Having a wardrobe meltdown!

Louise

I have just been hit by the realisation that I have been rotating the same few tunics and leggings pretty much constantly over the last 12 months with 2 pairs of trousers and a couple of tops thrown into the mix for variety. Over half of the stuff in the larger side of my wardrobe is unworn!
I need a major wardrobe cull and a shopping plan
Just needed to get that off my chest x

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14 years ago

Urgent

22 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Kirti

(website)

Veteran

I like making outfit lists per week (after a lot of playing dress up on Sunday), so that I make sure I wear everything in my closet... maybe you could try that? A closet clean up would help too

14 years ago

Astrid

Veteran

You're just like me, I wear a few pieces again and again. They're the pieces I've bought since joining YLF though. I still have a rest that I never wear but couldn't part with until now. I think I'm going to do another closet clean up soon too! I hope you have fun purging and planning, I like to do it. Are the unworn items fab and just unworn because of other reasons? If yes, the outfit lists Kirti mentioned might help. If not, I'd do a purge if I were you.

14 years ago

Makrame

Veteran

I have also started doing wardrobe pre-planning on the weekends. Like Kirti, I play a bit of dress-up on Sunday. This really helps to either incorporate unworn items into my weekly plan or make the decision to get rid of them (if they look hideous in photos, for example, due to imperfect fit).

By doing this, I have also figured out that I have more then enough of certain types of items and don't need to buy more.

14 years ago

Tina

Veteran

Is it just the easiest thing to do or why are you wearing the same items over and over? Do the rest of your clothes not fit, are they dated or need repair? I would try and pinpoint the reason for this before purging and shopping so that you can avoid more closet orphans. Have fun, I love purging and organizing:)

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Time for a style refresher, Louise! Your melt down is understandable - now it's time to have fun with the next phase of your style journey.

14 years ago

Nadya

Veteran

When I get in a rut, I pick an item I like but haven't worn for awhile, and plan an outfit around it. Having one fixed point is less overwhelming to me than just an open-ended attempt to come up a a new outfit.

14 years ago

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Angie, how do you have a "style refresher?"

Louise - I'm curious - do you have any ideas on how your style is going to evolve?? Exciting!

14 years ago

Meredith1953

Veteran

I am trying more and more to pinpoint the exact WHY I dont' wear a piece or look. I am actually starting to write it down. If a piece gives me heartburn..I want to know WHY!

14 years ago

(website)

Veteran

I am in a similar boat. I find when I do the wash each week it's almost all loungewear, active exercise gear, or PJ's. I somewhere along the line slowly stopped really dressing. But even when I am back in the mode of putting on clothes and going out into the real world, I tend to favor some clothes over others. Asking yourself why you aren't wearing the one half of your wardrobe is a great start.
For me, it's usually two things - either I somehow in my head decide it's 'too nice' to just wear without an occasion and don't want to wear out the fabric just sitting around - or it's not comfortable for one reason or another. Comfort can mean physically tight or binding or also too attention seeking or otherwise a source of making me feel ill at ease in a situation.
Hope you get to the bottom of that unworn half of your closet, and/or sell it off for some $$$ for replacements you *will* wear!

14 years ago

Elly

Veteran

I've been in a rut for awhile. Like Mo-- lots of "house clothes" and then the same few things for going out. Then I do have a week or two with more time spent out of the house and realize I have nothing to wear! lol.

14 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

When I get into a rut, I play in my closet on the weekend and try to come up with outfit combinations with my unworn items. Then I write them down and on busy mornings I can glance at my list and wear the unworn clothes. Often I find when I am in a rush I grab the golden oldie items because I already know how to style them and I do not have time to be creative with new outfits.

14 years ago

taylor

Veteran

It happens Louise...no worries! like Lisa I also tend to Play

`~ dress up ~ when I feel i am in a rut:)

14 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Can you create some occasions to wear other items? Like dinner with girlfriends, attending a play, or just a visit to a new place in town? That sometimes helps. I know I get unduly excited about dressing for an adults-only dinner in a real restaurant!

