There’s nothing quite like the confidence boost that you get from opening your wardrobe and feeling excited to get dressed. However no matter how well curated your closet, it is important to refresh your wardrobe regularly.
The good news is, you do not have to start from scratch or spend a fortune to breathe some new life into your style. Refreshing your wardrobe is about rediscovering pieces you already own, styling them in new ways and making thoughtful choices about what you add next.
Whether you are preparing for a new season of the year or in your life, or simply craving a fresh start, these easy wardrobe refresh tips will help you feel confident, stylish and ready for the future.
How To Refresh Your Wardrobe: 5 Easy Style Tips
1. Start with a Wardrobe Edit and Declutter
My friend and stylist Sarah van Dort helps me with wardrobe edits each new season. I find it makes refreshing your wardrobe much easier. An unbiased, professional eye can really help with tough decisions about what to part with as well as what still deserves a place in your closet.
Although many people recommend emptying your wardrobe, I find this can actually be overwhelming and make it difficult to try new outfit combinations, especially if you are working in a small area. Instead, Sarah encourages me to go through the items hanger by hanger, checking if they are still relevant, still fits or needs repairs.
At the same time, we organise things by type or colour (or sometimes a mix of both, for example blouses by colour, trousers by colour and so on). My preferences vary from season to season, for autumn 2025, it is a combination of the two.
A thorough wardrobe edit clears both physical and mental space, making it much easier to rediscover things you truly love as well as spot what is missing when you are ready to refresh your wardrobe.
2. Re- Discover Your Style and Define Your Goals
Once you have edited your wardrobe, it’s time to consider your needs, how you want to dress and the impression you would like to create. It’s funny how our style often evolves without us noticing. A wardrobe refresh is the perfect opportunity to make sure that all your clothes reflect who you really are today.
Ask yourself:- What does a typical week look like for you? How much time do you spend working, socialising, travelling, working out or relaxing? Are you looking after children or elderly parents? Do you attend formal functions regularly?
It is also worth spending some time thinking about your personal style. Do you love timeless, elegant classics or do you prefer bold, statement pieces? Maybe a relaxed capsule wardrobe is more your style? It can be a good idea to create a style mood board to help clarify what you are drawn to using magazines or Pinterest.
Having a real sense of your personal style can help you make more confident choices going forward and avoid buying pieces that are not right for your lifestyle or aesthetic.
3. Decide What You Need To Refresh Your Wardrobe
Bearing your answers to all those questions in mind, take some time to put together a few outfits from your closet. Do you have everything you need or are there gaps? Maybe you have lots of dresses but no versatile jacket or perhaps you are short of jeans or trousers that fit you well. Don’t forget, accessories are the glue that holds outfits together. Do you have belts, scarves, comfortable shoes and handbags that coordinate with your outfits?
Now make a note of anything you need to refresh your wardrobe. Do you need a new coat, boots, or perhaps some more sweaters? Are there upcoming events which might require a formal dress or suit? What about shoes? Write it all down.
Now make a note of the things you might like to add to your wardrobe. This is where you list things like that amazing new top you saw or that fabulous new scarf you have been coveting.
4. Shop Intentionally and Keep Your Budget In Mind
Once you know what you are looking for, it can be tempting to rush out and buy it all at once, only to regret it later. Look at your lists of needs and wants and think about your budget. Investing in a few well-made pieces instead of lots of trendy items is almost always the best way forward. In many cases, you will wear your investment purchases so often the cost per wear makes them very good value.
This is definitely my experience. I have a Roland Mouret occasion dress that I have worn four times a year for everything from formal afternoon events, to parties and dinners over the past six years. Cost per wear is now about £30 (roughly $50), which may sound expensive, however if you think how much you have paid for a dress to wear to just one occasion and never worn again, it suddenly makes sense. This is just one of many examples I could share.
However if you are in a season where it is important to focus only on what you truly need, it is possible to refresh your wardrobe without spending a lot of money. Truly stylish wardrobes take time – sometimes years to build. There is no timetable for your style journey!
Don’t forget about charity shops, resale websites and vintage or consignment boutiques. They can be great places to find unique items at reasonable prices. You could also consider hosting a clothing swap with friends. It’s budget-friendly, sustainable and fun.
5. Refresh Your Wardrobe with Styling and Accessories
A bold necklace, the perfect pair of shoes, a beautiful belt or structured bag can elevate even the simplest outfit. Never underestimate the power of a great scarf – it’s a lovely way to add colour, texture and personality to your look.
Autumn 2025 is definitely the season of more. Where the old advice was to remove one accessory before leaving the house, this year you can embrace a little extra flair. Try layering jewellery, adding a statement bag or a dramatic scarf to give familiar pieces a whole new lease of life. Only go as far as you are comfortable though. You want to wear the accessories, not feel like the accessories are wearing you!
Bringing It All Together
Planning outfits should be easy and even fun. The most important thing is that you feel confident, comfortable and look forward to wearing clothes you love.
Refreshing your wardrobe does not have to be about spending lots of money or chasing the latest trends. Building and maintaining a wardrobe that works hard for you is a long-term commitment, not something you do just once a season. Regular wardrobe edits, well thought out purchases and being sure to stay up to date with your sense of style will help you curate a wardrobe of clothes you love.
More Fashion and Style Advice and Inspiration
How to Wear Red with Confidence
Comments & Reviews
Yessssssss! Thank You For The Inspiration And The opportunity To Look Through My Repertoire! On It While Cake Is In Oven!
My pleasure, David! I’m glad I could help 🙂
Yes, same here! I have loads of things I haven’t worn this year. Fortunately, I still like most of them. I think I’ve only worn a dress once, since March 😉
I haven’t worn a proper dress since March either, Pauline! Guy has booked us a night away at Cliveden in September and I’m hopeful that I will wear one then 🙂
April, I wear dresses (with heels and nylons, no less!) twice a week and have done all through the lockdown. I’ve been told I’m the only woman in the country not faking it on Zoom meetings with a nice top and jewelry visible and sweats and slippers offscreen! 😀
I think that is wonderful, Jean! It truly is such a lovely feeling to know you are well put together even if you are not going out.
It’s been such a pleasure to work with you to help you achieve the wardrobe of your dreams, you always look so stylish but with a fabulous dramatic edge. Must be time for another shopping trip soon 😁
Thank you so much, Sarah! And yes, I hope so 🙂
During the past 6 months, I’ve been wearing mostly workout clothes ! I haven’t been going anywhere or seeing friends so I haven’t really given any thought to my wardrobe. Might be time to start. Thanks for the inspiration.
I think it’s important to be comfy, especially considering what we have all been going through, but I’m really glad to have inspired you, Judee 🙂
Hi April, See we’re like-minded as far as how to refresh our wardrobe. I wrote a similar post not to long ago. Visiting you at the Heart and Soul Party. Thanks fo hosting and sharing your tips.
Hi Nancy, I think a lot of people are! My stylist wrote one recently as well. I love how we all have a slightly different but complimentary take on things 🙂 Thank you for your support of Hearth and Soul!
April, as a postscript to my “reply” comment above, I think I’ve wanted to avoid going into total comfort mode with my attire in order to keep some semblance of normal and to not let standards drop altogether. To me, just wearing pajamas or workout wear all the time just because no one is going to see me is sort of like not cleaning the house because nobody is coming over.
I totally agree with this as well, Jean. I think it’s easy to slip into too much comfort mode and then it starts to reflect in other areas of our lives. And I love that turn of phrase at the end of your comment – it’s very true!