We’re still in the beautiful final days of summer around here, but fall is beginning to whisper. Are you hearing the calls for a “fall wardrobe refresh?”
Does that phrase immediately spark thoughts of donation dropoffs and shopping trips? (Or perhaps more cynically “what’s that going to cost?”)
I responded to this note the other day:
“I actually think decluttering your wardrobe at the start of every season is a bad idea. It’s pitched as a way to “refresh” your wardrobe, but what it actually does is convince you to get rid of things before giving them a proper shot in the new season.
And then you end up shopping for things you didn’t really need.
A much better approach is to experiment with your existing wardrobe to find new ways to wear more of what you already own.” –Sophie at A Considered Style
And said “This! Sometimes starting fresh (with style, or writing, or business, or project, etc) is the right call. But usually we just need to look at things with fresh eyes.”
That’s how I approach seasonal (or any time) closet refreshes – as an opportunity to look at your style with new eyes.
Buy what you want but know that you’ll be confronted with it again next year. All too often this year’s purchase ends up in next year’s donation pile. And that cycle is not the way you build a wardrobe you love.
Love requires intimacy, knowledge, and trust, all of which are developed with time and care. If you want a wardrobe you love, you need clothes you care about.
Before you run into the trap of buying a bunch of new stuff. Try one of these ways to look at your wardrobe with fresh eyes.
5 ways to look at your wardrobe anew this fall:
- Recategorize your closet. If you normally categorize clothes by activity (work, casual, athletic, etc), try categorizing by color or type of item (shirts, pants, jackets, etc.) Or vice versa.
- Pull out a subcloset. Maybe you build a fall capsule wardrobe as your go-to. Maybe it’s as simple as pulling pieces you don’t wear often to the front so you reach for them more often.
- Put away what you normally reach for. Store it in a suitcase or hall closet, this will prompt you to try wearing the clothes you don’t normally turn to.
- Spend some time in the coming weeks intentionally styling outfits with clothes you would usually get rid of. Sometimes we don’t wear something because we don’t have a default outfit for it, and last minute on a Monday morning is not the time to be testing new outfits.
- Buy 2-3 new items. If 2 or 3 new items don’t revitalize your closet, then your closet is probably pretty disjointed and calls for more overarching coherence.
We can do our fall wardrobe refresh without falling into the trap of constantly cycling through endless clothes that we don’t really care about.
If you’d like a fresh set of eyes, or a second opinion, find out how we can work together here. We’ll bring some new energy and fresh eyes to your style.