14 years ago

ButterflyLady

(website)

Veteran

I get like that, too, Louise. If you have lots of other stuff going on in your life, sometimes the effort to work out new combinations is just too hard, and you reach for something that works.

A couple of weeks ago I did a five day outfit plan (and posted photos here) - I did it when drinking my first cup of tea of the day one Saturday morning - I chose a type of item to concentrate on (thank you, Ornella, for telling me about that) - could you do that? Maybe have a jeans week?

And Malina is right, sometimes, when we don't wear stuff, it can be because there is something about the fit or the feel of that item that means we don't feel comfortable in it, but instead of purging, we hang it back up, but never wear it!

I look forward to some posts from you about purging and outfit planning!!

14 years ago

Kari

Veteran

I totally empathize as I've been there a lot for various reasons: a change in my physique or lifestyle (such as a sudden job change that requires a different dress code), becoming obsessed with wearing certain items (*cough cough, pencil skirts), or an evolution in my style that I just hadn't nailed down yet.

What do the frequently worn items have in common that the rest of your wardrobe lacks? Are you being drawn to more comfortable clothing, a certain silhouette, a shift to a more streamlined or more casual style, certain colors?

For example, lately I've been drawn to more monochromatic outfits, which is why my dresses have all been in heavy rotation, but my pencil skirts have been taking a backseat.

14 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

" Having a wardrobe meltdown! " or an epiphany !

I like butterfly lady's idea ( as per Ornela ).

14 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Been there, got the T-shirt! For me, the first question would be whether you've been happy with the leggings, tunics, and occasional variations you've been wearing. If yes, then maybe you just need to refresh them a little and get rid of most of the other items you aren't wearing (keep a few for special occasions, or pack them up and keep them for later if you aren't ready to say goodbye, or you're anticipating a upcoming style change). After all, there's nothing wrong with a small closet and a 'uniform' if you are happy with it and it works for your lifestyle.

If you're not happy, then I think that the idea to explore why you've not been wearing things, as others have already said, is the first step. Comfort, environmental norms, orphan pieces...

14 years ago

Louise

Veteran

Thanks for everyone's thoughtful replies I will answer properly I promise but I'm on my phone and can't manage long winded replies so as soon as I can get on the big computer I will answer x

14 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

My strategy is to put my washed clothes in the back of my closet so that it forces me to wear other clothes.

14 years ago

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Oh, I so get where you are coming from! And mine hasn't been helped by some recent weight gain either. (Ahem!)

I think it is time for a ruthless cull and reorganise. I'm in if you are?

14 years ago

Louise

Veteran

Thanks all for the helpful advice

I have been ruthlessly culling shoes, boots and bags over the last 12 months but don't seem to be able to muster up the same ruthlessness for clothes?
I think my wardrobe is badly planned I shop with my heart not my head so I probably have lots of lovely things but not necessarily the other pieces to go with them!
For example I have 2 cascade cardis and 2 hip ish length cardis which are perfect with trousers but I have 5 tunics which need cropped cardis of which I have 2 but they are more suited to summer and the tunics get far more wear than trousers so 4 cardis to go with something I rarely wear and 2 cardis to go with things I wear regularly and also not suitable for the winter.

I have 4 vests but need long sleeved tops to wear them over of which I have non except layering t's but then I can only wear them with bootcuts as skinnies, tight fit layering t's and my hips are not the best look!!!
and so it goes on!!!!
I plan on going through my wardrobe and making a list of everything I have and what I need to make them work, good job it's the school holidays in a couple of weeks x

ETA- you wouldn't belive I've been here 3 years and this lightbulb is only just going on in my head, Doh!!!!

13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's never too late, Louise! These are important realizations and now - you can put what you learned into practice

13 years ago

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