes in piles; maybe skirts, tops, trousers, etc. Then one by one you can access each item…
Assess
It's probably impossible to name every item in your wardrobe, but by assessing each garment you'll get a much better idea. By laying out and assessing each piece, you can ask some truthful questions that will help you to decide if you really need certain items.
- Have I worn this in the past few months/ Did I wear it last winter?
- Does it fit properly- too loose/too tight?
- Is it something I would wear comfortably?
- Do I still feel confident in it?
- Do I still like it?
Be Brutally Honest
Overall, if you're looking at a piece of clothing and saying "I might wear it", "it"s a perfectly good suit/dress', then you have to be really firm with yourself and ask why you haven't worn it recently. Sometimes it's hard to accept we've made a mistake, but if you're not going to wear something, then it may as well be in a charity shop, where it has a chance of giving someone else pleasure.
However, if you find it hard to throw things away, you might want to involve a friend/other half who will be firm with you and question whether you really should keep certain items.
Another problem is if your weight and shape has changed in the last year, as old favourites may not fit as well as before. Don't try to squeeze into things, be honest and use it as an excuse to buy new clothes! Yet, if you intend to loose weight to fit into your Christmas party outfit, you could keep favoured items as an incentive!
Finally, another common mistake is keeping clothes and items that are worn out, have shrunk/lost shape, or have generally lost quality. This can refer to holes in tops, shoes with grinded down heels and thinning material on jeans. Some of these can be kept as house clothes for chilling out in, decorating or gardening etc., and some can be repaired, but if the cost is more than what you would pay for a new one then don't bother. Just be totally brutal, and if items have come to the end of their life, chuck them away!
The Forgotten
Another benefit to sorting out your hoard of clothes is that you will probably find there are items that you have completely forgotten about. This can be a pleasant surprise and, by adding the right accessories and updating your look, these old favourites can become new again! For example, when sorting out my drawers the other week, I had completely forgotten about a few autumn/winter scarves I had, and I will now be definitely wearing them for all occasions!
Basics
Always ensure you have the beloved basics in your collection. Investing in essential items, such as t-shirts, jumpers and jeans will provide the foundation of your style for years to come!
Dispensing Of Unwanted Items
Work out what you're going to do with the clothes you're getting rid of. If you struggle to throw things away, you'll find it easier if you know they're going to be passed on to younger family members, or given to a charity shop. Yet, with both, remember to have plenty of bin bags.
The End Result
When you've finished making sure you've put everything back tidily, think about a system that works for you. If you have very clearly defined work/home clothes, you could separate these into different areas, or you might find it works better to split tops, skirts and trousers. Think about what you're hanging and what you're folding, and make sure you can get to everything easily. If your shelves are a towering mess, then you might want to insert extra shelves, so there are fewer items on each one.
Finally…
Once you've sorted through your wardrobe, apply the same principles to your shoes/handbags/jewellery. Don't forget your coats and jackets, and also make sure you go through your underwear, as holes in your pants aren't a good look!
