Working in the fashion Industry ultimately leads to amassing a LOT of clothes, this is something I have learned over the past few years. But having a huge amount of clothes is not necessarily a good thing.
Right now, I have quite a bit of space in my current apartment, but I was shocked at how quickly that space was taken up by my wardrobe. Yes I organised everything well, with standing rails, storage boxes, and a whole wall of shelves for my shoes (see below) but, It just didn’t feel right. Those “too many clothes, nothing to wear” moments were becoming more and more frequent, and I began to see huge gaps in my wardrobes’s practicality. My personal style has always been rather eclectic, and I’m constantly drawn to bright colours, fun patters, and interesting textures, but when you’re on the hunt for a plain white teeshirt and all you can find are six different sequin tee’s, you know something is wrong!
There was also that lingering worry that, as a blogger, I needed to always have an overflowing wardrobe, so that I could whip together any and every outfit at a moments notice. I felt like all this stuff in a way, was part of my credibility as a fashion-influencer. After months of being fed up with having so much stuff around me, I took action.
I began a huge clearout, and I was ruthless. Over the space of a few months, I got rid of well over half of my entire wardrobe, leaving only pieces I knew I wore frequently, and some dressier pieces for special occasions. As soon as I started, I began to feel better, and the more I cleared, the better that feeling got. I used Depop (a new buy-and-sell app that has become massively popular) to shift a substantial amount, but the bulk of my items went to Siopaella, the dublin-based consignment store, which sells your unwanted (good quality) clothes for you, giving you a large percentage of the price. I earned quite a bit money from getting rid of everything (bar a few bags that went to charity) and the funds were more than welcome!
I honestly really enjoyed the whole process. It didn’t feel like a chore, and I was so happy at the thought of my unwanted pieces taking on a new life in someone else’s wardrobe. Not to mention, getting dressed in the morning is now a thousand times easier! Of all the things I’ve gotten rid of, I haven’t missed one item. I also feel like it’s given me a whole new perspective on things, and I’d like to share with you a few truths I’ve learned from the great purge of 2014:
1: Your wardrobe must be cohesive.
I now to look at my clothes differently, rather then a mountain of separate pieces I struggle to keep track of, I now see a formation that reflects my personal style, with a link between each item and the last.
2: You need to be ruthless.
After my ruthless cull, I adopted the same idea for buying. Now, I won’t introduce something into my wardrobe unless it will work seamlessly with what’s already in there, and every month I will pull out a few pieces that just aren’t “working” and add them to my Siopaella or Depop pile. Similarly, if I am gifted a few pieces from a brand, or if I buy some new bits myself, I usually end up pulling a few older pieces out, so there’s always a balance.
3: “Buy less, spend more”
As overused as it is, this saying really does work! Investing more into your pieces is the best way to bring harmony to your wardrobe. You don’t need to fork out for designer-labels, even just shopping around for better quality does wonders. Buying lots of cheaply made items for the sake of good value is a false economy, and often times you’ll only end up spending more money. Don’t get me wrong, Im still all for those bargain-buy or sale gems on the highstreet, but I try not to do it too often.
4: Buy staples and re-wear!
I now have a few staple pieces that I always come back to, and when styled differently, they never look monotonous. One of my best additions this year has to be the Karen Millen tuxedo blazer I got this Autumn, it gets worn at least once a week!
5: There’s cash sitting in your closet.
More than ever people are open to buying preloved fashion, and your unworn items can earn you some serious money. “One woman’s trash….” oh, you get the idea!
6: Clearing out is like therapy
I didn’t expect to feel as rejuvenated as I did by this overhaul, but the whole process felt sort of cleansing, like I was getting rid of the old and making way for the new. I feel like I’ll never shop the same way again, and I’ve come to understand that a happy wardrobe equals a happy Ciara.
I hope this article gives you some inspiration to weed out the bad from your closet, and if anyone does decide to give their wardrobe the old heave-ho, then stay tuned for my next lifestyle post, because I will be breaking down for you guys exactly how I did it, with some great tips and tricks to help you on your quest. I’ll also be showing you what my wardrobe looks like now. It’s a lot smaller, that’s for sure!
Happy Weeding!
Ciara x
*reinstalls depop app*. Thanks for the inspo!