Tips on How to Shop Your Own Closet
A few months ago, I completed my winter closet cleanout. My master closet is rather small, so I change out my clothes every fall and spring. During this cleanout, I realized I had far too many clothes to always feel like I have nothing to wear. So, I decided to cut down on shopping for new things and try to wear (shop) the clothes in my closet more. I came up with a few simple tips to come up with several different outfits using items I already owned.
1. Prep your closet for the season you are in
Put away your out of season clothes. Your closet should only contain season appropriate clothes. This makes it so much easier to see what you have when you are not shuffling through halter tops and crop tops to find your long sleeve blouses. Large storage bags are great for storing out of season clothing. Don’t forget to add cedar balls to those bags to keep moths away. Also make sure you wash your clothes before storing them. You don’t want to open up a bag of funk next season.
2. Get rid of worn clothing or things you just don’t wear
While completing your purge, if there are any damaged items, repair those that can be and trash those items that are beyond repair. Don’t donate raggedy clothes, that’s just not right. If there are items in great condition that you just don’t like in more, consider sending them to a consignment shop. There’s nothing wrong with putting a little extra cash in your pockets. Hey, I’m all about making extra coins.
3. Catalogue what you want to keep
Use Pinterest to create a style inspiration board, to help maximize the pieces in your closet. You can also document what you have by taking pictures of your pieces and using apps like Purple or Stylebook to catalogue them. You can use both apps to match up pieces and create style inspiration boards using your own pieces.
4. Match up Your Tops and Bottoms
Try to match up every top with every bottom in your closet. This is a really good way to come with several different outfits. Changing up your accessories can really change the way an outfit looks. If you can’t figure out how to wear an item several different ways, leave it in the store. Here are a few tips on how to change up the way you wear an item:
• Layer it with another item
• Add different accessories
• Change the color you are pairing it with
Here’s an example of taking one item and changing a few pieces to give it an entirely different feel. The first is a more dressy look with black stiletto pumps.
Simply changing out the shoes and the top, gives the same pieces a more casual feel.
That’s all there is to it. What do you think of those tips? Do you think you could use them to change up your wardrobe? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Working to build your wardrobe basics? My Free Closet Essentials List will make your shopping go a lot easier.
