Fed up with my wardrobe - vent - YouLookFab Forum

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Fed up with my wardrobe - vent

Sisi

Veteran

Excuse me, I need to vent. I am so fed up with my wardrobe. In the morning when I get dressed I have an attack of nausea. At present, 60% of my clothes have been worn from 30 to 200+ times. I cannot stand to look at them any more even if they are still in good conditions. I wish I could toss everything and have a brand-new wardrobe. By magic, of course, without the chore of going shopping, which I hate!

Oh well, we will see. Thanks for reading.

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15 replies

Latest reply was from Sisi

Roberta

Veteran

I sympathize, I've been there! Maybe it's time to organize a clothing swap with friends. Make cocktails, or coffee and cake, and let everybody bring over the things that they're bored with but are still in good shape. It's been years since I've done this, but it is really fun.

If you are an Amazon Prime shopper, today and tomorrow are their Prime days. You can get a clothing rail for about $25 which makes it a little more fun to shop your closet or your friend's closet.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, that sounds tough, Sisi!

Roberta offers a good suggestion. A swap party! Another idea: invite a good friend over to help you with a major closet edit. Try on everything. If it is too worn or tired looking -- out it goes. If it doesn't fit -- out it goes. If it really does not fit with your current style, out it goes (possibly to donation if in good shape.)

Put the things you still genuinely love in one pile.
The things that are in great shape but just "okay" in another.

Play around with these to create new outfits, and if none come to mind and/or you are missing pieces you need to create such outfits.

In other words, you need a major wardrobe refresh or maybe even a style reset. Do these clothes still feel like "you" or do they fail to say what you want in the world?

Dee

Veteran

Is your wardrobe too big or too small? I find both can be problems.
Too small and you get bored wearing the same things over and over again.
Too big and you feel overwhelmed with choices and tend to default to the same trusty regulars.

As Suz suggested it maybe time for a major wardrobe refresh or reset.

Perhaps pulling out the true “loves” and “reliables” will tell you more about where you need to go with your wardrobe. What makes them so special or useful to you?
Then its time to figure out why the rest aren’t working for you anymore. Does the cut or fit no longer feel right?

Also do you have a Pinterest type of board to help define your style preferences? I feel it helps to see it all in one spot and then try to figure out what you may already have and what you might be missing to pull it all together.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sisi, you have a very small wardrobe (I think the smallest in this social community!) - which has been worn VERY FREQUENTLY, and for years. Understandably, you're hankering for a refresh. I sympathize!

I vote go with a shopping a friend who enjoys shopping, and whose opinion you trust. Enjoy each others company, and be productive!

Failing that, are there ways to rent wardrobes in Italy? There are in the US, so hence the question. That will provide temporary change at a fraction of the price.

Star

Veteran

Sisi I get that you are sick of your clothes. This happened to me once when I had a small wardrobe. I think all of the above suggestions are great. Maybe it could be time to do a style refresh like Bella and I have recently initiated and in this way maybe find different ways to wear your current clothes. I am seeing some of my old pieces with new eyes to put together Pinterest inspired outfits. A swap party always sounds like fun, I wish I had similar sized friends to do this with.

SarahD8

Veteran

You do an admirable job of making good use of your small wardrobe but that does sound understandable to be sick of your clothes from time to time!

You are getting good advice here about how to solve the immediate problem, but I wonder if it's also worth thinking about how to avoid the problem recurring in the future. Especially if you don't enjoy shopping. Are there any times when you *have* enjoyed the process of adding something to your wardrobe? What made that possible, and can you plan ahead to do that at some regular cadence in the future, so that you are able to refresh your options while maintaining the minimal wardrobe that you enjoy?

Sal

Veteran

Oh Sisi, how frustrating. And a bit overwhelming.

I think it is time to let some new pieces in - and work out how to do so. A new blouse livens up trousers that you are tired of, and new shoes make it all feel fresh.

I would try and build into a nice morning out- hit up three of your most reliable places and then maybe meet a
friend for lunch or coffee. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to buy everything or anything. But hopefully you can get one or two items that will be a start.

And sometimes this frustration is due to something else - maybe time for a day trip or a hike in nature or something completely different.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Is it possible for you to buy one or two new things that might give yourself a new way of seeing your tried and true items? I am a shoe person and think about that, but maybe a piece of jewelry, a belt or a scarf would work for you? Lots of good advice above, including a hike in nature or maybe a good book that is not fashion related.

Lisa

Veteran

I think we all get frustrated with our wardrobes at times, you are not alone! Trying new outfit combinations is one way to get out of a rut, sometimes wearing the same outfits again and again gets boring.

However, my personal favorite way to freshen up my wardrobe is to add one entire new outfit and then try remixing the individual pieces as much as possible with the stuff in my existing wardrobe. The new items liven things up and seeing new outfit combinations that are created from the new additions makes me appreciate my older clothes more too.

RobinF

Veteran

Great ideas above! I know for me, just a few pieces can make everything seem new and fresh. I also like Lisa's idea of a single new outfit. I have never done that but sounds like fun!

Sisi

Veteran

Roberta, Suz, Dee, Angie, Star, SarahD8, Sal, Jaime, Lisa, RobinF - thank you for the sympathy and the wise, brilliant suggestions!
SarahD8 - interesting reflection. I noticed that I easily find things that I like, and therefore shopping is quick and painless, mostly in boutiques that have high-quality clothing, rather than in department stores.
Sal - the fact that Autumn has arrived does not help my mood ...
But today is a sunny springy day and I feel better and more positive.
Thanks again to all!

Lisa

Veteran

Glad you are feeling better today!

And I agree with you, I also like shopping in boutiques. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the selection in department stores. And other retail stores where they have one or two sizes but lots of choices of items so you have to really dig through the racks (like a TJMaxx, Marshall's, etc) I often find frustrating shifting through so many items and I only shop at those places when I'm with a friend.

Sisi

Veteran

Exactly, Lisa! In boutiques you find less confusion, better quality and experienced sales assistants, able to pick out the right things for you. Also more expensive, but at the end of it all it is worth.

Helena

Veteran

Echoing Jaime's suggestion! It could be that a couple of fresh pieces will help you see your entire closet anew ... Perhaps Angie's tried and true trick of a modern silhouette of pant, but also could be a fab jacket and boots if fall is getting you down, or just something that sparks joy!

In any case I'm sorry you are feeling frustrated but we are here to cheer you through it xx

Sisi

Veteran

Thank you Helena! In fact, just sharing with the YLF community made me feel better!