If your wardrobe is in dire need of some extra TLC, use this 10-step revamp guide to nurse it back to life! Combat extreme boredom with the majority of your clothes and get one step closer to ‘closet heaven’ which is what I call the state when every single item in your closet reflects your personal sense of style, you face getting dressed every day with excitement, your wardrobe suits your needs exactly, you always feel like you have something to wear and you really could not wish for a better set of clothes. Reaching closet heaven might not be easy, but at least the process is fun :) I’ve written separate posts on many of these steps and listed them below in the order that seems the most helpful to me, but feel free to pick and choose your own program. Happy revamping!
Are you are minimalist or a maximalist? Would you prefer to own a small selection of high-quality items or buy a completely new set of clothes every season and have lots of options? Before you edit your wardrobe, think about your general approach to personal style. Read about my own approach here.
STEP 2 | Wardrobe DetoxPerhaps the most liberation step in the whole process is a thorough wardrobe detox. You need to get rid of everything in your closet that is tainting your vision of personal style in order to be able to add new items onto a clean, ‘pure’ canvas. I wrote a looong post about wardrobe detoxing, click here to read it.
STEP 3 | Find InspirationThe next step on the road towards an expressive, functional wardrobe is developing your aesthetic ideas and creating a cohesive, refined concept. Moodboards are a great way to collect visuals all in one place. First, gather a ton of inspiration. Then, analyse everything and identify themes.
STEP 4 | Analyze your Lifestyle
There is no point in building a wardrobe around platform heels, if you work from home or spend most of your time in a conservative environment. Your wardrobe should not only express your personal style but also be tailored to your lifestyle. Does your wardrobe fit your lifestyle?
STEP 5 | Build a Capsule WardrobeCapsule wardrobes are one of the core elements of a minimalist approach to personal style. In the best case scenario, a capsule wardrobe should consist of a small selection of key pieces, express the essence of your style, be optimally adjusted to your lifestyle and allow you to quickly pull together an outfit for every occasion. Think of it as the ‘main ingredients’ in your wardrobe – you might want to try out a few new spices here and there, but as long as your main ingredients are in the mix, you know that the end result will turn out well. Read this post for a detailed step-by-step guide to creating a 20-piece capsule wardrobe.
STEP 6 | Develop a Signature LookFinding a signature look is no easy feat; you need to boil down all of your favourite things into a handful of essential items and consider your lifestyle and body shape. But once you have found it, your signature look is an original combination of functional and aesthetic elements that perfectly represents you and your style.
STEP 7 | Build a Capsule Work WardrobeIf your office wear is very different from your everyday look, consider creating a separate work capsule wardrobe. You can follow the same method as outlined in this post or, if you are just about to start a new job and need to put together a basic work wardrobe on a limited budget, check out my quick-fix approach here.
STEP 8 | Wardrobe OrganizationThe perfect wardrobe organization system can do wonders for your personal style, by enhancing and supporting the unique structure of your wardrobe. Read this post for a detailed three-step guide on how to find a storage system that fits not only the contents but also the dynamics of your wardrobe.
Your wardrobe needs regular maintenance and updates to keep it perfectly tailored to your lifestyle and aesthetic ideas! I like to do a thorough seasonal overhaul twice a year, and two additional two mini updates just before summer and winter. Read this post for a detailed description of my timeline of seasonal updates.
STEP 10 | Streamline your Beauty Routine
If you’ve caught the minimalist bug and are thinking about streamlining your beauty routine and product collection as well, use the momentum and do it once your wardrobe is all set and freshly edited! The essence of the minimalist approach to beauty is the same as the idea of building the perfect wardrobe instead of keeping a mishmash of impulse buys: It is about valuing quality over quantity and taking the time to curate a small set of products that are perfectly tailored to your style, skin and lifestyle. Read this post for a step-by-step guide on how to simplify and optimise your beauty routines and this post for a review of the minimalist approach.
*cover image by Dario Catellani
I just found your blog and I must say I am super impressed. You have a ton of unique content and a great style! Keep it up!
Your new layout is very cool!
Clear, consise, brilliant!
This is amazing. I need this in my life- thank you!!
~Laura
I’m moving to another country in a couple months and I definitely needed this! Brilliant post :)
Great Post thanks for sharing…
Reblogged this on LittleMissGemm.
awesome tips, well written and helpful!
i posted my tips for shopping and personal style here
http://citystylecountrysmile.com/2013/01/08/be-a-savvy-shopper-and-save/
Reblogged this on curvygirlstylesa and commented:
Hey Guyz!
Here’s an interesting read/ tips for those who want to revamp their looks and upgrade their style.
Thank you for these great tips! Very well written!
This is so good! Thanks for all this info, I regularly clean out my closet but next time I might do it a little bit more organized!
Reblogged this on Chaise à louer and commented:
Cute ideas
I need a clear out!