If like me, you reach for the same trusted outfits repeatedly when rushing to get ready (despite setting an appropriately timed alarm) then this might be the perfect post for you!
Over lockdown, I’ve been living in the same repeated outfits, mainly consisting of old leggings, pjs and hoodies. Feeling uninspired to wear anything other than comfort whilst at home over the past several weeks meant that everyday has felt like a Sunday. At first this was very welcomed, but the novelty quickly began to wear off. Being somewhat over enthusiastic about the prospect of wearing jeans to the supermarket, I knew something had to change. This is when I decided to open up my wardrobe and invite my much loved clothes back into my lockdown life.
Spending time actually looking at the contents of my wardrobe is not something I have regularly done, if ever. I know in my head what clothes I’ve got, right? However, you’ll be surprised at what lessons you can learn from properly looking at your wardrobe.
Lesson One: The ‘Trusted’ Clothes
This was the first thing that struck me. When I first re-opened my wardrobe, I began to see my much-loved clothes jumping out at me. The ones that I always go-to, the ones that I trust and can rely on whatever the occasion. Being reunited with these clothes has filled me with great joy – they have certainly earned their place in my wardrobe and are here to stay. Wearing these items brings you joy, so why not don your favourite maxi dress for a day working from home? It’ll be a much needed change from joggers.
Lesson Two: The ‘Loved But Forgotten’ Clothes
Looking beyond my wardrobe staples, I was shocked to discover some garments I had clearly forgotten about. Rediscovering these garments is like a jackpot win, you love them just as much as before and now you will actually remember to reach for them.
Maybe you’ve been scrolling through online shops throughout lockdown, with many items waiting in your basket, but consulting your wardrobe first before any purchase will guarantee you will save money. Quite often our wardrobes are filled with multiple items in the same style and colour simply because you ‘forgot’ you had the original piece. Now with the knowledge of what actually is in your wardrobe you can decide whether or not you really do need that extra garment.
Lesson Three: The ‘Unloved’ Clothes
An element of all wardrobes. Perhaps these are sentimental garments worn once for a special event, or maybe they are garments bought with all the best intentions, but you’ve never actually reached for them. Either way, these clothes are unloved and you never honestly will re-wear them!
Why not pull out all those clothes and find them a home where they can be worn by people who love them? Downsizing your clothing rail will make you focus on wearing the clothes that you choose to keep and will stop you being overwhelmed from garment overload each time you open your wardrobe. Plus donating them to charity or selling them on Depop will mean these clothes will get their chance to be worn and loved again – and not abandoned in your cramped wardrobe or worse in a landfill.
A top tip if you are unsure about giving away a loved but unworn garment: place the garment away, out of sight. Set yourself a time limit – say a couple of months. If you have not once thought of that garment or reached to wear it, then you probably don’t need it.
Lesson Four: Experimentation
One fun task that comes with spending some time investigating your wardrobe is experimenting with what clothes you already have. Bored of reaching for the same outfits and always wanted to try styling garments differently? Lockdown is the perfect opportunity! This extra time at home affords you time to test out that top and skirt combo or pair your dress with that oversized jumper – no one will see right? Experimenting with your own clothes adds some fun into your wardrobe and can encourage you to re-wear your clothes again and again, switching up your usual outfits and being creative with your daily dressing.
Lesson Five: Personal Style
Perhaps the most important lesson from this exercise. Looking at your wardrobe, the colours it contains, the prints you love, your go-to clothes, tells you a wealth of information about your own unique personal style. No one wardrobe is the same and that is the beauty of fashion.
From looking deep into the heart of your wardrobe, you can discover so much about what you enjoy wearing, what excites you and what you avoid. This knowledge is vital when facing a purchasing decision: do I have something similar already? Do I wear those colours? Is this a fabric that I enjoy wearing? Being aware of what you have and what you wear is will help you make conscious purchases – only committing to items you can rewear time and time again and helping you to avoid buying items that are similar to ones already hanging in your wardrobe.
If you have a free 30 mins to properly look at you wardrobe, then it’s certainly a fruitful task. You never know what hidden gems you might discover and it may even save you some pennies . Go on, take a peak. Let me know, what insights have you learnt from re-discovering your wardrobe?
Eleanor Margaret 
Love this post! So true.
– B 🌿 (new blogger)
Care to read my blog?
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