Revamp Your Wardrobe

Are you always on the hunt for that one piece that will completely re-make your style, turn you into a fashionista over-night, or simply add some pizzaz to the boring every-day get-up you normally wear to the grocery store? No need to look any further at those high-priced stores.

It’s time to go back to the basics, to look within your own closet, and to create all new outfits that will feel like brand-new. Follow these 5 steps to a better wardrobe, and you will be excited to  wear things that were once completely forgotten.

Why are we deciding to look in our own closets and not go out to get the next latest thing? Because this is one very practical way that we can practice contentment.

One passage keeps coming to my mind (almost daily now), and I want to challenge you to read this, and work to live by what Paul is saying here.

Philippians 4:11-14

“¹¹Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹²I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

At times, we will need to practice contentment on a larger scale. With the loss of a family member, with the high stress of a down and troubled economy, with the wandering faith of a child. In all of these situations, contentment should be at the forefront of our minds.

Yet even on a daily basis, we should be practicing contentment. Instead of working to fill a gap in our lives by buying more and more, let’s work to be content in what we have, and to rejoice in what God has already given us!

And it never hurts to have a little fun along the way…

So here are my 5 Steps to a Better Wardrobe, enjoy!

1. Declutter, Reorganize, and PURGE!

Isn’t it a great feeling to have a closet that’s readily accessible? You know what I mean don’t you… all of the sweaters are together, your t-shirts are nicely folded, your jeans are displayed as if they were all Sevens lying out on a Nordstrom display table…

Yet what is so unrealistic about this situation? Many of us are given to the disease of trying on multiple outfits every day. (Could I be any more guilty of this?) And many of our “choices” end up on the floor or in a corner of the closet.

One of the best ways to truly appreciate what you have is to go the extra mile and keep everything organized. Or in other words, take care of what you already have.

Make your closet easily accessible, group things together so that when you need that favorite long-sleeve, you know exactly where it is, and you won’t have to throw out mountains of other things to find it!

That was the “declutter” and “reorganize” part, yet we aren’t even at the funnest activity yet: PURGE!

Now, I want you to be very realistic with yourself. Look at each piece in your closet, and if you haven’t worn it in over a year, you will probably never wear it again. Purge your closet by taking these kinds of items out, and without hesitation, donate to a goodwill or rescue mission.

Don’t have time to drop it off? Many will come right to your door! Just find a place, and give them a call.

2. Mix and Match

Once you have your closet pretty well-organized, you can begin to see some of your favorite things again. Remember that old t-shirt you used to wear every day? Begin to see that t-shirt in a new light. It’s not just your comfy “I’m sick and need this” t-shirt, but could also be a stylish pairing with a good pair of slacks and a long beaded necklace.

Start pairing things in your closet you would never think to pair in the first place, and pretty soon, ideas will come to you. Try layering two shirts together, one solid, and one print. Put a beige belt around a navy dress to make it more casual, and pick out leggings that would make that outfit pop even more.

3. Accessorize Your Heart Out

When it comes to fashion, I believe nothing can remake an outfit more than a great necklace or stunning pair of shoes. The key to revamping your wardrobe is the make sure you accessorize.

The first step I laid out for your closet should have the same effect on your jewelry. Don’t let it get jumbled and tossed in a drawer. You will never wear anything that way, and will end up wasting hundreds of dollars on jewelry each year. Instead, get some type of jewelry organizer, I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond, or make your own out of a cardboard box.

Before I leave for work every-day, or even if I’m just running some errands, I will force myself to put on at least 2 pieces of jewelry. I know this sounds silly, but it really does make you feel more put-together and confident throughout the day. Even if you are just wearing a t-shirt and jeans, a funky bangle on your wrist can definitely give you a little more bounce in your step!

4. Find Sources of Inspiration

Your closet can also be an inspiration to you through magazines and fashion posts you see. If you see an outfit you really like, go back to your closet and see if you can re-make something like that with what you already have. It will probably be a different color than the magazine, but all the same, the colors in your closet are your ultimate favorites anyways.

Whenever Mercedes Benz Fashion Week happens, I am ALL OVER those looks, and it turns out, some of them I can really re-make at home. It’s exciting to see how fashions always come back around, and the cycle never ends! Something I bought two years ago can be a really fun piece for right now, and it’s surprising to see how no one really knows how long ago you got that great cardigan. That is, until they ask you where you got it!

I know that most girls probably won’t admit this, but I’m also a total stalker when it comes to the fashion of other girls. I’m always looking at what other people are wearing, and I definitely get inspiration from them too! It’s even better if they are one of your best girlfriends, because in that case, let the clothing exchange begin!

5. Know Your True Staples

In the process of reorganizing and decluttering, you will see the true staples that have stayed with you throughout the years. I have one black dress hanging in my closet that I think I have had since I was 15 or 16. I know what you’re thinking, it probably won’t fit you for very much longer, but I still love that dress and I know I can pretty much wear it to ANYTHING. (Just so you know, it is a stretchy one!)

That is a staple I will definitely never let go of. And you need to use the staples in your closet to underly the foundation of great outfits. Start by hanging that staple up, and begin to hold up different sweaters, underneath layers, leggings, jackets, necklaces, shoes, and all kinds of things to bring out the best in that piece.

Before you know it, the good old staple has done its magic again!

Follow these steps to truly perfecting your closet and your style, and to start realizing that you had more than you thought along the way!

By: Erika Pizzo