https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:32:06 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715569 Wed, 17 Aug 2016 15:53:16 +0000 Roxanna 1715569@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@unfrumped, @tanya, and @suz - hmmm. I think you are right. This is too ambitious for a day. I amplanning to take a few days off, so maybe I should spread it out, I have a habit of biting off more than I can chew. I also think i will need mini check-ins on a monthly basis to understand hwo well my wardrobe is workign for me, what needs to come back from the holding zone, what can be purged, and where the gaps are.&nbsp;</p> <p>@Cerinda and @ummlila - you are spot on! I am no good if I am not rested, fed or without music Thanks for the reminder!</p> <p>@Susie - I have had mixed luck with a holding zone before - sometimes stuff creeps its way back in - but I'm going to try to be disciplined about it this time!</p> <p>@fern and @smittie - yes, I think cohesion pieces is where I am falling short. I'll be interested to see what I discover during this analysis too!</p> <p>@Suz - as always - such brilliant advice. I didn't even think of clearing out my holding zone (which alrfeady has stuff in it!) so perhaps I start there.&nbsp;</p> <p>And you are so spot on with your statment vs. essentials analysis - this could be a whole post in itself (perhaps you should start it?)&nbsp;<br />I think in the past I have definitely fallen into the 'statement pieces' category (case in point - <i>&nbsp;</i>I do not own one. single. plain white blouse. (or black for that matter.) As you identified, this makes putting all my wonderful pieces together a challenge. In the past, when my style was more maximal and I liked juxtaposition, it didn't matter as much as i liked throwing on offbeat combinations and making them work. With my new pared down style and desire for a pared down wardrobe, these cohesion pieces (like your Vince turtleneck) are becoming more and more important, though they are not where I gravitate.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715283 Wed, 17 Aug 2016 01:41:24 +0000 Suz 1715283@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is an excellent plan! As others have said, it may take more than a day. Keep in mind that I was able to do my recent big reorganization/ clean out in a day because I edit regularly, on an ongoing basis, and I also regularly do these bigger seasonal edits. Plus my wardrobe is still moderate sized. So it was pretty much in hand already (and even so, I took 2 big green garbage bags to donation and threw out a lot of socks without mates and undies that had seen much better days!)&nbsp;</p> <p>So you might need to think in terms of categories. Also maybe make sure you've prepared the space for the "holding zone" if storage is at a premium where you live. Otherwise you might just stuff it back into the closet!&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm really interested to hear about the "glue" pieces that you may be missing. Do you prefer to buy "statement" items? I have noticed there are two main kinds of shoppers (well, there are probably lots of kinds, but these two kinds jump out at me):&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>Those who are brilliant at finding and buying beautiful statement items (whether expensive or not) or "thoroughbreds" and always gravitate toward the special details or features.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Those who are excellent at buying "essentials" or backbone pieces (which may in fact be quite luxe as well) and always have a core wardrobe but lack that special sizzle.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <br />I am the latter type of shopper and it has taken me an awfully long time to see that thoroughbreds are important and a good idea because all work and no play makes for a dull style! But the other type of shopper sometimes has trouble making great outfits out of all the fabulous pieces.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715250 Wed, 17 Aug 2016 00:20:48 +0000 Tanya 1715250@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That is a great plan and wishing you good luck!&nbsp; I think that it is very ambitious to try and do it all in single day.&nbsp; I will be doing something similar in couple of weeks, but I have taken a whole week off work and will thus spread the process over 3 or so days. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715249 Wed, 17 Aug 2016 00:20:05 +0000 Susie 1715249@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your plan is an ambitious one but I love how detailed you are with it. A holding zone has helped me with pieces I'm not sure about, though I almost never move anything back into my closet. </p> <p>Please let us know how it goes! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715247 Wed, 17 Aug 2016 00:13:02 +0000 Fern 1715247@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'll be interested to hear about "cohesion" pieces as that's where I fall short (I think). But I should have a plan as organized and well thought out as yours before jumping to conclusions! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715224 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 22:53:53 +0000 Anonymous 1715224@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good luck Roxanna!<br /> This sounds like a big undertaking but a day off will help motivate you.<br /> You are looking great and I can see you wanting to wear more fitted things.<br /> I'll be interested to hear what wardrobe 'cohesion pieces ' you need. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715220 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 22:39:41 +0000 Style Fan 1715220@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a great plan.&nbsp; I will be doing something similar in the Fall.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715208 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 22:12:26 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1715208@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Make sure you have a good playlist for the day! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715206 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 22:02:50 +0000 unfrumped 1715206@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wrote a long reply but my phone froze and ate it.<br /> Basically it was, the big attack is the right idea but it still takes me more than a day, so, you might want to identify some priority categories or some off - limit areas for focus, to be sure you get a sense of compleyion even if you need to attack another area later. