5 wardrobe makeover ideas to simplify your style
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Are you stuck in a style rut? Do you have a full wardrobe but always feel like you have nothing to wear? Most of us don’t know it but…we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.
This is why it is worth replacing clothes, getting rid of old ones that you no longer wear and rebuilding your wardrobe with clothes you love! Read on to find out how to do a DIY wardrobe makeover and make the most of your clothes - without spending a single penny!
1. Get rid of anything that doesn't currently fit
2. Get rid of anything that you have not worn in the last year
3. Keep the pieces you really love, and wear them often
1. Get rid of anything that doesn’t currently fit
To start refreshing your wardrobe and changing your style, it is a good idea to collect all of your clothes and look through them one by one. Having a ‘keep’ and ‘get rid of’ pile is the best way to stay on track of things. That pair of jeans that you have had since before the kids were born? The blouse that is just a little too baggy for you? Your DIY wardrobe makeover starts with saying goodbye to them. Now is the time to be brave and get rid of everything that doesn’t fit you fabulously.
It’s hard to feel comfortable if you’re constantly having to tug down a hemline, or can feel things pinching and stretching on your body. You want your clothes to work for you, accentuate your best points and make you feel wonderful, so anything that doesn’t fit right needs to go.
If you’re struggling with the idea of losing these clothes for good, put them in a bag and store them away for a couple of months. If you don’t miss them in that time, it’ll reassure you that you won’t miss them when they’re no longer in the house.
Don’t chuck them in the bin though. If you’re crafty, you might want to recycle them yourself, into dusters or a patchwork quilt, for example. You could take them to a charity shop – some charities will even arrange to collect them for free. Alternatively, some high street retailers will not only recycle your clothes for you, but also give you a voucher in return. If that’s not convenient and you must chuck them, then make sure they go in textile recycling bins.
2. Get rid of anything that you have not worn in the last year
We often keep pieces that we feel we will wear… at some point. If you haven’t actually worn it, whether it’s because it doesn’t fit well (see above), because it doesn’t go with anything else you own or simply because it doesn’t make you feel wonderful, then it has no place in your post-makeover wardrobe.
A trick to make this easier is to start with all your hangers facing one way. Then when you wear something, turn the hanger the other way when you hang it up again after wearing it and washing it. After a year, if an item is on a hanger that’s facing the original way, then it’s got to go. You won’t miss it – and you’ll make space for pieces that you look forward to putting on.
3. Keep the pieces you really love, and wear them often
We all have that one piece that we’d love to wear more often, but we can often fall into the mindset of ‘saving’ it. There’s no reason! Clothes that make us feel great should be worn, not just sit in our wardrobe.
To keep your clothes looking like new, wash them with Ariel 3in1 Pods. Just throw one pod in with your laundry and it will clean, lift stains and brighten your clothes. By taking proper care of your favourites, you can have years of happy wearing.
4. Create outfits
To finish your DIY wardrobe makeover, make sure you build a capsule wardrobe with all the basics - a tailored blazer, a couple of shirts, a killer pair of jeans or work trousers and a jacket. Having a few timeless basics means that you can create multiple outfits that you know work and make you feel great! It is then worth investing in different types of accessories so that you can dress every outfit up or down.
Always stuck with outfit ideas? Take a photo of each outfit you have created with your capsule wardrobe and stick the photos on the inside of your wardrobe door. Refer to the photos when you're stuck for what to wear and need inspiration.
5. Keep colour in mind
Choosing specific colours for your capsule wardrobe is important. Basic tops which are lighter such as creams are particularly great as they are colours that you will never get bored off and will stay in your wardrobe forever. Choosing clothes with colours that match your beauty type is also a good way of ensuring that you feel great in your clothes.If you have young kids, keep in mind that colours, patterns and black (an all-time classic) fare better than bright whites when grubby fingers are around!
Have you done a wardrobe detox recently? We’d love to hear what steps you took below. And be sure to check out Ariel for tips on how to keep your family’s clothes looking great.