Steps to the ultimate wardrobe, part I: challenge yourself

 Most people have a closet full of assets, yet declare to have nothing to wear. Let’s try to fix that. Here is a challenge: try wearing different outfits every day for a week — to start. The idea is, you can wear the same items, just style them differently each time. For example if on Monday you wore a white shirt with grey pants (skirt), you can put on the same shirt on, say, on Thursday (after the laundry?) but this time with green pants (skirt), as an option, layer it under a jacket, sweater or vest. If it’s a dress, pair it with different shoes and accessories each time, wear it over a button down shirt or light sweater, or under a cardigan or jacket. If you wear a uniform for work, spread this exercise just to your time off duty. To keep track of what you wore, take a picture of your chosen clothes right before putting them on, or of yourself before undressing in the evening. If at the end of the week you feel accomplished and still embracing the challenge, go for another week of the same practice. 

Now, it’s time to tally up and select your winners. See which items you wore the most and why: were they easiest to pair with the rest of your wardrobe? Were they most comfortable? Were they easier to care for (laundry, wrinkles)? Check in your closet, do you have similar items that you somehow din’t wear during this period of time? Try those on and find the reason of your neglect: is the fit off? Is there a damage (spot, tear, missing button)? Is the colour not flattering on you anymore? Does the item have bad vibes (you were it last to a sad occasion, or it was given to you by a person you wish to forget)? Take damaged and ill-fitting items to your trusted tailor for a diagnosis as soon as you can, so that they don’t take up your valuable real estate space without use. Fix what can be fixed, but if the tailor declares items as “served their time”, take them to a donation place: a theatre or an artist might be looking for just that kind of a disheveled thing. As for the garments that turn you off emotionally, put them in a clear container for a year of probation. If during that time you have not changed your relation to these items, try finding a new home for them among your kin or by selling/donating them. 

However, if the item(s) you gravitated to most in the week or two of no-repeat experiment had no substitutions among your clothes, see if you replicate them: buy something similar in style, colour and fabric content (most importantly), or get it custom made. Keep it in mind by way of a picture of yourself in the aforementioned item next time you are looking for a wardrobe refresh, instead of buying what is trendy or on sale.

As for the items that did not get any of your attention during the challenge time, they need evaluation. You might actually want to invite a friend or relative, especially someone who knows how to tailor and/or has a taste in clothes similar to yours. You can even do it through a video call (FaceTime, Zoom). I do such evaluations for my clients free of charge. You will have to pull those clothes out of your closet, inspect them for imperfections— fixable and not, explain why they ended up with you to begin with (a gift, an impulse purchase, a great price on sale, special occasion, souvenir from afar), see what you liked about them originally, and what was your intention for their use, as well as why they are still in your possession. Even if they have served their purpose (bridesmaid’s dress), but you still like them, see if they can be repurposed (shortened, made into a wearable two-piece ensemble, or in the worst case scenario, made into pillows). The items that no longer fit properly could most of the time be altered, but you have to consider the price of the alteration and possible changes in the garment’s appearance. Holes or spots can be camouflaged with embroidery, decorative patches (appliqué) or other ways of tailoring witchery. Most sentimental pieces could be displayed in your house, framed or on mannequins if space allows. Yet all non-functional items with no emotional attachment from you have to find new owners. You could add them to the items in the probation bin and check with them again in a year.  

Repeat this entire challenge at a different time of the year to evaluate seasonal garments. Then again, in 2-3 years.

Good luck!