How to Make the Most of the Clothing you already own

I shared a post not too long ago about the spring wardrobe staples I’m excited to start wearing again, and I wanted to talk a little more about making the most of clothing you already own, particularly as we make that transition from cold weather to warm, and vice versa for those of you living in the Northern Hemisphere. I’m no minimalist by any means, but I truly cherish the clothing I do own, however I’m probably more inclined to part with something sooner than most if a garment is no longer pulling its weight in my wardrobe. Given I don’t tend to keep up with trends (too much, at least), I find that a couple of new additions are enough to keep things feeling fresh. But as I try to be a little more intentional with my purchases – keeping in mind the fact that I love fashion and the opportunity to style up new pieces – I thought it would be great to pull together some tips to not only increase the longevity of your clothes, but to make the most of clothing you already own.

Wearing Whistles ‘de rien’ t-shirt (this is cute), Everlane modern boyfriend jeans (similar), FRANKiE4 sneakers (also love this luxe option), Mute by JL coat (this is also a beauty), Everlane form bag (full review here), Anthropologie earrings, Linjer watch, Pandora bracelet

It probably goes without saying that having a classic colour palette and core wardrobe staples that are versatile and timeless are going to lend themselves well to being re-worn season in and season out. A pearl-beaded bag might be in this season, but the lifespan of a simple leather tote bag (also love this one) is going to be years rather than a few mere months.

Spend an afternoon ‘shopping’ your wardrobe

It’s easy to fall into the rhythm of wearing the same uniform over and over – if it ain’t broke, why fix it… right? While I’d generally agree, if you’re feeling a little bit uninspired by your wardrobe, a single afternoon spent trying out some new outfit combinations can be enough to give you a fresh perspective on the clothes you already own. If you’re still feeling ‘uninspired’, maybe get one of your girlfriends to come over, and ask her to style up a few looks for you – it’ll be even more fun over a glass of wine!

Steal her style

If you haven’t felt inspired by shopping your closet, try browsing through Pinterest to identify some outfits that you really like, but aren’t a part of your usual repertoire. Usually I’ll spot a few ideas that I can take back and replicate with items I already own in my wardrobe. It may not be the most ground-breaking outfit combination, but just different enough to feel like a whole new look.

Treat your clothing with care

One of the things that I attribute to increasing the longevity of my core wardrobe staples is taking the time to treat each piece with care – whether that means storing it away neatly after each wear (rather than throwing it into a crumpled mess on the floor), or laundering it as per the washing instructions. If you’re splurging a little more and investing in your wardrobe, the motivation to do this should be even stronger. If something is still in good – or excellent – condition, you’re going to be way more excited to wear it, than if it’s on its last legs.

Cross-pollinate your seasonal wardrobes

Our house doesn’t have the most generous wardrobe space, but it’s more than enough to store everything I own, plus all of Luke’s clothing too, so I’ve never felt a need to pack away non-seasonal clothing. What I love about this is that it allows for some serious cross-pollination across my S/S and A/W wardrobes. Whether it’s remixing a pair of wool trousers with a simple little cami, or throwing on a sweater with a denim mini, I never get that feeling of having ‘nothing to wear’, plus I get a kick out of finding items that are versatile enough to be worn practically year round.