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Today I Start to Switch Out my Wardrobe

Anonymous

It has been in the high 70's here for at least a week. I feel it is time to switch out my winter wardrobe for my summer wardrobe. I start today.

Years ago, pre-YLF, I had a sizable wardrobe and I had to switch out my seasonal clothing every year. This is the first year in my entire life that I could fit my entire wardrobe in my closets and not switch it out. Out of sheer laziness, I considered doing just that.

I finally decided against that because as I switch out my wardrobes, I spend a lot of time making sure each garment is cleaned, pressed, and in good repair before it gets packed away. It is almost ritualistic. It signals the change of the season in my mind and the start of a new mental/emotional phase. Finally, my OCD won't allow me to keep heavy sweaters and coats in a closet that is geared for high summer. The contradiction would hit me every single time I opened the closet. So I will switch everything out.

Now that I have begun this process, I will be taking stock of what I own for summer going forward. I can finally start planning my summer wardrobe. This means my purchasing fast is coming to an end. I am going to start collecting pins and WIWs of outfits that interest me. I really want to buy a white denim skirt. You would be amazed at how many things I saw and put on my list during my purchasing fast, only to delete them the following week!!! What does that mean about me and my shopping tendencies? A bit scary.

I never deleted the white denim skirt though. I see myself wearing the white denim skirt with white tee shirts and fully tucked white shirts. I don't know if I can pull off all that white, but I think it suits me mentally and I want to give it a try.

I also really like this top, but the offered colors are not suitable for my wardrobe, but the design is good and something to keep in mind.

Finally, in an earlier post, I indicated 60 days of non-purchases. I think the math was wrong. I started January 1st. Today is only February 25th. So how could it be 60 days? Today would be 56 days.

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23 replies

Latest reply was from texstyle

Janet

(website)

Veteran

The closet switch is a great opportunity to take stock. It's why I have such a hard time purchasing before the wearing season -- I'm not actively looking at my stuff for the coming season every day when I open the closet, so it's too easy to make duplicating mistakes or underestimate that I need something like summer bottoms (which is, sigh, very likely what I will need this year, and I dread that).

We have had warm temps for a week now, and the trees are budding and even blooming, but it's going to go back to temps in the 40s and overnight lows around freezing, so I am not doing any switching yet!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh, and in contradiction to what I just said, I am trying to anticipate what I will want in the spring and summer -- I placed an order with Nordstrom yesterday to try some shoes and some short-sleeve tops/tees. I fully expect that most will be returned, so not counting them as purchases yet!

I bought two things in January (a hat and a scarf for a total of $60), and two in February -- a hoodie and a scarf, for a total of $85. That is really, really reasonable for me! My Nordstrom order will arrive late enough that anything I keep from it will be counted for March.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Unfortunately, it is way too early to start switching closets here! I like your thought process behind how you are doing it. What you are doing with Pinterest says you are now being a careful shopper. Perhaps doing this at or before the start of each season will be a good way to avoid over-purchasing or making purchasing mistakes. It sounds like your purchasing fast taught you to focus on what you need and will wear in the coming season, and that is a great lesson learned.

kkards

Veteran

sterling...i used to do closet switch out for exactly the same reasons...it forced me to go thru and get everything cleaned and pressed....however, thanks to YLF, i've realized that for the climate i live in a 2 season closet just doesn't work, and i really need a 4 season closet....so i'm still struggling how to do the closet switch out..

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

May. Or June. Sigh. That's the soonest I can think about short sleeved tops and sandals. So I am going to develop a winter/spring capsule of lighter-colored and lighter-feeling warm clothes. But no closet work just yet. It's 10 degrees here. Very jealous of your warm spring day, hope you don't have to spend all of it inside.

shedev

Veteran

I don't switch out my closets, but I do a sesons end edit where I evaluate my wardrobe. It seems like a good time to do it.

JAileen

Veteran

Hey 56 days is pretty good, so don't beat yourself up about it. I woke to snow this morning. It's not super cold (mid 20s), but no way I'm wearing spring clothes!

I don't switch out my closet. But yesterday I started cleaning out the coat closet. It looks pretty good, but there's a mountain of hats and gloves to go through. I also culled holiday clothes that I don't want anymore, and some crummy snow boots, old Teva sandals, and my ice skates. I decided falling was too risky.

Joy

Veteran

This is the first time that most everything I have fits in one closet, but I feel like I am missing out by not changing out the closet. Maybe I will want to do a big edit of something instead.
Right now I have everything hanging by color, tops first from sleeveless to long sleeves, then sweaters and jackets. That means that all seasons are mixed together, so it is hard to see just summer things. It may be time to do some re-arranging.
A couple of years ago I moved from 4 seasons to 6. Swapping out more often made it easier because there are fewer pieces to deal with. Right now we are very much in cold spring. Light colors of wools and indoor toppers are perfect. We have several inches of snow and a gardening neighbor says the last frost is in mid May. It is hard to think of summer outfits yet.
You will love having a white denim skirt. Mine is now several years old from Ann Taylor.

Jennib12

I started switching out my closet each season last spring and learned a few things.

