If you’ve ever looked at a closet full of clothes and decided you have nothing to wear, we feel your pain. Sometimes, it feels like the more clothes you buy, the harder it is to choose an outfit. Is there a reasonable explanation for this widely-spread phenomenon? Where do you go wrong and how can you avoid this common woe that so many women experience? Well, the answer is both simple and complicated. It’s all about learning how to build a wardrobe that fits your style and your needs.
If you have countless party dresses crowding your closet, but the last time you went to a party was eons ago and you’re not really a party animal anyway, you’re not doing your wardrobe or your wallet any favors. Similarly, if you have too many pieces of the same kind and you can’t find anything to pair them up with, you might want to reconsider your shopping habits.
Building a wardrobe that checks all your boxes and fulfills all your expectations is not something you can achieve in a few shopping sprees. But you can learn to master the art of savvy shopping and over time create a wardrobe that you’ll absolutely love. If you need a bit of help with that, we’ll share the most effective tips and tricks with you, so you can look stylish every day.
Know your style
Knowing what suits you is the most important thing when building a wardrobe. If your closet looks like a potpourri of styles, colors, prints and patterns that don’t mix and match in any way and they don’t really define you, it’s time to find your style. Don’t be afraid to experiment, try on different styles and decide what works for you and what makes you feel like yourself. It doesn’t mean you should put a label on your style (girly, sporty, eccentric etc.), but you must find a balance and choose pieces that work well for your body shape and reflect who you are.
If it doesn’t fit, don’t buy it
Buying clothes one size smaller in an attempt to motivate yourself to lose weight is a huge mistake. So is keeping clothes that no longer fit you, thinking that you’ll wear them again one day, when planets align. You must learn a simple yet effective rule and never stray from it: if it doesn’t fit you, get rid of it. There’s no room for maybes or ifs in your closet. They’ll just clutter your wardrobe needlessly and occupy the space you can fill with clothes you can actually wear.
Explore new brands
It’s not unusual to get into a style routine fueled by shopping sprees to the same clothing stores you know and love. It’s obviously more comfortable to buy from the stores that you trust as you’re already familiar with their products, but where’s the excitement in that? Shopping for clothes should be fun and entertaining, not a chore that you have to cross off your to-do list. It’s good to have a few brands that you always go back to, but at the same time you have to explore new stores and expand your options. You’ll be surprised at the gems you can find if you get out of your shopping comfort zone.
Breathe new life into old clothes
In time clothes get worn out or we get bored of them. However, there’s no reason why you should get rid of them. A fallen hem, a scuff, tear, or stain are not the end of the world or the end of your clothes’ lifespan. you can get them fixed if you know a good seamstress or a restoration company. You can also look at it as an opportunity to get a bit creative and breathe new life into old clothing items. You can paint them or use accessories to spice things up a bit, from bows, to brooches and black and white ribbon to sequins, pearls or any other craft items you can think of.
Decide what goes and what stays
Every now and then you have to inspect your closet and do some spring cleaning, regardless of the season. If you just keep adding clothes to your wardrobe but nothing ever goes out, you’ll just create a fashion chaos that’s not going to make much sense. You must learn when you have to let go of certain items and make room for new ones to enter your life. Don’t keep clothes just because you’re emotionally attached to them or because you’re simply used to seeing them sit there. If you haven’t worn them in ages, chances are you’ll never wear them again, so it’s time to say goodbye.
Resist impulse shopping
Every now and then you might feel the sudden urge to go out and buy every clothing item under the sun. When this happens, you must resist the urge to spend all your money on clothes that you might not even need. Yes, discounts and bargains might be tempting, but don’t buy something just because it’s on sale. Decide if you really like an item or if you really need it before you purchase it. If you already have ten pairs of skinny jeans at home, buying one more doesn’t make sense, does it?
Keep it organized
Last but not least, you must strive to keep your closet organized. A cluttered closet is like the Bermuda triangle. You put one item in there and you never see it again. Try to organize your closet by categories: dresses, skirts, tops, shirts, pants etc. This will make it so much easier for you to find the pieces that you need and you can create an OOTD in no time. If your wardrobe is clean and tidy, it will be easier to scan and you’ll never forget that you own that great party dress or that suit that makes you look impeccable.
