Wear what you love. Only.
This is the message I left with you in my last post, and it’s what’s going to keep you (and me) on track to completely curating our clothes for real.
Along with it, you’ll want to arm yourself with the following so you can stay focused and productive:
Favorite music. Crank up some holiday tunes or whatever pumps you up.
Time. Schedule this like an event so you stick to it (*note: how much time you need depends on volume, as well as how ready you are mentally…at least 4 hours, but probably a day).
Invite a friend. For accountability and to make this project fun.
Hydrate. Water, water, water.
Empty boxes or bags. Ready to receive donations or recyclable textiles*.
(*find textile recyclers in your area for anything too worn to give away or try out these couple national charities you can try as well: Native Shoes Remix - recycle shoes in any condition; Goodwill - sells unsold items to textile recyclers)
Are you ready? Let’s dive into my quick ‘how-to-curate your clothes’ guide below!
1. pull out your ‘faves’
What (insert clothing type) do you repeatedly reach for? We’ve all got favourites on regular rotation. Pull them out from your closet FIRST. Many say to pull everything out, which isn’t wrong but may trigger some overwhelm when you see a mountain pile of clothes. Set your faves in a pile or a clothing rack if you have one, then look for similarities between them. Same fabric, color, or pattern? What about repeat garment types or shapes? This simple exercise is revealing your style. What you reach for most is what you feel good wearing and the similarities you find between your faves show you what about them you’re attracted to. Having an a-ha moment? Yay! Keep what you’ve learned in mind as it will help filter through the rest of your clothes in the next step.
2. categorize the 'nots'
As in not ever, not now, or not sure how. With your faves separated out, you’ll find yourself left with what you don’t reach for often, if ever. It’s time to go through them honestly to decide which category of ‘not’ they belong to.
Not ever. Hell no. Never going to wear it. For any reason at all. When you can admit honestly to yourself that you won’t wear something, place it in your donation box or textile recycling bag if it’s too worn. Remember, someone somewhere will be grateful you let go. You’re doing a good thing for them, the earth, and yourself.
Not now. Seasonal wear. Formal wear. Pregnancy or post-partum. Garments that fit in these subcategories may still be of use to you. If so, separate them into an ‘occasional’ pile. If a ‘not now’ has become a ‘not ever’, donate or recycle accordingly.
Not sure how. Maybe you’re like me and prefer to dress simply. But you’ve got some wow pieces you'd like to incorporate into your newly identified style. These special items deserve some play time, so set them aside for step 3!
3. play dress-up
Yesss! Take those special pieces from your ‘not sure how’ pile and try them on with your faves. If a piece just doesn’t seem to work in a way that feels good to you, it may be time to let it go (and that’s okay!). Chances are, you’ll be amazed by the outfits you see come to life. There’s a reason you chose to purchase and keep those special items. Pairing them with what you know you love will leave you pleasantly surprised and inspired to shop your wardrobe more often.
This is the most fun part of the curating process. An opportunity to get creative and simply PLAY. Mix and match, take photos to remember the looks you love, and notice how you feel along the way. And let me know, too! If you don’t get to share this with someone, you’ve got accountability in me, right here (just leave a comment below).
4. style your closet
If you’ve made it here, you’ve accomplished A LOT. You know your go-to faves and what fun special pieces to match them with. Your donations and recyclables are boxed in the trunk of your car (seriously, do not skip this part!) and en route to someone who is going to appreciate your generosity (and YOU) so much. It’s time to put your new closet back together…with some style.
Spruce up your closet with wall art and faux greenery.
There are two super simple ways to make your closet both practically and aesthetically organized without having to invest in a fancy closet system:
Same hangers. Choose one of whatever type of hanger you prefer to use or have most of if don’t want to spend much on this. The first set of hangers I ever bought was wooden and it’s still with me today. They’re sturdy, timeless, and of better value than other hangers because they last a lifetime. Wood hangers also take up more space, which is great for giving clothes a bit of breathing room between them. All that to say, by sticking with one hanger type (and color, if possible) your closet will instantly look more put together.
Broad-Color-Type. I’ve organized my clothes by type, style, and color, and they can all work well. Here’s my take on how to maintain order (i.e. easy to find, easy to put away) in your closet long-term effortlessly:
Divide your clothes into 2-3 broad categories: tops, bottoms, +/- dresses.
Sort each broad category by color. Colors evoke emotions, so when you ask, “What do I feel like wearing?” it makes sense to reach for a specific color first rather than sleeve length.
Arrange clothes within a color by type. With tops, for example, order them from the shortest to the longest sleeve. Bottoms and dresses can also be arranged by pant or hem length, respectively.
Have closet shelves or drawers? Apply the same Broad-Color-Type process and try the file fold method or rolling clothes to save on space and sanity for finding what you want to wear. Curious about how I file fold clothes? Give me a shout in the Comments and I’ll put together a video tutorial!
My closet quadrant of neutrals, colors, dresses, and pants makes what I love to wear easy to find and put back.
5. cheers with grace
No matter what step you made it through in this guide, you started somewhere and that's a start. As I always say, celebrate this win and keep going with grace. Clothes are personal. Going through them is emotional. Let this guide and our 'wear what you love' mantra carry you through to creating a one-of-a-kind wardrobe you love to step into every day.
what about yourself or your style did you find most surprising through this process?
Your discovery may be validating and helpful to others on the same journey, so please share your insights in the Comments below. And if you found this valuable and inspiring, let me know that, too!
Always,
Comments