Tips from a personal stylist – How to edit your wardrobe to give you 100’s of new looks
Do you open your wardrobe doors and think, “I have nothing to wear”.
If you do, you’re not alone! Statistics show that over 80% of women in the UK feel a sense of dread when they ask themselves the question “What should I wear today?”.
Time for a wardrobe edit. I know, it sounds bizarre to say that by editing down the amount of clothes that you have in your wardrobe you will end up with more options, but I promise you as a seasoned personal stylist, I know that it’s absolutely the case.
Clothes are here to make us feel great and project the you that you want to be, to the world. Everything we wear has such a profound impact on how we feel & act. It’s time to build a wardrobe that makes you feel positive, happy and empowered.
But how do I do that, I hear you say?
Let’s get practical. First things first, open your wardrobe and get out everything that makes you feel good. Lay it all on the bed.
Spend time thinking about each piece and why it makes you feel great. You’ll start to notice that the clothes you love and that you get compliments in when you wear them, flatter your body shape and are that are key pieces to project your style personality.
That’s what you need more of. That feeling that you can take on the world whether you’re a stay at home parent wrangling a toddler all day or a high flying business person.
Be wary though that you don’t just keep repeat buying the same pieces in different colours, you want to recreate the feeling, not the items.
The 5 ways rule
As a rule of thumb you want every item that remains in your wardrobe to work with at least 5 other things that you already own. Thats how you can maximise your cost per wear.
Organise everything that’s left in your wardrobe so that it’s easy to see and reach. I prefer a streamlined approach, hanging everything on matching hangers by category, ie all tops together and display them in colour order from light to dark. This way you will easily be able to find that navy knit when you’re building an outfit that requires it. Take shoes out of boxes, you are more likely to wear them if you can see them.
Now in a separate pile get out everything that doesn’t make you feel good for whatever reason. We essentially need to get rid of most of this. Yes, I know it feels scary but trust me, you will feel so much better once its gone, it’s actually very liberating.
What shall I do with it all?
Sell high street items on platforms like Vinted or Ebay and high end designer pieces on platforms like Vestiaire Collective or Hardly Ever Worn It. Recycle your hard earned money and spend it on more things that make you happy. Anything that can’t be sold or doesn’t sell, send to a charity shop, it feels good to do a little good now & then too.
TOP TIP: Cost per wear explained
Spend £50 on an item, wear it once, cost for that wear is £50.00
Spend £50 on an item, wear it 20 times, cost per wear is £2.50
You want to wear each item as many times as possible to get your moneys worth.
Feel free to get in touch if you need any hints, tips or help with your edit, as I know it can feel overwhelming and do let me know how you’re getting on.