Tuesday 12 March 2013

Spring clean your wardrobe


Despite the current snowy climate, Spring is apparently just around the corner, (well I hope it is anyway), so as usual, its time for a good old clear out of our wardrobes in order to make space for the new SS13 collections about to hit the stores. 

Spring cleaning your wardrobe is essentially about analysing the entire contents of your wardrobe and working out what you wear, what you don't wear, what you need, what you don't need and what items flatter your figure and make you feel amazing and what items don't. 

Step 1: Ordering
If you haven't already, start by ordering your wardrobe by colour. Put all your white tops together and then work through grey, black, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and pink. This will help you ascertain how many items you have in particular colours. People often stick to the same colour garments as they know they compliment their skin tone, hair colour and eye colour, and are colours that make you feel good. They are also colours that you get compliments from others when wearing.

Step 2: Sorting
Once you have ordered your garments, you need to take each one out individually and analyse it, before separating the items into three piles

1. Items you wear regularly and like
2. Items you don't ever wear
3. Items that are only worn for special occasions.

Step 3: Analyzing
If you are unsure about an item, try it on and ascertain how you feel in that garment, look at whether it brightens you skin, brings out your eyes or contrasts or with your hair colour, in comparison look at whether it blends in with your skin and makes you look pale and unhealthy. I know certain grey's do this to my skin and I always end up shying away from those items in my wardrobe. This is an important step in the Spring Cleaning process because it helps you ascertain which colours match your skin tone, eyes and hair and will help you to avoid purchasing the wrong colours in the future. It is a much easier process than you might think because certain colours will suit certain individuals and will make your features stand out and sparkle. So when trying each item on really look at yourself in the mirror, note the colour and look at how many items of that colour you have in your wardrobe.

Step 4: Re-capping
Once you have separated your wardrobe into the three piles, take a look at the size of each pile, if your unworn item pile is small, go back through your regularly worn pile and be strict. Garments can sometimes have sentimental value or you hold onto things because you think they might come in handy but be firm and set aside clothes you really don't wear, even when they are season relevant.

Step 5: Being ruthless and swapping, selling or throwing
Once you have ascertained a pile of clothes you definitely don't wear, don't particularly like, maybe they were an impulse buy but you have never worn or a trend you tried but didn't work for you. Work out whether any of the items are worthy of Ebay, a swapping event or simply charity shop and put them in recycling bag accordingly. 


Step 6: Cleansing
Re-hang your final selection of garments that you are keeping and analyse how many items you have that are identical such as white shirts or blue tops and identify gaps in your wardrobe and items that you might need to help complete your capsule wardrobe. It might be simple things like a white blazer is what you need or you have a lot of black shirts or tops, so note to self, I don't need any more black shirts/tops. It might be an opportunity to try new colours or styles next time you hit the shops so make a note on your smartphone that you can refer to when you are next shopping.


If like me, you like to try new trends, colours, patterns and cuts each season, then a Spring Clean is a great opportunity to get rid of all season items and make room for new.


I know that I will be taking a good hard look at my wardrobe this month and getting rid of items that I know deep down don't compliment my skin tone or do anything for me. The best thing to do is organise a swapping party, as what doesn't suit one person, will make another person sparkle, so share clothes with friends and advise each other on what items look good and what items don't. 

Enjoy having a good rumble through your wardrobe as you may re-discover items you forgot you had and then you can start planning your SS13 wardrobe! Bring on Spring & Summer 2013, I don't know about you but I can't wait = )

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