Wardrobe Turnover

In the never-ending struggle of wardrobe maintenance, ensuring a perfect outfit for every occasion from walking the dog in monsoon rains, attending a fashion show on a balmy spring evening and battling the furnace that is Arizona in the middle of an August day… let’s just say I have my work cut out.
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Not only can this be a costly endeavor but an overcrowded one, and with neither a pile of money or a spacious closet, strategic measures must be taken.

Thanks to Marie Kondo, letting go of the things we don’t ‘love’ has become an appealing option! However, I don’t love my no-show socks, but I need them so I would be mindful about getting rid of everything you don’t love. The key is to hold onto the essential basics (no-show socks included), timeless classics, the pieces that never date and lots of accessories – all of which can create oodles of outfits (except for no-show socks) whilst taking up very little space.
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The biggest downfall is when we buy something that we already own!  The new one is deemed better in some way, whether it be fit, style, color or whatever it was that drove us to make the purchase. The chances are you’re not going to wear the old one anymore making it redundant, so before your closet becomes closet chaos, pull out the displaced pieces and decide whether to sell or donate. 

Eeny meeny miny moe...

to sell or to donate? that is the question!

​The reason I suggest selling is because it brings in a few extra pennies from heaven, cha-ching! This supports your fashionista habit, it brings down the average cost per wear of the clothes you buy and extends their life to someone who will continue to love them. It’s a win-win situation.

Here's my criterion in deciding whether to sell or donate:

• If it’s in PERFECT condition AND a popular brand OR a designer label OR a unique / niche / vintage piece, then sell it!  In other words, if it falls within any of the ‘OR’s it doesn’t have to be perfect or a popular brand.
• If it doesn’t meet the above equation, then I give it to a charity.

Altogether a win-win situation… I just love all this winning!

donation options

• ​I keep a Vietnam Veterans of America sack going in the spare bedroom adding pieces to it as I find them and once full, put it out on the specific day they pick-up in our neighborhood.
• Good Will is another great organization to donate your unwanted clothes or household goods, as most of the money stays in your local community. There are drop off locations everywhere, click HERE to find one near you.
• Sometimes my friends organize a charity rummage sale for their local church, so I give them pieces to sell. Remember, giving locally generally has the largest impact.
• Avoid the clothing drop-off bins you see in local shopping centers. Most of these are scams and little or nothing goes to charity.
• Whenever I’m in the vicinity of an H&M store I’ll drop off a bag with a few pieces of clothing for donation. You simply take it to the counter and tell them it’s for donation and they give you a 15% discount coupon which you can use against any purchase in their stores in the future.
• Madewell takes in old pairs of jeans, (any brand or style) which go to create housing insulation for communities in need. For this they will give you $20 toward a new pair of Madewell jeans.
• And, although this isn’t clothes related, if you’re a tennis player like me, you can donate used tennis balls to local doggy shelters… it’s all about spreading the love! 

selling options

There are many on-line auction sites, but E-Bay remains one of the best. I’ve been using E-bay for several years, it’s relatively easy using their free phone app. Snap some good pictures of the item for sale, upload to the app, write a detailed description and include any faults with the item, weigh it (including packaging) to establish the buyers shipping cost and list it! I have a lot more recommendations on listing items on E-bay, but that’s another blog post! Let me know in comments if you want me to cover that topic.

It’s not just designer labels that sell on E-bay. It’s anything popular, trending, well known brands (including inexpensive brands like H&M). Zara sells well on the used market place, another great reason why I love to shop at Zara! Lululemon has continuously been a fast and easy sell on E-bay for several years.
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You can also sell via consignment stores, but you make a fraction of the money as they take a very large cut of the sale, however they also do all the work and have the cost of overheads, so it’s fair! Click HERE to learn everything you need to know about consignment. 

make what you buy work hard

​Choose what you buy carefully keeping versatility in mind. Can it be worn a myriad of ways, for different occasions or events? Dressed up, dressed down, and anywhere in between… all goes to ensure you have different outfits from one new purchase when mixed and matched with your existing wardrobe. First thing I do with a new purchase is have a try-on session creating different looks with pieces from my closet. If it doesn’t measure up in the versatility department, it goes back. 

wardrobe modifications

​Sometimes our favorite clothes just get tired as trends move on, in need of a face lift to feel fresh again (I know the feeling)! No worries, fresh can be just a few nips and tucks away! Check out this blog post  (DIY - High Low Hem Jeans) on updating old jeans to a trendy new hem line. 

Consider modifications to bring back that loving feeling, like replacing buttons to something new. Perhaps narrow a kick flare leg to a tapered leg, or shorten a maxi dress to a midi, mini or even tunic length. Adding darts to a billowing shirt or dress to create a more streamlined silhouette. If you can’t do this yourself, find a good tailor. Here’s a link to my blog post (​A Tailor Made Fit) that tells you exactly how to do that!

An updated hem line makes a tired pair of jeans feel new again!

​May your closet be the perfect playground for your self-expression and a bottomless pit of appropriate outfits for every occasion all the while staying contained within the confines of it’s walls and your bank balance! 
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As always, thank you for stopping by