There lies an assorted wardrobe to suit our needs. But what’s favorable for one individual’s lifestyle may not be the same for another. So it’s imperative to always remember that fashion is a personal thing. Nevertheless, style does transform seasonally or with economic blows so one needs not to run out and buy new clothes every season. Oftentimes, we buy clothing impulsively either because the sale or discount was just “too good” to pass it or because it looked good when we tried it on in store but didn’t give that enough consideration to its wear-ability.
Saving your clothes for that one hopeful day but they somehow keep piling & piling; and you can’t even recall the last time you wore them. Possibly you do remember but it’s hard for you to part with your garment because of sentimental attachment. How many times have you worn an item from your wardrobe that you bought because it was on a ‘give-away’ sale, but it didn’t fit quite well and you’ve never took it upon yourself to getting it tailored?
Of course this doesn’t mean that you have to give up on fashion trends because some trends become classics over time whereas others re-conceptualize classics. You may also find that you can be dressed more out of your wardrobe by creating a definitive foundation and mixing that with high and low pieces.
1. Clean out your wardrobe
Closets tend to be a cluttered, disorganized place for many of us, but it doesn’t have to be this way. According to Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner’s book, titled “You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You”, most people only wear 20% of their wardrobe nearly 80% of the time. Someday, you’ll run out of closet space, and it’s time to figure out not only what you have, but what you’d like to retain and why.
- Don’t cling on to clothes that no longer fit you unless you’re healing from postnatal. In that event, wait at least a year to one & a half years before cleaning most of your wardrobe for you not to buy the basics all over again unless they no longer fit your new self. If your garment is discolored and you’ve sent it to the dry cleaner several times and still no luck, get rid of the garment. If it’s still in good shape, gift or donate it.
- Lay out your clothes by type/ category – dresses with dresses, tops with tops, jeans with jeans, etc. What still fits? Does it fit fine? What’s dear to your heart? Do you need it? Will you ever considering tailoring it so it does fit?
- Considering buying something new? Then perhaps you should first consider donating or gifting an item that no longer serves you. In this way, you can ONLY buy what you need without accumulating to your messy closet and exercise consumerism more considerately.
- If you’re the type of person that loves new clothes all of the time, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to maybe adjust your personal finance priorities with the aim to avoid unnecessary spending on clothes you don’t even need.
2. Create a versatile wardrobe
When you have a versatile wardrobe, you literally having clothes you can wear in a selection of ways. This can comprise of both comfy and classic items. You can take various outfits from morning to evening or from work to after-work events, without the need to stop and change if you’re short on time.
- If you really want to minimize the time and money you spend getting ready, create a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is a practice of editing your wardrobe down to your favorite clothes (clothes that fit your lifestyle + body right now), remixing them regularly, and shopping less often and more intentionally
- Recreate your basic items, e.g. your favorite shirt or a basic white shirt seasonally.
3. Take good care of your clothes
How you take care of your clothes is as important as what you choose to keep or buy. This applies to how to read clothing care labels and how to care for different fabrics, from stain removal to ironing.
- Pre-treat and wash your clothes according to care labels to prevent stubborn stains.
- Look, learn & search for tips on how to care for an array of fabrics with guides such as Clothing 101: Guide to different fabrics.
- Alternate your clothes out by season and store them properly to prevent unforeseen damage.
- Capitalize in a good quality tailor. If a garment you love no longer fits you or you bought a high-quality classic, but it doesn’t quite fit you right, take it to a good tailor.
Start cleaning your wardrobe this weekend to get the most out of your clothes! It may benefit you to re-discover or amend your style according to what suits you without having to buy new clothes. Consider these tips on how to get the most out of your wardrobe and you will never look back!