Reinvent your wardrobe this spring

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If you already have a well-stocked wardrobe and want to be more conscious of what you are buying, we have had a look at how you can rework what you have rather than always flashing the cash or hitting click to buy to get that hit.

Be inspired
Before you do anything, look at what’s hot on the fashion front at the moment as this can really inspire you to take a closer look at your clothes and see how they could work harder for you. Social media feeds and magazines are a great way to asses which looks are in, and the ones that are out as this can spark ideas, and before you know it, you are dressing in a whole new way.

Sort it out
If your wardrobes are bursting at the seams, it could mean that you can’t actually see what you do have to wear so end up in the same jeans and tee day after day. Take everything out of the wardrobes, put it all on your bed and re-hang everything you want to keep on wire hangers as these save space and prevent items from bunching and creasing. You can make it easy to navigate your clothes if you sort by style, colour and season and when you have done this you will have a better idea of what goes with what, and new looks can be created.

Mend it
If you have well-loved items that you still adore but are broken – mend them, don’t chuck them! A damaged strap, missing button or drooping hem can stop you from wearing something, so get it fixed and the problem is solved. If you can’t do it yourself, many dry cleaners offer basic repairs and if it’s heels that need a helping hand, head to the cobbler.

Sell or swap
Before you throw away the clothes that didn’t make the cut, think about selling or swapping them so someone else can love them. This a great time to call on friends to give you some feedback on your clothes and style and they may want to take what isn’t working for you, off your hands, and you could be in for a haul of goodies from them in return. Also remember that online sites, social media, vintage stores and charity shops are perfect homes for pre-loved bargains and it is so much better to keep a garment alive, than sending it to the landfill.

Breath in new life
We all know that accessories can give a favourite look a new lease of life, so this is the time to get out those bags, belts, jewellery and shoes and have a play around. Alice bands, scrunchies and scarves can give a special lift, caps come into play with sportswear and an animal print tote or neon slider will automatically give you style kudos.

Just wear it
Once you have done all the hard work, make sure you wear the items you have kept. Don’t keep things for best, wear dresses that make you feel special, jeans that elongate your legs, and if you have polished those shoes, put them on your feet and shine, baby!

What we would say, is don’t try to reinvent your entire wardrobe in one go. If you can breathe life into three pieces, that’s a great start, and the rest will follow.

Team Pure Beauty

How to Detox Your Wardrobe

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With Dry January out of the way and your body akin to a temple (right?), February is the perfect time to go ahead and detox your wardrobe.

Why not spend some time this month looking at what you have, and what you might need, and to get really organised so you look fresh and polished from now right through to the summer.

Set aside a morning or afternoon when you can turn the phone off and just get on with the job in hand! Put it in your diary and stick to it.

Ready? Let’s go.

The six-month rule
If you haven’t worn something in your wardrobe in the past six months, the chances are, you won’t wear it again. This is a time to be honest and ruthless so as you go through your clothes, make three piles – keep, sell, and give away. Those bright pink skinny jeans, the fluffy bomber jacket and those lime green cowboy boots didn’t work for a reason, so don’t hang onto them just incase.

Quality over quantity
You might feel good knowing your wardrobe is bursting open with hundreds of items, but how many do you actually wear and really like? You might not believe us, but having 30 pieces you really love to wear will make your clothes work so much better for you. By doing this you can also see what is missing and what you need to buy, if anything.

It’s a matter of jeans
OK, how many pairs of jeans do you have in your wardrobe? 5, 10, 15…..more???? Jeans are a staple but one that is hard to crack. They need to be the right length, colour, shape, style and only then are they perfect. Cropped jeans elongate legs and there is nothing like a flash of ankle, mid-risers are hip flatterers and skinnies work on so many levels. See which ones fit, get rid of the ones that don’t, and buy a couple of new pairs that make you look, and feel, amazing.

Jump to it
Come rain or shine, winter or spring, fine knits in black, grey and navy are essentials, end of. They are the most versatile items in your wardrobe, so it pays to invest in the best you can afford. They can be worn with tailored trousers for a smart casual look, match them with those perfect jeans you have found, or pop over a dress and you look as if you have pulled a new skirt out of the wardrobe!

Stripes
Whether you are 13, 30 or 83, a long-sleeved Breton t-shirt will always be your fashion friend. They are brilliant to wear with trainers and jeans on the school run or pop under a jacket and you have a more tailored look that will work well for a meeting with clients or lunch with friends.

Go by the seasons
When you are organising your wardrobe, do it by the seasons. As we are in the middle of winter, you can pack away bikinis, kaftans, flip flops and straw hats – wrap them in tissue paper with moth balls, and store away until the snow has thawed and spring is in the air. You want everything else, to be visible so you can grab, and go.

Be an outfit builder
If you want the clothes you have kept to really work for you, create three outfits from each item you have kept. For example, that long-sleeved floral maxi dress can be worn alone, add a jumper and boots and you have a daytime staple, and if you layer with a fine knit and fake fur gillet, you have a boho look that Sienna Millar would be proud to be seen in.

Fold or hang?
If you want them to keep their shape, always fold knits, t-shirts and jeans. You can either layer them in a chest of drawers or get storage accessories that hang in your wardrobe. Trousers and skirts can be hung on clip hangers and for dresses, go for slim hangers. The golden rule with hanging is that you should be able to fit two fingers between each hanger, and this way your clothes don’t get crushed or lost in a blur of fabric.

Sort it out
If you have taken the time to find the clothes that work for you, it is worth sorting them out in a way that works too. Hang dresses, jackets and shirts together, and then have subcategories of work, home, gym, out-out and if you want to go one step further, complete with a spot of colour coordination.

So, now you know what you have to wear, you just need to fill your diary with events to go to.

Team Pure Beauty