By Ruby Fox
Everyone has experienced a time, or in my case many many times, where you’re trying to put an outfit together and you think to yourself “wow, I actually hate all my clothes”. And not to be dramatic, but it is seriously the most annoying feeling ever. But not to worry, as one year ends and a new one begins, it’s the perfect time for a wardrobe reset.
The first and probably most important step in creating your dream wardrobe is finding your style and vision. Look on pinterest, stalk your favourite celebrity’s social media, make a mood board! Just do whatever you have to to get some inspiration and find your style and discover what items you need to achieve your dream wardrobe.
The next step: The Great Cull. Arguably the hardest and most tedious part, but very important to your refresh, is getting rid of all the items you don’t want anymore or that don’t match your vision. Now, don’t hate me for saying this, but it is essential, and I mean essential, that you pull out every single item of clothing you have and try on every single one. It’s going to take a while, and it’s going to be extremely monotonous work, but it’s worth it. While you’re doing this, you must ask yourself a few questions:
Does this make me feel and look great? There’s no point keeping clothes unless you look in the mirror and think “yea, I am actually the most gorgeous person in the world”. Clothes are supposed to give you confidence and empower you, not make you feel insecure or embarrassed.
Is it in good condition? I understand holding onto things for sentimental value, or because it’s a great item just a little roughed up, but unless you can fix it/get it fixed, it’s got to go! No stained white t-shirts, no jeans that have ripped so badly that it can’t really pass as “edgy” anymore. If it’s not something you’re going to wear and feel great in, get rid of it!
Finally, does it match your vision? Now this might be a controversial opinion, and feel free to disagree and skip part of this step, but just because you look good in something, it doesn’t mean you need to keep it. Unless it matches your vision it’s got to go. I have had so many items that make me look great, but because they haven’t been ‘my style’ I don’t wear them, and they sit in my cupboard collecting dust. There’s just no point holding on to clothes that you don’t love! There is someone else out there who will love it and wear it way more than you will.
If you’re struggling to make a decision, a rule that I live by is; if I haven’t worn it for 12 months it probably needs to go. It’s just not getting the love it deserves! And we both deserve better.
After you’ve got your toss pile, my advice is donate them (if they’re in good condition) or sell them on websites like Depop and Facebook Marketplace. Reusing and recycling clothes is so important in the world today because of overconsumption. According to The Australia Institute, approximately 220,000 tonnes of clothing waste is piling up every year in Australia, so, if we can all keep recycling, we can keep bringing that statistic down.
Also, not everyone can afford to buy things brand new so it’s beneficial to so many people to donate good quality items.
And now, with so much space left in your wardrobe to fill, it’s time for the best part. Shopping! And, I’m sure you can guess what I’m about to say. This is not an invitation to over consume on trendy items. Shop second hand where you can!
I understand that sometimes you can’t always find exactly what you want second hand, but if you can, try (see below story for an example). There are so many gorgeous vintage pieces and second hand items circulating that need homes.
Otherwise, buy good quality products that will last! Avoid cheap, fast fashion sites like ASOS, Shein, Zara, Uniqlo, K-Mart, Boohoo, Temu, Target, Big W, Missguided, Fashion Nova, Forever 21, H&M, Mango etc. Even Op Shops are starting to refuse donations from these stores because no-one wants them. AND, their clothes are usually all made of plastic which means even more microplastics in our water and air.
While I’m all for a wardrobe clean out, clothes are meant to be worn and loved and worn again for years. It’s not normal or sustainable to just wear something once, so invest in yourself, and buy nice things, made from natural fibres, that will last a lifetime. Because, you are amazing, and you deserve the best. So shop well!