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715173 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 20:58:35 +0000 Roxanna 1715173@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@Sara - that's me too. Then I spend those 15 minutes on a Wednesday night hemming and hawing over keeping 3 tops that I am too tired to try on, and end up shoving them back in the closet. This is why i needed a systematic way! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715164 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 20:48:30 +0000 Sara L. 1715164@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What an organized plan!&nbsp; I think my problem is that I just hope I'll have a little extra time and want to use that time to clean my closet (instead of all the fun things I could use that extra time for).&nbsp; Surprise, surprise - the time and inclination never seems to happen and my closet only gets cleaned in fits and spurts.&nbsp; I look forward to reading about your progress and insights you get from The Big Day. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715158 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 20:43:26 +0000 Cerinda 1715158@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great plan. &nbsp;Remember snacks and water!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715153 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 20:34:25 +0000 Roxanna 1715153@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@Janet I feel exactly the same way and that's why I am doing the review - I have too many nice things that are going unworn, and when I am bored, I buy more.</p> <p>I totally hear you on the weight thing - I fluctuate regularly and have been sized out of my wardrobe more times than I can count. That's why I'm holding on to my bigger clothes - I don't want to pitch them in case I need them later. I regularly have at least 3 sizes in my closet for weight fluctuations! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715144 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 20:23:53 +0000 Janet 1715144@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, that's an impressive plan, and I am a little envious. I need a full weekend to do a project like this, and ideally, I would have Angie here to help me. My closet needs a good review. I have too many nice things that are going unworn. I also have the opposite problem from you -- I've gained a bit of weight back and some of my stuff feels unfab because it's a little too tight. But I don't want to pitch everything that's a little snug and resign myself to my current size because I know I can do better. I've been too complacent with eating habits this year, and menopause is kicking my metabolism's ass. Meh.&nbsp;</p> <p>Looking forward to reading about your progress!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715132 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 20:08:39 +0000 Anonymous 1715132@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am impressed. &nbsp;It sounds like you are on track to successfully assess your wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715128 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:59:54 +0000 Anonymous 1715128@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ooh heck...quite an undertaking...and I'm actually going to plan something similar myself. I hope it all goes well for you. Be sure to get some music sorted and plenty of snacks! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715127 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:56:58 +0000 chewyspaghetti 1715127@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It sounds like you have a solid plan going on. Good luck (and congrats on the weight loss!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/planning-a-wardrobe-assessment-day#post-1715122 Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:53:55 +0000 Roxanna 1715122@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Okay, Fabbers. After probably a couple of years on YLF, I am finally taking the plunge and doing a wardrobe assessment. Not an 'I'm sick of all these clothes and must purge everything in sight' kind of assessment, as is my wont, but a cool, calculated, organized assessment a la <b>Suz, Cerinda, Jenn, Smittie</b>, and many others who have inspired me!&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are my steps:</p> <p>1) Book a day off (oh, how I wish I could just do this on a whim! But two small kiddos + crazy work schedule right now means I need to book the time. Which is probably better, as I will be fresh and ready. I am looking at August 27th tentatively.)</p> <p>2) Do NOT buy anything until said wardrobe assessment. Any ideas/gaps/wishes I have go into Evernote. (this so goes against the very core of my impulse shopping self.)</p> <p>3) Refer to Angie's wardrobe planning posts and review before the Big Day.</p> <p>4) On the Big Day:<br />- Take EVERYTHING out, Try it on. <br />Put it into categories <br />&nbsp;- either&nbsp;<b>Tanya's &nbsp;</b>love/like/neutral or what I've worn/haven't worn in the past year; <br />- also track when I bought something so i can understand what is new vs. old; I think this will help me understand why I don't feel current sometimes</p> <p>Decide what to keep in my closet and count the numbers.<br />Everything else: donate or (more likely) put in my holding zone until I live with it for a few months.</p> <p>5) After the Day:</p> <p>Analyze:<br />Why do the ones I kept work?<br />Why do those in the donate/holding zone pile not work?<br />Any patterns I can identify?<br />What gaps do I have that may make everything else more wearable?</p> <p>6) Monitor and Track (maybe)<br />IF i feel I can keep this going, I may load everything into an app and track wears for a season or a year, to help me understand:<br />- wear and churn<br />- what I wear most and why<br />- gaps</p> <p>So far, I have a few hunches:<br />- A lot of my wardrobe is too big/slouchy. Since the baby weight is off and I've been on a new workout regime, I've gone down a couple of sizes and things that were slouchy before now feel sloppy, which is making me feel unfab. I've been resistant to letting go/buying new tailored things bc I am so afriad the weight will come back, but I need to move on now.<br />- A lot of my wardrobe is colourful (bought during my J Crew infatuation) but now I am drawn to more neutrals, so i need to get these out of my sight as they just create visual clutter<br />- I think I am missing 'wardrobe cohesion pieces' - those magical things that tie an outfit together and make me feel current</p> <p>Phew! Well that is a lot. But I am excited to embark on this and excited to get your input! Thank you for inspiring me Fabbers! </p>