A Perfectly Edited Wardrobe {Part I}
I recently read an article about an heiress/socialite/fashion designer whose closet is so sparse you’d never know she was any one of those things. Upon looking, however, the article said one would see that her closet was “perfectly edited.” She had amazing, versatile pieces – just not many of them, and no clutter.
This triggered something for me. Within days, I was cleaning out all of my superfluous pieces (defined below), and compiling detailed, well-researched lists of timeless fundamentals to add to my new wardrobe. And I created a step by step as I went along. Here’s what I did:
1. Think Edit
As lawyers and other professionals, we are accustomed to editing. In my day job, I’m not done with a written work until I’ve made three substantive edits per page to a draft that I otherwise regard as final (thanks Bryan Garner for this rule of thumb!).
When it comes to closet editing, the exercise is similar. I have always been as attached to my wardrobe as any writing I do (quite attached), and taking things out feels painful. Still, you have to discipline yourself to do it. Mindset is everything. And a perfectly edited wardrobe is as much about editing and cleaning up as buying, so it’s a crucial step. Anyway, if you’re committed to doing this, it’s worth that twinge in your heart as you pull things off hangers and into a give-away box.
2. Ditch Anything Superfluous
Now that you’re in the right mindset, what exactly do you get rid of? I decided to ditch anything superfluous, defined as follows: something I’ve not worn in recent memory; any piece that does not make me feel like myself, even if I love the item on the hanger; anything ill-fitting that can’t be fixed (you can have a separate pile for items that you’d like to try to make work via a great tailor); something I have to build a narrative around in order to keep (for example, “this item would be perfect for a fall picnic lakeside in Vancouver” – it’s never going to happen – please get rid of it).
My goal was to cut my items in half, at least. While this sounds like a lot, anything less is simply not a perfectly edited wardrobe.
3. Find Yourself
This is the fun part. Rather than buying clothes you like objectively, it is important to get in touch with who you are – and more specifically, what your fashion sensibilities are – so you are buying things (and repurposing items you already own) that you love not just on the rack but every morning when you get dressed.
Think about what you truly wear again and again (for me, it’s dresses, black separates, and asymmetrical or interesting hem lines, so I centered my edited wardrobe on these items). Think about what you get the most compliments on, and what you gravitate toward when you’re shopping. These are the items that should comprise your entire wardrobe when you’re done editing, and, to the extent you are missing any of these key pieces, you should buy top quality, long lasting items (you don’t have to spend a fortune, but look for pieces that will last and that are truly quality (silk instead of polyester, rayon instead of jersey, etc.), no matter the price).
4. Be Methodical
It’s worth taking some time (even months) to research items you like and to consider how they will fit within the larger context of your wardrobe edit. Make lists of items you would like in each category (pants, tops, skirts, dresses, etc.) and subcategories (business, business casual, casual, date night, weekend outings, etc.).
Consider how you can repurpose items you already have so you don’t need to buy anything new (on the flip side, get rid of things that are visibly old – as an easy example, if you have a white button up shirt that now appears yellowish, that should go in place of a new one).
Get rid of items that don’t fall into any realistic category (that crushed velvet halter dress you bought in a thrift store in Paris that you’re still waiting for an occasion to wear). And cross reference your lists so you aren’t buying duplicative items. For any new item you buy, get rid of an old one so you don’t lose the work you did on the front end to get rid of stuff.
5. Pull It All Together
One of my favorite parts of the perfectly edited wardrobe project was pulling my outfits together. Before I was ready to wear anything I had bought, I decided to create outfits so at any given moment, and for any occasion, I can reference my pre-determined outfits and just grab and go. Our Pintrest tutorial, as well as our Net-A-Porter style tutorial, were incredibly helpful in this regard. This will eliminate the “I have nothing to wear” syndrome that we all suffer from, and will cut your morning routine down quite a bit.
What tips do you have for closet editing? What do you think about the idea of a “perfectly edited” wardrobe? Let us know in the comments below! And check back for Part II of this series where we’ll walk you through some of our favorite purchases and outfit combinations.
xo,
Team HOM
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