Steps to achieving the wardrobe you’ve always wanted
There are no secret tricks involved in looking amazing throughout the seasons. Follow these steps to create a stylish and well-loved wardrobe and a more confident you.
Reflect on your personal style
What is ‘personal style’? A simple answer – your outfit preferences based on the type of person you are and the life you lead. It is all about becoming aware of what you gravitate towards when it comes to dressing up. No matter if it is for work, the weekend or a party, you will always notice a pattern around your outfits. You will be sure to detect pieces that are on high rotation, seasonally of course. For example, this winter, for me, it’s been all about knits and jeggings or a tee teamed with a long flowy cardigan and a nice, warm scarf. How do you discover your personal style? Keeping notes about four things will help –
*your general outfit selection
*what makes you comfortable
*what you wish you could change
*what trends you are likely to embrace
Noticing these things can be quite a revelation. They can help you make decisions about what you think will raise your confidence and make you feel good.
Take control of what you already have
Do you swap around the clothes in your wardrobe between the cooler and warmer months? If the answer is no, I cannot stress enough how much easier this will make your life! Every tidy up is an opportunity to get out those dated pieces and make a decision on them. If the clothes are past their prime, why not donate? And if you have worn an item less than three times in the past three months then it is time to add it to your pile of clothes to swap with friends or put online!
Then of course there will be the no-brainers – luxurious pieces like your tall leather boots, cashmere sweaters, a gorgeous coat or two and pretty pashmina scarves. They are keepers without a doubt.
In addition to the seasonal swaps and packing away the out-of-season clothes, I recommend setting up a 6-8 week reminder for wardrobe tidy ups. It will not only be a feel-good activity but will also result in better visibility of clothes you’ve forgotten about, after all, out of sight is out of mind you know!
Analyse and make a list
How many times have you gone crazy shopping for clothes, accessories and make-up just because they were on sale? Think about how many times you’ve purchased all these goodies but never actually used them. Most of the time they end up neglected in a corner because you already had similar pieces, or they were an impulse buy – trendy at the time and not so great later. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? After reflecting on your personal style and sorting through what you already have, you will be a better informed shopper and there will be no more impulse buy regrets.
Here are a couple of useful tips before your next shopping trip:
*Do some window shopping beforehand. With the amount of online options these days you are sure to be able to make price comparisons.
*Make the most of mid-season and end of season sales. Don’t sacrifice on quality. Sales are great for stocking up on perennial pieces or classics that can be worn for more than just one season, such as neutral sweaters, a trench coat, animal print accessories or those fabulous tan ankle boots. Keep an eye out for good bargains and be a smart shopper!
Plan your outfits ahead and look out for inspiration
Just like you plan your coming week at work on a Sunday evening, make some time for deciding what you can wear during the week ahead. Trust me, it will not only make Sunday evening cheerful but also make getting out the door so much quicker each day! You will be more mindful when putting together an outfit and do greater justice to your wardrobe content. If you want to make the planning ahead exercise even more interesting, create a virtual pinboard on Pinterest for work and weekend looks, for example. Facebook and Instagram hashtags are great ways to find themed looks too, look for #fashioninspo or similar for some cool ideas. Shop display windows, magazines, blogs and even everyday people can be really good sources for outfit ideas, simply remember to observe.
