Hello everyone!
Happy, Happy Spring!
With spring comes everything new again… after a period of dull, lifeless, messy. That’s the beauty of the 4 seasons.
I am finding this to be mirrored in many women’s closets as well. Tired of what has been happening, [dull] what have been the go to items in their wardrobes, [lifeless] & that feeling of indifference or just lacklustre [messy] regardless of the expanse of their closet choices Everyone is ready for fresh, revitalized and new, both literally and figuratively. This brings to mind the questions I have been asked lately and is the focus of many of my spring wardrobe work:
- how do I determine where to invest
- when do I replace
- how do I create an intentional shopping list
These are good questions to ask yourself as you work through your incoming wardrobe [and outgoing if you have the time]
As many of my clients and friends have realized, they do not want more stuff. They do want the right pieces. They want more versatility from those new purchases and see the value in clothes of better quality The latter being expressed by 100% of my clients regardless of their age or income, everyone is thinking longevity, good return on their spent dollars and using what they purchase/have more.
I thought I would share with you what I do with them. To make this simple and doable I feel breaking down the process into bite sized nuggets would work most efficiently.
Where to Invest:
What do you love to wear the most? black jeans, white blouse, booties, trench coat, graphic tees.
Once you have that/those answer[s], this is your answer. If you wear your wardrobe building clothes often, buying better quality is the answer Also, taking care of those clothes matters/ A lot. Frequent laundering is not necessary. Regular steaming works well and is recommended for your ‘good clothes’. Over laundering / dry cleaning is hard on them and can reduce their life expectancy.
IF you wear jeans on the weekend as an afterthought, this is not where you should invest. You can but that isn’t the most prudent. Save your money for those items that are the workhorses in your wardrobe I have many clients who, when I met them, had a shoe wardrobe like a department store yet rarely wore more than 30%. Landfill dream. Money wasted.
What would you love to wear [more]?
This is not the time to jump into the most expensive in any item category. Give a less expensive brand a test drive. Buy the best quality you can so you can truly see how this works for your body shape, style personality, and lifestyle. Wear that. When the time comes to replace it, move up the scale in terms of price point and brand. Be patient. Be prudent. Be deliberate.
What have you been saving for?
If you know of something you have wanted for a long time, still love it as much as you did when it caught your eye, and can now make that purchase ask yourself:
Will it get the wear to justify the price? Does it fit with my current lifestyle? Do I see myself wearing/using this item several times a week? If you see yourself wearing/using this item twice a year: when you lose weight; the next time to go out to a dressy something… Pause. Leam In. Wait.
When do I Replace/Let Go?
When do I Replace/Let Go?
Indifferent towards it, tired, faded, pilled, stained, stretched, ill fitting, not who you are now.
This is sage advice. It is what I suggest to friends & insist upon with my clients and follow myself. Replacing and letting go are two different actions both equally challenging it seems.
By nature, for me, I want things that no longer serve me, gone. My husband has said more than a few times, “I hope you don’t find me useless or I know where I’ll be found….”
However, that is not the case with most of the women I know and work with. But here’s the thing.
If you are wearing clothes that are tired, stained, pilled, stretched, faded you cannot possibly love them nor, most important of all, feel good slipping into them – [except when curling up in the winter in the corner of the couch watching Netflix or getting lost in your book]. Wearing clothes that honour YOU is key to feeling and exuding confidence. Getting rid of these pieces that fit the descriptors above is important for several reasons and they are:
- wearing tired faded, stretched etc clothes feels defeated. YOU deserve to feel better.
- less is easier to manage
- you are saying YES to your value
- you will feel that a weight has been lifted
- feeling accomplished with visual results in motivating and rewarding
- you will see clearly what you have and what you don’t have
- you will wear more of what stays which is a good return on your investment
- letting go when you can donate to charity feels great & is important
I urge you to try this and let me know.
Empowering. Liberating. Self Investment.
How Do I Make an Intentional Shopping List?
This is actually part of my process so you are getting the inside scoop – this is the easy part but something few think about during this process…if they think at all meaning reflect, deliberate, weigh the pros & cons of buying or not [no insult or judgement ever]
Here is how you do it:
- take note [on paper or cell] of everything you NEED to replace – those tired, stained, faded etc pieces *if you don’t need it don’t add it to your list
- be critical — want vs need
- make sure if your lifestyle has changed, to ask yourself IF you need to replace
- if you are dressing more casually these days, your list may be larger if your pre-pandemic work attire was more dressy/corporate
- be specific — what color, style, patterns, materials do you need — helps you focus when you want it all later in the shop or online
- if you are not an accessories person [jewelry] you may want to consider adding some since a lot of us are doing business online and what you show your audience forms their impression of you / your business/ integrity/ brand
Be Laser Focused. Realistic. Prioritize.
What would I invest in / replace?
My go to neutral cotton pullover knit
Stretched and tired vs brand new
The BEST most comfortable long wear sneaker style shoe [Ron White, Canadian brand]
And this Ron White slip on, well if you are my client reading this you know the feel… heavenly, dreamy, wear forever. If you aren’t familiar with this fabulous Canadian brand, let’s chat. This man knows how to design the perfect, stylish, comfortable women’s shoe.
A favourite pair of comfortable tan suede [or leather] low cut bootie
Sneakers – for dresses, maxi skirts, boyfriend and slim jeans, and other casual chic looks. Converse for the win.
Denim jacket refresh
Click HERE to shop my favourite jean jacket styles.
See what you think. IF you need help choosing the perfect one for your style, email me HERE and let’s do it. This is one of the ‘trend pieces’ this season so if you love denim jackets, now is the time to get yours.
I truly hope these tips will help you in making decisions moving forward so you can enjoy your wardrobe, see the expanse of what you already have that works and what really needs to go in order for you to always present your very best, authentic, stylish self.
Your way. Just how you are right now.
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Cheers!
Sue