A new season is the perfect time for a fresh start, so now is a great opportunity to refresh your wardrobe. But how to do it without blowing your budget or stressing yourself out? It’s easier than you might think with these 5 easy steps.
1. Refresh Your Wardrobe – Edit Your Wardrobe
This is a very good time to clear out and shop your closet. I often find myself wearing things on repeat, almost without thinking. It is easy for things to get forgotten simply when you are simply acting out of habit.
If you can, pull everything out of your closet so you can see what you have. If that is impractical, go through hanger by hanger and look at what you’ve got. Organise items of clothing by type or colour, or a little bit of both. Do what works for you so that you can really see what is in there.
I ask the lovely Sarah of Absolutely Fabulous Image to help me with wardrobe edits with each new season. A professional eye can really help you decide what works best for you, as well as look at great new ways of combining existing items in your wardrobe to make ‘new’ outfits.
2. Assess Your Lifestyle
How has your lifestyle changed in the past season?
- If you work outside the home, are you office or home based? Maybe it’s a combination of the two.
- Are you going out and about more or less than you have in the past?
- What is the weather like this time of year where you are, and is it likely to change substantially over the next few weeks/months?
- Have you begun travelling abroad again or are you planning to wait for a while?
For example, I have been taking lots of mini breaks in the UK over the last few months, and now our travel is starting to ramp up even more. We have a business trip to Ireland coming up, and it is likely there will be travel this summer as well – maybe even a holiday! Our tickets are booked for a long-anticipated trip to Canada in the autumn – and we may even pop over for a family wedding before that.
Our social lives haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, but we are socialising much more, although less in people’s homes and more in restaurants. I also need outfits for networking meetings and in person work events – all things that were missing from my life during the lockdowns.
3. Decide What You Need
Bearing your answers to all those questions in mind, take some time to put together a few outfits from your closet to refresh your wardrobe. Do you have everything you need or are there things missing?
Make a note of anything you need to refresh your wardrobe up to date. Do you need a new coat, or perhaps some more sweaters? Will you need a skirt or dress for any upcoming events? Do you need some new trousers that will work for both casual and more formal occasions? Have you got the right shoes or boots for the season? Write it all down.
Now make a note of the things you might like to add to your wardrobe. Have you seen a new top you’d absolutely love to wear with your favourite jeans? Is there a fabulous new scarf you have been coveting? Write this all down too.
For example, I’m going to need functional separates and layers for the temperature fluctuations in the coming seasons. These pieces will also be useful for short trips away.
I would like the pale blue leather jacket I spotted online the other day, and there’s a pretty scarf that I know would work well with a lot of the pieces I already have.
4. Keep Your Budget In Mind
Now look at your list or wants and needs and think about your budget. If you are in a stable financial position, this may be the time for investment purchases that will form the backbone of your wardrobe and last for years. However, if that is not the case, this may be the time to shop your closet as much as possible and only focus on what you truly need. Pre-loved fashion is another option to make the things you need or want more affordable.
5. Go Shopping
Whether you go shopping to refresh your wardrobe in store or online, decide what shops you are going to visit and stick to your list. Go slowly and only buy things that really work well with the other pieces already in your wardrobe. As Sarah of Absolutely Fabulous Image says “Your clothes have to work hard to earn a place in your wardrobe.”
If you are struggling to refresh your wardrobe, you may want to get some professional help from a stylist. Their fees are often more reasonable than you would expect and in my opinion it is money well spent. Since I started working with Sarah I no longer buy things I don’t need or that will hang in the closet unworn.
Face The New Season With Confidence
Refresh your wardrobe with these 5 simple steps and you can face the new season with confidence, get dressed without stressing and feel great every day!
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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!