Way too many clothes...nothing to wear! - YouLookFab Forum

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Way too many clothes...nothing to wear!

Fun50's

I own a LOT of clothes, but I find myself continually stuck about what to wear. I tend to buy my clothes one piece at a time and subsequently have ended up with lots of individual pieces and nothing that I really like together. I tend to run cold so I know I need lots of layers. I have sweaters, blazers and jackets of various lengths that don’t seem to go with my outer coats. My lifestyle is completely casual. I do not need to dress up for work but I have to go outside (in rainy Seattle) to get from my office to the rest of the other offices and work spaces. I’m just feeling stuck and don’t know where to start to get a wardrobe that works for me.
Suggestions welcome!

Dressing

24 replies

Latest reply was from Gretchen

The Cat

Veteran

Try to establish a cohesive style. In your profile, you have described your style as Sporty Natural. Is this description still adequate? If so, consider whether it matches each of your clothing items or if you should let some of them go. Or do you need a new description? Also, try to identify which colours, lines and fabric that make you look and feel good.

DonnaF

Veteran

Have you read Angie's various color combo posts as well as those on style juxtaposition? Consider playing around with your items and seeing which ones can make at least three outfits that make you feel good. . .and then take pics of the entire outfit so you don't forget!

Bijou

Veteran

You live in Seattle? Lucky you! I would recommend a closet edit and style session with Angie. I am sure there are hidden gems in you closet and it may help you identify those few additional purchases you need to complete outfits.

Sal

Veteran

Welcome to the forum!

I would try and do some planning - if you are in fall see if you can work out five work outfits in your wardrobe...that you like. Wear them and check that you do like them. Then do another five. See if you have gaps. Then go back to the start and maybe tweak....

I do find photos helpful for me even if you don't share them. It helps me remember the outfit as well as identify problems.

I used to shop that way too and ended up with too many statement pieces and not enough essentials. I found adding some simple tops that work under a few jackets was a real help.

I also struggle with outerwear so I won't advise you there!! I also have a casual job so my work and weekend wardrobes blend together a bit.

Fun50's

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I tend to get overwhelmed by trying to “fix” my closet all at once. (Also, with the changing weather it’s hard to know what to wear when the temperatures are fluctuating so much.) I’m going to start with a few pieces and see what I can do with those, and which items it’s time to part with. Maybe by concentrating on a few pieces at a time I can create a set of outfits that work for me and figure out what I might be missing.

VintageDawn

Welcome to the forum! I know that feeling of staring at the closet and feeling like there's nothing to wear. I ended up on Angie's blog a few years ago when I felt completely lost on my warddrobe, I had a had 2 kids, mostly worked from home but sometimes needed to actually put real clothes on and it seemed like nothing in my closet was working. I found Angies advice on editing, body shapes, capsule warddrobes to be so helpful, and now severally years later, I've got options for any season and now I feel like I'm fine tuning. I recommend browsing some of those older advice posts, and just take it one step at a time. Find a couple pieces that fit you well and figure out what it would take to make an outfit from them.

Joy

Veteran

Welcome. . I wonder if you prefer to be a bit dressy rather than ery casual, no matter what your life style. If so, dress in what makes you feel comfortable, no matter what others are wearing.
You may want to work with your coats and build some outfits around them.
I find it very helpful to have a column of a neutral color as a starting point.
It can be a top and pants of skirt of the same or co-ordinating colors. Then you can add toppers and accessories. Having footwear and bag in matching of blending colors helps. You could also create a column of color with a matching bottom and jacket ( like a suit) and add a plain or patterned top and accessories in different colors or textures. Since you want to stay warm, think of pairing tops with toppers to form modern twin sets. You could also add a matching or co-ordinating scarf for mote warmth or options. Good luck.

Jane

Veteran

Welcome! I’ve been where you are very regularly! I think your idea of taking a few pieces out and seeing what works with them is a good plan. May be do a few days outfits, perhaps 5, wear them, and see you how feel? Then edit, then move on to the next 5 days.

