Changing Your Hangers - The right ones can really help you see your wardrobe in a new way - YouLookFab Forum

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Changing Your Hangers - The right ones can really help you see your wardrobe in a new way

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I got new hangers recently. The nice walnut wooden type. And I am nearly done replacing all the plastic hangers I had been using in my closet. For me, someone who is very focused on the "look" of things it has already made a huge difference. Somehow having my clothes on really nice hangers - and grouped by color and type - has made me see my clothing more clearly. Everything looks *better*. It also made me re-evaluate some items I had been holding but not wearing. Did the item earn a place on my finite number of new hangers?

It's funny how one change like this can really make such a difference. I wonder why I waited so long. Expense? Surely I didn't spend more on the hangers than I might have spent on shopping mistakes. Laziness? Well, maybe a little ;-).

Anyway, bottom line is that changing out your hangers can go a long way in changing how you feel about your wardrobe. Just thought I'd share the inspiration!

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20 replies

Latest reply was from cindysmith

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes!! I couldn't agree more! My own hangers are not as nice as this, but last year I did take the step of replacing them all with the thin velvet covered ones -- all are matching and there are a set number. And wow, what a difference it made! I couldn't believe how much more clearly I could see my closet, how much more nicely things "fell" and just how smug I felt about my nice, neat, wardrobe!

karen13

Veteran

I have a mishmash of types. I bought “petite” hangers to avoid the shoulder bumps, but found they were not as suitable for knits as I hoped. So the some Olka hangers from the container store, which work well for knits but are a bit too wide. Then some no slips and a few of the bump begones that Angie featured a while ago. I’m envious of the look of a single hanger, but until they make narrow rounded not to thick Olka, I’m stuck.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Suz - yes, I am feeling that smug feeling too.

karen13 - I tried a few of the soft hangers too but my knits kept slipping off or still got bulges where the ends were. The wood ones seem to fit my shoulder line pretty perfectly and I fold knits that don't hang well. They make a petite version of the wooden hangers but I didn't try those.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I changed over my hangers a couple of years ago. Jackets and coats are on wooden hangers, skirts are on wooden hangers with clips, and everything else is on those thin velvet hangers. I made the mistake of buying velvet hangers in bits and pieces, so they’re different colors, but this year I decided to make that work for me. I put dresses on white ones, vests and lightweight toppers on brown ones, knit tops on black ones, and woven tops on green ones.
It does make the closet look nicer, and it also makes it easier to stick to one-in, one-out when I edit my closet.

Gaylene

Veteran

Who would have thought limiting the number of hangers could be the key to a functioning wardrobe.

When we moved into our downsized condo, I did exactly the same thing—bought wooden hangers based on my closet size, edited my wardrobe to fit the number of hangers—and ended up with functioning wardrobe! But the biggest bonus was my realization I did have a very clear, very distinct personal style despite my inability to ever come up with a catchy descriptive moniker. Being able to visualize my entire closet in my head, and knowing I have to delete an item to add a new piece, has led to fewer impulse purchases, reduced the number of “closet orphans”, and given me more control over the direction I want to go when the latest trends hit the fashion scene.

Hangers—a small investment with a huge payoff!

Anonymous

I did this a few years ago. My closet was beautiful ... for a few weeks.

Sadly, I couldn't keep it that way. Although I have a set of beautiful hangers, I often find myself reaching for those sturdy plastic hangers that come home from the stores (to air dry wet garments). Once dry, I just hang the garment back in the closet (no switching of hangers). My closet is a mesh mash of hangers ... all different types.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new hangers. I'll bet your closet is gorgeous. I am sure you will be much more disciplined than I was.

K.M.

Veteran

Oh how inspiring! I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Some questions, if you don't mind my asking:
1. Would you mind sharing a ballpark of your expense? I know it will vary for each person depending on number of items and size of wardrobe, but this is the one aspect that intimidates me the most.
2. How much time did it take you to replace the old hangers? Did you do it in one fell swoop?
3. Are these also good for pants (i.e. do they not slip)?
I'd never heard of the velvet thin hangers before! :O I hope that doesn't make me sound like I'm totally out of touch...

deb

Veteran

Where did you get those hangers? I have tried different hangers but keep going back to the plastic ones from Nordstrom. They are the best in my opinion. I would like to try the ones you posted, though.

Anonymous

Those look very luxe Texstyle.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

K.M. and deb - I got these from Container Store. The "premium" wooden hangers. You can buy them in a case of 36 for around $45 if I remember correctly. I already had some from a couple years back so I didn't have to replace all of them. I probably have about 50 shirt hangers and 20 pant hangers. And then of course more of the bar hangers for pants. I don't worry much about creases in my pants or have a need for clip type hangers for skirts so these work for my needs.

I keep a few simple thick plastic hangers for hang drying some things (just in case the stain comes off, but I've never had that happen even when I did hang something damp).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

AGREED.

Nicely done.

ladypainter

They do look handsome, and are sure to make your closet a welcoming space.
Glad you kept a few white plastics for hang-drying though.
I've had the varnish dissolve onto my hub's nice work shirts, back when I would iron them while half-damp from the washer.

tanstaafl

It’s funny how something you don’t wear, like a hanger, can affect how you feel about the things you do wear. I did this a few years ago for my closet, back when my husband and I had seperate closets. He declined to do the same at the time, thinking it was a waste of money.

Now we are in a new house where we share a closet. We need to buy some more hangers, because he has taken half of mine. Seeing my part of the closet every day made him realize how much he did like it.

Brooklyn

Veteran

It's my aspiration to do this eventually. I think it makes your clothes look more appealing. Like in a store. So the whole concept of shopping your closet becomes more attractive.

Deborah

Veteran

Thanks for sharing. I did the same thing about 12 months ago (my hangers are like yours only a lighter wood) and my wardrobe is now truly one of my happy places It sounds like we organise our wardrobes in a similar fashion and it's a dream now to walk in and select something to wear. And as a visual person I totally relate, it looks so beautiful and it makes me very happy.

K.M.

Veteran

Thanks for the info, texstyle, they are definitely less expensive than I had assumed!

deb

Veteran

Hangers have been ordered! Starting the new year of right.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

So it looks like I'm in good company on the transforming effect of nice hangers. It's funny that my clothes are nearly all quite casual but they look so much more stylish on the nice hangers. I even hang some of my favorite tees because I don't want to wear them wrinkled and when I fold them, they always seem to end up that way.

I also bought some nice heavy acrylic organizers for my makeup drawer and other bathroom drawer. SO much nicer!

ladypainter - I haven't had my varnish transfer yet but I will be careful.

tanstaafl - glad to hear you got your DH on board

Brooklyn - you are right, it IS more like a store, makes everything look more appealing!

Deborah - High Five!

deb - glad to hear you were inspired to gift yourself, I have a feeling you will really enjoy the difference.

Zibbets

Veteran

When my dd moved to college in the fall I bought thin velvet hangers for her dorm closet without realizing how nice it would make everything look. It makes a huge difference! I need to do this for myself and younger dd.

I also like the idea of having a set number. Smart.

cindysmith

Veteran

I took this concept to an extreme, and ordered up a ton of the slim velvet ones. In shocking pink. Seriously, a screaming pink. I ordered twice as many as I actually need, but that didn't stop me from purging anyway, because it just felt right. Like, some of the things just didn't seem to belong anymore. So yeah, you're totally correct <3