We all clean out our closet at least twice a year. However, just weeding out pieces that are old fashioned or don’t fit anymore is not enough. Read why you also should makeover your wardrobe for style.
- Spring Closet Cleaning
- Personal Style Is an Evolution, not a Constant
- Makeover Your Wardrobe for Style Changes and New Preferences
- Adjust Your Style to Your New Lifestyle
- Avoid Guilty Feelings by Donating to Charity
- What’s Currently missing in my Closet?
Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.
Spring Closet Cleaning
When you are a regular reader, you already know that I apply every season these 17 easy steps for a closet overhaul. Each time, I am astonished how many pieces that looked perfectly right in the last season are a Nay in the new season.
Yes, there are these items that have to be perennially replaced like white Tees. After wearing them for a season they look either slightly gray or yellow, maybe even both when you look at the underarm section. The better ones had served as underwear in the cold Alaskan winter. I tossed the other ones already in fall when I created a working fall wardrobe. It’s a normal that white T-shirts are on the shopping list.
I search for high quality white T-shirts in the men’s department to save. See how you can save when shopping to update your spring wardrobe.
Personal Style Is an Evolution, not a Constant
This time around, I had a lot of pieces in my donation bag. They were perfectly in shape, but I recognized that I wore them barely or not at all last season. I still love them, but they seem not to be right anymore. Don’t get me wrong. Their look still is great, but I just have the feeling I would like them better if only they were 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) longer or an inch wider than they are. So they are just not so me anymore. Donating them to charity gives them a second life and someone can save with second hand wardrobe additions.
Makeover Your Wardrobe for Style Changes and New Preferences
It’s an outdated view on fashion that one only has to adjust the wardrobe to new trends and/or new fitting clothes (when your weight changed). On the contrary, to look and feel your best ever, you have to adjust to your personal evolution. Typically, your body changes especially fast in midlife. Hand-in-hand goes the evolution of your personal style. Add lifestyle changes to the mix. Thus, there is no reason for fear of progress in style. It’s part of midlife. Every woman goes thru these changes, even a fashion and style blogger. In deed, today I prefer sleek and fitted with an inch of ease rather than skin tight, and the hem a hand above the knee rather than two.
Remember: Great style is not about how many clothes a woman have in her wardrobe
Adjust Your Style to Your New Lifestyle
Clothes convey a message. They can tell the world who you are today, i.e. who you have become. Are your clothes lying about you and your achievements? If so, you may reconsider whether it’s what you want. If not, change it. Need help with what your primary personal style is? Take this free style personality quiz.
As an empty-nester, orphan, divorcee, or when re-entering the work force, retirement, becoming a grandma, or upon starting to finally pursue a life-long dream like starting your own business or selling your art, your personality grows. Like you out-grew your clothes fast during your childhood and teenage years, you out-grow the style that worked for you so long when you were a stay-at-home mom, a soccer mom, John Doe‘s wife, A.J. Squared-Away‘s daughter, you get the idea
Therefore, the new Do is to update your wardrobe for fit, trends and style. Doing so includes to update your jewelry to the evolution of your personal style too. These adjustments also give you the lust and motivation to dress your best every day.
Think about Upcycling beloved Clothes
Of course, some dresses can be shortened to be worn as tops or tunics. Others may feel right with a matching underskirt that “adds” length as it sticks out of the shorter skirt or dress. There are many tutorials out there on
- how to shorten a high low hem maxi dress,
- how an old unwanted shirt can be revived to a beautiful skirt or even
- how to upcycle how to upcycle boots to look trendy.
Just to give some examples. You may even think about updating old wardrobe favorites by dyeing when the colors are no longer so you or just because you want to take up one of this seasons It colors.
However, there were also those pieces that can’t be “upcycled.”
Avoid Guilty Feelings by Donating to Charity
And yes, I could wear these pieces another season or two. However, most likely I will barely wear them and if, I wouldn’t feel my best in them. Therefore, it’s much better to donate them to charity as then someone will wear them and feel their best. Also donating them makes me feel less guilty about not wearing them any longer despite they are still perfectly fine. Recall one woman’s trash can be another woman’s treasure.
Photos of me: G. Kramm
© 2013-2022 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved
I love you style! So brave wearing heels in the snow! (But what would I know – I am a Florida girl!) Personal style is an evolution – my personal style has changed over the years!
Love your take on this and I need to visit your post about your 17 ways for a closet rehab I start to go through mine as I move over the winter items and bring out the spring again! Are wardrobes def. do change as our personal lives change!
Carrie
Nicole, this is a very helpful post! And your outfit is stunning. Simple and classic. Thanks for sharing.
xx Darlene
Interesting post Nicole – thanks for sharing with us. Jacqui Mummabstylish
A good read Nicole. I have to say that sometimes I feel i have the clothes to another person’s life because I have a lot of cocktail dresses and sometimes no where to wear them. I will be reading your 17 steps for a successful closet haul 🙂
Loving your winning choices Nicole! have a super week!
best wishes
Ashley x
I love your tips. Upcycling some of my clothes would be a great idea. I can’t sew but i know some diy or no sew. Will have to look them up!
mireille
Love the green dress! I go through the seasonal closet revamp. I am revamping my spring wardrobe, as there are pieces I am tried of, and need a change. I like your tips!
jess xx
Thanks for the feature, Nicole! It looks like you are no where near spring with all of that snow! You are so right about one’s style evolving. I’m clicking over to your tips on closet cleaning. Hugs!
WOW Thank you so much. I am so honored to be your top of the world winner.
I adore your look today. The pants with the burgundy shoes and to top it off with the jacket just fabulous look.
You nailed the look.
Great post Nicole! I shopped my closet after moving to Florida for about 6 months, so when it was time to get some new ones I knew exactly what I wanted to toss and couldn’t wait to replace things with some new styles!! 🙂
Great ideas about refreshing your wardrobe for the season.
x, Julie