Mike Bisho
Having a wardrobe with too many pieces sounds like something every woman would envy, but in truth this can be a bad thing. In the morning when you’re trying to choose an outfit you need to sort through dozens of pieces to find what you want, and may not have room in your closet for anything new. Trying to own every new piece that’s offered by every designer and keep up with every emerging fad or trend can also be overwhelming and unnecessary.
To simplify your wardrobe, first start by cleaning out your closet and getting rid of everything you haven’t worn in the last year. Be generous as you go through this process and resist the urge to hang on to clothes you “think” you’ll wear again one day or those that are purely sentimental. Get a box to collect items you can donate to a charity as this may encourage you to let go of more things, knowing that they’ll be put to good use. You can even sell secondhand clothes in good condition on eBay or Craigslist or have a tag sale at your house one weekend.
Next, set aside the clothes you find yourself wearing over and over again. It’s said that most people wear about 20% of their clothes 80% of the time, so start with these items. Next, set aside clothes you wear throughout the year but less frequently. Make one last pile for clothes you do wear but very rarely. These last pieces may include little black dresses or party wear, your best jeans or fancy blouses. Make these same three groups for all your accessories and jewelry.
Now look at all three piles. Is there any way you can dress up the pieces you wear in group one or two so that you can get rid of your third group altogether? For example, your second group may include nice dresses that you think are too plain for clubbing or special dates. Can you match one of them with a nice shawl you have or oversized jewelry pieces to make them more fancy? If so, you can get rid of those club dresses or fancier dresses you wear only once or twice per year.
Look at your groups again and note how you can mix and match pieces you do wear and feel comfortable in so you don’t need everything in your wardrobe. For example, if you have too many pantsuits for the office, note how you can wear a pair of black trousers with any number of sweaters and blouses for a new outfit. If you mix and match items like this, you can get rid of some of those suits without losing choices to wear throughout the week.
Choose your most neutral pieces and items to keep and get rid of those things that you don’t wear so often, and use your creativity to mix and match, and you can simplify your wardrobe with ease.
