A closet full of clothes and nothing to wear…if this sounds familiar, it may be that you’re in a clothing rut. Instead of shopping for an entirely new wardrobe, get inspired to shop your closet in a few simple steps. It’s super easy to incorporate fresh, new looks with the clothes you already have.
First things first, toss ill-fitting clothes. Get rid of anything in your closet that no longer looks great, is faded, or just no longer suits your style. And, when we say “get rid of” we mean, if it’s suitable to pass along, then, by all means, donate it. With what’s left in your closet, we can pair up some new styles!
Let me give you a few ideas about how you can restyle what you already own.
First, catalog what you have. Make a list or a brief rundown in your head of what you have to work with. Now, it’s time to mix it up. Take outfits you have worn over and over again and rework them. Take matching outfits apart and pair them with another piece of clothing you have never thought about pairing it with. If you always wear your skinny navy jeans with a black top, try putting navy jeans or blue pants together with a red top instead.
Another simple example would be to break apart a matched suit. Decide to wear the pants with a soft pink V-neck sweater and sneakers. Take the jacket and team it with a simple white cotton shirt and add distressed jeans. The formal suit you’ve worn out is now two refreshing casual outfits.
If you’d really like to challenge yourself to shop your closet, try it for a week. All you need to do is pull out a few outfits that you wear regularly and spice them up with different pieces from your closet. Choose those comfortable outfits that you look and feel good in, but maybe they’re becoming a bit boring after several wears. Wouldn’t it be interesting if for a week straight you stuck with this exercise and created seven “new” outfits out of your “old” clothes? Match the same old clothes with pieces you’ve never thought to try wearing together. New colors, fabrics, or unique accessories will add some excitement to your wardrobe.
A big trend right now is the graphic t-shirt. Do you think in that stack of t-shirts you already own that you have one that’s in great shape? It could be a t-shirt from a band or a musical icon or a cartoon character. It could have a message on it. If the color is great on you, try creating an outfit that mixes that cotton tee with a pencil skirt, jeans, or a black trouser. Tuck it into the bottom of your choice, add a belt and you’re good to go.
With more and more casual workplace environments, you may find you’re not wearing your finer-fabric items like silk blouses. Make a new casual chic outfit by pulling out a pretty silk blouse and wearing it with a frayed denim cropped pant. Add dressy sandals or festive flats, and you’ve got a new girl’s night out outfit.
Take a closer look at your jewelry. Do you have earrings that you’ve deemed too precious to wear? I challenge you to turn them into wear-now items. Maybe you have pearls you haven’t worn in years. Create a mix of your pearls and costume jewelry. By mixing two necklaces (or more) together, they’ll fit right into a stylish, modern look.
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Take another look at your special occasion pieces. Do you have a kimono or fancy jacket that you love and never wear? Take advantage of the relaxed rules about mixing dressy and casual things together. Wear one of those jackets with jeans or a simple black, gray, or taupe dress. You may surprise yourself with how great it looks!
I hope this has you looking at the items in your closet in a new way. Sometimes it’s still hard to see pieces in a different context because you’ve seen it that way for so long. But what’s hard for you is easy for me. How about I help you create ten new outfits out of things you already own? I’m here to help. Give me a call!