I’m not sure what it is that’s changed in the air this year but something has shifted within me when it comes to my wardrobe. No longer do I want to see a wardrobe bulging at the steams, stuffed full of clothes I rarely ware, bags I don’t pull out or shoes that still have the label on them. No longer do I want a huge collection of designer bags taking up space in my home. I want a wardrobe that’s refined, thought through and works hard for me.
So recently I embarked on a mission to slim down my collections, starting with my handbags.
I’ve always been someone who wants a super capsule handbag wardrobe, full of bags that really get their wear, that I can style up or style down and that I plan on keeping in my collection for the rest of my life. I managed to say goodbye to over 6 handbags and feel like I have the most curated collection of bags that bring me so so much joy now.
So I thought I would share how I refined my collection and the things to ask yourself when doing a wardrobe clear out this spring.
What has been my cost per wear for this?
I talk about cost per wear all the time but if you’re new around here and don’t know what it means, it’s the most mathematical I ever get when it comes to my wardrobe. Let’s call it girl math, shall we? It’s a way of working how out how good an investment something was in your wardrobe – for example if you bought a £100 coat and wore it 100 times, that’s a £1 cost per wear. But if you bought a £40 coat and only wore it twice, that’s a £20 cost per wear. Not good. So actually the item you spent less money on kind of cost you more in the long run. Think about how much cost per wear you’ve gotten out of your pieces and if it’s not a good cost per wear, maybe it’s time to say goodbye to that piece.
Is this ageless?
A question I love to ask myself, even more so when I’m buying new pieces to add to my wardrobe. Ageless fashion essentially describes items or outfits that you would wear at any age and any stage in life – in your 20’s, 3-‘s, 40’s, 50’s and so on and so forth. Can you see yourself still loving and wearing this piece in 50 years time? Or would it look odd for an elderly woman to wear this piece? Something to think about in your wardrobe.
Is this item working hard in my wardrobe?
I love my pieces to work hard – I want them to get their cost per wear, I want to be able to style them up and style them down and I want to make sure I can utilise them with so many different outfits.
