Dressing up is a form of self-expression, and how you dress can change your mood entirely. However, that isn’t to say you must fill up your closet until you take up every space inside. Building a simple, usable and happy wardrobe could make your daily dress-up routines effortless and stress-free.
Remember several things when creating a wardrobe that will make you happier. It may take time and sacrifice to achieve your desired outcome, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Keep reading these expert tips to learn how to do it:
Inject Your Personality
One of the first things to apply to your wardrobe is your personality. Are you flashy and daring? Or are you shy and a bit conservative? Understanding your own character is key to curating the pieces you know you’ll use often and removing the ones you won’t.
If you enjoy showing a bit of skin, add more tank tops or miniskirts to your wardrobe. On the other hand, if you prefer to cover up from head to toe, focus on collecting comfy linen trousers or knit jumpers. Consider styles, colours, and patterns that make you happy when wearing them.
Aside from choosing the pieces that best fit your personality, you can throw in a few others that scream “you”. An example would be personalised clothing such as custom-made shirts or bespoke suits. These wardrobe items are made according to your measurements and preferred designs. It’s the perfect way to create your wardrobe made for you and you alone
Stock Up On Basics
Building a simple wardrobe requires focusing on pieces you know you’ll wear frequently. Thus, you must collect essential, everyday clothing like plain tops, trousers, and jackets. The best part about having these pieces is that you can make different combinations for your daily outfits. You’ll spend less time figuring out what to wear and earn more time for yourself and your to-dos for the day.
A crucial factor to take note of is colour. If you still don’t know your fashion taste, playing around with vividly coloured clothing is challenging. Therefore, stick with neutrals such as black, white, and brown. Your wardrobe may look monotonous, but it’ll be much easier to test new styles. You can eventually add more coloured clothing every so often or invest in coloured statement jewellery to spice up your monotone outfits.
Limit The Number Of Pieces
You might be unhappy with your current wardrobe for one particular reason: you have a massive collection of clothes. While having limited clothing sounds dreadful, it’s more stressful when you have too many options.
A capsule wardrobe usually consists of 30 to 50 pieces of clothing. So, if you have more than that, it may be time to declutter your wardrobe. To begin the process, start by taking everything out, but not including the following:
- Undergarments
- Swimwear
- Hats, coats, and gloves
- Jewellery and other accessories
- Shoes
- Formal wear
- Gym clothes
Sort the pieces into two piles: most and least worn. Afterwards, set aside the latter pile and focus on the former. You’ll now sort it according to when you use them. The result should be clothes arranged by occasion or season worn.
Once you have two smaller piles of clothing, you may notice how you now have fewer clothes. Return the current season’s pieces into your wardrobe and keep the off-season pile in storage. Now, you’ll be left with the clothes you rarely wear. You have the option to sell or donate them. Then you can return to the clothing mentioned in the list above. Check whether you also want to let go of a few pieces and keep the ones that bring a smile to your face.
Don’t Follow Trends Faithfully
It’s tempting to subscribe to the latest fashion trends. But doing so often stresses people out because they don’t have what’s trendy. The only thing permanent about trends is that they’re temporary. They change almost every year and may be drastically different ten years from now. On the contrary, your personal style will last forever until you decide to switch it up. However, it’s okay to follow some trends that you believe mesh well with your style.
Additionally, it’s better to keep your inspiration board to a minimum if you have one. Oversaturating yourself with outfit ideas will overwhelm you in the end. You don’t need to dress up like your favourite model or social media influencer. They have a style of their own, after all.
Buy Clothes In The Correct Sizes
A common mistake many people make when building their wardrobes is getting clothes that don’t fit. This often happens when they buy clothes on sale. Despite the low prices, the pieces could be too small or large for you. You’ll feel more unhappy having to deal with these clothes and forcing yourself to fit them. Hence, as an additional piece of advice, avoid hoarding discounted clothing.
When buying new or second-hand clothes, remember to memorise your measurements. Or, get off your phone or laptop and shop in physical stores. Buying clothes in person allows you to try on pieces before heading to the cashier. You’ll have clothing that fits you perfectly, making you feel much better about yourself.
In addition, set aside the pieces that no longer fit you. You can save money by decluttering when you sell or donate the clothes you don’t wear anymore. You’ll also have a more compact wardrobe as a result.
Conclusion
Happiness in the form of clothing involves curating better pieces and letting go of some. Sometimes, a simple wardrobe is more than enough and that alone is a happy wardrobe. The clothes you already have may spark copious amounts of joy and make dressing up daily a more worthwhile activity.