Easy Ways to Edit Your Wardrobe

My advice, as a Carmel Wardrobe Stylist, is early in the year is the perfect time to edit your wardrobe — why?

  1. You’re thinking of your goals.
  2. You’re ready to start fresh.
  3. Your energy level is higher.
  4. You have a full year’s historical perspective.

Let’s quickly discuss #4. Now is a great time to look at your clothing and answer a few questions. What did you not wear this last year? Pull it out and look at it. Why didn’t you wear it? Do you anticipate an opportunity to wear it this year? Be brutally honest when answering the third question. “Well, I might need it” is not a strong case. As a Carmel Wardrobe Stylist, I see that “just in case” pieces almost never get worn.

Closet Cleansing Tips from Your Carmel Wardrobe Stylist

Carmel Wardrobe Stylist advice for cleansing your closetThere are pieces we wear only occasionally like a cocktail dress or travel pieces like for the beach or a ski trip. It’s fine if you didn’t wear them if the opportunity did not present itself last year. However, within special categories, keep only what you need to (a few options typically suffice) and keep it only if you believe you will have a chance to use it again.

For pieces that are part of your “regular” wardrobe that you did not wear, take stock of why it wasn’t worn. Examples include boredom with it, not as nice as another option, and no longer a favorite. As a Carmel Wardrobe Stylist, I can tell you those can go.

The first week of the year, I noticed all my “extra” hangers were gone. I keep a handful of clothing hangers at one end of my closet. I know when they’re gone, it is my cue to cull. I advocate “one in, one out” to keep your wardrobe manageable and tidy. But even I, your Carmel Wardrobe Stylist, don’t practice this perfectly.

The good news is, I was able to remove 10+ articles of clothing in my closet in less than 30 minutes. You can do it, too. Here are my top tips for a quick and easy wardrobe edit:

  1. Remove outliers. As I was looking over my sweaters, I noticed one sweater that stood out, a striped orange/teal mock turtleneck. This sweater is only about a year old. However, I noticed I felt a little bit “not myself” the last couple of times I wore it. If you have pieces that stand out AND they are not quite your style anymore, eliminate it. My sweater line-up looked a lot better after I removed the striped one.
  2. Remove pieces you’ve previously thought of removing. The last time you looked over your wardrobe, did you take a piece out and put it back in thinking you’d wear it again? I have done this! I washed this dress months ago as I prepared to donate it. Then, I kept it. When I edited this year, I realized as much as I love this dress it is not one I will wear again. As a Carmel Wardrobe Stylist, I lovingly let it go. It’s okay to give a piece another chance to see if you’ll wear it again. But if after another year you still have not worn it, it is time to let it go.

Next week, we will continue this conversation! If you have any questions for your Carmel Wardrobe Stylist before then, feel free to reach out!

Keep it sassy, Indy.

Beth Divine, MA, AICI-CIC
Carmel Wardrobe Stylist