A wardrobe reshuffle…
Oh to have a streamlined wardrobe of perfect pieces and an effortless getting-ready process each day! There is nothing worse than wasting precious moments in the morning (when you could have been snoozing!) on trying to find an outfit for the day ahead.
It’s stressful, you feel off all day, and you have to come home to a bed-, floor- and chair-drobe.
I remember reading one of those articles on why successful people (à la Steve Jobs) wear the same outfit everyday; apparently you can only make so many excellent decisions daily, so wasting your decision-making ability on your outfit is going to limit what else you can use that energy for. It sounds odd but it has, for some reason, stuck with me.
I keep a rail of clothes in my bedroom which makes up my main wardrobe, it’s quite a well-organised section so I don’t have to spend hours upon hours finding an ensemble each day.
I like to be able to go over and grab an outfit without much thought, but still feel wonderful in what I’m wearing. I regularly go through and declutter what’s on the rail, because it can only hold so much, and I hate that I miss my favourite pieces sometimes because my wardrobe is getting out of control!
If you’re struggling to maintain your unruly closet, there’s a few pieces of advice from someone who has tamed their wardrobe and still manages to look presentable…
Build Up A Wardrobe Of Staples
There are go-to items of clothing that I reach for regularly; a plain long-sleeve white top for under jumpers, a thin black jumper to tuck in to skirts, and even a timeless printed midi that I’ll never get bored of! Other pieces include my pricey but never-out-of-style Bella Freud jumper, a smart polka dot midi dress for meetings etc, and other everyday picks like a striped top, a leopard print skirt and a lovely mohair jumper.
I love buying basics that last; I wear a lot of simple pieces so I make sure to buy something of good quality first time around so I’m not continuously repurchasing that same item.
Avoid Fast Fashion
I try to avoid buying clothes that will only be “in” for a few weeks, or even a few months. I think it’s better to have fewer items that will last you years, than fickle finds that are only current for a couple of weeks.
I love colour in my outfit so I definitely don’t stick to minimal monochrome finds, but I do think about how a print or pattern will fare over time. For me, bold colours are usually all good, as is leopard print and polka dot. The occasional floral will last, but not if it’s easily recognisable as a Topshop piece from summer 2016.
I usually mull over the more adventurous purchases to see if I’m still feeling the love after a week or two, but I have a good idea of my style now so I’m usually pretty spot on with my decisions!
Invest In Forever Pieces
This is something that has come with time; identifying what works for me, and what I consider “forever pieces”. I know my style a lot better now, so I can usually tell quite quickly if something will last the test of time in my wardrobe.
I’ve slowly been purchasing a few more high-end picks, for example a winter coat from Whistles to last me (instead of the Topshop or ASOS find I buy every year and throw out a few months later), a pair of Dr Marten boots that I wear daily from September – March, and the staple midi skirts that I work with anything and serve as ‘throw on and go’ pieces for lazy days.
Don’t be scared to be an outfit repeater either, I love to see how my friends and favourite bloggers rewear pieces over and over again!
Rotate Your Rail
I don’t have much space for my clothes so I regularly reshuffle my wardrobe to make room for seasonal pieces. I keep a couple of big IKEA boxes on hand that I dig in to depending on the time of year. Right now, my summery dresses and tops and packed away for next year, and my cosy knitwear selection has made itself at home on the rail.
Being able to see everything I’m actually going to wear helps so much for me; I hate standing at my wardrobe and wondering what on earth I’m going go wear that day because it’s too much of a minefield to rummage through.
It takes a while to have a tidy wardrobe of clothes you actually wear, but I promise it’s worth it – no more wasted minutes in the morning trying to pick an outfit from the absolute chaos of your wardrobe!
