Time for a wardrobe edit

Would you believe it?  The day I chose to sort out my spring/summer wardrobe and tidy away some of my heavier winter garments, it was snowing outside!  Well, as an optimist I went ahead with it anyway in the hope that this unseasonable weather can’t possibly last.

My wardrobe, as well as being a little bit untidy, also had too much crammed into the available space.  A little bit of weeding out was needed while I was at it.  There are a few things which are past their best and a few that just don’t work for me.  Yes, even us style and image coaches make some wrong choices from time to time and need to adapt to our ever-evolving style.

 

Things to consider

I’m not going to go into all the details of how I went about completing the task, other than to say that I like to practice what I preach.  If you would like to follow my de-cluttering guidelines to help you with your own wardrobe edit, then you will find a link to them at the end of this post.

Instead I’d like to focus on one aspect of the process:  deciding what to keep.

To illustrate this, here are a couple of examples of the items I decided to weed out.   Although they are in almost new condition, I identified them as being unsuitable for me and this is how I knew they needed to go.

Item 1

Grey/black peasant blouse:  this blouse was bought when I was in a hurry one day.  I needed something new to wear for going out for lunch.  Last minute purchases are never ideal, and I would always advise against this.  If you can’t find what you really want or need there is too much temptation to settle for something that doesn’t quite fit the bill.

I had just given up my full-time job and started working in a new part-time post in order to allow me to grow my style coaching business.   When going through lifestyle changes, like changing career, starting retirement, or embarking on a new relationship it’s easy to lose your sense of style direction.  This means that you are more likely to buy something unsuitable if you rush into it.  This is where having your personal style coach is invaluable to help guide you through and help you discover the right look for you, as you are now.

On the face of it, the relaxed boho look of this blouse should work for me because it fits my style personality.  Unfortunately, it is a little bit too short and boxy for my body shape, so I never felt completely comfortable wearing it.

The other important reason for me deciding to relegate this top to the charity pile is the colour.  As an Autumn, I  just do not suit wearing black and dark grey tones.  Wearing the right colours can do wonders for our complexion but this does not give me that healthy glow I’m looking for.  I got around that when I did wear it, by using gold toned jewellery to play down the coolness of the top.

Item 2

Gingham shirt:  this shirt is in a colour that I can wear easily and feel great in.  

The main problem is the style of this shirt does not match my style personality or body shape. Whenever I wore it, I was always re-adjusting it.  I was seduced by the colour when I was shopping for something new for an upcoming holiday.  Then I convinced myself I needed a summer shirt because I didn’t already have one.  Now I remember why – they just don’t suit me.

I did consider keeping the shirt and playing around with the styling.  I could maybe leave a couple of the bottom buttons undone and create a tie front.  Wearing it as more of a cropped cover-up.  However, the pattern and fabric just isn’t me, and there is bound to be someone who can wear it better!

I reviewed each of my clothes in a similar way until I was satisfied that I am only keeping the things I know I will wear. 

Now that my wardrobe is sorted I can look forward to being inspired when I open the doors each morning.  It also means I can be confident that whatever I select will feel right and look good.

Are you are feeling inspired to do your own wardrobe edit?  I have put together some guidelines for you to follow.  Click here to view them Wardrobe Review Basics 

wardrobe edit