Do you have a very hard time getting rid of things you've owned and loved for decades and are still in good shape? You are not alone...
This is not everybody's issue. Some people happily let things go but other people just hold on to things for an awfully long time. They may no longer wear them, but they keep holding on. They know that this item no longer works, is out of fashion or doesn't fit them, but have difficultly in letting go.
One reason we hold on to clothes for too long is because of the emotions attached to them. You bought somewhere special or have good memories from wearing it. Or the garment may have been expensive when purchased and they feel they are throwing money away if they get rid of it.
How Do You Decide What to Keep and What to Let Go of In Your Wardrobe?
Keep the classics!
Classics garments are ones that you can buy all the time where the shape and style don't really change. Examples of classic garments are the Burberry style trench coat; Breton striped t-shirt and crewneck cardigans. But even classics can change - you will notice that the length of a classic blazer changes over the years. The width of the lapel, the placement of pockets, and details also change. Notice how in the 1970s the collars were wide, in the 80s the shoulder pads are large and the lapels are low, the 90s jackets are longer as compared to the 2000s when they become more shaped and shorter. At the moment, we are having a 90s revivial with the longer length and the colour palette of the 80s.
The easiest way to go to a department store and see if you could purchase an item very similar to what own. Go to a bunch of brands and find the most similar items and take them to the change room and try them on, as without trying on you won't know if the cut is similar to yours, or completely different and therefore creating a dated silhouette. If what you find is completely different, it's time to let go of the trends you love.
If you can't find the items that you are holding on to - these are likely trend items and are out-dated. Keep in mind fashions do come around. However, you won't catch me in a cropped t-shirt or low rise jeans that were fashionable when I was in my teens even though they are right back in fashion now! I just don't have the stomach for them (if you know what I mean).
Does it fit?
Let's face it, I'm not the woman I was 20 years ago. I'm not even the woman I was 5 years ago. So do your clothes fit your body? Do they fit your lifestyle? Do they fit your personality?
Your clothes should fit the body you have today - not yesterday, last week, last year, or last decade. There is no point in holding onto clothes that don't fit the body you have today. Bodies change shape with age and hormones so if you love it, get it tailored to fit your body as it is now.
How you spend your time will influence the kinds of clothes you need. Many of us keep clothes that no longer fit the life we have today. Spend some time figuring out what you do in your average week. Then you can work out what you really need as far as your current lifestyle goes and start working towards having your wardrobe reflect this.
Your clothes communicate lots about you as a person -who you are, and what your personality traits are can be expressed by your clothing choices.
Do the clothes in your wardrobe represent you right now? Who you are today and how you want to be perceived? If they don't fit your current personality and what is important to you - then should you be keeping them? They are not loving you in the way you need. You want your clothes to be like a great husband, not a bad boyfriend.
Letting go
No point in building more rooms on your house because you're getting overwhelmed by your stuff, if you worry about feeling like you're wasting money by giving away clothes you don't wear. Let those clothing mistakes be seen as an educational lesson of what not to buy next time you shop.
You need to give yourself permission to let go of perfectly good things. Sell or donate them because when we hold on to good things we do not need, we keep them from being helpful to others. Knowing how much use someone will get from your item, will make letting go of unused and unworn items so much easier.
Remember, you're giving up the good for the best. Keeping something that does not add value to your life keeps you stuck holding on to the mistake. Acknowledge it was a mistake so you can move on.
If you have a hard time letting things go, a strategy is to put them away where you don't see them for a period of time. If you don't go looking for that item then you didn't really miss it and since it's already boxed up, it will be much easier to let it go.
The more you know about your body, colouring, and personal style - the better the decisions you'll make when choosing what to buy and what to keep in your wardrobe.This is I developed my 7 Steps to Style system to give you that style education, advice, and input you need to fast-track your style so that you're empowered to build a wardrobe full of clothes you adore. So that you feel confident and look polished and put-together in a way that is true to who you are. Find out more about the 7 Steps to Style system here...
Further Reading
When is it Time to Let Go of the Trends You Love?
6 Brilliant Strategies to Creating the Perfect Wardrobe Part 1
8 Tips to Help You Declutter Your Wardrobe
How to Build a Future Focused Wardrobe
