Whether you are a complete fashion newbie or a seasoned closet curator, if your wardrobe needs a makeover, you’ve definitely come to the right place! How many times have you looked in your closet and seriously despised everything you see? Yet your closet is probably filled and you still think you have nothing to wear. Getting dressed should be fun, stress-free and easy! I am going to list some essential tips that will help you revamp your closet to build a wardrobe that truly works for you. The morning blues in your closet are going to be a thing of the past.

DECLUTTER

One of the most important steps in your closet revamp is to do a major edit of your wardrobe. Much of your wardrobe stress stems from a problem that is quite simple to address: too much variation and not enough unity. Your closet should be full of clothes that are easy to work with and make you feel amazing. You may need to cut down your wardrobe to a manageable size and get rid of items that make you feel anything less than spectacular.

As you go through each item in your wardrobe, try them on and ask yourself these key questions:

• Have I worn it in the last year?
• Does it make me feel good? This is huge. Whether it’s the cut, color or style, if blah is the first thing that comes to mind when you put it on, it’s definitely time to get rid of it. Life is too short to feel anything short of amazing!
• Does it fit?
• Is it in good condition? Can it easily be fixed? Am I actually going to take it to get fixed?
• Does it go with at least three other things in my wardrobe?
• Is it annoying to wear? If wearing that skirt or top isn’t easy, you’re going to be much less likely to wear it.

Quite honestly, if you answer no to any of the above, it’s time to say goodbye. Donate anything that doesn’t stand up to your new closet’s standards or try selling it online on an auction site or in a consignment shop. You can use the cash you receive to buy new pieces!

GET ORGANIZED

Once you’ve gone through and removed the less desirable pieces from your closet, it’s time to organize what remains. Arrange your closet by color and by item type. This system will not only help you put together an outfit much faster, but it will also allow you to identify gaps in your wardrobe. A good rule is to hang up as much as you can. You are much more likely to grab something that you can see at eye level rather than having to search through dresser drawers.

Take a good look at what you have. You don’t want to end up spending money on things you already own, especially if they’re in good shape. Also, if you find that you have an overwhelming number of one type of item (no one really needs 10 identical white t-shirts), purge! Organizing will allow you to not only see what key pieces you have but it will also allow you to identify what’s missing.

IDENTIFY YOUR LIFESTYLE

A full closet means absolutely nothing if you can’t make the pieces work for you. A major wardrobe malfunction is when your clothes don’t match your lifestyle. Simply put, you need pieces that not only work well together, but also fit in with your day-to-day activities. Some key questions to ask yourself are:

• How do you spend your time during the week?
• Which activities occupy the majority of your time?
• How do my clothes fit in with each activity?

Taking the answers to these questions into consideration will help point out which areas of your closet need some tweaking.

IDENTIFY YOUR ESSENTIALS

By the time you reach this step, you should not only know your closet inside out by seeing what you have and knowing what’s missing, but should also be able to identify what you absolutely love wearing and what pieces look fabulous on you. I’m sure those things make up the majority of the clothes left over from the detox phase of your closet revamp. These are the pieces that you can’t live without, your personal essentials. These essentials are basically the only things you really need to feel great. Maybe they’re t-shirts, boyfriend jeans and sneakers or maybe they are Bohemian dresses and wedges. Whatever they are, they’ll become the cornerstones of your new wardrobe. So take a good look overall and at this point figure out what pieces might need updating and what you need more of.

ENVISION YOUR IDEAL WARDROBE

Now you need to put together a purchasing plan of action. If you want to make sure you actually wear what you buy, you need to envision what your ideal wardrobe looks like and use this vision as a point of reference whenever you go shopping.

Your ideal wardrobe should be based around a look that is distinctly you and represents your sense of style. Once you know what that is, pinpoint the important elements of that look, and see how they line up with what you already own. Moving forward, every time you shop use this vision and strategy to allow you to build onto your style, ultimately streamlining your closet and making it super functional.

A functional wardrobe should be a mix of basics, mid-range and super statement pieces. You will find that a lot of different pieces will fit into your ultimate vision.

CHOOSE PIECES THAT ARE VERSATILE AND OFFER SUPER IMPACT

Use the information you obtained when you evaluated your lifestyle and ideal wardrobe in order to determine which pieces would have the biggest and boldest impact on your look. For now, unless you are seriously lacking on them, skip purchasing the basics. Focus on choosing versatile and interesting statement pieces that you can wear a lot of different ways. Start by working on the area of your wardrobe that you’re the least happy with. Do you realize that with just a few simple tweaks you’ll see the impact immediately? As you’re out shopping, envision at least three outfits you can make with each item you want to purchase before you actually buy it. If you can’t, it probably isn’t a good fit.

QUALITY VERSUS QUANTITY

 

Now it’s time to think about your purchases. Can you go out and buy 10 tops for $50? Of course you can but seriously, how long are they going to last? I always say you get what you pay for. It makes sense to spend a little more on high-quality pieces that will stand the test of time. You’ll end up saving yourself money in the long run as well as alleviating the morning fashion stress if you take this approach.

Tip: If you’re the type or person that tends to go a little overboard when you see a sale, skip them unless you have a specific piece that you need to buy. Another helpful trick is to ask yourself whether you would buy the particular item at full price if it wasn’t on sale. If you can’t imagine yourself buying it at full price, do both yourself and your closet a favor and put it back on the rack. Impulse buys can add up quickly. Trust me – it is better to spend that money on quality items that fit in with your ideal envisioned wardrobe.

ACCESSORIES ARE KEY

The right accessories can bring a simple outfit to life and are key to switching up your look. Statement pieces are fabulous, but just like the rest of your closet, be sure to look for pieces that not only offer the most bang for your buck but also those that will work with most things in your closet. Definitely invest in a few pairs of great shoes and bags. You certainly can go the less expensive route for those trendy pieces that may not have staying power.

FIND A SIGNATURE STATEMENT PIECE

Whether it’s an antique piece of jewelry or an amazing arsenal of super sunglasses, adding a signature piece into your wardrobe will give it major personality. Like the rest of your things, your signature piece deserves some thought. Take your time to find something that fits in with the rest. You don’t need much to make a huge impact, so invest in a few key items that will stand the test of time.

Revamping your closet and your wardrobe can be really fun if you are open to experimenting with your style and trying new things.

Have fun!