By Stylist Jenni Sellan
The goal is to have a fabulous and functional wardrobe that you LOVE and to never again spend unproductive time aimlessly staring into what currently feels like the black hole. You have made a date with your wardrobe and have promised not to stand her up.
As a side, before you get started it is important to realise that the process of editing your wardrobe, particularly if it has been a while between cleansing, it can feel exhilarating, terrifying and sometimes emotional. So in order to create a fun experience ask a friend who is both honest and trustworthy to join you… and may I suggest a sip of champagne?
Time to edit!
The first step is to remove all of your clothes from your wardrobe. If you have limited floor space, the bed is best. Once everything is out, categorise your clothing and create piles for each; jeans, shirts, skirts, pants, coats etc, and don’t forget about your shoes and accessories.
You have your 3 bags ready; “toss”, “sell” & “donate” (garments you are keeping will be hung back in your wardrobe), and your storage boxes are on hand for accessories and the items that need to be stored and secured until next season. It’s also a good idea to create a space for the pieces that you have trouble deciding on.
Style Tip #keep a full length mirror handy as you will no doubt be trying things on throughout the process
One pile at a time, you need to look at each individual garment and ask yourself the following questions:
1. Do I have multiple items of this piece in the same styles and of the same colour?
If you are really committed to this process, you will narrow it down to 1 or 2.
2. What condition is the item in?
Is it damaged, frayed, ripped, faded? Has it lost it’s shape? Can it be repaired, and if yes, is it a quality piece worth repairing?
Style Tip# Any items that are beyond repair or their lifespan, need to be placed in the ‘toss’ it bag. It’s a long way from chic to donate clothing that is not in a wearable state.
3. Have I worn this item to the point that it needs replacing? If so, make a note of it. (This will be important information for your first shopping trip after the editing process is complete)
4. Does it fit? If not, is it worth having altered?
5. My favourite question, can I wear this item with a minimum of 3 other pieces in my wardrobe? Versatility is essential for a functional wardrobe.
6. Is this style flattering and does it suit both my personal style and my lifestyle?
These questions will need to be considered for each piece. Once you have answered them, place each item in the appropriate space.
At the end of this process, you will be left with 3 bags containing items that need to be tossed, donated or sold and quite likely a pile of clothing that you need to make some decisions about. For the pieces you are unsure of, go through the list of questions again and wait a few hours or even a couple of days before making your decision. (For those you decide to keep, a great tip from wardrobe 101 is to make a note of the date and see how long it takes before you actually wear it again).
Everything else will either be in storage or hanging in your wardrobe.
The next step is to get your wardrobe organised but before we do that…..it’s time for some champagne!
You are half way there to creating a wardrobe that is nothing less than chic xo
