Spring-Summer Wardrobe Switchover
Many of us go through the biannual ritual of switching out our closets to help keep the contents of our wardrobe weather appropriate. Another perk of doing this twice yearly closet swap is the chance to ensure your wardrobe reflects the you of today, instead of the version of you from yesteryear. Look at your closet switchover as an opportunity to audit every piece of clothing you own, cleaning out those items you no longer wear but are taking up precious real estate in your closet. In turn, this will help you to free up space for pieces you’ll love to wear. Here are some key things to keep in mind when making the closet switchover.
Sort Essentials from Seasonal Statement Pieces
Oftentimes, the seasonal wardrobe switchover is a daunting task (this is in addition to the fact that this past year, a closet switchover has not exactly been a priority!) Here are a couple of tips to make this task a little less overwhelming for you. First, determine which items you can keep that will act as season-less styles and can be your core wardrobe essentials. These are your basic layering pieces which you can wear as stand alone styles or as a base for layering.
Some basics which can be worn year round in season-less fabrication:
Jeans
Button Down Blouses
Blazers
Trousers
Tee Shirts
In addition to basics, you’ll probably notice that there are essential pieces that act as the basis of your personal style. There are the key items that you wear every season, whether it is that perfect white button down shirt or that bias slip dress that molds perfectly around your body. Whatever your key essentials are, don’t mistake these for your seasonal statement pieces. Seasonal statement pieces may include your favorite poncho scarf or a well tailored jacket that adds personality to your look. These are the finishing pieces that clearly punctuate your outfit and make it stand out, but are only worn during a specific time of year.
Be Realistic About What You Wear
Nothing is as overwhelming as trying to sort through a closet full of outdated or ill-fitting clothes. Many of us become guilty of holding onto clothes that we no longer wear, for a few major reasons.
The first major reason is buying into trends. At one point or another we have all fallen victim to buying the latest trendy item, only to discover that it has either: 1. Quickly become outdated or 2. Started falling apart due to cheap materials or poor construction. Another reason you may keep items which you no longer wear is the feeling of nostalgia or sentimentality you have with certain pieces in your closet. Unfortunately, there is a good chance you no longer wear these items because they either don’t fit anymore or feel outdated.
One of the best ways to boost your self-confidence is to curate a closet full of clothes that fit you and make you feel good when you put them on. Your closet should be a visual presentation to the world of who you are, and not just a reflection of what is considered “trendy” at the moment (read more about developing your personal style here). Your wardrobe should tell the story of the current you with fabulous clothes that fit your body and give you confidence.
Create Outfits
When switching over your seasonal wardrobe, instead of exchanging one set of clothing for another, try to create outfits with all of your pieces. This will help you style a closet filled with wearable looks for the season and help you avoid putting together a wardrobe that has no rhyme or reason. This is also a great way to find the gaps in your wardrobe and decide what new pieces you realistically need to purchase.
Inspect and Wash Clothes Before Storing
Have you taken your wardrobe out of storage only to find holes or stains on your favorite article of clothing? Not only is it disheartening to find that something you were looking forward to wearing is now ruined, but oftentimes you can no longer buy the same item of clothing to replace the ruined one. Inspecting and cleaning your clothes before putting them into storage, will help you eliminate this disappointing feeling.
Sort and Sell
Once you have sorted out your closet, take a look at your “get rid of” pile and see what you can sell. There has never been a better time to sell your old clothing as thrifting and buying vintage has become increasingly popular in the past few years in the sustainable movement. In addition to consignment stores, there are numerous resale apps and websites to list your old clothing items on. Not only is selling your clothes online a great way to earn a little money to splurge on pricier investment pieces that you can love for many years to come, it also gives your old pieces a chance to be loved and worn by someone else.
Organization is Key
When you have finished sorting and have decided what is going back into your wardrobe for the season, try to be strategic about your organization. See if you can put all the pieces back in your wardrobe in a way that helps you easily put an outfit together. A popular way to do this is to group articles of clothing by color, style, or some combination of both. Another way to group items is to break them up by occasion, for example: work, weekend, formal events, etc. This way you can easily create outfits with intent and won’t have to experience that “I have nothing to wear” feeling when you have a closet full of clothes.