People assume that stylish people with terrific wardrobes must spend a great deal of time and money looking the way they do, but looking fashionable, as with everything, is easier and more affordable when your wardrobe is organized and well kept. The same principles of organization can be applied to clothes as well as they can to office supplies or kitchen pantries. Order always helps. The first step to becoming chicer is to carefully go through your closet and drawers to determine what exactly you have.
Most people have space (or six) stuffed with items they forgot about accidentally (or on purpose), but if you don’t know what clothes you have, you certainly can’t wear them. So pull out everything. Determine what is worth keeping and what should be binned. Be as ruthless as you can in this second step. If a pair of pants makes you feel fat, toss them. You won’t wear them, and they’re just taking up space. If yellow doesn’t flatter your complexion, get rid of all of your yellow clothes.
Life is too short to look bad.
Also, toss anything that is more than two sizes too large or small. You need clothes that look good on the body you have, not clothes for a body you once had or wish you had.
After you’ve sorted through your things and put aside what you’d like to give away or donate, take the time to put like with like. This doesn’t necessarily mean creating pants/shirts/skirts sections in your closet like in a department store. Instead, determine what you will wear together, and how it could most easily be accessed when you want to wear it.
The most important part of this third step is to organize the clothing you love and look great in such a way that you will have it at hand when you need it. There is no point in having fabulous clothes if you don’t remember that you bought them or where you left them. Many people swap out their summer clothes and winter clothes every spring and fall, but there is any number of lighter weight pieces that could be used for either.
Figure out which pieces will best coordinate with the majority of your clothes and make them the core of your wardrobe. Once you’ve chosen your favorites, it will be a simpler job to deal with accessories and accent pieces. This is how being organized saves you money. While shopping can be an enjoyable activity, and it’s always fun to buy and wear new pieces, establishing a great wardrobe need not be expensive. It’s better to purchase high-quality pieces that will last over time and that can be coordinated with a lot of different clothing items.
A navy wool blazer can be paired with a skirt, a pair of pants or leggings, and can be used as a lightweight jacket in the fall and spring. It will not go out of style, and as long as it’s cared for properly, it will last for decades and can be made to look trendy with up-to-date jewelry or scarves. Structure your wardrobe with clothing and footwear maintenance as a goal. There are many tools available to help you keep your clothes in their best condition. Using the proper hanger will make a difference in the condition of your sweaters and jackets.
Allowing the proper space between garments will keep your clothes from getting crushed and will save you time at the ironing board. Don’t forget to take measures to keep moths or other pests at bay as well. A great sweater with a moth hole in it is no longer a great sweater. The same holds true for footwear as well.
A quality pair of leather boots, properly maintained, will add style and grace to many an outfit today and tomorrow. The right pair of shoes can drag a whole outfit into today’s fashion, but not if you don’t take the time to clean and put them away after you’ve gone out on the town.
Declutter, organize, and maintain. It sounds simple, right?
It is simple. It takes a bit of time to get a whole wardrobe into ready-to-go shape, but that time investment will yield huge dividends when your alarm fails to go off and you can still pull together a flattering ensemble in minutes. And you’ll be glad to have money to spend on true fashion and not on replacing damaged or lost items you’ve already purchased. The time and money you spend now will be more than worth it later.
