Wardrobe Essentials
Wardrobe essentials have been on my to-do list for a while, and my week off felt like the perfect time. I finally tackled my overflowing closet and committed to clearing it out. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw the chaos through my Insta stories. If you didn’t, trust me-it was a total hot mess. I always ignored the back of my closet because it stayed hidden from view. I treated it like a storage spot for clothes I didn’t actually love. Fast forward a few years, and it turned into a cluttered time capsule from my early twenties. At that point, I knew something had to change.
Five overflowing garbage bags later I was well on my way to a more minimalist closet. Before anything else, I couldn’t just throw those clothes away or dump them in donation bins. I had to think carefully about where my unwanted clothing would actually end up. Where do we really think our donated clothes go? It feels good to help others or support thrift stores with donations. But the reality is many thrift stores don’t need more clothing. Too often, our clothes don’t end up where we imagine they do.
What Really Happens to Our Donated Clothes
Read more about that here as I’m not an expert, but I have been doing my research:
- What really happens to old clothes dropped in those in-store recycling bins
- How second-hand clothing donations are creating a dilemma for Kenya
- Something To Think About Before You Donate Your Clothes
- How to donate used clothing and items responsibly
Consumer culture is creating a huge issue when it comes to disposing of what we don’t want anymore, third world countries are suffering, your neighbourhood thrift store is suffering, and your clothing quality is suffering. Fast fashion is contributing to a global crisis (as we all know and have known this for EVER) and so many of us ignore it-myself included. This ties closely to the idea of a scarcity mindset, where we feel pressured to constantly consume more instead of valuing what we already have.
But as I get older the need to have the latest trend or to do “hauls” is diminishing. Instead, the inspiration to build a small collection of wardrobe essentials I truly adore is increasing. I have been thrifting lately, and have had a lot of success and the point is the pieces I have found won’t be going anywhere for a LONG time. i.e.. I bought core items, a black coat (never goes out of style) denim jeans (also never goes out of style) and a blazer (completely classic).
How Do I Plan on Disposing My Clothes
1. I have friends/ family/ kids who I am giving pieces to
2. My local women’s shelter which I know ALWAYS needs donations as I recently went to a fundraiser for the organization and that was one key takeaway
3. Sell online (through Depop)
4. Give thrift stores items they NEED, most thrift stores will tell you what they are low on if you ask
5. Pack the rest up for future kids/ friends kids/ re-purposing
Tips to Avoid Over Purchasing/ Closet Clutter
1. Stick to a colour theme, if you have all neutrals for example you won’t feel the need to buy new very often because your items will always match, and pair well together
2. Only buy what you actually wear. Try and avoid that super unique piece you might wear to a party one day, or a piece that would be perfect for one event and then your left wondering when you’ll ever wear it again
3. Do clothing swaps with friends. This might be difficult if you don’t live close to friends or you’re a different size. But, in some instances it might actually be useful
4. Purchase solid colour items! You are much less likely to get sick of solid colours than crazy patterns (unless you always wear crazy patterns, then girl do your thing)
5. Pick classic styles and make sure the pieces fit you well. A lot of the time especially with fast fashion items don’t fit all that great, leaving you hating how they look on you resulting in its disposal
6. Buy more expensive items. This might sound insane, but it often makes sense. When you buy $40 jeans, they usually lack quality and wear out quickly. When you buy $100 Levi’s, you get better construction that lasts longer. Some people will disagree, and cheaper quality pieces definitely exist. Still, higher quality usually comes with a higher price. I’d rather own fewer, well-made pieces than lots of lower-quality ones. Saving takes longer, and sometimes you want new jeans immediately. But waiting to invest almost always feels worth it.
How Wardrobe Essentials Simplified My Daily Style
In essence, I cleaned out my closet and left the wardrobe essentials to combat fast fashion, make my choices better choices, and make it SO much easier to get dressed every day. I know this isn’t the end of my declutter as it is definitely a process, and something that needs to be an implementation-evaluation learning curve. But I already love how empty my closet looks, and can visualize outfits already which was never a possibility before.
I am SO inspired by bloggers like Caroline of Un-Fancy.com who kill the minimalist game and have the most amazing capsule wardrobe. Check out this post on her tips to decluttering, she even partnered in creating an app that helps you outfit plan! Total inspo.
If you have any tips for me or bloggers you know who are killing the minimal wardrobe game, please comment and let me know!
And as always, thank you for stopping by!
Emma.
