Make The Look Your Own: Remix your closet
You love it, you hate it, and you
can't get dressed without it. Your
poor closet is stuffed to the brim
and overflowing with clothes from
every season, clothes that you will
never wear again, clothes that
don't even fit you anymore. Open
the door and an untidy pile of
sweaters is likely to crash onto
your head.
Fear no more. I will impart some easy-to-implement and practical tips to organize your closet and maximize your wardrobe.
There's an old rule: if you haven't worn something in a year, toss it. This is a simple rule to follow but isn't so easy to implement. Sometimes clothes have sentimental value, or you may have spent some considerable cash and you aren't willing to admit defeat. A less rigid rule to work with is to consider the clothes themselves. If it doesn't fit you (this goes for both baggier clothes and skinny jeans) and you don't wear it often because it doesn't flatter your frame, get rid of it. If something is so worn down that you can see through it, if it has a permanent stain or a tear that can't be sewn, it's time to say goodbye. Keep in mind, I'm not saying you have to throw out your beloved concert tee or raggedy sweatshirt that has comforted you through everything from bad colds to bad breakups. These treasures can still stay in your closet — but they need to be relegated to pajama wear. You'll thank me later.
Another thing to consider tossing are those fad pieces that were oh-so-June-2011 but now make you wonder what you were thinking. Sometimes trends do come full circle and come into fashion again, but those are typically more classic pieces: V-neck sweaters, leggings, and dark-wash denim are pieces that will always be wardrobe staples, whereas a zebra top with hot pink trim will always be tough to pull off.
Now that you've done the hard part and purged your closet, what do you do with your discards? There are several options to consider. There is always the charitable route, and it is good karma to do something nice for someone else. You can drop off clothing donations at the Goodwill or the Salvation Army, and you can even arrange for the donated items to be picked up from your home by the Diabetes Association. Make sure that these are still good-quality items. Donating stained or ripped items won't make a difference and won't help someone in need.
Another idea for savvy shoppers with overflowing closets is to consider consignment. Consignment shops take in your clothes (ensuring that they are good quality and that someone shopping would find them in style and in season) and then sell them for you, giving you a portion of the profit they make; usually around 40 per cent of the sale price. Sometimes it's hard to accept that you can make $20 for a pair of boots that may have cost you five times that much, but money is money and your old clothes aren't making you any sitting there in your closet. There are several great consignment shops in London that take in clothes regularly. They include Style 360 Selective Consignment (they like higher-end labels), Boutique Topaze, and Boutique Top Floor, whose motto is "Upscale resale." All of these shops can be easily found online. Be sure to call first, as some take in clothing by appointment only.
There are many benefits to sorting through and organizing your closet. You don't have to be a professional to maximize your wardrobe, free up some space, evaluate what you have and what you need, and even make some extra cash.
Fear no more. I will impart some easy-to-implement and practical tips to organize your closet and maximize your wardrobe.
There's an old rule: if you haven't worn something in a year, toss it. This is a simple rule to follow but isn't so easy to implement. Sometimes clothes have sentimental value, or you may have spent some considerable cash and you aren't willing to admit defeat. A less rigid rule to work with is to consider the clothes themselves. If it doesn't fit you (this goes for both baggier clothes and skinny jeans) and you don't wear it often because it doesn't flatter your frame, get rid of it. If something is so worn down that you can see through it, if it has a permanent stain or a tear that can't be sewn, it's time to say goodbye. Keep in mind, I'm not saying you have to throw out your beloved concert tee or raggedy sweatshirt that has comforted you through everything from bad colds to bad breakups. These treasures can still stay in your closet — but they need to be relegated to pajama wear. You'll thank me later.
Another thing to consider tossing are those fad pieces that were oh-so-June-2011 but now make you wonder what you were thinking. Sometimes trends do come full circle and come into fashion again, but those are typically more classic pieces: V-neck sweaters, leggings, and dark-wash denim are pieces that will always be wardrobe staples, whereas a zebra top with hot pink trim will always be tough to pull off.
Now that you've done the hard part and purged your closet, what do you do with your discards? There are several options to consider. There is always the charitable route, and it is good karma to do something nice for someone else. You can drop off clothing donations at the Goodwill or the Salvation Army, and you can even arrange for the donated items to be picked up from your home by the Diabetes Association. Make sure that these are still good-quality items. Donating stained or ripped items won't make a difference and won't help someone in need.
Another idea for savvy shoppers with overflowing closets is to consider consignment. Consignment shops take in your clothes (ensuring that they are good quality and that someone shopping would find them in style and in season) and then sell them for you, giving you a portion of the profit they make; usually around 40 per cent of the sale price. Sometimes it's hard to accept that you can make $20 for a pair of boots that may have cost you five times that much, but money is money and your old clothes aren't making you any sitting there in your closet. There are several great consignment shops in London that take in clothes regularly. They include Style 360 Selective Consignment (they like higher-end labels), Boutique Topaze, and Boutique Top Floor, whose motto is "Upscale resale." All of these shops can be easily found online. Be sure to call first, as some take in clothing by appointment only.
There are many benefits to sorting through and organizing your closet. You don't have to be a professional to maximize your wardrobe, free up some space, evaluate what you have and what you need, and even make some extra cash.
