Detoxing Your Wardrobe - Top 10 Tips
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Do you ever have those days when you seriously hate everything in your wardrobe?
Dressing should be easy and fun, not a daily source of stress.
I truly believe that clothes can be the difference between a good day and a bad day!
I’ve put together a list of 10 essential tips that will help you detox your wardrobe and rebuild one that works for you.
Tip 1 – Empty EVERYTHING!
Take EVERYTHING out of your wardrobe and start to put it into category piles:
- Items that you love and wear all the time
- Items that you aren’t sure if you still like and need to try on
- Items that need mending / altering
- Items that are going to charity (the ones that you don’t even need to try on before you decide!)
Before putting ANYTHING back into your wardrobe give it a good clean, it’s amazing how dusty it can get.
Tip 2 – The 3 strikes rule!
When you are going through your clothes you need to ask yourself some important questions ……
When was the last time I wore it? Have you worn it recently? If not, why not?
MOST IMPORTANTLY Does it make you feel good?
(Whether it’s the cut, color or style, if meh is the first thing that comes to mind when you put it on, it’s time to say goodbye to it.
However If you are unsure you need to wear it a few more times before getting rid – I use the 3 strikes and you're out method! I wear it 3 times in different ways, for example if it is a dress I might wear it with or without a belt, with different shoes or a different jacket / coat.
Sometimes it is not the individual item you don’t like but how you are wearing it that can make a difference.
If after 3 times of wearing it again I still don’t feel great then it’s time to let it go!
Tip 3 – Does it fit you properly?
We all have clothes in our wardrobes that we’ve clung on to because we wore it pre-children and it made us feel amazing and ONE DAY we will get back into that dress!!
But, would you actually want to wear that dress or jeans again if you could get back into it?
From my experience probably not. If you have lost weight you tend to want to treat yourself to something new as a reward for being that size again and your old clothes still hang lifeless in your wardrobe! Let somebody else get the pleasure from those clothes now, either give them to a friend, sell them or donate to charity.
If you are trying to lose or gain weight to get back into certain clothes then try and store these items seperately but if possible still in view, maybe a specific section of your wardrobe or a separate drawer so they don't clutter your existing wardrobe but you can still see them and feel inspired to want to wear them.
Is the item annoying to wear? Does it keep falling off your shoulders, are the buttons popping open, do the sleeves feel comfortable, etc. If it isn’t comfortable to wear then you aren’t going to feel great wearing it so maybe it's time to let it go or look at ways in which you could have it altered (see Tip 10 below).
Tip 4 - Is it in good condition?
If you are wearing something worn out it won’t make you feel great!
Bobbles can sometimes be removed with a defuzzing gadget or VERY carefully with a razor blade.
If an item of clothing actually has hole in it or a tear can it easily be fixed?
AND Am I actually going to take it to get fixed?
Tip 5 - Does it go with at least three other things in my wardrobe?
If you have an item that you never wear because you don’t know how to style it then have a play at trying it on with different pieces, it might be a blouse that you could wear with jeans, a skirt or under a dress or a jumper that doesn’t look right hanging out so maybe try it tucked in!
Be careful when you are buying, be mindful of what you already have in your wardrobe and do you have anything it will go with, try and think of 3 other items in your wardrobe you could style it with before buying.
Tip 6 – Think about your lifestyle
Do your clothes reflect your lifestyle? You may have once had a corporate job wearing sharp suits and fitted dresses – are those items still in your wardrobe?
Will you ever have that kind of career again? Will you ever wear that style of clothing again?
Make sure what you have in your wardrobe reflects the lifestyle you now lead.
Tip 7 – Look after your clothes
If you look after your clothes not only will they last longer but you are more likely to want to wear them.
Use the correct hangers in your wardrobe – knitwear hangers for fine knit jumpers and silky blouses, clip hangers for skirts and trousers etc – NEVER wire hangers! The velour hangers that are readily available usually in packs of 5 or 10 are also good because they are thin and don't take up much room in your wardrobe, they also stop items falling off because they are clingy.
Wash and iron your clothes inside out – this preserves the life of the garment and prevents seams going shiny!
Tip 8 – Hang or fold correctly
I would always advise to hang as much as possible without your wardrobe becoming too overcrowded. If you cannot see what you have you won’t wear it so by hanging as much as possible in an ordered way you will be able to see what you have and wear it more often.
If however you don’t have much hanging space then make sure when you fold items and put them in your drawer, or a storage basket, that you fold them and stack them vertically, ensuring you can see everything you have. If your drawers aren’t deep enough to stack them vertically them every time you put something away, put it to the bottom of the pile so you get to wear everything in your drawer.
Tip 9 – One in and one out
To avoid your wardrobe becoming over-cluttered adopt a one-in-one-out policy, if you buy something new you have to get rid of something old, it REALLY makes you consider your purchases more carefully.
Tip 10 – Can it be altered!
Sometimes items in your wardrobe aren't worn because you don't like how the sleeves fit you, or the waist is too big, or you aren't keen on the colour.
Many items can be altered to give it a new lease of life. For example I had a client who loved the dress but didn't like the 3/4 length sleeves so I suggested she have them altered in to a short sleeve. She did so and now loves wearing the dress.
Another client had a beautiful D&G jacket that she never wore because it just didn't feel right! The problem was that the sleeves were too long and it made it look like it was too big for her. I folded the sleeves to the correct length (on the slimmest part of your wrist) and it altered the whole appearance. The client then had the sleeves altered and she loved wearing the jacket.
I have also dyed some of my clothes that I no longer wear to a completely different colour. It's amazing how changing to colour of a garment can change its appearance and make you want to wear it. Washing machine dyes such as Dylon are readily available in virtually every colour from Amazon or other retailers. Just be aware though that quite often the stitching on the garments will remain white once dyed.
Need Help?
By tidying and restyling what you have in your wardrobe and making you aware of what you already have, you only need to buy a few key pieces each season to bring your wardrobe up to date with current trends.
If you need help with detoxing and restyling your wardrobe, putting together outfits and looks from the clothes you already have, tips on dressing for your shape, lifestyle and budget and giving yourself a big confidence boost then you need a Wardrobe Fairy in your life!
For more information about how I can help please get in touch x