The syndrome “wardrobe is full – but it’s nothing to wear” is familiar to many people, but here we are again seeing two things for the price of one, lose the will and buy disposable T-shirts for $ 1 and dresses that we do not wear more than once. It’s time to get it over with and learn to buy only what we really wear. Here, you can find the details about 5 simple rules for buying things.
I have collected tips from stylists and fashion bloggers that will save you money and help to make sure that the things you buy work for you 100%.
1. Disassemble the wardrobe
Before you go shopping by the new rules, deal with the things you already have. Get everything out of the wardrobe and divide it into three groups: “I love it and I would wear it right now,” “maybe” and “definitely not.” Put the things you love back in the closet, and throw away obsolete, worn-out, and inappropriate clothing, or give it to the poor.
But with the second group, fashion blogger Vallarina Creative advises to do this: hang the things you wear all the time and those you don’t, in different directions on a hanger in the closet. If you haven’t worn a thing in the last six months, you can safely part with it.
2. Go to the store with no money
To understand what suits you and what doesn’t, go to the store as a tour. No money! Now you’re not going shopping, you’re going to get a better idea of what your style and your perfect wardrobe should be. Try new styles and unusual cuts. Go to a boutique on the Riviera that sells expensive and high-quality clothes – you don’t have to buy anything there, just try on things and appreciate how they sit on you. Look at the details, pay attention to the quality of fittings and seams (the more stitches per 1 cm, the better). This will help you learn how to distinguish well-stitched things when you go shopping for new purchases.
3. Write a stop-list
The stop-list is a list of things you’ll never buy again. It may be clothing in flowers that do not suit you, stretch jeans, or cheap t-shirts made of thin knitwear. The main thing is that remembering this list, you will be able to resist the impulse and not buy another “mistake”, even when you see an attractive price.
4. Create a capsule wardrobe
Caroline Joy, who runs the popular blog Un-Fancy, advises creating a capsule wardrobe. A “capsule” is a set of several items of clothing that fit together well, so from a small number of things you can create many different sets.
Caroline advises you to focus on 37 items of clothing and footwear (this does not include sports and home wear, swimwear, underwear, and accessories), although less can be done. Her website has a scheduler and application to help you create a capsule wardrobe. You can also see the instructions for creating a “capsule” here and here. Following the principles of the capsule wardrobe will help you shop consciously, not impulsively.
5. Follow the rule of “meat and potatoes”
The famous designer Michael Kors wrote on his Twitter that 70% of our wardrobe should consist of “meat and potatoes”, and the remaining 30% is “dessert“. “Meat and potatoes” are the simple and convenient basic things that fit any occasion and come together well with each other. Just about these things blogger Lavinia London writes: “Looking neutral is always better than bright, but inappropriate. The English have an expression easy to place him – easy to define a person. By clothes, my hair, by choice of words… Not necessarily in a bad way, maybe you have a royal accent, people will notice it. But still, it’s preferable not to be easy to place – more freedom to maneuver.”
“Dessert” is unusual, noticeable things and accessories, a vivid accent of your image. Preston Davis, author of the blog “Keep it chic”, who has been casting models for 20 years in American Vogue, recommends every season to buy one single trendy thing and wear it intensively while it is in fashion and makes your image super topical. At the end of the season, you just throw it away to buy something new the next season. You can’t keep track of all the trends, so choose the one that fits your personal style best.
