I
used to have a jam-packed closet but
I always felt like I have nothing to wear. If this sounds familiar or if you
need a help organizing your closet, keep reading!
We sometime keep clothes
for wrong reasons. We all have this one thing we purchased just because it looks
good in the store then eventually realize it doesn’t fit our style. Or it could
be a dress we keep holding on swearing to wear it when the occasion is right,
but the occasion never comes. Or a shirt given to us as a gift that doesn’t
really suit us but we feel guilty getting rid of it. Or an old college shirt we
keep for memory sake but had seen better days.
We
should be intentional on what we keep in our closet. It’s like your fridge, if it’s filled with unhealthy foods, you’ll tend
to be unhealthy, but if it’s filled with power foods, most likely you’ll be
fit. Dressing up is a part of life and it shouldn’t be a chore. It should
be something we enjoy and we consciously choose for ourselves every day. So if
your closet is filled with random stuffs, you know what to expect.
Whether
you like it or now, the way we dress ourselves represents who we are. We can’t keep people from judging us on how
we choose to dress, its instinct, and human nature. That being said, let’s
represent ourselves well by being intentional on how we dress. Of course, it will all start in your closet.
The
solution is simple - Capsule wardrobe.
Simply put, capsule wardrobe is a compact collection of essential and timeless
pieces of clothing that you’ll use for a particular season. The intention is to
simplify getting dressed with quality clothes that you’ll actually wear.
Studies shows that you only use 20% of
what’s in your wardrobe so in essence we already have the capsule wardrobe
in place, we’re just unaware of it.
In
the book Lessons from Madame Chic by
Jennifer L. Scott, she shared her observation about the way of French people when
she was in Paris. She realized that French
people wore the same clothes in heavy rotation – unapologetically and with
great panache. This proves that it’s really not about the quantity, but the quality of the clothing we have.
Ready
to create your capsule wardrobe? Here we go!
DEFINE YOUR LIFESTYLE
Are
you working in a company that requires wearing corporate attire? Let’s fill
your clothes with the right number of corporate outfits. Corporate attire might
be boring and monotonous but that’s not the reason to deviate. I’ll tell you
later how to conform yet still stand out.
How do you spend your weekend, pretty casual or more formal affairs? Take note
of that as well. With a more defined
lifestyle, you know what clothes you need to wear.
Now,
let’s take a step up on your clothing
requirements. Many offices today allow wearing casual clothing. However I
would say to aim for smart casual.
Personally,
I worked from home but I don’t wear loungewear all day long. I still dress up a
bit. Although no one sees me, the way I dress myself affects my mood. If I’m in
my jammies, I tend to be lazy but if I dress up, it sets the atmosphere of
productivity. Not to mention that I’m always ready for unexpected errands.
Remember,
the way you dress defines you. It won’t hurt to step up your dressing game just
a bit.
DEFINE YOUR STYLE
Imagine
your outfit you feel most confident about, what’s the style? Is it shabby chic,
androgynous, boho chic or classic? Find the style that works for you and
incorporate it to your dressing requirement. If you’re office requires
corporate attire and you’re style is boho chic, you can wear a boho dress and
pair it with a structured blazer and heels. Another way is to incorporate boho
chic through color palette.
There
are plenty of ways and you can browse all over Pinterest for inspirations. Why reserve your style for special events
if you can incorporate it on your daily life.
Love this quote from Coco Chanel, as it says
is all.
“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house
without fixing herself up a little—if only out of politeness. And then, you
never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to
be as pretty as possible for destiny.”
CULL YOUR CLOSET
Now
that we define our style with our current lifestyle, it’s time to evaluate your closet and find that 20%.
Check
each piece of clothing and decide which one to stay and which one to get rid
of. Be as honest as possible when doing this and let of the “WHAT IFs”. Also, consider giving up your favorite dress
if it has seen better days! Let go of the worn out clothes.
If
there are still pieces you’re unsure of, put them in a bag and keep it for six
months. If you didn’t reach out for it within that period, it’s a good sign to
totally get rid of it. Be ruthless when you do it. What you want is to see your
closet with clothes that defines your style and personality.
ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET
Last
and finally, organize your closet. I know, this is the boring part but hear me.
If you strictly follow the first three
steps, this is an easy part. Why? Because you’ll be organizing fewer
clothes and clothes that you really love! I tell you, it’s not that hard.
There
are tons of ways to organize your closets on line but the best method is the Konmari way of folding clothes. It’s
like Science, so get the book, it’s worth it! She teaches the folding of
clothes in a way that it stands vertically so you see all the clothes at once
when you pull out the drawers. Also, when you take out a piece, the rest will
hold its place as it is standing vertically. There’s even a way of hanging
clothes.
That’s
about it. I thought this post is timely for Spring Cleaning. Give it a go and
share it to others too! Let’s step up the dressing game for everyone – one closet
at a time!
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