Recently I’ve been planning my wardrobe rehab resolutions – the new year is a great time to think about how your closet evolved in the year just gone, deciding what you liked and what you would change. Although overall my wardrobe is streaks ahead of where it was this time last year, one thing I’ve noticed is that a few pieces I bought have only been worn a couple of times, mainly because they fit in with limited outfits. Not a major issue but not something I want to replicate in 2013. It can be really hard when you're in a store, the adrenalin of finding something you like (and fighting over it with other crazy b*tches) and the excitement of sale items can cloud your judgement. And it's often not until you get home that you know whether it fits with your current wardrobe or not, which is sometimes too late. This year I'm changing my approach. Rather than banning myself from shopping (a girls gotta cover her bits and pieces ya know?), this year I’ve decided on a ‘four ways’ resolution. Each time I'm about to make a purchase, I’m going to quickly plan at least four different outfits that include that item. If an item doesn't meet the four ways challenge I'm not going to buy it (probably with a few teeny tiny exceptions... I'm only human!). I’m hoping this will help me to a) chose new pieces that grow my wardrobe and its wearability b) preplan outfits with new pieces and c) save money/space/time on pieces I won’t wear.
As an example, I stopped in at the Zara sale recently (talk about chaos!) and was umming and ahhing over these leopard print heels. I’d had my eye on them for a while but wasn’t sure how they would fit in with my wardrobe. They were fairly inexpensive at $50, but it wasn't necessarily about the money (although my funds are in no way unlimited), it was more about wanting to avoid buying items I won't get loads of wear out of. And so I asked myself, there and then in the store, to decide what outfits these heels would fit into. Amongst others things, I asked myself the following questions:
Q. What four outfits (or more) would these heels work great with?
Q. Do I have anything like this already?
Q. Does the colour palette of these heels fit in with the rest of my wardrobe?
I probably looked like a total nutter in the store, staring up at the ceiling and numbering off the outfits in my head. I even used pieces in the store, of which I had similar at home, to help me visualise the perfect ensembles. I obviously decided that they were wearable enough to take home, and I haven't suffered from the smallest bit of buyers remorse yet (other than to hope the Madewell or J Crew versions I love don't pop up on ebay soon). I'm putting this one down as a win (obviously for Zara as much as for me), and can't help but now think of this style of heels as a staple in my wardrobe. Here are the outfits I came up with.
Outfit 1| Red Whistles dress (a bit like this), Brahmin satchel bag, Coach watch, earrings from Thailand.
Outfit 2| DIY Cut off shorts, J Crew t-shirt, DIY sleeveless blazer, thrifted envelope clutch, Coach watch, Giles & Brother wrap bracelet, necklace from Paris.
Outfit 2| DIY Cut off shorts, J Crew t-shirt, DIY sleeveless blazer, thrifted envelope clutch, Coach watch, Giles & Brother wrap bracelet, necklace from Paris.
Outfit 3| Thrifted nautical top, Sass & Bide skinny jeans, Whistles leather bomber jacket, Coach watch, Giles & Brother wrap bracelet, Necklace from paris.
So that's my Wardrobe Rehab resolution for 2013 - I'll let you know how it goes! How did your wardrobe evolve in 2012? Is there anything you would change, or anything you would like me to cover here to help you create the perfect closet? If you're yet to embark on Wardrobe Rehab - now's the time!
Some ideas for other Wardrobe Rehab Resolutions include:
- Define your palette: Think about what basic colours suit you so your purchases fit together better.
- Thrift more: you often find great quality in older pieces.
- Cull every 3 months: so your wardobe is a reflection of pieces you like and actually wear.
- Dress in Three Colours: can't explain how much this has helped me!
- Shop smart: Invest in quality items.
No comments:
Post a Comment