Improve Your Wardrobe

Improving a wardrobe is an ongoing process, but knowing where to start is the first step. Evaluate how your wardrobe could stand to improve. Weed out pieces you hate, and then slowly introduce new, better pieces into your closet to replace them.

Steps

Evaluate Your Wardrobe

Determine what parts of your current wardrobe are most in need of improvement.

  1. Look through your closet. Separate the clothes you love from the clothes you hate and the clothes you feel neutral about.
  2. Determine why you love the clothes you love. Some pieces may have sentimental value, but oftentimes, you love clothing that makes you look good.
    • Study the pieces that you love for similarities in style and shape.
    • Hold a personal fashion show for yourself. If you feel uncertain about why you love a certain piece or outfit, try it on and examine yourself in a full-length mirror.
  3. Dispose of clothing you hate. If you hate it and no longer wear it, keeping it will only worsen your overall opinion about your wardrobe.
    • Throw out clothing with holes or stains.
    • Donate clothes that are in good condition to your local thrift store or second-hand store.
    • Box up clothing that has sentimental value. Some pieces may mean something to you, even if you hate the way they look on your body. If you cannot bear parting with a piece for sentimental reasons, store it in a box kept separate from your wardrobe.
  4. Evaluate clothing you feel neutral about. Determine what pieces look good on you and which do not.
    • Dispose of clothing that makes you look frumpy and clothing that ages you.
    • Hang on to bland clothing that fits you well or has potential. These pieces can be spiced up.
    • Keep a few comfort pieces. A loose t-shirt or a pair of sweatpants may not be fashion forward, but they are good clothes to wear if you plan on lounging around the house all day. As long as these pieces do not rule your wardrobe, having one or two won't hurt.

Know Your Body

Before you can improve your wardrobe, you have to know how to pick out clothes that will look good on your body.

  1. Take your measurements. Even if you think you already know your basic measurements, re-measure yourself for accuracy.
    • Measure your bust size. Wrap a tape measure around the fullest part of your bust, keeping the tape measure taut and parallel to the floor.
    • Measure your waist size. Wrap a tape measure around your "natural waist," the narrowest part of your waist usually located just below your bust. Keep the tape measure taut and parallel to the floor.
    • Measure your hip size. Stand with your heels together and wrap a tape measure around the fullest part of your hips, keeping the tape measure taut and parallel to the floor.
  2. Determine your problem areas. Nearly all women feel dissatisfied about some feature of their body. Determine what features you feel unhappy about so you can work on balancing them out.
  3. Find something you like about your body. Everyone has something they can work with. Keep positive and figure out which features you like and wish to accentuate.
  4. Know your body type. There are five basic shapes: pear, apple, inverted triangle, hourglass, and ruler.
    • Stand in front of a full-length mirror without any clothes on.
    • Focus on the contours of your torso. Start at your natural waist and mentally trace the shape of the contour to your rib cage.
    • Start your natural waist and visualize the contour extending to your hip line.

Spice Up Old Pieces

Fix up old clothes and add a bit of visual interest to them with accessories.

  1. Visit a tailor. A piece in your wardrobe can fall short of perfection but still have potential.
    • Fix hems that are falling down and loose stitches.
    • Hem pants and skirts that have hemlines that drag or fail to flatter.
    • Have an old favorite taken in or let out, especially if you have experienced a change in your weight.
  2. Accessorize with jewelry. A bit of flair can take an outfit from bland to sensational.
    • Dig through your jewelry box for old yet fashionable pieces.
    • Purchase a few new pieces of jewelry. Look for pieces that intrigue you, even if you would not have purchased them in the past.
    • Buy jewelry that you know you can match with your current clothing.
    • Look for bright, colored jewelry to spice up neutral colored clothing.
    • Consider a few classic pieces, like diamonds or pearls, for nicer occasions.
  3. Add color and style to your clothing with shoes.
    • Purchase a pair of fashionable heels, flats, or sandals in a bright color to make bland outfits pop.
    • Also look for a pair of trendy heels in a neutral color that you can wear with most of your clothing.
  4. Invest in other accessory pieces. You do not need to limit your accessories to jewelry and shoes.
    • Try on different hats. Not every hat looks right on every head, but many individuals can usually find at least one style of hat that works for them.
    • Consider purchasing a long fashion scarf, so long as the style appeals to you.
    • Look for a fashion belt in a solid, neutral color. Belts can change the way a garment looks on you by accentuating the narrowest part of your waist.
    • Rotate your purses. If you already own a few handbags, pull one out that you have not carried in a while.
    • Alternatively, buy a new purse if you only have one, and if you have already had it for a while.

Purchase New Clothing

Slowly introduce new garments into your wardrobe to improve its overall quality.

  1. Look outside your closet for ideas.
    • Flip through fashion magazines and pick out pictures of outfits you love.
    • Cut a few pictures out and use them as "cheat sheets" to guide you when you go shopping.
  2. Cover the basics. If you do not already have a few basic pieces in your wardrobe, add them.
    • Own at least one pair of well-fit blue jeans in a classic style, such as boot-cut.
    • Purchase one nice pair of soft material dress slacks with an interior lining.
    • Consider a simple, flattering skirt in a neutral color. A knee-length A-line skirt flatters most body types and can often be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.
    • Buy a few tank tops or camisoles that you can wear beneath jackets and low-cut blouses.
    • You should definitely own one fitted white button-down shirt.
    • Consider purchasing a blazer or jacket that you can wear over a variety of blouses.
  3. Select a few “fun” pieces. The idea is to improve your wardrobe, not keep it the same.
    • Look for daring patterns and colors that intrigue you, even if you would not usually consider them.
    • Pick one current trend you find appealing and shop for a piece that falls in line with it.
  4. Shop for pieces that flatter your body type.
    • Accentuate your upper body by selecting shirts with patterns, bold colors, and interesting necklines if you have a pear shape body.
    • Conceal your midsection with empire waist tops and full skirts if you have an apple shape.
    • Create lower curves by wearing full bottoms with visual interest if you have an inverted triangle shape. Think jeans with flares and skirts with bold colors, patterns, and ruffles.
    • Add dimension to your shape with print, texture, color, layers, and other details if you have a rectangle shape.
    • Accentuate your waist using voluminous skirts, nipped waist tops, and draping fabrics if you have an hourglass shaped body.
  5. Look for pieces you love. Avoid settling for another bland piece you can only feel neutral about. If you do not absolutely love a piece you try on, save your money until you find something you do love.

Tips

  • Start small when purchasing new accessories and clothing. Shop for one or two new pieces at a time to avoid overwhelming your budget and your sanity.
  • Recycle old garments into accessories. Use material from an old sweater to make a purse, fabric belt, or scarf.

Things You’ll Need

  • Full-length mirror
  • Fashion magazines
  • Tape measure
  • Accessories
  • New clothes

Related Articles

  • Photograph Your Wardrobe

Sources and Citations

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