I don’t think I shop for a few days as it might layer on more complexity. Maybe set a target for a ‘sort’ through to completed by Christmas?

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Hello!This is the way that I tend to shop ,buying individual pieces that I like and like you I have ended up with quite a few clothes and not always sure what to wear .The things that I have found helpful are cataloguing my wardrobe on line so I know what I have got and can see it quickly and easily.The particular app I use allows me to create outfits so I can play with this in spare minutes without actually having to go through my wardrobe each time.Obviously you do have to try things on eventually but I find it helps to identify what I have and what I could add to make a cohesive outfit..I.e identifying gaps .Shopping more might sound counterintuitive but it’s more about shopping smarter,sometimes all you need might be a belt for example or a navy jumper that will suddenly bring a few capsules together and give you more outfitting options.Try and put what you already have into capsules and see where you go from there.lf you get stuck there is a lot of help and advice on this forum so don’t be afraid to ask.

Gigi

Veteran

Hmm, maybe you could use a few outfit creation sessions. Pull a piece out of your wardrobe that you like and see if you can build an outfit around it. If not, see if you can pinpoint why. Is the color very particular, and you have nothing that matches color-wise? Or is it a very short top, and you don't have any bottoms that have a high-enough rise? Make a note in a notebook about that item and why you're not wearing it. Then do the same with other items.

After a while, you may notice some patterns. For example, you have already noticed that the lengths of some toppers aren't playing well with your outerwear. Ask yourself if there is one coat you could buy that would fix that problem for several toppers at once. By focusing on the patterns, you can determine what items to look for immediately, that will give you the most bang for your buck.

Anonymous

That is the exact reason I sought out YLF. I literally had a closet full of clothing but I could not get dressed in the morning. My problem was the I bought "pretty" with no plan whatsoever. Nothing went with anything else. But it was all so pretty.

I picked my easiest capsule. I think it might have been lounge/sleepwear. I pulled everything out and evaluated it in terms of fit, comfort, compatibility, and my personal lifestyle. Eventually my lounge/sleepwear capsule was in good order. That gave me the confidence to start on another capsule.

I started very small. I practiced and gained confidence at each stage. I eventually made it all the way to my work capsule.

Now I shop with a plan. I buy knowing how it work within the scheme of my wardrobe. It took me some time to tame that beast of a wardrobe. To be honest, it might have taken me two full years.

But those years were worth it to me. I feel better dressed and happier than ever before. I saved a lot of money by focusing my shopping on clothing items that I use in my every day life. To get there, I had to realistically evaluate my life, my activities, and my climate. Eventually, I stopped buying for my imaginary life. That was one of the hardest lessons for me.

Know that you are not alone. In fact, you might be among the majority of people. Know that you can change with a little bit of effort. I suggest starting small. Select achievable goals so that you build your confidence and practice your technique.

Fun50's

I definitely buy for my “imaginary life”! There are so many good suggestions here and I’m feeling much better about figuring out where to start. Thanks!

Joy

Veteran

Sorry about all the typos. I seems it is too late to edit my earlier post.
Try throwing all or a bunch of your wardrobe on the bed. You may see some good combinations there.

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

Hi Fun50's. Welcome to the forum. You will so love it here.

I just did a major summer overhaul of my closet and realized I had way too many clothes hanging that I never wore, including 12 pairs of pants, 6 pairs black skirts, plus a whole bunch of tops that never got worn. I suppose I get overwhelmed with the quantity and end up wearing the same item item again. And that's why we have nothing to wear. So, it was time for a much needed purge.

Helena

Veteran

Hi and welcome! You've got some great suggestions here, and there are tons of great wardrobe planning/personal style assessment etc. resources on the blog, which you will enjoy!

