Autumn fashions are in the shops, but before you are tempted to hit the shops and go on a spending frenzy, the first thing you need to do is start sorting out your wardrobe.
On a lovely summer September day, autumn and winter may seem a long way off, but we can be easily caught out by an errant September day that is colder than the weather in November. So don’t delay – sort it today
So here some steps you need to take to create a wardrobe which reflects your lifestyle and looks good.
Fashion Tip 1
Don’t go shopping for autumn or winter fashion clothing until you have reviewed your wardrobe and worked out what you need, and what styles and fashions look good on you right now.
Although it may seem an unnecessary job for a busy mum to embark on, spending a little dedicated time on sorting your wardrobe out now will save you time and probably a considerable amount of money to boot.
More importantly, investing this time in yourself will also help you feel good and look good.
So lock yourself in the bedroom with a full length mirror, ready to try on clothes.
If this seems overwhelming then do the sorting out and set another time for the trying on.
Using a timer is also a good way to ensure you don’t end up spending more time on this than you had first intended.
Fashion Tip 2.
Put to one side summer clothes that you know won’t see the light of day until next year.
Throw out, or give to charity anything which you have not worn this summer, either because it does not fit you or you don’t really like it any more. If you really can not bear to do this then have one storage box and Label it “Maybe” – and put today’s date on it.
The only exception to this should be summer holiday clothes. These are the items that you only ever wear on holiday. Pack these items separately – ready for your next summer holiday or if you are lucky winter sun holiday.
The remainder of your summer clothes hang or store together.(When the last days of summer finally bite the dust, these clothes should be packed away, except of course those items of clothing which can be worn all year round.
Fashion Tips 3
Take your winter clothes and sort them into three piles. The ones you will wear, the ones you definitely won’t wear, and the ones you are not sure whether you will wear. The definitely won’t wear items, also need to be given to the charity shop, swopped, given to friends, thrown out or recycled.
The “Maybe’s”, try these clothes on and see whether this galvanise you into a decision as to whether these clothes need to go or stay. If you are still not sure, store all these items together and review them month by month.
Check that all the clothes, shoes and boots, you are planning to wear, are clean and get any alterations or repairs done to them pronto.
There is nothing worse than going to put on an outfit you have not worn for six months to find there are buttons missing or your boots need re-heeling.
Fashion Tip 4
Now, this is when organising your autumn and winter wardrobe gets interesting.
Take a notebook and write down the types of clothes you need. For example, if you work, then you may need suits and formal work clothes.
However evenings and weekends you may favour jeans, tracksuits. If you are out socialising every evening then you will need dressy clothes or possibly evening wear.
If you are a Mum at home with a young family it is likely you will need more casual clothing, however these clothes also need to be versatile enough that you can nip out, without looking like you are in the middle of the housework.
Fashion Tip 5
Think back to the times when you felt you did not have anything to wear or nothing looks good. Quite often the same sort of occasions may crop up. This is when you will start to work out what the “gaps” are in your wardrobe.
Write down the items of clothes which would have resolved your nothing to wear issues in your wardrobe. This maybe a smart pair of jeans, a jacket, a thick jumper.
You may also realise that you have a habit of duplicating items in your wardrobe. (Black trousers are a common favourite for most people).
Fashion Tip 6
Now you have worked out the kind of clothes you need for the life you live, it is not a bad idea to consider them as a “uniforms”.
You can have your “work uniforms”, your “chilling round the house uniform”, or your “out on the town uniform” The same goes if you are a mum at home with a young family. “Doing the chores uniform”, “meeting a friend, going to the park uniform”.
The next thing you need to do is work out the set pieces which make up your uniforms. You may have a dress which if you add fashion accessories and high heels you can wear out in the evening, but with flats and a cardi and thick tights would make a great day dress. Try putting together different outfits, always thinking about when you would be likely to wear it.
Ask yourself whether comfort and practicality is vital, or glamour your prime aim.
Remember adding fashion accessories and jewellery can add a little glamour to even the most practical of clothing even a track suit.
Having set outfits, for particular occasions and that you know work together will make it easy for you to make a decision as to what you are going to wear on any given occasion.
I have one friend who actually writes down set outfits, and keeps the notebook in her dressing table drawer. She says it saves her loads of time rummaging around the wardrobe and has helped her wardrobe to become more versatile.
Fashion Tip 7
Storing your clothes. This is a tricky one. And you may need to experiment slightly to see what works best for you.
Some people store clothes by colour. Personally I try to store them by occasion and then colour. e.g. All my dresses are together, and my jeans, trousers and skirts. I try to put my dressy tops together, and my casual tops together.
The idea being is that I can find them and mix and match them easily. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but that is because things are not always put back into their correct zone!
Fashion Tip 8
You should now be in a position that you have a ready to wear autumn / winter wardrobe. You should also know what additional items you need to add to your wardrobe to make it become more versatile.
So make a list, stick to shopping for what you need and hit the shops. Make sure you try on all the clothes and have fun.
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