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Cleaning out my Closet….

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Cleaning out my Closet….

August 17, 2009
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  • Fashion & Beauty
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…or Wardrobe, seeing as I’m English.

wardrobe

This weekend I finally bit the bullet and transformed the huge pile of clothes draped over the top of a rail and drawers into something one could vaguely recognise as a wardrobe.

Photos don’t really do my hard work justice, but here’s some before and after views anyway…

Untitled-1 copy

The result of all this was a large charity donation, a FAR smaller wardrobe, but one filled with things I know I can actually wear, as opposed to things that I loved 5 years ago, are too big or too small or just not my style anymore.

Having completed this epic process I feel like a weight has been lifted. If you’re a procrastinator and need to do some clearing out yourself, my advice is, just do it. You’ll feel better, I promise.

To make the painful process a little easier my top tips are:

  • Be Systematic

    Take one pile/drawer/rail at a time. Sort it into piles for Keeping, Charity, eBay/Swapping sites and Potential Repairs. Taking it in small sections will make it less daunting to tackle.

  • Be Honest

    Try things on and look at them honestly, do they really suit you? Do they fit into your current style? If there is a rip or tear can it be mended? Really? WILL you mend it? If the answer is no then remember Charity Shops get money for rags and let it go. If you find it hard to judge then rope in a friend/family member/passer by/Twitter follower to give you an honest opinion. Hell, if you’re really stuck take a photo, send it to me and I’LL tell you if you should keep it or not!

  • Be Ruthless

    Be stern with yourself, if it’s 6 months old or more and you’ve never worn it, if it no longer fits, is falling to bits, or is just no longer your style then out it goes.If this is too hard (and it was for me) then allow yourself 3 pieces to save for emotional reasons , no more. My saves were 2 items from my mid 90s wardrobe, a tartan patchwork mini skirt from Miss Selfridge and a navy blue cropped T Shirt with a Sunflower print. My third save was a pair of black wide leg trousers, 3 sizes too big, that I keep to remind myself of the weight I’ve lost over the last couple of years.

461

In the process I discovered some old items that I’d forgotten about. When I gained weight I couldn’t wear them, they migrated to the back of my wardrobe and there they stayed. I assumed they didn’t fit, or didn’t look right, but a trying on session has added a pair of black French Connection straight leg trousers, a brown Topshop summer dress with a strappy back and fluttery sleeves, a beige faux leather pencil skirt and a black and white floral A Line skirt back into the realms of “things that fit”.

I’m now left with a limited wardrobe I can use as a basis to add things to, and some glaring holes that need filling. My mission is to find:

A well fitting black high waisted skirt

A black longline cardigan

Pinafore Dresses in black and grey

Leggings and tights in assorted colours

Next step is to tackle the shoe pile. Wish me luck…..

Photo by An Optional Holiday

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7 Comments

  1. Mr Chick says:
    August 17, 2009 at 7:34 pm

    I love that t-shirt

    • Retro Chick says:
      August 18, 2009 at 1:36 pm

      Mr Chick – Hello! I think this is probably the only item of clothing you DO remember from my wardrobe!

      Fi – Fantastic! Don’t forget to check Charity Shops for belts if you’re passing one just pop in.

      Jennine – But you make such good use of everything from your closet, I can’t believe you’ll have useless unworn items tucked away.

  2. Fi says:
    August 17, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    Loved this article. I too spent time at the weekend paring down my wardrobe and rediscovering clothes that now fit. My favourite find was a red wrap dress I bought pre-weight loss that made me look like a sack of potatoes. It now looks great and just needs a wide black belt to finish it off.

    Glad to see RC is giving back to the charity shops too.

  3. jennine says:
    August 18, 2009 at 1:20 am

    oh my goodness..how awesome, i need to tuck this away, as soon as i get a closet, i know it’s going to clutter!
    .-= jennine´s last blog ..Double Double =-.

  4. eyeliah says:
    August 18, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    Good on you, I am just at that point where my closet could explode!
    .-= eyeliah´s last blog ..Lets Get On With This =-.

  5. costume jewellery girl says:
    August 19, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    good clearing you’ve done there i’ve been inspired and am going to do mine this weekend! for a black longline cardi check out zara i got a lovely cable knit type one from there and it’s really soft and lovely and i get loads of wear out of it 😉

    • Retro Chick says:
      August 19, 2009 at 3:55 pm

      Thanks for the tip!

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Gemma
Incurable cancer, cocktails & fitness. Size Inclusive Personal Trainer, red lipstick wearer, cocktail drinker. Multiple Myeloma June 2021. Norwich, UK
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