Is your wardrobe ready for the new season?
With the changing of the seasons, it's a great time to review what's in your wardrobe. If you live somewhere that's more seasonal, so you have very different clothes from winter to summer, you may put some clothes away and bring others out.
Even if you love somewhere that has less difference in the seasons and you wear most of your wardrobe the whole year around, it's good to assess what's in your wardrobe at least once a year to make sure that what you're wearing is earning its place in your wardrobe.
How to Edit Your Wardrobe for the New Season in 5 Easy Steps
Here are some tips for auditing your wardrobe and assessing your clothes for the new season:
1. Start by emptying out your entire wardrobe.
This can be a daunting task, but it's important to take everything out so that you can see exactly what you have. As you do this, make piles for clothes that you want to keep, clothes that you want to donate, and clothes that you need to repair, alter or replace.
2. Assess each piece of clothing individually.
Try everything on and ask yourself if it still fits well, if it's in good condition, and if it's appropriate for the new season. If a piece of clothing doesn't fit well or is damaged, add it to the donate or repair pile.
Make sure you go through this list of questions as you make these decisions:
- Is it still in good condition - run what I call the Op shop test by it - as in, would you buy this garment in a thrift store today if it had belonged to someone else? If the answer is no then let it go! We don't notice our own grubbiness but other peoples turns our stomach! So look at each garment with fresh eyes as if it belonged to someone else.
- Does it suit your current lifestyle - if it's from a life you no longer lead and are unlikely to be getting back into for another few years, then it's better to let it go if you're not wearing it. Let someone else enjoy the garment while it's still in fashion rather than holding onto it until it's dated, and nobody wants it. It's a much more sustainable option to get rid of things more quickly if they are not right because others are looking for these garments while they are still current.
- Does it fit your current body and colouring? Is it still working for you and creating the kind of body harmony that makes you happy? Does it fit well and not gape or pull anywhere? Does it sit well when you're wearing it? Does it still work for your colouring? If you've changed hair colour it may be time to reassess the colours that work for you now. If you've gained or lost weight it could be a good time to reassess what works for your current body.
- Do you feel comfortable wearing it? What does comfortable mean to you? Is it physically comfortable? Do you like the fabric and how it feels? Is it mentally comfortable? Does it make you feel like a great version of yourself? Does it communicate what you want it to so it gives you more confidence every time you wear it?
- Would you rate it an 8 or higher? If you had to rank it out of 10, would it get at least an 8? If not, it's not going to give you the confidence that you want. There is no point in keeping 2nd best (or 3rd or 4th best) as you will always reach for something else first.
3. Consider your personal style.
As you're auditing your wardrobe and assessing your clothes for the new season, it's important to keep your personal style in mind. Don't feel like you need to follow every trend or buy everything that's in fashion. Instead, focus on finding clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable.
- Does it fit your current style recipe - if you haven't thought about your style recipe for a while (or have never done this) then it's time you created one because it really makes figuring out what to wear, what to buy and what to keep in your wardrobe so much easier - check out these posts for tips and techniques to creating yours.
4. Identify any gaps in your wardrobe.
As you go through your clothes, make a list of items that you need for the new season. For example, if you're transitioning from winter to spring, you might need some new lighter sweaters, a raincoat, or some new sandals. Use this list to guide your shopping and ensure that you're buying things that you actually need. Download my free Closet Menu which you can use to see if there are items that may work for you and your lifestyle, that you think may be missing that you'd get good use from in the next season. It's better to buy early in the season, rather than wait until the end and get less use and your cost per wear will be much lower even if you haven't gotten the item on sale. Check out my tips on creating a shopping list for your closet here.
5. Organize your clothes.
Once you've assessed all of your clothes and identified any gaps in your wardrobe, it's time to organize everything. Hang up your clothes by category (e.g., dresses, pants, blouses) and color so that you can easily see everything you have. Store your seasonal items (e.g., winter coats, summer dresses) in a separate area so that they don't take up valuable space in your wardrobe.
By taking the time to audit your wardrobe and assess your clothes for the new season, you'll be able to ensure that you have everything you need and that your clothes are in good condition. This will help you to feel organized and prepared for the new season, and it will also make getting dressed in the morning a lot easier!
But if you do want to get something on sale, go online and check out stores in the opposite hemisphere, because they're coming out of the season you're going into and there are many bargains to be had! You may also find it a good time to hit up your local consignment and thrift stores as others clean out their wardrobes.
Once you've gotten your wardrobe into shape by editing it so that what you have is what you need, and shopping consciously to fill in the gaps you'll find is to much easier to dress stylishly every day!
8 Tips to Help You Declutter Your Wardrobe
Change of Seasons - Changing Your Wardrobe
9 Ways Knowing Your Best Colours Will Change Your Life as Well as Your Wardrobe
