I hope you have enjoyed the Summer but with a few days until it's officially Autumn, now is the perfect time to look forward. Imagine your wardrobe was full of high quality pieces that reflected your style and were appropriate for your lifestyle. It is achievable and all you need is time and a simple formula I use when reviewing my client's wardrobes....
ORGANISATION + PLANNING = THE PERFECT WARDROBE
STEP 1 - ORGANISATION
Be honest with yourself - Before you start, you need to edit. Keep your favourites, those pieces you are confident in and are complimented on. Be honest about the rest and ask yourself this; does it still reflect my style? Have I worn it this season/year? Has it ceased to be an item I wear and become a sentimental keepsake? Is it damaged/worn out/stained?
Expensive mistakes - Don't keep it because you feel you have to wear it to recoup the costs. It only acts as a constant reminder of the money you could have spent more wisely. Your trash is another person's treasure so sell it, it's good for your wallet and the environment too. Promise yourself you will reinvest that cash back into a piece that will work harder for you and bring you more satisfaction.
To see is to wear - If had a pound for the amount of times I heard a client say 'Oh, I forgot I had that!'. You are going to feel stressed getting dressed if you open a bulging wardrobe with mismatched wire hangers and lack of organisation. Clutter has a negative impact on your stress levels! Make the most of the space you have and ensure that every item is displayed properly.
Create clear divisions - It's really important that you understand your lifestyle so do a pie chart of the proportions of time you spend at work, socialising, exercising, travelling and at home. Your wardrobe should reflect these proportions. Depending on lifestyle and personality, I arrange my clients wardrobes to suit. For a city client who travels for work, I might divide the workwear and casual/social wear, using one wardrobe for each. Some clients enjoy their clothes hung in outfits so they know what they are wearing for the week. Or maybe you are more traditional and hang by type.
STEP 2 - PLANNING
Back to basics - When you wardrobe is organised and your pieces are displayed properly you will see obvious gaps. The majority of the time, clients lack good basics to pull looks together; a great white silk shirt, a tailored jacket, comfortable and stylish flat shoes.
No more last minute - Review your diary 1 month to 6 months in advance. What social occasions have you got to attend, work trips or holidays? Can you put together great outfits from existing combinations or do you need an update? Make a list and DON'T deviate from it. Shop online at your favourite stores and put the item you are looking for in the search bar so you avoid any distractions. And no last minute airport purchases!
Quality over quantity - This isn't a numbers game. A wardrobe full of low-quality impulse buys will not work as hard for you as a collection of highly edited and coordinated pieces. That's what a capsule wardrobe is; a collection of pieces that you can easily mix and match. Planning your purchases with careful consideration as to how and where you will wear it, will stop you for making mistakes and help you to create the perfect wardrobe!
Penny x