Another wardrobe purging question

I was feeling a little overwhelmed looking at my wardrobe last night when looking for something to wear. I am relatively new to YLF and still navigating my way through my style transformation and I feel that so much of my wardrobe from pre YLF days is just terrible! Combined with the fact of a 10kg weight loss over the last 6 months renders alot of my stuff unwearable as well. I feel kind of awful with just culling so many things from my wardrobe but dont know what other options I have.

I've picked up so much good advice since I have been on here and have gotten together more variety in my dressing than I ever had in the past but I find I am still looking for things that I would like to add to my collection to give myself more outfit options rather than wearing the same outfits all the time. I am also trying to add just on trend pieces into the mix as I find myself getting a little bored with basic classic styles & shapes.

I just dont know where to start, I feel like I would like to throw 80% of things out and start again but it's not practical from a financial point of view so I'm just looking for some advice/ideas on how to handle this?

I feel like I have wafflled a bit here so apologies in advance for putting anyone to sleep!

15 years ago

Frances

Active Member

Oh, Puffenstuff, I hear you! I'm not sure I have a lot of wisdom to contribute, as I'm in a similar state of confusion. But I know the other YLF members will have a lot of helpful advice.

I lost roughly 20-25 lbs. a few years ago, so I know it's hard to be in that transition state, especially if you plan or expect to lose more. But I think it's important to have some clothes that you feel great in after your weight loss. I wound up researching local tailors to find a highly recommended one, and then I gradually took some of my most beloved clothing items to him for alterations every other week or as frequently as my budget would allow. Though it was expensive, it was much less expensive than buying a whole new wardrobe. But for cheaper items like long-sleeve t-shirts and clothes I hadn't liked to begin with, I just donated and replaced them.

I also have found inexpensive accessories to be really helpful over the past few years. A splash of bright color from a new scarf or bracelet or pair of shoes is still seeing me through this period of trying to figure out (and afford) what clothing works best for me and where I need to fill gaps in my closet or purge items. It's nice to know that I won't have to toss that $12 scarf from Target or that $8 bracelet from Nordstrom Rack, even if I do have to overhaul the clothes in my closet!

Rosie

Veteran

Oh Puffenstuff, I know exactly what you are feeling. While I haven't had the weight loss success recently, I do feel that a lot of the thing in my closet are not really what I want to be wearing right now. I've wanted to almost start over but it's just not financially feasible.

Maybe a good way to go about it is to slowly replace the pieces you don't love with similar items you love and that fit. Figure out some kind of order of importance, like what you wear the most or what would go with the stuff you own that you DO love. That way you won't feel like you have nothing.

I think one of the keys is really figuring out how you want to appear and the kinds of clothes you want to be wearing. For me that is the hardest part. Once you do that, selecting the right things might be easier!

wilson

I was in a similar predicament a while ago and it is really frustrating and overwhelming. Something that helped me a lot was to make a list of exact items I wanted in my wardrobe. Mine was a list for basics; things like a little black dress, white button down shirt, pants for flats, pants for heels, suit jacket, etc. Having the list helped to keep me focused and I put some thought into the exact details I wanted in each item. It was a slow process for me but it did happen.

It sounds like you might have your basics pretty dialed in but maybe making a list of exact items/outfits/looks/accessories you want to add would help.

April

I'm going to second Paige in emphasizing good basics. I think it's tempting, when you start getting interested in style, to jump in with statement pieces -- and then end up with nothing to wear.

Also, give yourself the gift of time. It takes a while to build a "new" wardrobe, but you'll get there. Do one tiny piece at a time ("Today I will donate two pairs of pants to Goodwill;" "Today I will identify one piece that's too big that I want to keep and have tailored") and don't get overwhelmed by the Big Picture.

Louise

I agree with April one piece at a time, concentrate on basics/ things that will work together ie no point buying a top which will only work with one pair of trousers , add lots of fun and colour with cheap accessories, will some of your larger tops work as voluminous tops belted? x

Are you at target weight? If not i'd buy cheap and cheerful clothes no point spending a fortune on things which won't fit in a couple of months. I still buy cheap but i do like on trend things which perhaps have a shorter self life so i buy these cheap and I get bored of things so don't feel so guilty chucking cheap things x

Queen Mum

I second the suggestion to have some things altered... if they are great pieces and worth the alteration cost. otherwise, if it doesn't fit, out it goes. Even if you're left with virtually nothing, it's better to see exactly what you have to work with every morning than navigating around a closet full of ill fitting clothing.

Oh and if you start using larger pieces for belting remember they are only a stop gap once you can replace them chuck it out don't keep it x

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I hear you, Karen. Unless you do it regularly, closet editing can be overwhelming.

Read this post and click through all the links. It should give you a good idea on how to start:

http://youlookfab.com/2009/01/.....al-closet/

Lisa

There are already a lot of great ideas here but my two cents, I would start with deciding how many outfits you need, for example, maybe two weeks worth. Then try everything on and create two weeks of outfits. Now you can put aside the rest and focus on building up the current outfits, maybe day 1 outfit needs a bracelet, day two a new cami, etc. Buy pieces that finish off those outfits, then focus on expanding and buying completely new outfits. If you didn't touch the additional items that were set aside, you can donate/sell those because you still have two weeks worth of clothing to wear.

Refugee

I'm still new here too and going through the culling process. I also had a weight loss as well. I've been going through things in small pieces. You said you have a lot of things that are just unwearable because of the weight loss. I would start with those items. Look at each individual item in that group. If it fit would you wear it? If not get rid of it. If yes, can it be altered to fit? Make 2 piles those that may be altered those that can't. If it is something that is unwearable, all it is doing is taking up space.
I had a difficult time getting rid of clothes until I started looking at my closet the same way I look at my fridge. I don't leave inedible (spoiled) food in my fridge, why would I keep unwearable clothes in my closet? Both need to be cleaned out on a regular basis.

puffenstuff

Thanks everyone for the great feedback - some great suggestions in there from you all. I am determined now I have to set aside some time to go through my wardrobe and cull things that dont fit or have no potential anymore. I am now going to treat it as my celebration for losing the weight that I have (even though I have a few more kgs to loose) and I know when I feel good in my clothes I will hopefully look good too. You are all such gems!

Anonymous

You have many great suggetions already. Having been in the same situation, just a couple of things...clothing that is more than 2 sizes too large probably can't be altered successfully. Try experimenting with belts if you haven't already to add a little something to those basic pieces. Belting also helped me to continue wearing some tops and jackets that were too big.

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