When I feel stuck, I step away from my closet and make a plan. You could start by writing out what you think you need, based on your lifestyle and activities, the weather, how I like to dress/your personal style (e.g. do you like a 'uniform' of, say, jeans and sweater every day? or do you prefer to have lots of different options? do you love colours? or do you only wear neutrals? do you most of your week in casual clothes, but maybe have one dressier thing a week that you need something for .... ). Sort of that 'begin with the end in mind' concept.

Then, I would 'shop your closet' for the pieces that fit in with your plan. This will help you to see what you have that's already perfect for you, and identify the gaps (e.g. let's say you have 20 sweaters but no jeans, then you might choose your 10 favorite sweaters, and go shopping for jeans), and help you feel like you have a functional wardrobe in place. This will take the pressure off! More often than not, I have plenty and I actually need to remove more than I need to add!

If you do have gaps, you might see more clearly what they are now, and you can make a shopping wishlist. You might be able to shop your closet again for pieces that will do the job until you find something more ideal.

And then whatever clothing is left over, I might just set aside to revisit in a while - once you've tested out your new 'intentional' wardrobe and have a better sense of what works, what doesn't, etc. You might find there are pieces that will integrate nicely into your new wardrobe, or you might want to let it all go, or more likely some combination of the two.

Most importantly, take your time and have fun!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Lots of great advice. I would add that out in the universe right now there is pressure to love every item in your closet. That doesn’t work for me. Love is too high a bar for me. And often the items I’m not over the moon for work really well, are very useful, and I really like the outfits that include them.

Also, how your closet is organized can make a big difference. Think about how you make outfits. I usually start with the weather and a list of the days’ activities. Then I pick shoes based on that, then the rest based on the above. I keep my clothing organized by item type, length and color. A friend keeps her closet by work, casual weekend, and dressy events.

I take photos of some of my outfits so I remember them. It helped a lot recently when I needed to pack for a trip with lots of different events.

“Playing” in my closet is fun.

A buying pause can also help you focus on what works and doesn’t work in your wardrobe. It naturally leads to new combinations.

Also look at outfit combinations on YLF. Some won’t work for you but some will let you see combinations you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.

Good luck.

karen13

Veteran

Hello and welcome. You just described my closet 5 years ago. I would randomly shop and buy things that caught my eye then never wear them or feel that they were right, because I didn't have the right supporting pieces, or the did not actually flatter my proportions. SO much great advice here and I second/third/infinity. it.

What worked well for me
1) finding YLF members outfits that resonated with my aspirations style and studying them and the comments about what made them work.
2) outfit creation session trying to evoke those looks.
3) only buying thing that I can wear with multiple already owned pieces (this is a work in progress)
4) MOST HELPFUL FOR ME - posting pictures here (you can crop out your face if you are uncomfortable, or not feeling camera ready) and getting the sage advice of Angie and YLF.

Anonymous

So much good advice! A couple other thoughts:
How about starting with one go to (we call them ffbo fast fall back outfits). Then change one piece at a time. So try a different top with the combo, then a different topper, etc.
Another is to maybe reorganize your closet by color. Then you see where the outliers are, or if you have a lot of prints but are missing solids.
Also, layers are problematic- for me anyway. You may want to create formulas, like skinny pants + tunic + long topper + booties + coat (long enough for topper) and see what pieces work in those formulas.

cindysmith

Veteran

Welcome to YLF! You've definitely come to the right place; hanging out here has helped me so much, and with more than just fashion and style.

I had to quit buying pieces and start thinking about my wardrobe as a whole. I started with color, and I maintain a pretty tight color palette these days: blues (both light and dark), greys, and all the dirt colors like tan and brown and taupe. I allow myself some pink or purple from time to time, but I don't allow myself to spend a lot on pink or purple pieces, because I know from experience that it might not stay in my rotation for long.