1. I have a TON of clothes that I never wear.

2. I find it so much easier to plan and get dressed with fewer things in my closet

3. It's fun to play around with a smaller number of items. I like challenging myself to see how many outfits I can make. I've also started planning/purchasing a month ahead of the season, then once the season starts I don't allow myself to buy any more.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have never needed to switch out my closets, and do prefer it that way. I like to see EVERYTHING, all the time. But as sooooo many have mentioned on YLF, they find the seasonal switcheroo very helpful. I'm glad the strategy works for you too, Sterling.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well done Sterling and hopefully you've learnt a lot from this fast. If the white denim skirt has hung around in your head that long when other items have come and gone, hopefully it means you do really, really want it and will wear it lots when you get it!
Even that doesn't always work for me. I stalked a particular pair of tan boots in 2014 for months on 2 sites and refused to buy due to price. Finally late in the season I saw them in a shop of one of the sites, one pair left only, my size, reduced from original price $250 to $70. Felt it was meant to be... And yet, think I've only worn them 7 times. I think yet again I get a sort of fantasy in my head of how I am going to look or style something. Will enjoy WIWs from you in the future , if you post those?

Anonymous

re:
"

You would be amazed at how many things I saw and put on my list during my purchasing fast, only to delete them the following week!!! What does that mean about me and my shopping tendencies? A bit scary."

This happens to me too, with lists. I don't think it says much about your shopping, but more about the fact that you're not sure of where you want to take your style. Maybe?

unfrumped

Veteran

I have been working toward an all - in closet with exception of wool sweaters that have to be specially stored and so would not be " visible" in the off season anyway.

I'm not there yet because I am still editing and discarding. I knew I had a lot of things, like Jennib12, that I either wasn't wearing or needed to decide which were the best.

What I think is interesting is that in essence I started off this fall with kind of the fall- winter wardrobe which is skewed toward my warmest things, but started pulling in potentially seasonless items and tops that can be worn with cardigans and so on.
I was learning, hey I have this " winter sweater" but I like the fit of this summer top ( or pants, skirt etc or vice versa) so much better-- how or when can I use one for both or at least recognize my target styles.
Or , gee I have a ton of tops that seem to serve the same purpose.
Like Janet, I would have a problem in that I would start thinking about upcoming season or buying things without realizing what I had. I have 4 seasons but there is a lot of temp variation within seasons so I find it hard to make a total switch.
By pulling items in I found ways to wear some of them before the usual " season" and make k/t decisions or style direction decisions.

As wardrobe gets smaller and more manageable I can see a potential time when, sort of paradoxically, I might go from all- in to a slight seasonal storage in which the off- season items are so much fewer and are limited to items I truly would not wear for some months hence but have been vetted as loved, good- fitting at the present time--some heavier sweaters in summer or lightweight pants or summer T's not part of a layering capsule or " winterizable " capsule.

It becomes more about being able to easily see and get at and know what I've got. I also found myself making some fun new combinations I was missing out on.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I don't switch out. I am all in except for coats, boots and heavy sweaters, which I store in another room. I will switch my sandals for the boots in April. But I do regularly go through my whole closet reminding myself of what I have, reviewing what should stay and what should go and looking for new combinations of existing items. It is helpful to avoid boredom purchases and duplications.
I think you have done really well. It sounds like you have a plan going forward.

Echo

Veteran

I switch out, but I am very jealous that you get to switch out so early! We were teased with some 60 F temps, but the weather has since reverted to "normal" midwest, snowy, blustery conditions. So I did buy a pair of spring/summer red shoes, and I cannot wear them yet! Moving the closet will be several months in the future.

cindysmith

Veteran

I think you did really well on your shopping fast!

I am fascinated by all of y'all doing seasonal changeovers. I've been in an RV for so long that I've forgotten what it feels like to have a real closet. I did the seasonal changeover approach for six months when we first moved in here, and it was such a PITA that I have seriously culled my wardrobe so that everything is accessible year round.

I recently found a hole in a much loved top, so I may have to at least do a seasonal inspection a couple times a year from now on.

Anonymous

First, congratulations! It sounds like your fast provided you with some time to contemplate where you are going, and that you've made some great progress. There's nothing magic about 56 days vs. 60, so if now is the time to shop for that white denim skirt - then go for it!!

Look forward to your checking back in to report on the closet switch. I wonder if some more "needs" will become apparent once you dive into your packed away items.

I do a modified closet switchover, too. Our weather has been so oddly warm that I can't decide when to start.

Anonymous

I tried the all-in closet for a while but I found I prefer a seasonal selection. I'm not going to wear a heavy wool pullover in July, so why have it available? I find it overwhelms me to look at my whole wardrobe at once. Another benefit of the switch is that the pullover seems "new" again when it's time to unpack the fall clothes, because I haven't been looking at it every day.

The problem with this is that the seasons aren't that cleanly delineated. I dug out my sport sandals last week to go for a walk--it was in the 70s. Yesterday it snowed.

Anonymous

Ryce -- I haven't bought the white skirt. I looked at it all day yesterday. I never bought it. Purchasing fast is continuing.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oooh. I love the seasonal switch. For me, it is helpful in the ways it seems to help you -- although I won't be embarking on mine for a few more months yet, LOL.

Enjoy this time of reflection and organization.

Anonymous

It is early, isn't it Suz? What can I say? 80 degrees.

Lisa

Veteran

I used to switch out my clothes, back when I had a very large wardrobe and a not very large closet. But now I have a walk in and a smaller wardrobe, so my closet is broken into two parts. The right side is the spring and summer capsule wardrobe and the left side is the fall and winter capsule wardrobe. I simply look right or left depending which time of the year it is.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I like to move my sweaters, thicker tops and sweatshirt style items out of my closet shelves for spring/summer. It gives me room to put my tees and soft knits that I don't want to hang.