Have you ever looked inside your closet and drawers and felt overwhelmed? Also, do you find that you can’t find that one piece of clothing you know you bought earlier in the season?
For many of us, we collect so much clothing over time that it consumes our closets and drawers to the point where we don’t know what we have anymore.
It’s easy to fall into because of fast fashion, online shopping, and social media influence. Fortunately, there is a method to obtain the style and pieces that we love yet not have to live in a cluttered sea of clothing and accessories.
The key is to shop smarter, know what you need, and understand why you’re buying pieces that aren’t working for you initially.
1. Go Through Your Entire Wardrobe And De-Clutter
Before your next shopping trip to the store or online, the first step to regaining control of your wardrobe is to go through your closet and drawers.
It’s a good idea to set a time for yourself to thoroughly take the time and take an inventory of every fashion piece you have. This could take hours if you have many pieces, so it’s best to set a time for a wardrobe declutter.
Take everything out of the closet and drawers and place it on your bed. Inspect everything you have.
If there are pieces that look worn out, have stains or holes, put them in a forget it pile. Also, don’t donate clothes in this condition. These pieces should go in the trash.
After you have gone through all of your closets and drawers, and you know what clothes you want to keep, discard, or donate, organize your pieces neatly so that you can find them easier.
2. Make A List Before You Shop For New Fashion Pieces
A common term you may have heard many fashion stylists say is to shop your closet. It may sound cliche, yet it’s very accurate. The key to avoiding overbuying or purchasing pieces you don’t really need is to know what you already have.
Also, it’s essential that you know what base colors you have. For example, black, beige, white, navy, and brown are base colors that you can build a wardrobe around.
Next, make a list of clothing and accessories that you feel will work with what you already own. Do you need a black pencil skirt, a new white, button-down cotton shirt, or a pair of red heels? Write it all down on your shopping list.
When it’s time for you to go shopping either in-store or online, refer to the pieces on your list. A key factor you should consider before making your list is to think about if the components on your list will work with what you have in your closet currently.
For example, Will that green blouse that you have had your eye on work with other clothes and accessories in your wardrobe? Also, Can you build at least five outfits with a green blouse? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and look for a green blouse to add to your wardrobe.
3. Limit Adding Fast Fashion Into Your Fashion Wardrobe
While fast fashion is fun, convenient, and affordable, it also can be addicting and wasteful. Fast fashion serves its purpose. It’s great for trendy pieces that you don’t want to spend a lot of money on. However, fast fashion can cause chaos in your closet and drawers.
We all have been there. We watch YouTube fashion hauls and see amazing pieces that we must have, then, before we know it, our closets and drawers are overstuffed with pieces that we either will never wear or just don’t work with our other clothes and accessories.
Eventually, it leads to overconsumption of fast fashion, which leads to waste. It leads to waste because fast-fashion clothing and accessories often are made from materials that are not the best quality. Therefore, you throw them away. Not only is it bad for the environment, but it’s also a waste of your money.
4. Buy Clothes And Accessories That Are Better Quality
Marie Anne Lecoeur, a fashion stylist, specializing in French chic fashion, says that you should have style over fashion. That is an excellent concept to have in mind when you are shopping and maintaining your wardrobe. Choosing style over fashion can improve the way you dress and minimize purchasing pieces that you don’t need.
Slow fashion is a term around in the fashion industry that means you buy better quality yet less rather than fast fashion, in which you buy clothes rapidly and frequently.
Buying fewer pieces that are of good quality helps to give your closet stability. Clothing and accessories that you repeatedly wear that are sustainable and work with everything in your wardrobe will last longer for years and provide you with a foundation for building various outfits around.
So, what are good quality materials? Natural Fabrics such as silk, wool, leather, cashmere, linen, cotton, and suede are of higher quality. Good quality also means the construction, detail, and finish of the garment, shoe, or handbag.
Classic pieces have a more extended staying power in your wardrobe because they are timeless and not trendy. A piece that can withstand time will ensure that you always have the perfect outfit to wear on occasion.
5. Select Clothing That Will Flatter Your Figure
When you have clothes that don’t fit properly or don’t compliment your figure, the clothes just sit in your closet, and drawers taking up space. When you are buying new pieces, it’s key to know what works with your body shape. Not every clothing piece fits everybody.
Knowing your body shape and what colors and styles work for you will help to alleviate an overabundance of unwearable clothing in your closet and drawers. If a clothing item doesn’t fit, it’s best to return it rather than keeping it in your wardrobe in hopes that someday you will fit into it.
Another vital factor to consider is impulse shopping. When you see someone wearing an outfit on social media or browsing around a store before you purchase, you should ask yourself questions such as:
- Do I really need this?
- Where and when will I wear this?
- Does this match my personal style?
To Conclude
When you love style and shopping, it’s easy to overbuy and become overwhelmed by a full wardrobe of clothes and accessories. I have applied these tips to my own closet and drawers. Over the years, I have learned to minimize my intake of clothing and accessories.
Shopping smarter and using these tips in this article will take many clutter and disorganization away from your closet. It can help you be more mindful of what you are buying and save your money for pieces that will enhance your style and create a wardrobe that will make you feel confident.
Digest of Beauty 