Wardrobe Sort-Out.

Sometimes you need a few key pieces to tie everything together, this way you will wear more of your clothes.
I have a system whereby I hang worn or laundered clothes at one side of my wardrobe, this means I can see exactly what is not being worn.
With the exception of smart wear I do wear most of my clothes.
I also have a one in one out rule…..if only I could stick to it.

Same here. The things you’d be happy to see fall apart never do. I very rarely buy clothes now and still have far too many. I tend to always wear the things I don’t have to iron!

Safer to hang on to what you have because when you go to replace stuff it won’t be there! I have just tried to buy a tidy skirt, I’m short and fat I don’t want floaty I want serviceable!

I’m the same CG. Im being very strict with myself and doing a serious downsize of clothes which don’t fit thanks to lockdown overload but possibly might if I ever stop eating. Like you I wear the same old same old. Comfort is paramount!
I’ve also been sorting through suitcases ready for my Oz trip. They’re like Russian dolls. I open one, find another inside with yet another 2 to follow. Eleven in various shapes & sizes. I mean, how many cases does a girl need?

I only buy clothes I know I will wear and most of my wardrobe is in constant use.

It bothers me to have stuff round me that I never use or do not really need, whether it is clothes, furniture or anything else.

I even wear my clothes to a relaxed rota, to make sure that they are all worn regularly.

I’m stuck in a bit of a rut with my clothes. I’m inbetween sizes right now. I tend to stick to anything I can wear with jeans. My best friend has asked what I’m wearing to go out for a meal tonight and I said jeans and a jumper. She despairs!

I wear my cords and jeans on a Rota, I did this with trouser suites when I worked. I have six pairs of jeans etc to wear on a rota.
Cardigans and jumpers the same no more for best so I wear cashmere if it is old through the week. Three pairs of good trousers for weekends and a couple of loose ones to wear on a night when needed.
DH keeps saying a new top or a new jumper and the answer is no they were at the back of the drawer. It is embarrassing. I nearly bought some new shoes and then remembered I had a pair from last year tucked away. I have also cut down on handbags a very good one bought for a birthday that should last me out and a summer one.
One in one out certainly works and a few bright scarves.
My mum always said buy cheap and you buy twice and I try to remember this.

At the beginning of lockdown I decided I was going to work through my 80% of my wardrobe rather than buy anything new. Other than essentials like a new raincoat and boots I've bought nothing new and have enjoyed wearing making new outfits up out of items I've not worn for years.

If I could just lose a few pounds there's another pile of clothes waiting to be worn.

I used to have a lot of clothes still with tags on or that I felt cost me too much just to get rid of and ended up with a wardrobe of stuff I didn’t wear.

Now when sorting I pick out things I really love that fit me, keep those and get rid of everything else. I now have a wardrobe of clothes that I actually wear.

What always puzzles me is how people can afford to buy all these clothes. I will not pretend to pinched for money, because I am not, but I just cannot afford to go shopping every week/month casually buying clothes, that I do not need and possibly, will never wear, even when those clothes are from Primark or a supermarket.

I have got rid of lots of things and in theory have a ‘one in one out’ rule, but I still get tempted sometimes. My husband went to buy a belt in m and s but there was a sale and I ended up buying a leather lookalike jacket - half price - and a new bra and matching knickers. I will def wear them but I really didn’t need them. Sometimes it feels good to have something new to wear even though I realise that I could have managed without them.

M0nica

What always puzzles me is how people can afford to buy all these clothes. I will not pretend to pinched for money, because I am not, but I just cannot afford to go shopping every week/month casually buying clothes, that I do not need and possibly, will never wear, even when those clothes are from Primark or a supermarket.

Me too. I know it’s none of my business but whilst I can afford to buy plenty of clothes I only buy what I actually need, which is very little, but a lot of people seem to be unable to exist without frequent clothes shopping. Not good for the purse or the planet!

Am in awe of Monica’s admirable self discipline and wish I could be like that. Two thirds of my wardrobe is too small and I am not making much progress with losing weight so may never wear it, but can’t bear to part with clothes I like. Think I need a serious moth problem to make me get organised.

I think the saying is that we only wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time Calendargirl which allows us to dither just enough when it comes to getting rid! ...in that ‘is this dress one of the items that I DO wear in that 20% window?’

As I get older I value streamlining. I regret buying so many watches and sunglasses for example. I wish choices were binary. This OR that? Best OR everyday? I find too much choice overwhelming.

I must be living like a monk. I have one watch and one pair of sunglasses.

About six years ago I stopped buying things in sales, Debenhams when we had it in town was always having sales and I would buy something that was greatly reduced in price then get home and realise I had nothing to go with it so would have to either hang it in the wardrobe or buy something to go with it. The only big buys I have made recently are decent shoes and boots with arch support which have helped my back pain a lot.

I've lost some weight so I am working my way through things I haven't worn for a while. I try to always put something in the charity bag when it comes. I have a voluntary role with a hospice and I know how much they rely on the income from their shops.

I'm on a clothes embargo right now. In other words, I am not allowing myself to buy any new clothes for three months.
Meanwhile, I am having a serious clear out of things hanging in the wardrobe and hardly ever worn, - or, throwing out things that are too worn and replacing them with those that are hardly worn. If that makes sense.
This is my little part in trying to save the planet.

Germanshepherdsmum

M0nica

What always puzzles me is how people can afford to buy all these clothes. I will not pretend to pinched for money, because I am not, but I just cannot afford to go shopping every week/month casually buying clothes, that I do not need and possibly, will never wear, even when those clothes are from Primark or a supermarket.

Me too. I know it’s none of my business but whilst I can afford to buy plenty of clothes I only buy what I actually need, which is very little, but a lot of people seem to be unable to exist without frequent clothes shopping. Not good for the purse or the planet!

Maybe, to control yourself put the resolution, don’t buy from China nor Russia companies.
Labels are petty obvious although I agree that many have decamped to other counties.

Chinese Russian

Rather than a charity shop, please take your unwanted clothes to a collection point for donated items for Ukrainian refugees.

I have already made that decision mokryna. In fact only yesterday I emailed Lands End, from whom I have bought trousers and tops over the years, asking them to remove me from their mailing list as it had come to my attention that their clothes were now made in China. I thought it important that they should know why I would no longer buy from them. Standard email received this morning confirming removal from mailing list. Interestingly, even the LE trousers I bought quite recently don’t bear a label showing country of origin.

For many of us, fashion is fun and we enjoy ringing the changes. Therefore we have lots of clothes in different colours and styles. They don’t have to be expensive.
I enjoy putting outfits and accessories together and often see a model in a magazine in an outfit and realise I can get that effect with the clothes I have.
I can’t think of anything worse clothes wise than restricting myself to a few sensible outfits and working on a rota.

M0nica

I only buy clothes I know I will wear and most of my wardrobe is in constant use.

It bothers me to have stuff round me that I never use or do not really need, whether it is clothes, furniture or anything else.

I even wear my clothes to a relaxed rota, to make sure that they are all worn regularly.

I want to be like this! But failing miserably.