I spent this weekend "Konmari"ing my wardrobe. I've been wanting to do this for some time, but put it off because I was commuting and had to choose my primary wardrobe based on pragmatic needs.
In addition, I wasn't ready to confront my shopping mistakes. There have been plenty over the years, and those in the past few were a bit too costly for comfort. Thanks to this weekend's efforts, I now have one large bag headed to the donation bin, and another that I hope to offload on eBay and Poshmark. I'll be posting things here in the Style Exchange, too, when I return from vacation in September.
Over the past year, the lessons I've learned include:
*Refraining from buying items in-store because of the risk of compromising fit
*Refraining from purchasing eBay items unless I have tried on the exact item previously--even then, items mightn't work because designers keep the same model name while altering the fit
*Sticking to skinnies and boyfriend denim--"good enough" isn't a high enough standard when it comes to trends, and the current trends do not suit my body type or relatively short inseam.
*Shoes. Let's not even go there.
Where I don't regret splurging is on a few impeccably tailored skirts, and my trench dress, which brings me a lot of joy.
Moving on to my wardrobe, while my day-to-day style is heavily dictated by orthopedic footwear, I still try to wear blouses and shirts; my tees are worn frequently in the hot and humid summer, but less so throughout the year. On the rare occasions that I go out for celebratory events, I wear fancier flats without support because the physical discomfort is worth it--I can't stand the look of trainers and skirts, even in casual circumstances. I made my peace with a bit of pain, though I draw the line at heels.
I have half of the walk-in closet with about a 5-foot rod, a foot of which is used for hanging drawers. I don't own a dresser, so my hanging drawers contain my tees, sweaters, and undergarments. Loungewear and gym clothing I keep under the bed in open baskets. I didn't include outerwear, loungewear, or gym clothes in my tally because those items are worn frequently and replaced when necessary. I also omitted scarves and hats, but I have less than 5 of each.
My tally is as follows:
Tops
Black silk blend wrap (fancy)
Black poly, ballet back, 3/4
Black poly, ballet back, cap
Black silk tank, loose
Black silk tank, fitted
Black merino tank, fitted
Grey poly, short-sleeve
Navy cotton V, short sleeve
Navy silk cotton U, short sleeve
Blush poly tight, short sleeve
Black-and-white striped poly tight, short-sleeve
White cotton t-shirt, loose
White poly t-shirt, fitted
White linen t-shirt
White linen 3/4
White linen tank, loose
Total tops: 16
Dresses
Black silk satin trench dress
Black poly 3/4 sleeve Jackie O
Black silk sleeveless mini
Window pane silk short sleeve mini
Green leaves silk dolman cowl
Teal sweater dress
Total dresses: 6
Skirts
Black leather A-line
Black leather fit-and-flare
Black wool pencil
Black cotton belted pencil
Navy pencil slit
Paisley pencil cotton
Multicolored floral embroidery poly A-line
Medium wash above-knee pencil (?)
Denim below-knee pencil (?)
Denim maxi distressed (?)
Total skirts: 10
Jeans
Medium wash AG Beau jeans (absolute fav)
Medium-now-light wash C/E stiletto (needs replacing)
Medium wash C/E zip ankle (needs replacing soon)
Medium wash rag & bone Dre distressed (knee rip too big)
Dark-now-medium wash low-rise skinnies
Black skinnies, high waist
Total jeans: 6
Shirts and Blouses
Black silk sheer splice (requires tank underneath)
Black silk collared
Black silk collarless
Black silk sleeveless
Blush silk collarless
Black floral silk collared, 3/4
Leopard silk PJ, 3/4
Green check poly blend
Chambray cotton ie front, short-sleeve
Plaid cotton double-collar, short-sleeve
Purple striped collared, poly blend, 3/4
White silk fancy button cuff
White silk collared
White silk, short-sleeve
White cotton voile tuxedo
Whited poly fitted collarless, 1/2
White cotton puffed sleeves, 1/2
Total shirts and blouses: 17
Trousers
Black wool, slim
Black wool, slim hip, wide legged
Black wool blend, high-waisted culottes
Black cotton nylon slim fit
Grey wool high-waisted culottes
Black leather pants
Navy leather pants
Total trousers: 7
Sweaters
Black merino maxi cardigan
Black linen maxi cardigan
Black cashmere/silk ballerina wrap
Black cashmere crew neck (unflattering, but comfy)
Black cashmere double V neck
Black merino (thin)
Purple cashmere cardigan (?)
Grey (dark) cashmere, short cape sleeve
Grey (light) cashmere, silk hem
Aqua cotton/linen
White linen open cardigan
Total sweaters: 11
Jackets, Indoor
Blue denim
Khaki linen
Total jackets: 2
Blazers
Black thick wool 3/4 sleeve
Black medium weight long sleeve (to tailor)
Herringbone medium weight
Total blazers: 3
GRAND TOTAL: 78 items
Although the total number is much smaller than I expected, the closet still feels slightly cramped for my liking. Fortunately, there's still room for a bit more culling based on joy and wear, as well as space, but I'll save that for when I return.