Even with a tighter color palette, I still kept running into issues. I found that I had lots of garments I liked but they didn't necessarily work together. Some tops went better with wide leg pants and some tops went better with skinny pants, but I never wanted to wear the wide leg pants, then I gained weight and didn't want to wear the fitted tops that went with wide leg pants. So I started thinking about silhouettes. I grew up in the 80s, and I favored skinny jeans with a long, loose top. Well, when skinny jeans came back around I was beyond happy. I've realized that my comfort zone is that same silhouette I favored in the 80s and 90s: longer looser tops over skinny leg bottoms. Once I realized that that's what made me happiest, I had to allow myself the freedom to make that my default. Fashion fades, style is eternal (or something like that), and some of the most stylish people have a sort of signature look; I realized that it was ok for me to have a sort of signature look, too. That brought a lot of freedom, and allowed me to pass on the garments I knew I wouldn't wear enough to let them take up space in my closet.

Now I'm fine tuning the shoes part of my wardrobe. I haven't figured out how to properly address my feet in summer, because I really love boots. I also really love me a good point-toe stiletto, but that just doesn't work for my lifestyle or my fussy feet, so I have no idea what to do with my feet in summer. I want to love sandals, but sandals mean I have to get regular pedicures, and I don't always have time or energy for all that maintenance. I need something that covers my toes, but doesn't make my feet sweat, isn't too dressy yet isn't too casual... it's quite the conundrum.

What's so crazy is that, even if I figure out the feet, I'll probably still need to find ways to fine-tune my personal style. I live a very rural life, so there is a lot of churn in my wardrobe due to the inevitable destruction of clothing. I also have various fashion mood swings, and that created even more churn until I finally settled on a style moniker of sorts, which I was only able to do after hanging around here for a while (and joining a discussion about the zombie apocalypse of all things). I found a style moniker that encompassed all of the various fashion mood swings, and now I don't have to cycle through a whole new wardrobe every time my preferences shift; now I can just slowly add or subtract what I'm not wearing, and any pieces I invested in can go into a holding zone until my preferences shift again.

Again, welcome. Take your time, poke around and read, ask questions (these folks are great at helping me figure stuff out!), and try not to stress over it. Rome wasn't built in a day, so it's ok to take our time and figure it out as we go. XO

rachylou

Veteran

I did this while moving but what I did was pull together a limited wardrobe from everything, lived with that awhile, and then started adding things back as needed. After a bit, it became clear what worked, what I really wanted, what was needed and what was not needed. Mind, I still have a giant collection...

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Earlier this year, Angie issued a week-long challenge to all of us. The general idea, as I recall, was to dress in an outfit that most authentically felt like ‘you’. Something that makes you feel absolutely fabulous, relaxed, happy, wonderful, strong, self-confident.

Whenever I get stuck for ideas, I think of that challenge, and I’m immediately able to put together an outfit.

I cannot find her original post, but I think it was six months ago, based on one of my posts that I found. If someone finds it, can you link it here?

Another very useful observation, that I’ve seen people remark on again and again, is that statement pieces are much more exciting to shop for, than basics - but you have to have basics to make outfits work, or it’s like trying to make a fancy omelet without eggs. I find that to be very true, and I have a running list of basics that I keep an eye out for, when I shop.

Christina F.

Veteran

Do a search for Angie's posts about wardrobe essentials, etc. My large-ish wardrobe now feels more manageable because I made sure that I had the right foundation pieces to wear with other items. For me, I like to have neutral pieces I can mix and match with statement items. You've gotten a lot of great advice so far, too!

Fun50's

Based on the great input I’ve gotten I am going to remove some items from my closet and concentrate on fewer pieces. If I feel like I’m missing something I will try “shopping my removed items” before I buy anything else. I’m going to try to devote a solid chunk of time this weekend and see how far I get with creating outfits.

Gretchen

Veteran

You’ve gotten some great advice! As you work on your closet, I hope you’ll consider posting some examples of what you love but can’t work into an outfit, or cases where you have multiple options but can’t choose what to keep. The eagle-eye forum posters have been a great help to me when I’m trying to weed through my closet. Welcome!